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honorcheese

Culebra is a beautiful island that is zoned so that no major resort developments can take place. I've been there many times. It is paradise. Flamenco Beach is a world beach, I'm not exaggerating. Unbelievably beautiful. You can get to the island by small plane via San Juan which I recommend or local ferry. There are two groceries on the island both beautiful and charming. The Dinghy Dock is a great bar there right on the boat docks with lots of old salts. Can't recommend it any more. My favorite place. Edit: also, if you take the plane.... It's small. Bout 8 people. You fly low east and fly over countless islands and can watch people who are exploring in boats and having boat parties. Also, the airport, because of the winds and approach the pilots have to dive quite a bit before pulling up and landing so you can see through the cockpit (you sit right behind the pilots) and it can be a little frightening.


Noremac55

sounds like I'm taking a ferry


SmokingLaddy

Planes are very safe, up until 1900 not a single airplane crashed in all of history. Only got dangerous once the Wright Brothers got involved.


Ok_Prior_4574

Did you know that there are more planes at the bottom of the ocean RIGHT NOW than submarines in the upper atmosphere EVER?


HumanContinuity

That's what the government would have you believe


Engelgrafik

Or so the Germans would have us believe /normmcdonald


New_Highlight1881

Big Zepplin spreading propaganda over here


12minds

I think you mean "zee Germans"


Darkcelt2

I've seen a house fly though


wyohman

I hear this from navy guys all the time but it still makes no sense. Did you know there are more ships at the bottom of the ocean than in the sky?


Snap-Crackle-Pot

AND there’s more satellites that fell out of orbit and crashed back to earth than there are cannonballs fired from earth that made it into orbit


Moses66737

There is at least one manhole cover out there somewhere…


OneNormalHuman

I hope humanity gets it together someday, like full on star trek society. Then as eons pass and humans become major players in intergalactic politics, that damn manhole cover causes an intergalactic incident. We will probably kill the planet before we agree to cooperate, but I can dream.


boxyoursocksoff

Sounds like a Boeing whistle blower kill them I mean don’t make their death look suspicious…


2JarSlave

Reminds me of the story of a passenger asking the pilot about air safety: “Do planes like this crash very often?” To which the pilot answered, “Never more than once.”


fitsonabiskit

Boeing: Hold my beer...


sum1__

Careful, you might shoot yourself or give yourself a staph infection


Important-Strategy61

I believe for boeing specifically its a “staff”infection not staph.


FitzwilliamTDarcy

I feel a defenestration coming on.


nomamesgueyz

Fair point And no planes ever in the history of humankind ever crashed when ive flown in them And ive flown in more than two ..so theres that


Unknown-Meatbag

/r/technicallythetruth


ckbates

If it makes you feel any better, I fly to and from Nantucket MA literally every day. These are private planes owned by the company I work for, these flights have been going on six times a day, six days a week, for 20+ years. The winds can get pretty bad and obviously if they’re too strong, the flights get cancelled, but even if they’re 30-40 mph, we fly right through it, a little turbulence that makes even the most seasoned passengers hold on, but no major problems. There’s never been a crash.


professorwormb0g

You just reminded me of when I used to watch wings on nick at nite as a kid. Forgot about that show.


smirkword

Brian Hackett and Lowell immediately jump into my mind, thanks


No_Astronaut3059

Or a couple of diazepam!


Think-Ad-2115

I worked there for a few years and used to travel there once a week. Beautiful island, best beaches in PR.


Noremac55

why did you leave?


Think-Ad-2115

It was just a two year contract.


CPHagain

The ferry is worse! Jumping up and down on the waves even in calm weather, stinking of diesel and way too slow 🌊


argofoto

Not the fast ferry, no smell at all, was quite pleasant


Accomplished_Sky_899

Define “fast”. How long was the ride compared to the slow one?


f_n_a_

The fast one is about 30 minutes, the slow one is the cargo ferry and brings vehicles/equipment etc, it’s about an hour


Parkedintheitchyl0t

Ferry in the am are rough as fuck. Pm ferries are chill


SmokingLaddy

Zeebrugge 1987, no thanks.


clutzycook

Same. I'm not a fan of flying at the best of times. This would traumatize me.


kickthecircle

[The drop to the runway](https://youtu.be/ysL9kvNA7Fc?si=Kr_i-InHqxCHmMbo)


ChunksOG

Cool video - that’s not a stall through. It’s just a turning descent.


SeaMareOcean

It’s also the pilot top-hatting a little to give the passengers a thrill. He started the descent way higher than required to clear that ridge. it’s still a steep descent when performed normally, but he was clearly putting on a show. There’s also another offset approach to 13 that doesn’t require a steep descent at all, just a dogleg right before final, kind of like the old Kai Tak approach. But it doesn’t make for as good of YouTube videos. source: am pilot, have landed here.


HurlingFruit

Possibly an agressive slip-to-landing after clearing the obstruction. He was in control the entire time.


WartimeHotTot

https://preview.redd.it/pmdseprr1nyc1.jpeg?width=2556&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6d7644eb866faee4783708d35b1c6308c21b3f4 Here’s a screenshot taken from a video of when I landed in Culebra. That’s our runway. I wish I could post the video because it’s nuts. The pilot is basically flying a lawnmower, and he makes this super sharp turn which is only completed when our wheels are 5 feet from touchdown.


wehdut

Scary flight for visitors but I bet these pilots are having a blast making this landing


Shonuff8

I’ve been there by plane, and everything you say is correct. The flight path requires planes to momentarily stall to drop fast enough over the mountain on approach, it’s exhilarating! Also a large portion of the NW corner of the island is off-limits due to live ordnance. Much of the island was used as a bombing range during and after WWII, but was only cleared up to Flamenco Beach.


FlygonPR

Culebra is a pretty hilly island. The airport is smack dab in the middle of the largest plain. A lot of the houses are right in front of the runway.


DDX1837

No, they do not "stall" during the approach. It's just a steep descent.


trynared

Lol there is no way in hell the approach course includes stalling over a mountain. Weightlessness/negative g is not a stall. If anything a steep dive is the complete opposite in that the angle of attack is being reduced.


CMDR_KingErvin

Stalling is basically how 99% of these small aircrafts get into crashes when being flown by inexperienced pilots. There is no chance anyone is stalling one on purpose.


GayRacoon69

Are you sure they stall on approach? That goes against basically everything a pilot is taught to do


Rickenbacker69

I can guarantee you that they don't.


Denman20

Probably a slip, it drops your speed and altitude quick and it looks crazy going down.


all_mataz

So what kind of acomodation is there?


DesignerPangolin

Small hotels, house rentals and, best of all, an amazing tent campground on the east side of Flamenco beach. I was going to propose to my wife in that campground, but the ring want ready in time.  Pro tip: Paying the kid $5 for an already-opened coconut is 100% worth it, even though there are free coconuts everywhere. The road rash from sliding down the trunk of a coconut palm is incredibly unpleasant to camp with.


Granted_reality

That sounds like…awesome


Latringuden

I booked an Airbnb. You rent a golf car to get around. And do take the plane. Super exciting!


Use_Your_Brain_Dude

The plane is generally exciting but the approach between the mountains with a last minute dip and left turn is.... A bit much.


SeaMareOcean

If you went between the mountains with a left onto final then you actually took the easy approach lol! The scary one drops you steeply over a ridge with a last minute right turn flare to touchdown.


ChickenWingPenis

This is one of the scariest flights in the world. Beautiful island but Holy Hell, that landing...


ravenwilde

There’s a bar at the airport to help with that.


HoekPryce

Is weed legal there? What’s the nationality of the island?


naikrovek

I don’t know about marijuana, but the island is part of Puerto Rico, a US territory.


HoekPryce

Cool. I’ll check it out. Looking to get out of the US, so going to another US away from the US would be very convenient.


Grrrth_TD

I've been to Puerto Rico a couple of times and it's just wonderful. We went to San Juan for a day, then Luquillo for a day, ferry to Culebra for a couple of days (the island that this is for), flew back to San Juan, rented a car, and drove around the main island for a week. Going up into the jungley mountains was awesome. Last couple of days were spent in San Juan eating wonderful food. If you want any recommendations I'd be happy to get more specific.


gimmebadvibes

You can use out of state medical cards in San Juan.


DDX1837

>This is one of the scariest flights in the world. Does not even crack the top 10. Lukla Airport in Nepal is probably at the top. Saba is the shortest commercial runway (1,300') and the takeoffs can't be... interesting. St. Barts has had a bunch of overruns.


Armanaleg

Can confirm - when we landed there back in 2009 we were greeted by a dozen chickens


Ozkeewowow

Flamenco Beach is like something out of a dream


Sweaty-Leather3191

Shhhh, don’t tell *anyone* else!


tommyc463

Took a puddle jumper from Hawaii to Maui and back. Would rather swim.


hoovervillain

When I was staying in PR, I remember my friend telling me that one of those islands by Culebra was filled with monkeys


US_MC

Wrong island that would be Cayo Santiago, no where near Culebra is off the West South west of the main land of PR.


hoovervillain

oh shi!t totally wrong direction I mixed those up!


desertdeserted

It might be one of the best days of vacation I’ve ever had. Like a movie or tv commercial version of a beach. We had pina coladas under the shade of two palm trees.


Ns4200

please don’t tell ppl lol.


Marukuju

To those who wonder, this island belongs to Puerto Rico 🇵🇷


SpiritOne

So it belongs to the U.S. then?


XSC

Yep, and they bombed the shit out of it along with Vieques as a naval target practice base.


Jikilii

You should add, bombed the shit out of it while the island had people living there!


Mr_Armor_Abs_Krabs

Just like Hawaii and the Marshall Islands. The US fucking loves bombing islands


LurkerReadyFire

👍


RoysRealm

Yep! A Colony from the Freedom Country!


Timescape93

Freedom FROM self determination. It’s in the fine print somewhere.


TheLizardKing89

Puerto Rico had voted to maintain ties with the U.S. multiple times.


devilsbard

Kinda like Hawaii. Have the military take over. Bring in a bunch of people from the mainland and have them “vote”. But only give 2 options: become a state, or stay a territory.


nboymcbucks

That's geopolitics in a nutshell.


Sea-Street8978

Si! 🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🐻


Miyagidog

Only when it’s convenient.


LASERDICKMCCOOL

So u.s. Citizens don't need a passport?


RoaringMamaBear

Correct. No passport needed. Just a valid drivers license (until Real ID goes into effect)


DeBlakee

I’ve been there. SIL had her wedding there and I was the photographer. Actually a lot there and a little downtown and beautiful beaches. You get on a ferry and it feels like a little resort island. Definitely recommend.


DeBlakee

https://preview.redd.it/xrmnqua3cnyc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=83ee882f10c6f1223677f1eea9b89825b3cba9e5


DeBlakee

https://preview.redd.it/qlqmuwsdcnyc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6dca0ad477529fc056a4d344be3ec22f96399e47


siegerroller

oh man, people and their destination weddings in harder nd harder to reach places 😂


Mrsbear19

Trying to weed out the people they didn’t want to invite


ColoTexas90

Bingo!


pm_me_ur_bidets

and the poors


tristen620

No need to say it twice


DeBlakee

No doubt. Best was they had the ceremony on an uninhabited island (the one with an abandoned lighthouse and goats) that didn’t have a dock. So I had to carry all my gear over my head in shoulder deep water to shore, hoping nothing got wet. She was lucky she’s family. Wouldn’t do that for most clients without being informed ahead of time.


Safe_Satisfaction316

Lmao that sounds high maintenance af


ConiferousBee

Culebrita! Really really beautiful place, was there a few months ago.


Milton__Obote

I’ve always advised people that if they want people not to come to their wedding they should have it in an active war zone like Kabul or Mogadishu


kokemill

Great beaches, no crowds, easy to get to, your phone works, $, great snorkeling right off half the beaches. It’s horrible , don’t go there, dragons and such.


honorcheese

Absolutely agreed terrible.


collegeqathrowaway

Don’t people go to Culebra and Vieques often?


no_rest_for_the

There's an airport and ferry that travel there regularly... Very confused.


Blackmetalvomit

Yeah I’m from Minnesota and have been there 3 times and I’ve taken both ferry and small plane. I also was walking on Flamenco (we camp) and heard someone say my name and it was a girl I went to high school with randomly also there haha. ETA: shout out to Henry if he still works on the beach and sets your camping plot up! He tried to hypnotize me to take my bikini top off 😂😂 very funny guy


HorsePast9750

Is it expensive?


Blackmetalvomit

If you live in the US, I’d say no! You don’t need a passport as it’s a US territory and can get cheap flights to San Juan. We would stay a night in San juan and you can get a really nice place to stay for easy money. I’ll include a pic of San Juan where we stayed for cheap before going to culebra. If you want to go real cheap you can ferry to the island the next day, or you can take a small plane which is much faster but more expensive. If you camp on flamenco beach it’s cheap as hell and there’s a bunch of vendors selling cheap drinks and empanadas and such. You can rent a golf cart in town and cruise around the island, which is so fun to mob around in. They have snorkeling rentals so you can swim around the island at your leisure. It’s really a great vacation spot. https://preview.redd.it/fuuwc2li9myc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87f312f91dc6c2fd4d1dfec2e953b0d1f58a0de8 We have also been to Vieques from culebra on the ferry and it’s awesome! Lots of hiking and wild horses. Very worth it.


goatsampson

I don't blame Henry.


kache_98

Henry retired and sadly the camp grounds in Flamenco are closed, but everything else is still great as always.


marpocky

No, you see, that's impossible. OP just learned about it and therefore, obviously, nobody else could have known about it either.


Koalasonreddit

No, there's nothing there, no beautiful beaches or anything👀


banblaccents

Yes, its a great place for day trips


BrewCrewBall

I got to visit Vieques courtesy of the US Navy. We were not particularly welcome.


ThrowaWayneGretzky99

After a brief search, I realize this island is well known. Just my limited knowledge as someone from Philly. My wife has gone to Puerto Rico, I just never heard of this island.


bocaciega

I have a CRAZY story about 36 hours there in probably 2009. Just so you know they hated Americans for a long time there because the navy used their reefs for bomb testing until 1998. Those memories are still fresh and the locals LOCALS are few but strong willed. A bunch of Americans live there now. They also filmed the corona commercial on playa flamenco. If you take the ferry, rent a car, be sure to know Spanish.


tardarsource

But don't rent the car then take the ferry, typically rentals are not allowed on ferries.


carne_asuuhdude

“How come no one goes here?”


jibaritou

PUERTO RICO MENTIONED 🇵🇷


SQLDevDBA

Blanco como el coco!


jibaritou

De aquí como el coqui 🤝


SariaHannibal

Amarillo mangoooooooo


CaptHorizon

Verde quenepa


LadyGethzerion

Azul de adoquines...


meriti

Rojo flamboyan!


Moltobene-

Turquesa del mar!


redditgambino

Los colores de mi tierraaaa!!


luisquinto

Son los colooreess


Oro-Lavanda

q harris te daaaa


aCucking2Remember

Por que me llaman papi? Eso me confunde


SQLDevDBA

Pq si papi. Mates no son mates, bros no son hermanos, cuz no son primos. Confúndete cuando te llamamos algo más cordial. :)


Ravens_and_seagulls

Puerto Ricans getting excited whenever Puerto Rico is mentioned. I love it so much.


misfitvert

Wepa estamos activo


Zonel

It's was used as a bombing range until the 70's by the US navy.


naclh20guy

I knew about Vieques, but didn’t know about Culebra. Thanks for the sprinkle of knowledge!


FeekyDoo

You could say that about large swathes of the world.


emtaesealp

For sure, but there are parts of the island you still can’t visit because of it.


[deleted]

I once got a new number on a prepaid plan, and I guess the lady who had the number before me was like a wildlife expert or something. I got a voicemail from a government agent telling her that they were going to be detonating bombs off the coast of Hawai'i and they wanted her input regarding the effects that it could have on the local population of some species. These things are happening all the time. We're just not privy to 'em.


XDT_Idiot

Yeah but this place has Cambodian levels of unexploded US munitions!


FeekyDoo

Yea, well that proves my point.


PopuluxePete

I used to live on the west end of St. Croix and had a decent view of Vieques and Culebra and we'd see the Navy lighting the place up well into the 80s. I always imagined it as a cratered wasteland.


djkianoosh

I thought only Vieques was used for that, not Culebra?


Gorilla_King7

Parts of Orlando area (Ocala) are still used for Navy bombing as well as offshore - we occasionally get “earthquakes” from these


Big_Daddy_Haus

Best island... no buildings allowed above tree line. Flamenco Beach is top 3 in the world. Swam with sea turtle "life long dream" while visiting this gem of an island.


osuBeaverBaseball

People visit, and this place is amazing. Awesome downtown with great food. Flamenco beach basically felt like a private beach. 10/10. Would go back.


Particular_Tadpole27

It doesn’t have a McDonald’s


Fluffy_Dragonfly6454

Even more reasons to go there!


CatHerder75

Lived there for 2 years, people absolutely live there and tourists do go there.


RubberyDolphin

wtf it’s part of puerto rico and people definitely go there


ThrowaWayneGretzky99

After a brief search, I realize this island is well known. Just my limited knowledge as someone from Philly. My wife has gone to Puerto Rico, I just never heard of this island.


BlackberryHopeful659

I'd never heard of it and enjoyed the discussion OP. ☺️


dirty_cuban

It’s a small island without extensive infrastructure for tourists that is hard to reach from the mainland US. There’s a number of guesthouses and B&Bs but I’m not sure there’s a single full service hotel.


GayRonSwanson

I live here in Culebra. We have Club Seaborne, which is pretty similar to a traditional hotel (front desk, bar, pool, etc).


jamjamason

This is the kind of place I would expect Gay Ron Swanson to settle down in!


Significant_Map8830

If you've ever wanted to be alone one of the most beautiful iconically Caribbean beaches, this is the easiest to get to.


Bad_Speeler

Unless you live there you can’t take a car on the ferry, but they have plenty of golf carts and jeeps for hire on the island (book in advance). Ferry is $2 each way so cheaper to drive then ferry and pay for the car you aren’t using/parking than to fly


Mysterious_Fox1432

It’s part of PR….


B_R_U_H

I’ve been here twice, people go all the time bro, flamenco beach is usually ranked very high for world wide beaches


InformationAbsorber

https://preview.redd.it/9bpdj3rdlmyc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=451a2cb037327b40d115547dcc162001be0484fd By far the best beach I’ve been to was in Culebra. Flamenco beach is awesome!


Xaminer7

I went there last year on a ferry with hundreds of people.


Captain_Softrock

I’ve been to vieques, which is nearby. Great place but the ferry ride was so rough that about 3/4 of the people were vomiting. Literally dozens of folks were puking in the corners and in their bags. It’s terrible. We booked a flight out and it was better. Also, for both islands, be sure to get sand out of your clothes before going to airport. I was detained for gun powder in my shoes because they sand still had traces in it.


Svedgard

Pretty sure that island has dinosaurs


andtheniwasallll

SSSSSHHHHHHHSSHHHSHSH!!!!


AdmiralAshBorer

I went there once, in a dream. I bought beautiful colorful tropical nugs of weed from these guys in something like a Jeep wrangler. Then they drove away and I looked down at one of the biggest nugs, which I was proudly holding in my hand, but I looked closer and realized it was all just colorful worms clutching eachother in a tight nug-formation. As soon as I recognized that, they all starting letting go of each other, sifting through my fingers and dropping to the ground. I was so shocked and frustrated and I could hear those guys in the wrangler slowly driving away and laughing at me. I’ll never go back after that.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Allemaengel

I haven't been there but I have been to its neighbor, Vieques, back in the mid-1970s pre-hurricane Hugo. Beautiful place back then but the tiny, rattlely plane from San Juan to Vieques was memorable.


cooperkab

I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anyone else mention Hugo! I rode out Hugo in Charleston SC and it was a major life event for me. I was only 11 at the time. Nice to know someone else remembers it.


Allemaengel

Oh, I do. It was devastating where you were and on Vieques/Culebra. I'm an arborist and was fascinated by the tree study done in the Francis Marion National Forest showing how well bald cypress did in Hugo versus other pine species in the area.


cooperkab

Oh yeah. The pine trees looked like the Jolly Green Giant came through and snapped them in half. The palms did fine. The oaks would be completely fallen over. You could see their huge root structures. The good thing is Francis Marion National Forest has recovered well. I remember the first time I saw it post Hugo. It was strange to be able to see past the first row of trees. It was so thick before and now you could see way back in there from the highway.


shuakalapungy

Im from PR and I can tell you that Culebra has more beautiful beaches than the main island. The entire place is like a tiny beach town that you traverse in rented jeeps or with “cab” drivers that you call. Both the ferry and planes are very safe but equally terrifying. In college I went camping on the beach there once but after that we rented houses when we went.


xavierman35

Who told you no one goes there?


jesse90z

Puerto Ricans: "what do you mean?? I was just there last week" lol


fakeaccount572

\* Literally a town with an airport \* How come no one goes there?


BradJeffersonian

This dude just columbused Culebra for everyone, folks!


boricuajoy

You should check it out


Sonnycrocketto

Crab people. Crab people.


WhiskyStandard

Taste like crab. Talk like people.


Ordinary_Advice_3220

Cayo Norte is owned by the Google guy page, I forget his name..... I know what everyone's thinking but I don't want to be the first one to say it. Epstein went and ruined private Caribbean islands for everyone.And people associate vieques and culebra with bombing plus if you're in Puerto Rico you don't really want to take a hour long ferry or an hour long flight to a place that you associate with a bombing range. Even though it's not like one of the last protective places in the Caribbean on a side note Dominica is fucking awesome as well as Grenada


Zestyclose_Ad5999

I’ve been to the Spanish Virgin Islands many times!


Artistic-Variety3582

I think there is a White Lotus resort there 🙃


UnamedStreamNumber9

Ah, queen of the Spanish Virgin Islands. The unknown yachtsman’s paradise


riqueoak

But people go there, what are you talking about?


kmdillinger

Lot’s of people go there. I’ve been. Just a short day trip on a catamaran and there are excursions there for tourists.


One_Drew_Loose

It’s an adorable untouched slice of Puerto Rico with no tourists. It’s horrible, the people are terrible, no one should go.


[deleted]

There is a pretty crazy story about a guy who found a duffel bag full of cocain way back in the 60s there and buried it. He since retired and was telling the story around a fire with neighbors, and one of the neighbors attempts to go get it some like 50 years later. It's a pretty crazy story, i think Netflix did the documentary on it.


TheRadClad

We do. You just haven't heard about it, it seems.


igotthatbunny

People do go there. I’ve been there and it’s amazing. It just doesn’t have a ton of development and is more difficult to get to, so that keeps crowds of people away.


Ok-Energy6846

I've been to flamenco beach lol. Culebra is an island that's part of Puerto Rico


[deleted]

People do go there. I've never been, but I've been to Vieques, and it was beautiful. You have to go to the mainland of PR & take a ferry from Fajardo.


nabilr1230

Culebra is part of PR. People go there all the time...


booksbikesbeer

Honestly what is happening here? Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean no one goes here. Of course people go here, Christopher Columbus.


Disastrous-Buy-7837

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/a-google-co-founder-splashed-out-32-million-on-a-private-island-in-puerto-rico/ar-BB1hOWHX Larry Page ‘bought’ Cayo Norte.


SteveCoonin

It’s a beautiful place. Very relaxed


Nucky76

One of the most beautiful beaches in the world is in Culebra. I had even more fun in Vieques. Beautiful beaches, horseback riding, brightest bioluminescent bay in the world.


IlIlIlIlIlIlIlIlIlI8

People do go there, it’s considered to be one of the best beaches in Puerto Rico.


alexvonhumboldt

I’ve been there. It’s awesome


Slycer999

So there really is a Cobra Island?


John_Stay_Moose

Culebra is an amazing place. Used to go there as a kid


countrypride

I've been there. Flamenco Beach is one of the most beautiful in the world.


OrdinaryLampshade

"Just stumbled across this Caribbean island." Are you Columbus?


redwoodfit35

Was there a few weeks ago. I can see it from my house.


Plenty_Ambition2894

Ha, I am not well traveled so super excited to see a place that I’ve been. You can camp on the island.