La Joya del Mar - Vieques (direct beach access!)

Spacious, open-air oceanfront villa on Vieques Island PR. Private walled compound on a spectacular bluff with 180* ocean view and direct beach access. Simple, Caribbean-inspired furniture, tile floors, white walls. Perfect for 3-4 couples or 2 families with kids. Wifi throughout! The space Spacious oceanfront villa on Vieques Island, PR, just a short flight or ferry ride from the main island of Puerto Rico. The property is a private walled compound on a spectacular bluff overlooking the ocean on the island's north side, with a dramatic 180 degree ocean panorama and direct access to a beach that will almost always be empty. The house consists of 5 spacious, airy rooms open to sea breezes with 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, and 2 sleeping couches in the living room. La Joya del Mar sleeps 6-8 comfortably, and is ideal for 2-4 couples, or two families with children. Simple, Caribbean-inspired furniture, large overhead fans, tile floors, white walls, and no-fuss style. Four generous verandas for sunning, reading, lounging, and dining, with sweeping views of the Atlantic, Culebra, and Puerto Rico. Wifi, well-stocked kitchen, laundry room, outdoor BBQ pit, patio furniture, beach towels, beach chairs, coolers, umbrellas. Just bring your groceries and beverages of choice! This simple beach house takes full advantage of its location -- there is always a balmy breeze and the views from every room are spectacular. The grounds have palms, almond trees, papaya and flowering hibiscus and bougainvillea. You can snorkel right off our beach. New York Magazine called Vieques “the hippest island in the Caribbean” and Vogue said that the island is “easily accessible yet amazingly remote and little known but for its wild horses and deserted beaches”. Easily accessible by ferry or small plane from Puerto Rico, Vieques Island is located midway between Puerto Rico and St. Thomas. We're also listed on Rainbow Realty. As far as we know no one has ever booked La Joya for a wedding...but it would be a pretty cool spot for one! Special pricing for events, please inquire. Guest access Main House • large kitchen with a full complement of cooking equipment, blender, toaster, microwave, and coffee maker (no dishwasher) • laundry room off the kitchen with washer and dryer • one bathroom with shower • simple outdoor shower off the laundry room • linens, beach towels, and bath towels • “dorm-style” bedroom with 3 twin beds • living room has two couches that can be used as additional twin beds • oceanview from both the living room and the bedroom with large windows The tower • two bedroom suites, each with a queen bed, and full baths with showers and tubs • attached to the main house by a sweeping veranda • seriously spectacular views and breezes off the ocean! **Please note that open-air means no A/C! The sea breeze and overhead fans keep things very comfortable at our house. But if you feel you need A/C, this is not your spot!** Other things to note **Once you book we will provide a full guest guide document** GETTING THERE: Fly to San Juan International Airport. Vieques is a 20-minute flight from San Juan. Cape Air, Air Flaminco, and Vieques Air Link are regular service. You can book your luggage straight thru Cape Air when you fly JetBlue. You can also charter a flight with Air Culebra. All have websites, just look them up. We recommend flying in, but you can also take a ferry from Ceiba (an hour taxi ride from San Juan). The trip is cheap but can be a bit of a hassle. Just search online for Vieques ferry from Ceiba. Upon arrival in Vieques, you can get a publico to take you to your car rental agency or directly to the house. Publicos are vans that act as taxis on the island. If you are going directly to the house, ask them to take you to Monte Santo Playa, to the pink house at the top of the hill, next to Casa Evamer and two houses up from the Country Club. (There is no Country Club, but that is what the house two doors down from ours, is called). Our house is pinky peach and turquoise, and is surrounded by a wall with a rolling gate at the entrance. La Joya Del Mar is located on the north side of the island. CAR RENTAL: We recommend a Jeep or SUV for beach access. There are lots of options, please inquire for info. DINING and DRINKING - Isabel II and Esperanza both have plenty of options. Some classy, some divey. Also some cool newer spots "inland." Things are always changing, so best to do some research before you go. Vieques Insider is a good place to start (look up the site). But you really can't go wrong - island fare all around! THE BEACHES: There are loads of great beaches on the island. The beach in front of our house is great when the wind is light. We always swim there at the end of the day. On the south side of the island is Sun Bay, a spectacular crescent shaped beach. If you continue on the road that runs along Sun Bay, you will come to Media Luna, a protected beach perfect for small children. Drive past Media Luna, and you will come to Navio-one of our favorite beaches for body surfing. On the old Navy Base, you will also find many fabulous beaches like La Chiva, Caracas, and Garcia. Punta Arenas AKA Green Beach, at the western end of the island is great for bird watching and snorkeling. Go exploring, and you will find a great beach at the end of most of the dirt roads on the island. Don’t leave valuables in your car at the beach. Vieques also has one of the last remaining bioluminescent bays. Evening trips can be arranged to experience the bays. This is an extraordinary experience. Check Vieques Insider for trip operator info. It is great to kayak into the bays and then take a dip in the bay surrounded by mangroves. ACTIVITIES: Generally, we read, swim and sleep, but if you are looking for more: Bio-bay tours Kayaking Snorkeling Massage-check Vieques Events Scuba Diving Night baseball games (follow the lights) Old fort and lighthouse tours Sometimes there is music and dancing on the plaza in Isabella Segunda Day trips to Culebra