More than 20% of Culebra is part of a spectacular national wildlife refuge, which was signed into law more than 100 years ago. Most of it lies along the coastline, including more than 20 cays. Home to three different ecosystems, the refuge is a habitat for endangered sea turtles and the largest seabird nesting grounds in the Caribbean. For visitors, it's a place for hiking, birdwatching and secluded beaches. The US Fish & Wildlife Service office has maps and information.
Culebra National Wildlife Refuge
Top choice in Culebra
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.56 MILES
Stretching for a mile around a sheltered, horseshoe-shaped bay, Playa Flamenco (Flamenco Beach) is not only one of Culebra’s best beaches, it also makes a…
4.36 MILES
If you need a reason to hire a water taxi, Isla Culebrita (Culebrita Island) is it. This small island, just east of Playa Zoni, is part of the national…
18.55 MILES
Locals claim that the magnificent Bahía Mosquito (Mosquito Bay), a designated wildlife preserve located on the island of Vieques, about 2 miles east of…
Cabezas de San Juan Reserva Natural
22.41 MILES
A nodule of land on Puerto Rico’s northeast tip, this Para La Naturaleza–run reserve protects the Laguna Grande bioluminescent bay, rare flora and fauna,…
-
2.42 MILES
This remote thin, white-sand beach has one of the best snorkeling areas in Puerto Rico thanks to a barrier reef that almost encloses the beach's waters;…
2.46 MILES
Head to the eastern end of the island and you’ll eventually run out of road at Playa Zoni. Many locals think this is a better beach than Flamenco and it's…
24.42 MILES
The sugary mile that fringes Magens Bay, 3 miles north of Charlotte Amalie, makes almost every travel publication’s list of beautiful beaches. The seas…
-
19.34 MILES
Part of Puerto Rico's national park system, this half-moon-shaped bay, less than a half-mile east of Esperanza, is the island’s balneario (public beach),…
Nearby Culebra attractions
0.56 MILES
A resaca is an undertow and a metaphor for a hangover, an allusion to the state of the water perhaps, or the way you'll feel after climbing up and down…
0.64 MILES
It's beauty lies in its isolation; with no road you have to hike about 30 minutes along a little-used trail that is often overgrown with sea grape and low…
1.41 MILES
Housed in the Navy's former munitions warehouse (El Polvorín), this compact museum is jam-packed with interesting displays on the history of the island,…
1.56 MILES
Stretching for a mile around a sheltered, horseshoe-shaped bay, Playa Flamenco (Flamenco Beach) is not only one of Culebra’s best beaches, it also makes a…
1.78 MILES
Snorkeling is the thing here; the beach shares the fish-filled waters of the Luis Peña Channel Natural Reserve, making it a popular spot for independent…
2.09 MILES
This is the closest beach to Dewey; a tiny strip of sand with some shade trees and a smattering of picnic tables and a good spot to catch a sunset. The…
2.42 MILES
This remote thin, white-sand beach has one of the best snorkeling areas in Puerto Rico thanks to a barrier reef that almost encloses the beach's waters;…
2.46 MILES
Head to the eastern end of the island and you’ll eventually run out of road at Playa Zoni. Many locals think this is a better beach than Flamenco and it's…