Culebra, Island of Beauty & Simplicity

Culebra is the best kept secret in the Caribbean. The beaches are mostly deserted. People are friendly and gracious. All you need to bring is a bathing suit and a good book. The pace is slow, the water is warm, the sand is powder. Currency is in U.S. dollars. Both English and Spanish are spoken almost everywhere. Culebra is a U.S. Territory about 17 miles east of Puerto Rico and 12 miles west of St. Thomas. It is the smallest of the Spanish Virgin Islands.

This sleepy, unspoiled island with about 1500 residents is perfect for the beach-lover, hiker, photographer, naturalist, adventurer and dreamer. Not much to do but relax at the beach, explore the island on a rented bike, jeep or motor scooter, and meet up with friends at your favorite waterside cafe for a drink.

The dozen or so restaurants are all casual and offer a wide range of cuisine. There's not much nightlife except occasional live music at one of the local watering holes or perhaps a moonlight stroll thru the little town of Dewey. Shopping is very relaxed— a few small shops, some offering a variety of handmade jewelry, crafts and work by local artists.

Snorkeling and scuba diving around Culebra are outstanding. Hard and soft corals abound in the shallows, and magnificent reefs encircle the island. Tropical fish and other sea life are plentiful and endlessly fascinating. Underwater visibility is generally excellent. The Culebra National Wildlife Refuge covers over 1500 acres of the island and surrounding cays, and is diligently protected as a nesting area for many varieties of seabirds, lizards and endangered species, including brown pelicans, and leatherback and hawksbill turtles.

Come for the beauty, simplicity, adventure and romance. Culebra will not disappoint.

Bathed by a steady tropical breeze, Casa SuMarco is perched on a hillside a few hundred feet from the water's edge.

Overlooking beautiful Ensenada Honda, Culebra's largest bay, the house and its spacious deck offer a panoramic view from the eastern sunrise to the evening sun setting over harbor sailboats and the little town of Dewey. This mangrove-lined bay is a vital refuge for island wildlife— there are no swimming beaches along its shores.

Casa SuMarco is situated in a small residential neighborhood, close to the best ocean beaches (5-12 minutes by car), all ferries and the only town (7 minutes), airport (5 minutes), restaurants and shops.