Flamenco Beach, located on the tiny tropical island of Culebra, is 20 miles off the north-east coast of Puerto Rico. With good reason, it’s regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
A 1 ½ mile-long crescent of gorgeous powdery soft, white sand. Clear, calm turquoise waters. Billowing palm trees bordering the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge, one of the oldest in the United States. Off the coast of Flamenco Beach is a reef filled with colorful aquatic life.
Along the shore, the horseshoe shaped bay is perfect for walking and it’s where you’ll come upon an iconic attraction, an U.S. Sherman Army tank. Used for military exercises until 1975 the abandoned tank is covered in colorful graffiti giving the beach an unusual artistic flare.
Getting to Culebra
The island municipality of Culebra is located just 17 miles to the east of mainland Puerto Rico. There are two main ways to get to Culebra, either by airplane or by ferry.
If you want to take a short flight in a small plane, Ceiba airport on the east coast of Puerto Rico, Isla Grande in San Juan, or Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport (SJU) offer daily flights. From there take a taxi or rent a golf cart to get to Flamenco Beach.
The Fast Ferry from Ceiba takes about 45 mins (the slower ferry can take up to 1.5 hours) each way. The ferry is an economical way to travel but unfortunately can be notoriously unreliable.
The island of Culebra has no luxury resorts or night life to speak of. Airbnb’s are your main accommodation options.
Flamenco Beach Facilities
Beachside bars serve up cocktails and food. The beach has bathroom facilities and showers. Swimming areas are designated with buoys and the shallow waters are safe for swimmers and non-swimmers.
Flamenco Beach has a designated camping area for a fee which provides potable water, bathrooms, and shower facilities. There isn’t however electricity and campfires are not permitted, but there are BBQ pits for charcoal. After you register and pay for a permit at the entrance of the campground you will be assigned a specific area to camp.
In the town of Dewey, which is near the ferry dock, vendors offer snorkel equipment rentals as well as diving tours.
Lay back with a pina colada and watch as Flamenco Beach changes the intensity of its turquoise color throughout the day and reflect on all the reasons it’s one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.