A horse crosses the road unhurriedly, followed by two foals. No one honks: on Vieques, semi-wild horses have always had the right of way. This island, 33 kilometres long, anchored about ten kilometres east of Puerto Rico, welcomes small ships that drop anchor offshore and bring their passengers ashore by shuttle boat, sometimes to Isabel Segunda on the north coast, sometimes to Esperanza on the south coast. From one landing to the other, the setting remains the same: green hills, deserted shores and nature that has reclaimed all its rights.

Isabel Segunda and the last Spanish fort in the Americas

The main town is tiered around its square, its church and its pastel-fronted shops. On the hill, the Fortín Conde de Mirasol is worth the short climb: completed in the mid-19th century, it was the last fortification built by Spain in the New World. Its rooms now house a museum of local history and art that sums up the island's singular destiny well. A little farther north, the Punta Mulas lighthouse watches over the comings and goings of the ferries from Ceiba.

A refuge born of a military base

For six decades, the U.S. Navy occupied both ends of Vieques, conducting firing exercises there that sparked a long citizen mobilization. Its departure in 2003 turned the former military zone into a national wildlife refuge, the largest in the Caribbean. An unexpected result: kilometres of coastline spared from any construction. The coves of La Chiva and Caracas, reached by dirt roads in the eastern part of the island, are among the most untouched shores in the Puerto Rican archipelago.

Sun Bay, the great southern crescent

A few minutes from Esperanza, Sun Bay stretches nearly three kilometres of pale sand lined with coconut palms, with changing rooms, lifeguards and picnic areas. Horses sometimes graze among the palm trees, indifferent to the swimmers. Trails lead from the parking lot to the neighbouring coves of Media Luna and Navío, even more secluded. The hamlet itself consists of a malecón, the seaside promenade lined with food stands and terraces; here you can eat grilled fish facing the islet of Cayo Afuera before heading off again.

Mosquito Bay, the nighttime wonder

Vieques is home to the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world, certified by Guinness World Records. Billions of microorganisms produce a bluish glow with every movement of the water. The phenomenon only reveals itself after dark: only passengers whose ship extends the call into the evening will be able to try the experience by kayak, with a licensed guide. The others will have one more reason to come back for a stay on the island.

Port of call at a glance

What the island leaves behind

When it's time to reboard, many passengers realize they haven't seen a single traffic light or shopping mall. Vieques offers exactly the opposite of city calls: silence, horses roaming free, shores without umbrellas. The island still bears the scars of its military history, but it has turned them into a strength, that of a land returned to nature and to its people. You leave with the impression of having glimpsed the Caribbean of fifty years ago.