Old San Juan might be the crown jewel in Puerto Rico, but drive east from the colonial history and you will be able to immerse yourself in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea with sometimes nothing but a sea gull or two. OH, and the iguanas. 45 minutes east is the Rio Grande area, and there are plenty of resorts that line the coast here. We chose the Wyndham Rio Mar Resort and Spa and were not disappointed. The resort has great facilities, flavorful restaurants, and is steps away from the ocean. The resort is 10 minutes from the rainforest, and thus iguanas abound in the area, and 20 minutes from Fajardo, from where all the ferries start.

Culebra is located about nineteen miles east of Puerto Rico and eight miles north of Vieques, and is the smallest of the inhabited Spanish Virgin Islands at just seven miles long and 3 miles wide. It is hard to get to the island with only 3 ferry trips from Fajardo daily. Arrive at the ferry station atleast an hour before to get tickets and on weekends, even earlier. The island has very little to do, but the beaches are paradise, especially Playa Flamenco, or snorkel in the shallow and magnificent reefs that encircle the island. Tropical fish and other sea life abound and can be seen just off the beach.