Can you take your own car to Vieques?
Is renting a car an option on Vieques?
Facts about driving in Vieques
Conclusion
Can you take your own car to Vieques?
You can technically take your car to Vieques. However, it is a hassle. The passenger ferries that travel Vieques as well as another small Puerto Rican island, Culebra, do not carry cars. So, you will need to buy tickets for a cargo ferry.
The cargo ferries travel much more infrequently than the passenger ferries. More importantly, the cargo ferries often do not stick to the schedule, so you would need to arrive very early to ensure you do not miss whichever cargo ferry that you end up choosing.
In addition to that, you will need to make a reservation for the cargo ferry of your choosing in order to be able to travel on it with your car. Worse, even if you have a reservation and arrive on time, you could end up getting “bumped” for something that is deemed “more important” such as large construction equipment.
Overall, almost anyone will tell you that it is not worth it to take your own car to Vieques.
Is renting a car an option on Vieques?
Thankfully, renting a car is an option on Vieques. So, you can take a passenger ferry and then rent a car when you get to Vieques which is much easier than trying to take your own car there.
You should be aware too that you are not allowed to rent a car on the main island of Puerto Rico and then take it to Vieques or Culebra. Technically you can but that would violate your rental agreement. So, if you did that and something happened to the car such as an accident, you would be responsible for 100% of the cost of the damages.
As we mentioned, there are a few places where you can rent a car on Vieques. These are in order of their review rating on Google:
Facts about driving in Vieques
Driving in Vieques is a different experience than driving anywhere else in the Caribbean. Before you set out driving on Vieques you should be prepared for the following:
- Not many tourist amenities – There are not any golf courses, casinos or any sort grand pit stops for tourists. The island is primarily known for its beautiful beaches. There are hotels for overnight stays.
- There are not a ton of options when renting a car – The car rental companies that you will come across in Vieques will generally offer only a handful of types of cars including Jeeps and golf carts.
- Once you arrive at the beach, it will still take some time to get to the beach – The entrance to the beach in Vieques is usually at least a few miles of driving from the actual beach. So, expect the drive to take ten or fifteen minutes at that point.
- Gas is scarce – Unfortunately, there are only two gas stations in Vieques. So, obviously the gas stations can get crowded and the wait for gas can be long. If you see a gas station at a time when it is not too crowded, we suggest that you stop and get some gas. There are also times when these two gas stations will run out of gas because of how difficult it is to get the gas from the main island to Vieques.
- There are alternative ways of getting around in Vieques – If you do not feel like renting a car, you can always rent a bicycle or scooter. There are also taxis available, you can call for a taxi in Vieques by calling 787-741-8294.
Conclusion
Do everything in your power to avoid trying to take your car to Vieques. There are a bunch of viable alternatives including renting a car, taking a taxi, or renting a scooter or bike. The main thing to remember about Vieques is that the main attractions are the remote and beautiful beaches.
