From Fajardo: All-Inclusive Boat and Snorkeling in Culebra Island
A guided snorkel with lessons and ScubaPro gear, a light meal and rum drinks.
From $173 per person
Check AvailabilityThings to Do in Culebra
A day on Culebra is mostly in the water: snorkeling a reef, floating off a beach, looking for turtles. Here is what you can do, which boats let you do it, and what a single day cannot fit, so the Culebra snorkeling tour you book matches your plans.
Snorkel a reef
This is the main event on most boats. The power boats moor over a reef for about an hour and a half, the Isleta Marina boat visits two or three reefs, and the private days snorkel in the Luis Peña reserve. Masks, snorkels and fins come with the fare.
The one exception is the catamaran beach day from Puerto del Rey, which is sold as a beach day and leaves snorkel gear out. If snorkeling is why you are going, check the card before you book. First-timers do best on a day with a guide in the water.
If you dive
The reefs around Culebra draw divers as well as snorkelers. None of the day tours here is a dive trip, though, and none includes tanks or a dive guide. If you are certified, book a dedicated dive boat separately; a snorkel day is still a good way to see the reef.
Kayak and paddleboard
The catamaran beach day from Puerto del Rey brings kayaks, paddleboards and beach games to the sand. The Ceiba snorkel boat carries stand-up paddleboards too.
Paddling is how you reach the quieter end of a beach while the group swims. Wear a rash guard, because the sun off the water is strong by midday.
Float, swim and lounge
Several boats put out floating mats behind the stern, and the private crews set up an umbrella on the sand and a platform on the water. On the big catamarans the crew brings drinks out to you.
If your idea of a good day is floating in clear water with a drink, a catamaran or a private boat is the better fit than a snorkel-first power boat.
Meet the sea turtles, the right way
Hawksbill, green and leatherback turtles all use Culebra's waters, and Tamarindo is where the boats most often find them. The ferry day's guided snorkel and the private days both go looking for them.
No official distance rule for watching turtles was found, so follow the plain courtesy your guide will ask of you. Do not touch, chase or feed a turtle. Float still, give it room, and let it choose how close it comes.
Walk the refuge trails
The wildlife refuge's public areas and trails are open every day from 6am to 6pm. No day tour includes a hike, because the boats spend the day on the water.
To walk the trails, come over on the ferry on your own, or stay the night. Bring water and sun protection, and keep to marked paths.
Eat and drink
Every boat tour feeds you, from a deli buffet to a grilled lunch on the private days, and most serve rum drinks or beer. The ferry day is the exception: lunch is not included, and the kiosks at Flamenco Beach sell food for cash.
Eat a proper breakfast before an early start, and bring water. The drive to the dock and the check-in come before any food.
What a day trip cannot fit
A day trip gives you three to five hours on the island. That is not enough to see the town, walk the refuge, reach the north-shore beaches and snorkel. You pick one or two.
No tour here is a jet ski tour, and every one runs by day, so none is a bioluminescent bay tour either. Puerto Rico's bio bays are on Vieques, in Fajardo and in Lajas, and they are visited at night.
| Activity | What you get | Which tours |
|---|---|---|
| Snorkel a reef | Gear on every boat except the catamaran beach day | The power boats, the private days, the Isleta Marina boat |
| Guided snorkel with turtles | Flotation belt and a guide in the water | The ferry day at Tamarindo |
| Kayak or paddleboard | Kayaks, paddleboards, beach games | The catamaran beach day; paddleboards on the Ceiba boat |
| Float and lounge | Floating mats behind the boat | The private days and several power boats |
| Learn about the reef | A marine biologist in the crew | The Ceiba snorkel boat |
| Walk the refuge | Public trails, 6am–6pm | On your own, on the ferry |
Found the day that fits?
Every tour lists what it includes, from snorkel gear to kayaks, and every fare refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead.
Where to check these facts
The turtle species and the refuge hours are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's own statements.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Culebra National Wildlife Refuge
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Culebra refuge species
Tours with the most to do in the water
Culebra Full Day Beach and Fun Experience by Catamaran
A catamaran beach day from Puerto del Rey with kayaks and paddleboards; snorkel gear is not included.
From $195 per person
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Full-Day Snorkeling Tour to Culebra Island with Lunch
About five hours at Flamenco Beach, with a marine biologist aboard and paddleboards.
From $168 per person
Check AvailabilityWhere each activity happens is on the top beaches, and every tour is compared on Culebra Tours.