Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ISLA CAJA DE MUERTOS
The name of Isla Caja de Muertos - which translates to Coffin Island - seems
cribbed from the script of a swashbuckling adventure flick, but the big lizards here
run a lazy show, trotting across dusty, cacti-lined trails and over the mangrove marsh.
The morbid moniker is thought to have come from an 18th-century French author's
observation that the island's silhouette looked like a casket.
There's not much to see, but the opportunity for a daylong escape from the conges-
tion of Ponce can be pleasant. It hosts some of the best snorkeling around and plenty
of tranquil, if somewhat rocky, stretches of beach. Day hikers wander past en-
dangered plants and reptiles that thrive in the climate and a regal 19th-century light-
house, occasionally used as a station for biologists. If you need more action, try a
low-impact tour ( Click here ) to scuba at the 40ft Wall, just offshore. The only way
to make the 3-mile trip is through Island Ventures Water Excursions(
787-834-8546; www.islandventurepr.com , in Spanish; $17 round-trip; reserva-
tions necessary) . Leave a message if there's no answer.
Snorkeling
In not-so-distant memory, a government boat carried swarms of people to the now-quiet
beaches on Isla Caja de Muertos, but since the ferry was repurposed to the Fa-
jardo-Vieques-Culebra run, the wilds have reclaimed the place. Today Island Ventures
Water Excursions sends boats on reservation and can offer group rides around the bay. It
arranges a package including snorkeling gear, beach chair, umbrella and lunch for $35. In
high season look for its kiosk on La Guancha. It can also accommodate two-tank dives for
$65 to the Wall off the island's shore, which is magnificent with the right conditions.
Festivals & Events
Carnaval CARNIVAL
Ponce's Carnaval is a time of serious partying. Events kick off on the Wednesday before
Ash Wednesday with a masked ball, followed by parades, a formal danza competition and
the coronation of the Carnaval queen and child queen. The party ends with the ceremonial
 
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