Getting to Culebra

Culebra Divers - Culebra, Puerto Rico

There are two ways to get to Culebra – by air or by sea. Check out our breakdown of options below to see which is right for you.

(Updated February 2024)

Fly or Ferry?

It is the age-old question of time versus money. How much is each hour of vacation time worth to you? Hopefully the Options below will help you decide.

Our shop is located in town directly across the street from the ferry terminal and less than 1 mile from the airport.  Please note that Culebra Divers does not provide airport transfers, taxi services, or transportation to/from the mainland or Vieques.

We do NOT recommend traveling the same day as your tour unless you can secure advanced tickets as transportation to Culebra can be challenging and we are unable to offer a refund if you cannot get here in time.

You may be able to book one of the limited online advance ferry tickets via the new online ticketing system (puertoricoferry.com).  Especially during high season (November – April, July), getting ferry tickets can be difficult. It is important to note that when the system there are no tickets remaining online, that doesn’t mean the ferry is full, just that there are no online advance tickets left. It will list the number of remaining tickets available at the box office in Ceiba. It may also be possible to purchase Ceiba – Culebra tickets in person at one of the other Puerto Rico Ferry ticket offices in Cataño, San Juan, or Vieques.

However attempting to buy a ticket same day  and “walk on” the ferry you risk missing your tour with us and possibly a day of your vacation.  The ferry ticketing system can be challenging and frequently travelers are disappointed with the results.  **The “Pax and Cargo” does NOT arrive in one hour as listed on the ferry website.  It is a minimum of 1.5 hrs so please do not rely on that right before our morning tour.

The flights to Culebra are on small planes and they fill up fast, so make your flight reservations early.  A popular option is to fly to Culebra to kick off your vacation quickly, and then take the ferry back to Puerto Rico to save a few dollars and extend your surface interval if you’ve been diving.

**Our afternoon boat returns by 4:30 pm – we ask that you not schedule a departure near this time as you will be cutting the tour short for others and/or you could miss your transportation if our boat is late.

Options

Some of the small regional air carriers partner with the major airlines, so when searching for flights try Culebra (CPX) as your final destination instead of San Juan (SJU) and see if you get lucky!

If not, the first step to getting here is to book a commercial flight to San Juan International Airport (SJU). Many of the major airline hubs have non-stop service. From there, you have several options on what to do next. Please note all times and fares are estimated, based on a single passenger, and subject to change without notice. Culebra’s airport is roughly a mile away from our shop.  We are unable to pick up guests, but there is a list of taxi numbers in the terminal as well as three car/golf cart rental companies across the street from the airport (see links below).

VIEQUES – Vieques Air Link has resumed its direct flight on Saturdays and Sundays. Taxi Aereo provides charter service. There used to be a direct ferry from Vieques to Culebra once a month, but that service has yet to resume.

Lodging

Culebra Divers does not offer lodging, but we’ve compiled a list below from customer recommendations (with distance from our shop). TripAdvisor is another great resource. We encourage booking directly with the provider when possible to save fees!

**There is currently NO CAMPING at Flamenco Beach, the campground area will hopefully reopen in 2024**

If you fall in love with Culebra and never want to leave, check out these companies for current real estate listings:

Car Rental and Bike Rentals

Renting a vehicle is the best option for getting around the island. Although small, Culebra has many steep hills and our our roads/sidewalks are not always pedestrian friendly. For multiple people, or multiple days, renting is more cost effective than using the Publicos (taxis) for island adventures and sightseeing. Here are links to some local rental agencies for both eBikes and cars:

We highly recommend that you reserve your transportation as soon as you book your flights/lodging as availability is limited and changes rapidly.

Flying After Diving

Granted, the planes that fly from Culebra are not pressurized, but they can reach altitudes in excess of 4000 feet. That’s why the experts at DAN still recommend 12 hours after a single dive and at least 18 hours after multiple dives (or multiple days of diving) before flying. An option our divers frequently choose is to fly over to Culebra to kick off your vacation as soon as possible, and then take the ferry back to Puerto Rico to save a few dollars and extend your surface interval before flying home.

For further information on Puerto Rico tourism:

And don’t forget to purchase valuable travel protection for your special trip!