Punta Arenas (Green Beach)
Also known as: Green Beach · Punta Arenas · Punta Arena Beach · Vieques Island: Green Beach
Dive & snorkel siteFrom Puerto Rico Dive Sites, the sourced field guide
Punta Arenas (Green Beach)
| Region | Vieques |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Vieques |
| Island | Vieques |
| Access | Shore or boat |
| Site type | Not established |
| Depth (reported range) | 2–20 ft (1–6 m)Single source (current tier 1–2) |
| Snorkel | Snorkel-friendly |
| Hazards | Current |
| Protected area | Vieques National Wildlife Refuge |
| Location | Approximate area shown on the map (within about 300 m).Location evidence: Approximate area[3] |
| Confidence | High confidence |
| Last researched | 2026-10-17 |
Overview
Heads up: operators and travel guides warn of strong or rip currents, so check conditions before getting in. Punta Arenas (Green Beach), at the western tip of Vieques in the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, is a dive and snorkel site at the end of a long unpaved, potholed road; the beach to the south is off-limits. Facing the Vieques Passage, coral reef starts near the shoreline and is very sensitive, so enter from the sandy spot at the last parking area and take care going in and out. Local operators run shore snorkel tours here and boat trips that anchor close to shore in 4 to 8 ft, quoting 2 to 20 ft of water, with sea turtles, stingrays, eagle rays, lobster and octopus.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Heads up: Current. See safety notes
Habitat & marine life
- miles of coral reef just offshore[2]
- reefs start near the shoreline and are very sensitive; take care entering and exiting[5]
- seagrass beds[8]
- sea turtles[3][8]
- stingray[3]
- sergeant majors, lobster, octopus, pufferfish, sea turtles, stingray, eagle ray[7]
Marine life is what sources report having seen or commonly seeing — not a guarantee.
Access
Experience & conditions
- Abe's Snorkeling & Bio Bay Tours (Esperanza, Vieques): “operator lists the tour for all levels”[6]
Attributed descriptions from sources, not our rating. Conditions vary; your training, experience and the day’s conditions decide.
Snorkeling
- snorkel right off the beach[5]
- Snorkel depth.[7]
- snorkeling: reef attracts snorkelers and divers[2]
- snorkeling: operator's shore-entry snorkel tours use Punta Arenas as one of three rotating sites[9]
- snorkeling: reef reached from a sandy entry at the last parking spot[3]
- snorkeling: about one hour of guided snorkeling on the operator's morning boat tour; frequent sea turtle sightings[8]
- snorkeling: shore-entry snorkel tour in calm sheltered water at the island's west end[6]
- snorkeling: boat snorkel charter from Palmas del Mar; operator says three reefs lie close to shore[7]
What sources say about snorkeling here. Conditions change — check the sea state before you go.
Recent diver reports
Dived here recently? Share a quick report
First-hand reports from divers, reviewed before they appear. Conditions change daily; a report describes one day.
Safety considerations
- Current — caution required due to strong currents[2]
- Current — possible current[3]
- Current — Operator: always check for rip currents before swimming (Punta Arenas Beach entry).[1]
What to know
- Strong current possible. Don't fight it, stay with your buddy, use the ascent line and carry a surface marker buoy. More →
Ocean conditions change daily. Dive within your training, plan with current local information and consider a local professional guide. Water safety guide.
Protected area
Vieques National Wildlife Refuge (Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre de Vieques)
National Wildlife Refuge · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Site position falls inside the official boundary[4]
NOAA's MPA Inventory classifies this area's protection level as "Uniform Multiple Use"; fishing: no site restrictions.[4]
Regulations change. Check with DRNA (Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales) before diving.
Depth reports by source
| Reported | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2–20 ft (1–6 m) | Maragata Charters (Palmas del Mar, Humacao)[7] | Current source |
See also
Straight-line distance only — not travel time, and not necessarily reached from the same departure point.
- Mosquito Pier — 4.5 mi
- Playa Esperanza (Vieques) — 7.1 mi
- Cayo Afuera — 7.2 mi
- Playa Media Luna (Vieques) — 8.1 mi
- Isla Piñeros — 8.9 mi
- Playa Caracas (Red Beach) — 11 mi
Sources & verification
Last researched: 2026-10-17 · Last independently verified: not yet field-verified · Confidence: High confidence
- 1.The Best Beaches in Vieques, Puerto Rico (Where's the beach) — Black Beard Sports · Dive operator · Tier 2: Specialist · accessed 2026-10-14
- 2.Best Sights in Vieques and Culebra — Fodor's Travel · Travel resource · Tier 3: Corroborating · accessed 2026-10-11
- 3.Snorkeling on Vieques — PRDayTrips (puertoricodaytrips.com) (2026-08-18) · Travel resource · Tier 3: Corroborating · accessed 2026-10-11
- 4.NOAA Marine Protected Areas Inventory 2024 (feature service NOAA_MPA_Inventory_2023), State = PR — NOAA NOS Office of National Marine Sanctuaries - MPA Center (2024) · Government dataset · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-09-25
- 5.Snorkeling in Vieques Island, Puerto Rico — vieques.com (2021-04-15) · Travel resource · Tier 3: Corroborating · accessed 2026-10-11
- 6.Snorkeling Tours — Abe's Snorkeling & Bio Bay Tours (Esperanza, Vieques) · Dive operator · Tier 2: Specialist · accessed 2026-10-17
- 7.Snorkeling Trips: Places to Go — Maragata Charters (Palmas del Mar, Humacao) · Dive operator · Tier 2: Specialist · accessed 2026-10-17
- 8.Snorkeling Puerto Rico - Icacos Island Snorkel & Beach Day Trip — Kayaking Puerto Rico / Snorkeling Puerto Rico · Dive operator · Tier 2: Specialist · accessed 2026-10-17
Facts are summarised in our own words from the sources above; we do not reproduce operators’ or publishers’ descriptions. How confidence is assigned.