There are very few times during one’s life when it is possible to enjoy the beach all to oneself. Zoni beach, on the other side of the island from Flamenco beach was one of those times. When Shirin and I arrived there was NO ONE else there or within sight. It was amazing!!
The reason why not many people venture over to Zoni is because you must have a car or hire a taxi to get there, and many tourists on the small island do not have a car. So it is empty and available to be enjoyed without a crowd. There are no amenities at this beach, no restaurants or developments, so it is truly a spot of undisturbed seaside.
When we went there some storm clouds lingered in the distance, the blues in the sky playing off the blues in the water to create a dazzling scene. There was a long stretch of beach marked as sea turtle nesting ground, but unfortunately it wasn’t the right time to see any turtles. We went for a walk along the beach, snapping photos, before heading back towards the center of the island for dinner.
Before the beach, we had rested up for a bit at the Sea Breeze Hotel, where we were staying. Our room had an incredible view over the water in the bay of Culebra, as well as a spacious patio to enjoy the view. The hotel also had a nice pool and some pesky roosters, who were not afraid to make loud noises if you got too close!
For dinner, we ended up at a restaurant called Dinghy Dock, which was all open air seating on a deck overlooking the water. Huge tarpon swam by under the deck, begging for diners to toss them some food, which they did often. I enjoyed some excellent ceviche as well as some fresh fish with mashed up plantains baked like latkes. Add to that a refreshing tropical drink or two, a beautiful sunset, and a delicious dessert with local coffee, and I was feeling very relaxed!
After making a quick phone call to confirm our water taxi to the island of Culebrita the next day, Shirin and I got ready for some sleep. A full day out in the sun and the sand is exhausting, and we didn’t even know at the time that the next day would be even more full of walking, swimming, sunshine and singing… I’ll show & tell you my FAVORITE day of my trip in my next post!
