Playa Plata (Silver Beach) has everything you would expect from an idyllic Caribbean beach; white sand, clear blue waters, rhythmic waves and palm trees swaying in the cool breeze.
Take a short walk around either side of Playa Plata and you will find the unexpected; Rocky shores, crumbling cliffs and cacti swaying in the breeze.
In this inhospitable and seemingly barren landscape, life and beauty abounds.
Though Vieques is a subtropical island, many locations receive very little rainfall and are classified as 'subtropical dry' ecological zones.
In some areas, the landscape is indistinguishable from the deserts of the US southwest.
Many types of cactus, small succulents and hardy shrubs somehow find sustenance amongst the barren rocks; nurtured by salt spray and a glaring sun.
Even in these harsh conditions, nature survives. It even thrives, forming a complex and delicate ecosystem composed of both aquatic and terrestrial life-forms.
Many seabirds, including Frigates, make these rocky cliffs their habitat.
On Playa Plata, like many places on Vieques, the real wonders appear when you look beyond the beaches and seek the truly unique locations.
In doing so, you will find the subtle and enduring beauty that characterizes life on Vieques.