if you are looking for peace and quite, this is not the place for you, but if you are looking for fun and music and food- a real taste of the island, this the place for you....on weekends local vendors share their handmade crafts...wish i was there now...
A great place to stroll, shop and eat along the water. Even in high season, it does not fell crowded or resort like.
The Malecon in Esperanza is what strolling the waterfront of a charming Caribbean village is all about. Nice cafes, the Nature Museum, a few shops (not too many) and a view that's second to none. We've walked the walk here for many years and never grown tired of the experience. Jack M.
Malecon is a pretty walkway in Esperanza neighborhood on Vieques, the only real place to enjoy gift shops & a variety of restaurants in a short walk (probably a half mile). Pretty to watch the boats anchor here, a lot of al fresco dining, local vendors set up tents with their wares on the weekends. Parking is free though can be limited at dinner time. Once you see Esperanza though, be sure to visit the rest of the Island for entirely different experiences. Isabel Segunda to see how the locals live & a place buy practical supplies & gas. And other neighborhoods - all very pretty.
The Malecon is a fun place to spend a bit of time. It is really the "epicenter" of nightlife on the island, as far as I know. It is nice to stroll up and down the sidewalk overlooking the harbor and view the sailboats and catch the reflective effect of the sun setting upon the water, then catch dinner or at least some drinks in town.
I've visited many Malecon's around Puerto Rico and Esperanza Malecon is by far the best. It's clean, water is crystal clear and you can see the best sunset's of Vieques here.
The Malecon in Esperanza is great for people watching and its view of the sea. Plus on a weekend you get the parade of locals, beach goers, and tourists. It is the locale for most of the restaurants in the area.
Lots of places to eat at various prices. Trade Winds is a favorite for dinning, Belly Buttons is great for breakfast. Gift shops are there and the Conservation and Historical Trust have interesting displays and activities. See if you can get on one of Mark's lion hunts.
This is a promenade along the beach in Esperanza. It's a tiled walkway that parallels the beach, with several stairs down to the water at intervals. It's extremely clean for the Caribbean, but it's a very short walk (maybe a quarter mile), with several families with strollers. Given that there are no sidewalks in Esperanza, except for this one, that's probably why people think it's so special. You are walking right across the road from several good restaurants and there is a reasonably large parking area at the east end (free). Quenepo's restaurant is at the east end, Tradewinds at the west end of the walkway, with five or six others (Duffy's, Bananas, Belly Button's, etc.) spaced along the street opposite the Malecon.
We stayed a couple of blocks from the Malecon and I walked downevery morning to greet the day. We ate several times at restaurants along the walk and visited the gift shops. Much fun to watch the men ride the Pasa Fina horses down the street, showing off their lovely gait. We ate dinner on our last night and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset as we ate.