Kiani Tours ~ Vieques Puerto Rico

Kiani Tours

Experience The Island of Vieques today!

Vieques, Puerto Rico is an island rich in history, culture, and natural places. From Laguna Kiani, to splendid beaches, ocean vistas, and the rocky area where Hombre de Puerto Ferro was discovered there is much to explore. Following are some places where time seems to linger and one is displaced into wonder of earlier periods.

Laguna Kiani

Laguna Kiani from where "Kiani Tours" takes its name is a very interesting mangrove lagoon. Kiani Lagoon is also one of the bioluminescent lagoons in the Caribbean. The boardwalks boarding the lagoon are only open during the daylight hours. The neighboring Mosquito Bay is available to the public to see the Dinoflagellates glowing at night.

Another interesting fact about the lagoon is the name of Kiani itself. Very little folklore of the origin of the word Kiani is available. It is believed to be a Taíno Indian name of one of the several Goddesses of Water that they worshipped. If this was a Taíno Indian name for a Water Goddess then Laguna Kiani is located near a place the Taínos may have considered sacred, Monte Pirata. The modern name, Pirate Mountain, displaces any special word the Taínos may have used for the tallest point on Vieques at 987 feet.

Ceiba Tree

The pride of Vieques is an ancient Ceiba Tree. This tree is estimated to be 300 to 400 years old. However, the exact age is unknown. In the arroyos of Vieques there a many young Ceiba Trees that have spines on their trunks like our ancient tree. How many hundreds of years will it take for the young trees to have the awesome expansive root system of this grand specimen? A few years ago the area around this tree was cleared which damaged the root system, sending the tree into shock. Amazingly, do to this trees ability to regenerate, in several months it recovered from the stress as seen in the photo. To truly appreciate the grandeur of this plant one needs to be ensconced in its root system.

Natures Art

This unidentified leaf is an example of finding beauty in Vieques where you least expect it. Underneath one of the young Ceiba Trees in an arroyo was this piece of natures art in hues of brown. Below are Ceiba seed pods produced when the tree was stressed.

Black Sand Beach

The Black Sand Beach is one of the many undeveloped, pristine beaches on Vieques. There are traces of black sand on many beaches in the Puerto Rico group of islands, but the one on Vieques seems to be the beach with the largest evidence of volcanic activity. In the arroyo leading to the beach there are traces of the black sand being washed off the mountain. Hiking the arroyo makes an excellent afternoon excursion into the heart of the island.

Hombre de Puerto Ferro

In the area of these rocky formations to the left is were Hombre de Puerto Ferro (Puerto Ferro Man) was discovered. The remains of our ancestors from almost 4000 years ago were unearthed in this area in 1990. Today studies are being made on the skeleton by the Archeological Department in the University of Puerto Rico. When you visit here try and find the face on one of the rocks and feel the presence of the ancestors that helped form Vieques into what it is today.

The Scenic Ocean

Breathtaking views of the ocean can be found around every bend! Need more be said?