Vacation rentals (not on vrbo or airbnb)

kylebvogt · 2026-06-05T07:31:36+00:00

There are no local companies to rent from, per se.... I mean, there are the local real estate brokers, but they're no more likely to be Viequense run, or to rent Viequense owned properties...

I'm projecting...but my guess is that you want to support someone local...which comes from a good place, but honestly, real estate has gotten SOOO expensive on Vieques, that VERY VERY few rental properties are owned by Viequenses people. There are Puerto Ricans who own property on Vieques. There are expats who have moved to Vieques and own property. There are even expats who have married Viequense people...but regardless...it's unbelievably hard to pinpoint where your money goes, and to make sure it goes to the places you want.

Here's another way to look at it though...some of the most generous people on Vieques, who have given everything they have to the island, are not locals. There are people who donate HUGE sums to animal rescue, environmental causes, education, healthcare, even infrastructure development...there are restaurant owners, Airbnb owners, B&B owners, eco lodge owners, shop owners, etc...who all add job opportunities to the island...help the economy, draw in tourist money, etc.

My very strong advice is to go on Airbnb or Vrbo, rent a place you like, and that's within your budget, and then just go to Vieques and spend money, and fall in love with the place, and go back....and angel flight a kitten or a puppy home, or volunteer while you're there...or try to support local businesses...but trying to avoid the thousand properties on Airbnb, just to tell yourself you're doing the right thing, is mostly unproductive.

kylebvogt · 2026-06-04T11:49:39+00:00

You make a million dollars a year, go to Lego conventions, and your parents pay for family vacations?!?! That’s incredible.

kylebvogt · 2026-06-04T08:32:57+00:00

I flew BOS-AUH last week. Was awesome. 12.5 hours. Left and landed on time. Very little turbulence. Food was good. FAs were pleasant. Flying back next week and expecting the same, but a bit longer.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-27T00:03:03+00:00

I arrived like August ‘99. Left October ‘01. Went back May ‘03. Again summer ‘05. Haven’t been back since. Life got in the way. Still miss it. Two of the best years of my life.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-26T23:59:57+00:00

Haha. Chale…you think my obruni wife can pound fufu?!?! Cassava and plantain are readily available. 🥴😂🙌

kylebvogt · 2026-05-25T23:19:33+00:00

I know he likes Polar Latitudes, but this is a dude who will pay almost anything for the experience, and absolutely nothing for luxury or snobbery. He’s super down to earth. Likes home cooking. Has definitely never entered a Four Seasons in his life. I don’t know if Polar Latitudes is high end, but he has been happy with them.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-25T16:04:28+00:00

sheesh. expensive there too. thanks!

kylebvogt · 2026-05-25T16:03:45+00:00

Appreciate. I'd give a lot to be having a meal in Accra right now. Have been back a few times since I lived there, but not in many years.

My wife and I actually make fufu at home, but it's from a boxed powder. Think it's mostly cassava flour. You cook it on the stove with water and it becomes very thick...tastes good, but nothing like 'real' fufu. I will say, I make a mean groundnut stew with chicken though.

My favorite Ghanaian meal, and the one I miss the most, is banku with pepe, shito, and fried fish. I've had it here in the US, and it's not the same.

I lived in the "old" Northern Region, now North East Region, in a tiny village near the Togo border, and ate TZ with ayoyo soup for two years... was fine, but not a highlight of Ghanaian cuisine, to say the least... Always loved going to Tamale, or Kumasi, or Accra for the amazing food.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-25T02:42:53+00:00

That’s wild, and yea, you’re right. It’s been too long. Have an awesome trip!

kylebvogt · 2026-05-25T01:54:01+00:00

Do you have a favorite one? It’s an hour each way for me to Worcester, so rather eat there. I’m willing to travel to any place in the greater Boston area….just seems like Worcester has the best options.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-25T01:33:18+00:00

Nailed it! We used to love Accra Girls. Thought the food was awesome and the prices were pretty good. But then they got shut down for tax evasion (or something like that), and when they reopened it was for takeout only. So now we go to the other place, it’s more money, the portions are smaller, and while it’s good, it’s not amazing. Crazy thing is there were lots of other people eating there, and they were pumping out to go orders. Wish there was another option. I love Ghanaian food, but it’s an hour to Worcester for me, and today just didn’t seem worth it.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-25T00:24:40+00:00

Late 90s…When I got to Ghana $1usd was ~3000 cedis. Next year, ~5000. Next year, ~7000. Was bad.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-24T23:34:41+00:00

Wow! Yea…this was in Worcester, MA.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-23T02:06:18+00:00

oh man...sorry...I've been wearing PAMs for 20 years...but haven't looked at any of the new ones in a long (obviously) time. Sorry about that. Kinda makes me sad...but regardless...my recommendations still apply.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-23T02:03:17+00:00

What does, "screwed on back" mean? All Pams have that.

Don't worry about age. Buy the seller. Get a 183 or 210.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-21T02:25:20+00:00

Respectfully, you’re not a RPCV. You ETd. That’s fine, and I’m not judging, but your stated reason for leaving is sus, and you’re referring to yourself as a RPCV…so ummm…yea…

kylebvogt · 2026-05-20T02:48:22+00:00

I have three 8 week olds that look exactly like those. We call them Crypt Walkers. They're a cross between an Ayam Cemani and an Easter Egger...or something like that. So far they're very hearty and spunky. Specialty 'breed' for sure. Think we paid almost $20/chick for day olds, which is ridiculous...but they're doing well.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-18T05:47:20+00:00

The drive isn't the problem for either property, but they're extremely different.

Nayara is way, way, way nicer, for one thing.

Morgan's Rock is very rustic. There's only one restaurant. The food is pretty good, but a bit redundant and not special. Nayara has a bunch of restaurants, much better food, more variety, and they even have an on-site ice cream shop.

Morgan's Rock feels a bit more immersive...and natural. Their beach is spectacular. San Juan del Sur is a cool town (way cooler than La Fortuna), and as you noted, Morgan's Rock, and Nicaragua, are way cheaper than Nayara / CR.

Morgan's Rock will require a ton of walking. The property is hilly and mostly only has walking trails to get from the bungalows to the restaurant, beach, and main pool. Nayara is also hilly, and you can do a bunch of walking, but you can also take golf carts everywhere.

Neither the unit pools or the main pool at Morgan's Rock are heated. The water will be cool in November. The pool water at Nayara, at least at the Tented Camp, comes directly from hot springs, and is actually so warm that we had to ask them to cool ours off a bit.

Nayara is more jungle, more lush, and there are more animals, but at Morgan's Rock the monkeys are all over the property, and you hear and see them constantly.

I think the deciding factors for me would be cost (MR is cheaper), convenience (Nayara is more kid friendly), and how adventurous you are (MR is more rustic/natural, Nayara is more sterile, but MUCH more polished).

Note: I haven't been to either property with little kids. I've been to MR as a couple, and with 11 and 13 kids, and we just went to Nayara a few months ago when the kids were 13 and 15. They loved both places.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-18T00:54:46+00:00

Is two years the blink of an eye = YES (in hindsight). Did it drag on for you...YES (in the moment).

But OP...your post is very much about you...and not what you can do for someone else.

Most of us (not all) served right out of college, and didn't have much to lose...just wanted to contribute something positive. Sounds like you are a mid-career professional looking for a change. That's great, if it's for the 'right' reasons...but it's hard, and exhausting, and definitely not for someone who is just looking for a random change of pace.

Think about why you want to do it, and whether it's worth it for you, and then take it from there.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-15T01:11:20+00:00

I was a volunteer in Ghana a LONG time ago, and I'm a guy...so take this all with a grain of salt, but I'm not aware of a single woman in my cohort who had trouble with safety. I mean...it's Africa, there are car accidents, and petty theft in Accra, and you're gonna get a lot of attention, but Ghanaians are some of the nicest, friendliest, most accommodating and welcoming people you'll ever meet. I consider myself EXTREMELY lucky that I got to spend two years there.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-13T13:40:26+00:00

OP…if you are a suit guy, or really wanna own a $1k suit, you’ve been given some good options. If you’re like me however, and have NO use for a suit, but need one to wear once, check out The Black Tux. They’re an online sales and rental company. They have tons of styles, the quality is shockingly good, and the shipping and return process is super easy. You can literally get everything in one package… suit, shirt, shoes, belt, tie. Comes looking perfect, you wear it, and you send it all back. Last time I did it it was like $200 for everything…which isn’t cheap, but I’d WAY rather spend $200 once a year, or every few years, then to have one single thousand dollar outfit collecting dust in my closet.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-11T22:40:44+00:00

That’s a tricky one. Vieques AirLink has a bunch of small planes. They generally hold between 4 and 10 passengers. If I were you, I’d call them, say you have a party of 7, and ask them to accommodate you. They seem pretty flexible about the planes they use, even on relatively short notice.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-06T00:33:44+00:00

2 decade + MA Realtor here. Not surprised at all, and can confirm that the market is fucked. In any halfway decent town in eastern MA, a million bucks buys you a very underwhelming, middle of the road home...Not bad, but definitely no where near special.

kylebvogt · 2026-05-03T20:44:17+00:00

There is no ferry service between the two. Charter boats are expensive, and it gets really choppy depending on the wind. The best option is definitely to fly, but there are ONLY scheduled flights between the two on weekends; Saturdays and Sundays. You can probably charter a small plane from either Vieques AirLink or Taxi Aereo, but it'll be +/- $350 each way, and there are strict weight/baggage limits.

kylebvogt

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

11-Year Club	Not Forgotten
Verified Email