Transportation

Our secluded location means transportation is an important consideration, as there are no taxis in the middle of the rainforest. We recommend renting a car for the duration of your stay at the Rainforest Inn, as it’s the most reliable and cost-effective way to get around. Fortunately, other transportation options to points of interest on and around the island continue to improve.

Our Location & Sights of Interest

On the Island

Car Rental

The San Juan Airport has car rental on site. Some rental agencies also operate individual locations around the island.

Before you decide what rental agency to book with, consider whether or not you will visit the smaller islands of Vieques or Culebra, and whether or not you will just do a day trip or stay for longer. Only Enterprise and Avis have sites for rental car drop off near the ferry and airport terminals servicing these islands (more on this below in “Off the Island”). Avis will take you to either the local ferry terminal or airport at no charge after you drop your rental off at the Ceiba Avis Rent-A-Car. (Please note that Enterprise does not provide complimentary transportation to the terminal or airport. We recommend arranging your transportation in advance to ensure a smooth and stress-free departure).

Payless rentals often have good rental car prices, but do not have a location in Ceiba.

Über

Über, a ride-sharing app available for smart phones, does operate on the island. However, there are not always drivers available for service to the Inn; it’s hit or miss if a car will come out at the time you request a ride. When available, rides to surrounding attractions, such as Luquillo Beach, usually cost $15+ one way (not including tip). Rides between the Inn and San Juan (one way) are typically $40-$80 depending on day and hour. Here is a local Über driver you can contact directly for rides through phone/text message or Whatsapp: JT Transport 787-564-0723, 939-407-6239.

To Luquillo Beach: around $15–$22 one-way in that general area for a short trip (about 5–10 mi/8–16 km between Río Grande and Luquillo) 

• To San Juan: $40 – $75 (about 25-30 mi/40-48 km between Rio Grande and San Juan / Old San Juan / San Juan Airport

Taxis

Guaranteed service in San Juan. Taxis do operate in and around other regions of the island, such as Fajardo. We personally love Manny, a local taxi driver who offers service to nearby beaches and restaurants for less than the price of an Über! He lives close to us and can get to the Inn very quickly. Contact him at (787) 615-2879. Manny’s taxi service like Übers is not always available. Here are some more options for local taxis: Rio Grande Taxi 787-635-0836 and Luquillo Taxi 787-513-7685.

Public Transport

The public transport in San Juan Metro Area is great, with the option of a free trolley and a bus as well as being safe enough to travel by bike. Outside this metro area, there is no public transportation system for the island.

Guided Tours

Guided tours to attractions in San Juan and other locations around the island exist, and we have many to recommend. Check out our Attractions page, or contact us directly for more specifics. In most cases, though, you must provide your own transportation to the meeting point. And, typically, our adventurous guests prefer the self-guided, as well as the out-of-the-way, attractions we like to recommend.

Off the Island

Getting to the Ferry Terminal

The Ceiba Ferry Terminal is located about 40 km (just under an hour’s drive, depending on traffic) from the Inn. The terminal and parking lot are on Marina Drive within the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Base.

Important tips:

• Purchase tickets online in advance via the Puerto Rico Ferry website (strongly recommended), or at the terminal’s exterior ticket window.

• Arrive at least one hour early to ensure you secure your ticket.

• After purchasing your ticket, you’ll pass through a brief security check before entering the open-air waiting area.

• Inside the terminal, you’ll find restrooms, vending machines and a concession stand (hours may vary).

  • Restrooms are available onboard for your convenience. Please note that eating and drinking are not permitted at any time while aboard the ferry.

• We recommend calling ahead to confirm that your ferry is operating and on schedule for your departure time.

Destinations & Fares

Ferries depart from Ceiba to:

• Culebra

  • One-way: $2.25 per person

  • Approximate travel time: 45 minutes

• Vieques

  • One-way: $2.00 per person

  • Approximate travel time: 30 minutes

Additional Information:

• Discounts are available for seniors and children.

• Extra fees apply for oversized items such as large suitcases and beach chairs.

• Both passenger and cargo ferries operate from Ceiba; however, visitors typically travel on the passenger ferry.

  • Rental cars are not permitted for tourist transport, so plan to park at the terminal.

    
    The passenger ferry for Ceiba (as published by Puerto Rico Ferry on 13 February 2026) is …

Ferry or Flight? A Quick Comparison for Guests

After trying the ferry on two separate occasions, we generally recommend choosing air transportation when planning your trip. While the ferry can work if you have extra time built into your schedule and don’t mind potential delays, it may not be the most reliable option for guests with excursions, reservations, or tight travel timelines.

If you have tours booked or limited vacation days, flying is typically the more dependable and efficient choice. In addition to saving valuable time, the short plane ride often provides beautiful aerial views, making the journey itself a memorable part of your trip.

For the smoothest and most stress-free travel experience, we suggest considering air travel when arranging transportation between the islands.

Flying: Our Recommended Method

Though more expensive than the ferry, flights to Culebra and Vieques are often more reliable, faster, and easier to book online. Flights are also available to other destinations, including the U.S. Virgin Islands.

You can depart from:

• Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in Carolina

• Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG) in San Juan (Isla Grande)

• José Aponte de la Torre Airport (RVR) in Ceiba

Flights from Ceiba are typically the most affordable, with round-trip fares averaging about $90 to Vieques and $120 to Culebra (one-way tickets are usually half the round-trip price). In comparison, one-way flights from San Juan to Vieques can cost around $130.

Airlines operating from Ceiba include Air Flamenco, MN Aviation, and Vieques Air Link, offering scheduled and charter flights during daylight hours (approximately 6:00am–6:00pm).

When booking, be sure to confirm which airport you are flying from. If departing from Ceiba, you can typically arrive about 15 minutes before your scheduled flight time.

AirFlamenco and Vieques Air Link do have websites. M&N Services offer charter flights and can be reached at 787-791-7008. For more information about the services at the Ceiba Airport call (787) 729-8715 or 787-534-4101. These flight services generally run on schedule.

Rental Car Services & Off Island Trips

As mentioned at the top of this page, renting a car is your best bet for navigating the main island with your home base as our Inn and also ensuring you can easily visit Culebra and/or Vieques. We recommend booking with Avis at the San Juan International Airport because they have a location in Cieba that almost always offers one-way drop off for cars rented at other Avis locations for no extra charge (there is the potential for a $50 “one-way fee” applied during high season; inquire when booking with Avis for more details). You can pick up your rental car at the airport upon arrival in San Juan and head out to the Rainforest Inn to enjoy the only tropical rainforest in the US Forest system. Then, if you also want to escape to some world-class beaches (Culebra’s Flamenco Beach ranks as 4th best beach in the world), you will drive from the Inn to Cieba Avis Rent-A-Car. Upon handing over your keys, an Avis employee will happily take you to either the Cieba ferry terminal or the Cieba airport. From there, you can travel to Vieques or Culebra; stay for a night, or more; and take an early flight off whatever island you visit back to the San Juan International Airport on the day you fly home. This will be less time consuming than returning by way of Cieba to San Juan with you rental car. It can often times be cheaper as well, since you will no longer be paying for a rental car and gas.

The best place to buy tickets from the small islands to San Juan International Airport (SJU) is with Seaborne Air. Cape Air offers flights from Vieques to SJU, but does not offer service off Culebra at this time.

There is an Enterprise Car Rental location in Ceiba as well, and we are currently looking into if they also offer free one-way drop off and transport to local ferry and airport terminals. More information coming soon.

You can do a single day trip to Culebra or Vieques and park your rental car at the Ceiba ferry terminal or airport. However, if you take the ferry, you will spend your morning waiting for the midday departures from Ceiba, which doesn’t get you to the small islands until lunch time. The last evening ferry returns to Ceiba before dinner time. This leaves you very little time to explore these beautiful islands, though it is possible.