Sunsets over the Mona Passage and western Puerto Rico's unhurried atmosphere. Protected as a National Wildlife Refuge and inhabited only by brown boobies, monkeys and goats, 19-acre Desecheo is a place where man's impact is far from obvious. A thousand times bigger and almost 30 miles farther west, Mona and its satellite Monito are the last landfall before the Dominican Republic. A reef skirts Desecheo, punctuated by pinnacles, tunnels and steep drop-offs to the north and gently sloping coral gardens to the south. Marine Life Angels, coneys and butterflyfish orbit Desecheo's shallow reefs, while jacks, dolphins and sharks wander in from the cold depths.
Corals here are exceptionally healthy.
Mona is often called the Galapagos of the Caribbean, with more than 270 species of fish recorded, including 60 reef species. Mona's proximity to blue water invites gamefish and pelagics like dolphins, marlins and even humpback whales, which make an annual commute through the area from January to March. Conditions and Visibility Rough seas aren't surprising, given the fact that the Mona Passage is the largest current gap between the Caribbean and the Atlantic. Long, choppy boat rides pay off, however, with the best visibility in Puerto Rico, hands-down. Vis rarely drops below 100 feet, even off Desecheo, and 200-foot days are not uncommon off Mona.