For Americans, the small island of Vieques off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico has an interesting, if not proud, history: For about 50 years, it served as a practice bombing range for the U.S. Navy. It began to become a tourist destination after bombing stopped two years ago, and on a recent visit, I hoped to find a sleepy and pristine vacation spot.

Certainly my arrival was rustic: In San Juan International , the desk for Vieques Air Link opened to checked bags about an hour before departure. Then there was no further mention of the flight until 45 minutes after it was scheduled  to take off, when a ground-crew member strolled through the waiting room, asking if there were any passengers. The nine of us were carefully seated by weight, and we chugged along the northern edge of Puerto Rico, watching our shadow cursor over the sea.

Called Puerto Rico’s “little sister” island, Vieques is a cozy 22 miles long by six miles wide and boasts only 9,000 inhabitants and just two towns. Viequens are proud of the rural feel — wild horses roam the streets and fields at will — and the friendliness and warmth visitors will find there. Bartender Kevin, upstairs at the Bananas bar in Esperanza (the southern town), recited the story of how, when his fanbelt broke, a nearby storeowner closed up shop to drive him home. A new belt was flown in the next day and installed by a neighbor mechanic who charged only $5 and a six-pack of beer.

Locals also boast that there is only one “chain” operation, the Martineau Bay Resort and Spa , part of the Starwood group. Located near the tiny airport and the northern town of Isabella II, it has a lovely campus overlooking the Atlantic, with all amenities including a health club and car rental. But I did hear it criticized a number of times for being too generic. Visitors said they missed the local color and felt they could be staying anywhere.

I stayed at Acacia in Esperanza, a nearly perfect guesthouse, worth visiting if only to make the acquaintance of co-owners Jose and Douglas, whose friendliness and work ethic were a particular pleasure. Jose’s welcome was warm, and his orientation to the sights and pleasures of the island was thorough and tempting. And my apartment  was gorgeous — a spacious kitchen/dining area, spotless and complete with toaster and coffeemaker; a clean, comfortable bedroom; and outdoor seating areas front

and back.

Especially tempting at Acacia (pronounced ah-CAH-sia in Spanish) was a concrete deck at the top of the building, where one can bring a cocktail and watch the sun set. According to Jose, through the course of the year, the sunset moves nightly to a slightly different tree on the horizon. Acadia’s only drawback: A cacophony of roosters, dogs, cars booming music or sporting speakers bawling advertisements, and loud neighbors  punctuated one’s waking and, often, sleeping moments.

One of the most memorable of the island’s treats (but you should book ahead!) is dubbed the Bio Bay tours, when visitors young  and old kayak after sunset through Mosquito Bay. It is filled with microorganisms that glow in reaction to movement in the water, so every stroke by a paddler or swimmer is showered in fairy dust — like swimming amid the stars.

The northern town of Isabella II is reputed to have the best restaurants, although  in Esperanza, I enjoyed both the informal cuisine of Bananas  and the more sophisticated fare at Trade Winds 9, both located in the strip along the beach. Shopping for groceries in Esperanza to make use of my beautiful kitchen was limited to the one market, the “Green Store.” Unfortunately,  it is named for its wall color, not for an emphasis on fresh produce, which it does not carry at all.

I could not visit the produce market in Isabella II because I hadn’t reserved a rental car ahead of time. Despite the island’s small size, a vehicle  is advisable.  During a holiday week, no rental was to be had for love or money, not even a bicycle. So my experience of Isabella II relied on some friendly visitors who drove me from the airport, and gave a quick tour of the town tumbling down breathtaking cliffs, often with gleaming glimpses of the azure ocean.

The narrow roads are crowded with hulking SUVs because four-wheel drive is needed to access the more remote beaches formerly occupied by the U.S. Navy. Routinely, muffled booms punctuated islanders’ lives; memories extend back to the post-World War II era, when inhabitants were squeezed into Esperanza and Isabella II, with thousands being permanently deported to neighboring St. Croix.

After long protests by islanders, as signs and crosses outside the entrance to the old reserve bear witness, President Clinton negotiated an end to the bombing, which finally stopped in 2003. Now many of the pristine beaches (dubbed by the practical military “Red Beach,” “Blue Beach,” etc., over their original, more picturesque Spanish names  like “Caracas” and “Bahia de la Chiva”) were open to the adventurer. But remnants of the occupation remained. Behind decaying checkpoints, I passed a disturbing city of munitions bunkers, cunningly concealed beneath man-made hills.

Although I had expected that the naval control might mean natural preservation, it seems the bombing discouraged marine life. Several snorkeling forays netted glimpses of badly bleached coral and not very many fish. Close to half the island remained off-limits because of the danger of unexploded ordnance.

Vieques is poised to change. Whether it will  now explode with hotels, fast-food restaurants and golf courses, or whether its closed areas will be preserved as a natural park remains an open question. While hoping for the latter, one might want to visit soon, when small ownership and friendly faces are the standard.

Happy Traveling!

Captions:Protests to the American bombing lingered, even after the Navy left; bunkers concealed as hills are a poignant reminder of the American forces; wild horses roam freely about the island; rental kayaks permit visitors to explore and snorkel around the island; beautiful beaches of fine sand are everywhere; the Esperanza strip features entertainment and dancing in the  street.