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See a Doctor on Culebra by Video

If you need a doctor on Culebra, the island has just one small hospital, Hospital de Culebra, which also offers pharmacy services; we could not confirm its hours or which emergencies it handles. For common problems, Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, can see you by video for US$79 from your guesthouse or rental, as long as you are in Puerto Rico. In an emergency, call 911.

Can we help by telehealth? Sometimes: it depends on the evaluation.

We are a telehealth-only service: we have no office or clinic in this area or anywhere else in Puerto Rico. If you need to be seen in person, this guide shows where to go.

Is this an emergency?

This is not an emergency service. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:

  • Chest pain, trouble breathing or stroke signs
  • A swimmer rescued from the water who keeps coughing, is short of breath or confused
  • A coral or rock cut that won't stop bleeding, or spreading redness with fever
  • An allergic reaction with swelling of the face or throat

Help lines:

Warning signs: when to go to the ER

Book a visit

A doctor on Culebra: Hospital de Culebra and what we could not confirm

Culebra had 1,792 residents in the 2020 Census, the smallest population of any Puerto Rico municipality. It has one small hospital, Hospital de Culebra, which according to public sources also offers pharmacy services to residents and visitors.

We could not confirm its phone number, its hours, or which emergencies it can handle, so we do not publish them. If you are staying on the island, ask your host for the number and save it on day one. We found no other urgent care clinic or CDT on Culebra in a primary source.

Emergency room on Culebra: call 911

For chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, a severe allergic reaction, a near-drowning or a serious injury, call 911 right away; this is not a job for a video call. We could not verify how emergency transfers from Culebra to the main island work, so we won't give details that might be wrong: 911 coordinates. On the main island, the hospital ERs nearest the Ceiba ferry dock that we have verified are in Humacao; see our Humacao guide.

Telehealth on Culebra: when it saves you the crossing

An online doctor visit can spare you the ferry for something that doesn't need it: a sore throat, UTI symptoms, allergies, sunburn, a rash, mild diarrhea, ear pain after swimming or snorkeling (swimmer's ear), or a regular medication that ran out. If appropriate, the doctor can prescribe medication. We do not prescribe controlled substances.

Visits are video only, not phone calls. Signal on Culebra varies from spot to spot, so before your appointment find the corner of your rental with the best Wi-Fi or data and charge your phone. If the visit can't take place, you get a full refund.

Is there a 24-hour pharmacy on Culebra?

Not one we could verify. The only pharmacy with public information is the one at Hospital de Culebra, and we could not confirm its hours. Ask whether it stocks your medication before you count on it.

If you cross to the main island at night for a prescription, the Walgreens locator lists the nearest 24-hour pharmacy counters to Fajardo as Walgreens, 101 Carr 1, Caguas (787-744-2905) and Walgreens, 2505 Carr 841, Guaynabo (787-287-0528), 25.7 and 28.8 locator-miles from Fajardo. Both close 1:30–2 a.m. for a meal break.

Leaving Culebra: the ferry runs from Ceiba, or fly

The Culebra ferry runs to and from Ceiba, not Fajardo. Tickets are sold online by Puerto Rico Ferry; Culebra residents on its registry get a reduced fare.

By air, Benjamín Rivera Noriega Airport is served by Air Flamenco and Vieques Air Link, with connections to San Juan and Ceiba. If you are traveling for medical care, book early and confirm times, especially in bad weather.

Snorkeling, sea urchins, sargassum and seasickness

What most often affects visitors and residents on Culebra:

  • Sea urchins. The Merck Manual says soaking in vinegar dissolves most spines and hot water eases the pain; deeply embedded spines may need to be removed in person.
  • Coral and rock cuts. We found no reputable medical source with coral-specific first aid, so we don't give any. If the cut is deep or won't stop bleeding, get seen in person; if over the next days it turns red, warm or pus-filled, a video visit can help you decide what to do next.
  • Sargassum. The University of South Florida has a monitoring station off Culebra; its August 2026 bulletin said seaweed amounts were falling but still above normal, with beaching continuing. Follow local notices.
  • Jellyfish. See our jellyfish sting guide.
  • Ferry seasickness. The CDC says motion sickness medication works best taken before you sail, not after symptoms start.

Visiting Culebra

Pack medication for your whole stay plus a margin: the ferry depends on the weather, and hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, per the National Hurricane Center. Coming from the mainland? Read our guide for visitors and whether US insurance or Medicare works in Puerto Rico. Dengue circulates in Puerto Rico; see the dengue guide. Unsure whether something needs video or an ER? Read where to go when you are sick. Heading on to Vieques? Its hospital situation is different.

The facts on this page were last verified on 2026-09-30.

Video visit: US$79 · Pay by card · See the price and what is included

Before you book

  • You must be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit (visitors and tourists are welcome).
  • We see patients from 6 months old. Patients under 21: a parent or legal guardian must be on camera for the whole visit.
  • Real-time video only; we do not do phone-call visits.
  • We do not prescribe controlled substances.

What we don't do by telehealth

Frequently asked questions

Is there a doctor or an ER on Culebra?
There is one small hospital, Hospital de Culebra. We could not confirm its hours or which emergencies it handles, so get the number from your host. In an emergency, call 911. For common problems, the doctor can see you by video while you are in Puerto Rico.
Is there urgent care or a CDT on Culebra?
We found no urgent care center or CDT on Culebra in a primary source, other than Hospital de Culebra itself.
Can we do the visit by phone if the signal is bad?
No. Visits are video only. Find the spot with the best Wi-Fi or data. If the visit can't take place, you get a full refund.
Where does the Culebra ferry leave from?
From Ceiba, not Fajardo. Tickets are sold by Puerto Rico Ferry. Air Flamenco and Vieques Air Link also fly to Benjamín Rivera Noriega Airport.
I cut myself on coral snorkeling. Can you see me by video?
If the cut is small and you want to know whether it looks infected, yes. If it is bleeding a lot or deep, or you have a fever, fast-worsening pain or spreading redness, get seen in person or call 911.

Sources

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