Puerto Rico Beaches

Puerto Rico beaches follow the coastline for more than 250 miles with small curves of sand wrapped around half-moon coves.

There are hundreds of beaches, "off the beaten path" beaches and beaches that host festivities every weekend.

When it comes to beaches, Puerto Rico have lots of experience. You can find beaches about shaded rows of coconut palms, remnants of former plantations, or back to back beaches on treasured islets.

And we are all ready for your visit our Puerto Rico beaches. If it's off-the-beaten-path beaches you are looking for, you'll need to visit the eastern off-shore islands of Culebra and Vieques.

Both are important nature islands known for their reserves and their stunning coastlines. Dozens of beaches are semi-deserted during weekdays and on weekends the crowds remain sparse.

One of the best beaches in Culebra island is Flamenco Beach. It forms vast bands of turquoise sea, white sand, green hills combined with a blue sky.

More beautiful beaches are found on the islets of Culebrita and Luis Peña. Numerous beaches in Vieques are within a 16,000 acres wildlife refuge, rival of any beaches in the Caribbean with their crystal clear waters.

If you prefer festivals and crowds, you’ll find them in the metropolitan are of San Juan, pretty much any weekend.

San Juan beaches form long curves facing the Atlantic Ocean in front of hotel resorts and residential areas. You can find rentals for just about every watersport your prompt to venture; from surfing, scuba diving, to kite boarding.

The best known beaches in the San Juan area, Escambrón west of El Condado and Carolina in Isla Verde, are public bathing beaches with parking, lifeguards, changing rooms, and snack bars.

They are also members of the Blue Flag program for environmentally sound beaches. Other metro beaches are Piñones, an undeveloped track of coastline set amid mangroves, coconuts, kiosks and a six-mile-long bicycle boardwalk/path and west of San Juan the lovely peninsula known as Punta Salinas, also a public and Blue Flag beach.

To the west Playa Higüero - Rincon's beach is famous for its winter surf that lasts from November to April, making it a surfer's dream destination. The beach has become such a fixture among surfers that it's been nicknamed "Little Malibu."

This world-class surfing beach, and a former site of the world surfing championships, commonly experiences 16 foot breakers that will challenge any boarder.

Located off of highway 2 near the small town of Quebradillas, Guajataca Beach is situated at the mouth of the Guajataca River where it enters the Atlantic Ocean.

Thick sandy beaches are lorded over by rugged cliffs and beautiful mature palms. Although the name implies that it is a beach, and it is, it is NOT a swimming beach.

Crashboat is a really nice beach located in Aguadilla (NW area), right after the old Ramey military base. The water is very shallow, nice clear, and good for families with kids.

Elegant describes many Puerto Rico beaches along the northeast and eastern coasts. Waters are shallow, and sands are bordered by stately coconut palms. Small cays dot the horizon from Fajardo to Humacao and deep-green forests rise in the background.

Resort hotels here pamper beachgoers with lounge chairs and cooling drinks. The best-known northeast beach is Luquillo’s Monserrate, a balneario and a Blue Flag beach, ideal for families (with facilities for special needs travelers).

Rustic kiosks along Highway 2 here serve up traditional Puerto Rican snacks and home-style meals.

At the south of Puerto Rico you will find the Caribbean Sea. The sea is calmer, particularly in winter. Mangroves, protect the coastline and harbor large numbers of wildlife.

For a remote treasure-island sort of adventure, take a charter to Caja de Muertos (Coffin Island) off the old city of Ponce, an small island about 10 miles from the coast.  

Back-to-back beaches, a little-used snorkeling trail and a hilltop lighthouse distinguish the islet. A popular land beach is the Caña Gorda balneario in Guánica. 

Also in Guánica, small boats take visitors to nearby Gilligan’s Island, topped by scrub and bisected by a swiftly moving channel, a south-coast favorite. There are no public facilities in this island so go prepared.

You can go kayaking in the Boquerón Forest mangroves west of the town of Lajas, join in one of the nature tours, try bird-watching or go deep-sea fishing.

Boquerón’s Balneario, a large and deeply recessed bay bordered by bird-rich lagoons, tops the list of fabulous “sunset” Puerto Rico beaches along the west coast.

A popular Island resort for decades, Boquerón manages to retain the rural charm prevalent in western Puerto Rico.

At the Island's southwestern corner, a dirt road leads to the neoclassical Cabo Rojo Lighthouse, set at the edge of 200-foot cliffs.

To the left is a beautiful but in developed (take everything you need) half-moon beach known as La Playuela. Cabo Rojo’s lighthouse is one of a dozen that surround Puerto Rico and its offshore islands.

Built in the latter half of the 19th century, they guide landlubbers to lovely off-the-beaten-path coastal settings. Another lighthouse is found in the west-coast town of Rincón.

Rincón marks the division between the calm Caribbean to the south and the rougher Atlantic to the north.

Most Puerto Rico beaches in this region extend for miles and offer virtually every kind of water adventure, from low-keyed beach combing to world-class surfing.

Along the northwest coast, many head to Aguadilla’s Crash Boat Beach, set at the foot of limestone cliffs.

Colorful fishing boats line the shore and tropical fish sashay around an old Air Force pier. Neighboring Isabela hosts a long series of beaches with sand dunes and protective offshore rocks.

Like most of Puerto Rico beaches, they offer attractions for just about every taste and sport.

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Another Caribbean island with beautiful beaches made for snorkeling and scuba diving is Grand Cayman. For Grand Cayman beaches, like Rum Point and Seven Mile Beach and other places to see or things to do, visit Grand Cayman Wanderer.

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