Have you ever wondered what to do in Puerto Rico as an adventure traveler? Many people have heard of Old San Juan or just the city in general, but they never venture outside of that space. Puerto Rico is a beautiful and relatively safe island with so much beauty and area to explore. From the beautiful beaches, to the incredible forests, to the magnificent coral reefs under the surface there are plenty of adventures to have. This is a list of 10 of the best activities for adventurers of all ages.
Have a SCUBA or snorkel adventure off the coast of Rincon
Rincon has some of the best reefs around the entire island. This includes the small islands off mainland Puerto Rico. I will mention two other locations at the end of this section for those who either want more to see underneath the surface or those who do not want to make the two and a half hour drive to Rincon from San Juan to go diving. Even though the reefs are overfished, there are still a wide variety of species to see from small fish, to octopus, to turtles, to whales. The most luck I’ve had while snorkeling/scuba diving has been in Rincon for spotting rare sights.
The two companies that I recommend working with are Taino Divers and Great Escape. Both have competent and well-trained staff members, who will be there to help you every step of the way. Especially if you are scuba diving for the first time. Each of these companies have different reasons why to use them.
Taino Divers
Taino Divers is especially rare because they are the only company on the west side of the island that has a charter boat. They can take you to multiple different reef locations to see the different wildlife that reside there. In order to scuba with them, you must have a certification. They also offer sunset cruises to whale watch (especially in the winter months) as the sun sets over the water. Their staff is always friendly and informative.
Great Escape
Great Escape is a rarity because they offer scuba dives to those who are not certified. They only go down to 30 feet, so there is no need to worry about any regulations in that circumstance. Their instructors are extremely informative and will help you step by step along the way. They will instruct with clear hand signals so you can figure out what needs to be altered or done under the water. There are plenty of other companies along the shoreline, but these two are the best.
Adventures off the Islands
As far as the follow up places to snorkel and scuba dive go, I would recommend either the islands of Culebra and Vieques, or Isla Caja de Muertos, aka Coffin Island. Ferries travel to Culebra and Vieques multiple times daily from Ceiba. Ceiba is only an hour drive from San Juan, so it will be a day trip. If you venture down to Coffin Island, you will have to book a charter with a local travel company in the town of Ponce. Reference back to this if you are an avid diver/snorkeler and want to see more of the spots on the island. Also, if you don’t want to venture all the way to Rincon from San Juan.
!!Keep in mind that you will need to book these excursions at least two weeks ahead of time as they book up quickly!!
Take a nighttime kayak adventure in a bioluminescent bay
Believe it or not, there are three different bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico and plenty of different companies that offer kayak tours through them. I will state all three locations and the best company that I recommend for each area. Each area offers it’s own unique spin on the bioluminescent experience that the other areas just don’t have. Yes, I have been to all three of the bays! It is important to keep in mind that you cannot take pictures or videos of this activity unless you have the specific tools to do so. Unfortunately, it will not show up on a GoPro or a phone camera. I know from experience!
Lajas
The location and adventure that you do not want to miss is the bioluminescent bay in Lajas. The specific town that the charter left from was La Parguera, which is a cute little town on the south side of the main island. I highly recommend eating in and exploring this town before you head off on your excursion. The company I recommend using is Parguera Water Sports Adventures as your tour guide. This is the best experience I had in Puerto Rico in a bioluminescent bay. Why? Because not only do you kayak through beautiful lit up water with every stroke, BUT you can also swim in it! Yes, you read that correctly! You can swim in the bioluminescent bay. If you ever wanted to do something that made you feel like you had super powers, this would be it! A wonderful and fun experience for the entire family.
Vieques
Next I would have to recommend the bioluminescent bay, Mosquito Bay, on the island of Vieques with the company Melaya’s Tours. As mentioned in the previous section, you can easily travel to this island on a ferry from Ceiba on the mainland. The meet up spot for this tour is in the town of Esperanza, which I highly recommend exploring ahead of time because it is a cute town with a lot of nice restaurants to have a good dinner before kayaking in the dark. Melaya’s Tours was great because they took us right out into the bay, but also offered free foot cleaning after sludging through the mud of the bay.
The reason why I recommend this tour over the next one I am about to state is because the bay was the brightest of the three. There is much less light pollution on the island and therefore, you can see a lot more. It was also very cool to see the kayak light up the water with their glass floors.
Fajardo
The last spot I’d like to talk about is the bioluminescent bay in Fajardo. Specifically, the town of Las Croabas, which is a small town on the water on the north east side of the island, an hour from San Juan. The company that I would recommend going with is Eco Action Tours. Not only were the staff informative, but they were extremely entertaining and funny. They were also helpful to those who had questions or problems with kayaking. They had a fun section of the tour where they took a giant tarp and put it over all of the kayaks, which made it easier to see the bioluminescence against the light pollution from Fajardo. There was also a section where you go through a river canopied by trees to get to the bay that lights up blue the closer you get.
!!These companies require you to book with them ahead of time because the tours fill up quickly!!
Surf on the incredible waves in Rincon
I have already mentioned, getting to Rincon from San Juan can be a hassle. There is another airport on the island that is closer to Rincon, in the city of Aguadilla. If you would rather enjoy a quieter environment with many options for adventure, Rincon in your city! One of the things that Rincon is most known for is its world-class waves. Multiple surfing tournaments are held there yearly, and many of the world’s surf champions flock there in the winter to enjoy the massive waves. The best beaches to enjoy the surf in Rincon are Sandy Beach, Playa Domes, and Playa Maria’s.
Sandy Beach
The first place to discuss is Sandy Beach. The surf here isn’t as big as the other locations, so it is the best spot for beginners. They offer lessons all along the beach with the companies 7 Barrasos and RD2H. I personally have used RD2H and I have nothing but good things to say about them. They are a wonderful company and are extremely helpful on land and in the water! After you surf, you can have a wonderful lunch and a cocktail at the hotel bar, Tamboo, that is right on the beach. There is also a plethora of beautiful scenery as you walk in the sand.
Domes Beach
Domes Beach, or Playa Domes, is a wonderful location. This one of the two most famous beaches in Rincon for surf tournaments. It hosts the Legend Surf Classic Tournament every year in January and February. It is usually overcrowded, but if you arrive early in the morning, at sunrise, you can absolutely get a few hours of good waves in. They even offer classes here for beginners with three different companies: Rincon Surf Experience, Be the Vibe Surf, and Duke’s Surf School. This beach is an absolutely gorgeous spot to surf while the sun is setting, if it isn’t too crowded. The reason why it is called Domes Beach is because there is an old nuclear plant that is shaped like a dome on the beach. There are some trails that go up to the plant and you can read about the history of its use.
Playa Maria's
My favorite beach in Rincon is Playa Maria’s. This is another one of the most popular beaches in Rincon for surfing. This is the world-class surf beach that held the first broadcast surfing competition in 1968. It is a must-surf beach if you love this activity! I know first hand that it has some of the best waves to ride.
They also have surf lessons for beginners here with two companies: RD2H (which I have stated above on Sandy Beach) and Full Moon Rincon. Be aware that this beach is just as busy if not more than Domes for surf, so arriving early in the morning or at sunset are the best times to get many rides in.
I always hit this spot when I visit Puerto Rico because it not only offers fun in the water, but it also has beauty on the beach as well. Not only can you watch the surfers, but there is a beautiful trail that leads from the beach to the old lighthouse up the hill, which I will talk about later. One of my favorite restaurants in Rincon, Caddy’s Calypso, is located on this beach as well. They have incredible fish tacos and you can drink some spicy margaritas on the beach. If you are arriving early in the morning, this beach has my favorite coffee spot on the island, Stoked Rincon.
Take a tubing or kayaking adventure down the Tanama River
One of the best tubing or kayaking trips is through the jungle on the Tanama River. This was the most authentic tour I went on in Puerto Rico by a long shot! There are a few different companies that you can go through for the full adventure, but the two that are the best are Batey Adventures (which is the one that I chose), and Tanama River Adventures.
With Batey Adventures, you not only get a kayak or tube down a river with beautiful scenery, but you get to cross a swinging bridge over gorgeous views, kayak through a bat cave, drink water from a natural spring, slide down a natural waterslide, swim and trek through the river, and explore a beautiful natural arch cave. It doesn’t get better than that! Not only that, but your guides are extremely fun, informative, friendly, and helpful.
I don’t have experience with Tanama River Adventures, but they do offer many of the same opportunities and you can repel from the top of the natural arch cave. I believe it is more expensive with the repel added, but it seems like a fun experience if you aren’t afraid of heights.
Keep in mind that the water in the river is much cooler than the ocean water, but it feels great on a warm sunny day!
!!Keep in mind that you will have to book these adventures ahead of time as they fill up quickly!!
Take a zipline adventure through the forest
Taking a zipline through any forest is magical, but there is something about the forests of Puerto Rico makes it even more so. There are multiple different companies that offer zip tours on the island, but there are two of them that take the cake for different reasons: Junglequi Zipline Park and Toro Verde Adventure Park. Both of these tour companies offer a unique experience that shouldn’t be skipped for those who love a daring adventure.
Junglequi
Junglequi is located in El Yunque National Rainforest and offers fantastic views over the eleven different lines and one freefall repel. They have the longest line in the rainforest, but not on the entire island. The fun and helpful guides lead you through old buildings, over rivers, and on overlooks that one could only dream of seeing in their lifetime. You can even ride upside down if you would like! They also offer a package that allows you to ride nine of their zip lines with two repels, and then take a hike through the rainforest and swim in a natural pool (weather permitting). Although they don’t require you to book with them ahead of time, it is a smart idea to do so.
Toro Verde
Toro Verde is located in Orocovis, which is in the middle of the island. They offer a little bit of everything for the entire family. To enter the park, you need to purchase either a family pass, a couple pass, or the toropass.
Once you do that, you can choose between multiple different activities, depending on your pass including: “The Monster”, which is the longest zipline in America at 1.57 miles (it can get up to 95 mph!); the zip line tour that lasts about two and a half hours; “The Beast”, which is the world’s longest single run zip line at 4.7 ft (it can get up to 60 mph!); Toro Bikes, where you literally are biking on a zip line and it happens to be the longest cable bike circuit in the world (the bikes are attached to them); the Toro Roller; climbing towers (there are 7 total); and the toro jump (a 39 ft high jump).
Keep in mind that you must make your decision of which activities you want to do ahead of time and your reservations must be booked before arrival.
Take an ATV adventure through the National Rainforest
There are many tours that you can take through El Yunque, and one of them is by ATV. If you like adventure, but are too tired for a hike, this is a good option for you. Be prepared to get a little muddy and possibly drive through rain. I was soaked by the end of my ATV journey, but it was such a good time, I honestly didn’t care how dirty and wet I was! I tried to drive through as many puddles as I could!
This is a unique look at the remote areas of the rainforest only accessible by their vehicles. There are some overlooks that are out of this world, just be prepared for some fog.
The company that I ATVed with was Carabali Rainforest Adventure Park. They offer other things to do besides ATV rides including UTV tours, horseback riding through the rainforest or on the beach, go-karts, hayrides, a large restaurant, and so much more! I highly recommend this spot for your next ATV adventure!
Take a trip on the Ferry to explore Vieques or Culebra
Vieques and Culebra, as mentioned in an above section, are Puerto Rican islands off the east coast of the mainland. There is a ferry that runs multiple times a day back and forth from Ceiba to both of these islands for very cheap. Keep in mind that you will have to buy these tickets ahead of time to ensure that you will be able to go back and forth from the islands with ease. Also, make sure to note that anything you carry onto the ferry with you will cost a little extra money, but the extra charges aren’t outrageous. Once you get to these islands there are many things to do and see.
Culebra
Culebra is the smaller of the two islands and is home to many beautiful beaches and scenery, a national wildlife refuge, a natural reserve, and two lagoons. The best beaches are Flamenco Beach, Tamarindo Beach, Zoni Beach, and Resaca Beach. Each of these beaches have unique characteristics that make them all worth seeing including: the crystal-clear, calm waters of Flamenco that make perfect snorkeling conditions, the rocky views of Cayo Luis Pena from Tamarindo Beach, the wildlife and white sand at Zoni Beach, and the challenge of the hiking trail at Resaca Beach. There are plenty of places for water sports from scuba to sailing on this island and it is much more secluded than it’s bigger brother Vieques.
Vieques
Vieques is the more popular island of the two and it is almost required to either rent a car or some sort of vehicle to get you around the island. Make sure that you reserve your vehicle way ahead of time, because they book up extremely quickly. This island is home to two national reserves that take up over half of the island, incredible beaches and serene landscapes, old buildings with a lot of history, cute towns on the water, amazing wildlife, a bioluminescent bay, an extravagant fishing pier and beautiful hiking trails.
There are multiple beaches on the island that may be difficult to choose from, but my favorites were Red Beach (Playa Caracas), Blue Beach (La Chiva), Esperanza Beach, Sun Bay Beach, Playa Media Luna, and Black Sand Beach (Playa Negra).
Red and Blue beach are located in the huge Vieques National Wildlife Refuge and offer plenty of wildlife to see while snorkeling.
Sun Bay Beach is where I camped when I spent the night on the island. It is a beautiful beach that offers a beautiful view of the sunrise. Playa Media Luna is not far from Sun Bay, but is much more secluded. This means less people and more wildlife to see. In fact, you can walk out almost 50 feet offshore because the water is so shallow here and swim with the tropical fish.
Esperanza Beach is right in front of the cute town that has many different restaurants and shops along its strip. It also offers a killer sunset view. As does Black Sand Beach, where you can see completely different scenery only a short walk away. The black sand (derived from volcanic rock), golden cliffs, and turquoise water offers a completely picturesque scene against the setting sun.
As mentioned in a section above the bioluminescent bay kayaks are one of the most highlighted tours on the island. Snorkel/scuba, hiking, and beach horseback riding are other highlighted activities on this island. Yes, you can ride horses on the beach! I used Esperanza Riding Company for my tour and they exceeded all of my expectations. I highly recommend using them for your horseback adventure.
!!These islands have many activities to offer, but make sure to book everything ahead of time because they fill up quickly!!
Hike to some of the island's most beautiful waterfalls
For me, this is pretty much a must-do every time I visit Puerto Rico. I have seen some pretty amazing waterfalls on the island and I still have yet to see them all. The top four, in my opinion are Gozalandia, Juan Diego, La Coca, and El Ultimo Brinco. All of these waterfalls have different characteristics that set them apart from all of the others.
Gozalandia
Gozalandia Falls are, by far, my favorite falls in Puerto Rico. They are located in San Sebastian, which is on the east side of the island, not too far from Rincon.
This series of falls starts with a small fall that goes into a natural swimming pool. This pool flows down a shallow hill and cascades over many rocks to get to the massive fall that is located at the beginning of the trail. The entire scene is stunning and quite a fun spot to cliff jump or swim in the fresh water.
The main waterfall is about 50 ft tall and 20 ft wide. The smaller one is considerably thinner but only a bit shorter at 30 ft tall. The main waterfall has been a spot for weddings and movie scenes. I found this location through asking locals in Rincon where their favorite waterfalls were and now it is my favorite as well.
Not only do the falls exist at this location, but you can also get food at Sha’s, which is the restaurant and bar located near the bathrooms at the falls. I highly recommend this location to anyone visiting Puerto Rico.
Juan Diego Falls
My second favorite spot that I can recommend to adventure travelers is Juan Diego Falls, which is located in El Yunque National Rainforest. These falls are not right off the road, so you will have to hike a trail to get there. It is about 0.8 miles to reach the fall, but you will catch glimpses of smaller falls along the way.
Once you reach the main falls, you are in for a sight. The fall is about 15 ft tall and flows into a small pool to swim in some fresh water. However, there is another surprise when you look up…
A much taller waterfall that flows into an even bigger pool right above it! To get there, it is a bit difficult and slippery, and it is not on the official trail. Please wear proper hiking shoes if you want to explore the bigger waterfall. It is about 40 ft tall and has an even bigger pool to swim in.
Keep in mind that the trail to the upper waterfall is not official and really shouldn’t be traveled due to plant preservation. The scenery around these falls are so unique that it is a must-see in the rainforest
La Coca Falls
La Coca Falls is also located in El Yunque. It is located down the hill from Juan Diego right off of the road. The falls are 85 ft tall and they fall into a huge rock formation at the bottom. You are not allowed on the rock formations and any trespassers will be fined, but that clearly doesn’t stop people from doing it anyway, as pictured below. It makes for a quick beautiful pitstop on the way to Juan Diego, and you can get some wonderful photos from the road.
El Ultimo Brinco
The last waterfall that I want to discuss is El Ultimo Brinco, which is located in Rincon off of a side road, close to Anasco.
You have to off road down a dirt road to the waterfall, but it is well worth it. This beautiful tropical scene is too picturesque to miss. Not to mention, you may see an iguana or two swimming in the pool beneath the waterfall.
The falls are 30 ft tall and are only deep in the middle. Make sure to use precautions if jumping from the top of the falls. El Ultimo Brinco translates to “The Last Jump.” Many have died cliff jumping from these falls, so please make sure you know what you are doing before making the leap!
If you don’t want to take the risk, you can always just swim in the pool beneath the falls. These are the most secluded falls on this list and are perfect for beautiful pictures at any time of day.
Take a hike to explore old lighthouses, forts, and other buildings
There are plenty of old buildings that are abandoned on the mainland and little islands off the shore. Many are surrounded by magnificent landscapes that make for serene photographs. There are too many of these scenes to list them all, but I will list my favorites which are: El Faro de Rincon, Faro Los Morrillos, Fuerte Capron, and Puerto Ferro Lighthouse. The old nuclear plant on Domes beach is also on this list, but I have already mentioned it above.
El Faro De Rincon
El Faro de Rincon is my favorite historic building in Puerto Rico. This old lighthouse was built in 1892 with it’s first light produced by candles. In 1918, it was completely destroyed by a large earthquake. In 1921, the Coast Guard rebuilt it, only to have it destroyed again by an earthquake ten years later.
They rebuilt it again and used oil to produce the light. This time, the building stayed upright. In 1959, they upgraded the production of light to batteries. In 1993, they restored the lighthouse and turned the surrounding area into a massive park.
They even have a restaurant/bar called Ola Sunset Cafe. This is, by far, the best place in Rincon to watch the sun set, but get there early because the parking lot fills up quickly.
Faro Los Morrillos
Faro Los Morrillos is located on the southeast corner of the island, in Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge. Keep in mind that this area’s gates close at 5pm and you will be fined if your vehicle is still inside the gates after that time. You can park outside of the gates and hike in if you get there later in the day. The hike is absolutely gorgeous, so I recommend taking it to see all of the cliffs that overlook the water below.
This lighthouse was the second built in 1877 under Spanish rule. It wasn’t completed until 1882, but this was because it included two full homes on either side of the lighthouse for the keepers and their families. There are tours of the interior of the lighthouse, but when I was there it was closed for renovations.
Fuerte Capron
Fuerte Capron is a fort located in Guanica, which is on the south side of the island. This fort overlooks the beautiful turquoise water below and gives views of the cliff coastline across the way. It also overlooks the Guanica Bay and the surrounding towns.
This fort was built in the 16th century by the Spanish and later was renovated by the United States. Today, this building is no longer used, but explored by many. Sadly, it is covered in graffiti on the inside and some of the outside as well. The main purpose to visiting this fort is to see the gorgeous scenery below.
Keep in mind that this hike is not easy and is mostly uphill. Come prepared with some water and snacks for this adventure!
Puerto Ferro Lighthouse
The final spot I am going to mention is Puerto Ferro Lighthouse, which is on the island of Vieques in the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge. This building isn’t much, but the cliffs surrounding the old lighthouse is what makes this location shine!
This was the last lighthouse built by the Spanish in 1896. Unfortunately, it has been deactivated and abandoned since 1926. The trail to this location takes about ten minutes and it is very easy to hike. The views from the lighthouse cliffs are so spectacular that it is a must-see on the island.
Explore the island's deep caves
Just like Puerto Rico has many mountain tops with beautiful views, it also has many caves below those peaks. I mentioned two of my favorite caves when I toured with Batey Adventures. One of the other cave that I was able to explore is Cueva Quintin Rivera in the Guajataca Forest.
This forest is located right in the middle of Isabela. This is not the only cave in this forest, but it is the only one that I was fully able to explore. This cave requires you to hike almost three miles to reach, but it is well worth the trek. There are a few other caves along the way and an observation tower right at the beginning of the trail.
The cave is extremely dark, so I recommend bringing a headlamp with you to see your surroundings. If you go all the way through the cave, there is an absolutely gorgeous view on the other side that is waiting for you! The stalagmite and stalactite formations are so extraordinary that you really can’t miss it.
!!If you have a fear of arachnids, please keep in mind that there are very large ones that live in these caves (they are docile and don't leave the caves)!!
There are so many more adventures in Puerto Rico, but this is a great starting point for your vacation! I hope you enjoy the island!
