If you search for the best beaches in Puerto Rico you will probably find the same beaches being recommended – Flamenco Beach in Culebra, La Playuela in Cabo Rojo or Gilligan’s Island in Guanica. During our five day vacation in Puerto Rico we spent three days around Rincon and two days around Luquillo. We decided to check out some of the off the beaten path beaches on the island.
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Sandy Beach, Rincon
Why you should visit: beach walking, surfing, beachside dining.
Where we ended up parking was a small gravel lot, but we were the only car there when we visited. We almost had the beach to ourselves. We were able to watch a few surfers in the water. The waves consistently crashed along the shoreline. We took a peaceful stroll along the beach and climbed up and around some rocks. There was a restaurant on the beach called Tamboo. Unfortunately we did not get to eat at Tamboo during this visit, but we heard good things about the food and atmosphere. This beach is easy to access and doesn’t seem to get very crowded. We did not find any public facilities (restroom/rinse station).
Surfer’s Beach, Aguadilla
Why you should visit: surfing, beach hiking.
Finding Surfer’s Beach can be a little tricky. Check out this post for more about finding Surfer’s Beach. This is a popular surfing beach. There are quite a few giant rocks on the beach to climb on. The trail to Survival Beach also starts at the end of the parking area at Surfer’s Beach. There are no public facilities at this beach, only a parking lot.
Table Top Beach, Aguadilla
Why you should visit: secluded beach experience, beach hiking.
One must do a little hiking (approximately 10 minutes) to reach this beach. It is about half way to Survival Beach. One would take the trail from Surfer’s Beach to access Table Top. The trail initially takes you through the tropical forest but then leads down to Table Top Beach. You will know you’ve made it when you see large flat rocks in the water. This beach is a mixture of soft sand and large rocks, a great place to take a break along the hike to Survival Beach. Video footage of this hike is located on our YouTube Channel Explorcation.
Survival Beach, Aguadilla
Why you should visit: beach caves, secluded beach experience, beach hiking, beach walking.
After the hiking trail from Surfer’s Beach leads one to Table Top beach, it leads back up into the tropical forest. Eventually the trail takes you over some rocks and then back down to another beach – Survival Beach. Here is where you can spend time in the beach caves. If you are interested in visiting check out this post for more about hiking to Survival Beach. Video footage of this hike is located on our YouTube Channel Explorcation.
Jobos Beach, Isabela
Why you should visit: surfing, swimming, snorkeling, hiking, beachside dining.
This beach is located close to several restaurants and bars and tends to be busy due to it’s location, beauty and having something for everyone. Surfers of all levels come to Jobos. It is a good spot for beginner surfers. Many people hang out on the beach and swim as well. There are some good areas for swimming but also some rocky areas. Water shoes and snorkeling gear would be nice to have at this beach if you want to spend time in the water. Others choose to hike on the rocks near the beach to see the waves crashing on the other side. And if one isn’t a beach lover there are plenty of restaurants and bars within walking distance. Sonido del Mar is right along the beach and has a great view for watching surfers. There are no public restrooms on the beach.
Playa Fortuna, Luquillo
Why you should visit: easy access, local beach experience, swimming, beach walking.
This beach is located right of Hwy 3 in Luquillo. One would drive through a residential area until you reach what seems to be a park. When we visited, the park area had not recovered from Hurricane Maria, but the beach was beautiful. One can park on the road along the beach and be on the beach within seconds. This is known as a local beach and seemed quite laid back. Few people were at this beach when we visited. The water was quite calm when we visited and good for swimming. Most of the area was soft and sandy but there were rocks here and there so water shoes would be a good idea for this beach. This beach is beautiful with palm trees close to the water. We enjoyed walking along this beach to the kiosks (los kioskos) and Luquillo Beach. There are no public restrooms but the kiosks are near by.
Luquillo Beach, Luquillo
Why you should visit: easy access, swimming, beach walking, facilities, beach rentals, beachview dining.
This beach is also located right off Hwy 3. This beach is larger than Playa Fortuna and has a parking lot, along with restrooms. Parking was $5.50. We ended up parking at Playa Fortuna for free and walking to Luquillo Beach as we preferred to walk along the beach and experience both beaches. Restrooms were available at this beach, we did not use them but heard you may have to pay $1.00 for the day to have access. If you need restrooms then it is probably worth it. This beach did have a roped off swimming area and the water was the calmest of all the beaches we visited during our trip. There are various vendors at this beach and one can rent chairs/umbrellas. The kiosks (los kioskos) are just across the street, so if you get hungry or thirsty you have quite a few options to choose from. We walked over to Crio Mar and had some delicious drinks, including a pina colada in a pineapple. Many of the kiosks have an outdoor area that faces the beach but they are not right one the beach – just across the street. We also had some appetizers at Terruno and would recommend the pinonitos!
Puerto Rico has so much to offer, including a variety of beaches to choose from. If you are trying to decide which beaches to visit, check out our video footage at each of the beaches described in this post:
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