Paloma Veloz

This is the second post detailing my experience in Puerto Rico.  This time I’m tackling getting in touch with nature in the island.  When visiting the northeast region of Puerto Rico there are three must-go places: El Yunque national forest, one of the bioluminescent bays and Flamenco Beach at Culebra Island. 

EL YUNQUE NATIONAL PARK

El Yunque was our first stop outside of San Juan.  It took us about an hour from our hotel in Ocean Park.  This is the only rainforest in the United States forest system.  It encompasses a mountainous area with plenty of trails for hiking.  When you arrive stop by the information center to grab a map and get some guidance to select the trail that best for you.  You can easily skip the visitor center, but I recommend it especially if it’s your first time at El Yunque.

We decided to hike to La Mina waterfall, which takes about 45 minutes to complete each way.  The trail is well maintained and the sights along the way are spectacular.  So much nature to take in.  You can hear the coqui, the native frog of PR, and the distinctive sound they make.

The hike itself is of medium intensity, particularly because it can get hot a humid.  But up ahead is the waterfall, so don’t despair.  Even if you decide not to go into the water, which you should,  it is a delight to sit and take in the view.  Bring some snacks refuel before you make your way back.  But please don’t forget to take everything you bring into the park with you!   

On your way out of El Yunque stop by the Yokahu observation tower and can catch a glimpse of the sea and of part of the island from above.    

If you are going to leave anything behind for your hike let it not be water, comfortable shoes and mosquito repellant.  I saw plenty of people hiking in flip flops or flat shoes and this is less than ideal as parts of the trail are narrow and can be slippery.  You’re also going up and down hilly portions.  Take a change of clothes with you also, especially if you are planning to go into the waterfall.

If you are hungry after your hike, which you probably will be, plan a visit to the Kiosks at Luquillo beach, which is about a 15-minutes away.

BIOLUMINESCENT BAY

Puerto Rico is one of few places in the world that have bioluminescent bays.  These are bodies of water with organism that sparkle when agitated by touch.  There are three bioluminescent bays, one of them located just outside of Fajardo.

You can take a guided kayak or boat tour to see this spectacle of nature.   We went after our day of hiking at El Yunque and made it just in time for an 8PM departure.  We did not have a reservation, as we really didn’t think we would have time to make it given our tight schedule.  We simply approached one of the tour companies near the bay and were lucky one of them had two spots available.  Although this worked for us I recommend making a reservation ahead of time, so you don’t risk missing out on this opportunity.

I sadly don’t have any photos of this portion of the trip, for obvious reasons: It is dark and you get wet… And I don’t own a cool go pro.  So, Imma keep it short! If darkness is not your thing, then maybe this tour is less than ideal for you. But if you are willing to conquer your fears the experience is priceless.  Once you make it into the lagoon in there is nothing like staring into a sky full of stars in absolute pitch darkness.   And of course seeing the water shining bright like a diamond. Though it wasn’t as bright as we expected, it’s still a really fun experience. We were told by other people who have done it before that the best time to go is the summertime, especially during the month of July when it’s brighter.

FLAMENCO BEACH AT CULEBRA ISLAND

Now onto the real reason why we made our way to the city of Fajardo: to visit the Island of Culebra.  Our goal was to make it to Flamenco Beach which is considered one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world.

There first ferry from Fajardo to Culebra departs and 9AM and the only return ferry is at 5PM, which makes it a bit challenging to make it as a day trip.  But here’s the thing, there is the option of departing on a 4AM cargo ferry. It’s not widely advertised, but this is how many locals are able to go to the island and come back the same day.  I know it sounds like a lot of work for a vacation, but it’s worth it.

The ferry to Culebra takes about 45-minutes and and once you arrive you can catch one of the mini-buses to Flamenco Beach, which is about 10 minutes away from the port.  We were there before 6AM, just in time to catch this magical sunrise.  You can make arrangements with the driver of your shuttle to catch a ride back to the port in the afternoon to take the ferry.  

Flamenco Beach is truly spectacular with its turquoise water and white sand. If you arrive early in the morning, like we did, you can enjoy the solitude and quietness of an empty beach.  It feels like being in a deserted island.

You won’t need much to make your day at Flamenco Beach worthwhile. Just pack a beach towel to sit on and some snacks for the earlier portion of day when the kiosks and restaurants are still closed.  And of course, sunscreen, lots and lots of sunscreen.  The caribbean sun is relentless.

Before returning to the port, walk down the beach to check one of the tanks at the shore. left behind by the US Navy.  Until the mid 70s, part of Culebra island was a bomb testing ground for the US Navy.  These tanks are an indication of a time when this beach was not the picture perfect paradise that it’s today.  

There is so much to do and see in Puerto Rico and with research and planning you can cover a lot in just a few days. Are you planning a trip to Puerto Rico? What are you looking forward to the most? Let me know if you end up going to any of these places and what your experience is like in the comments below.

Hasta pronto,

Paloma