Puerto Rico -Part 2
Exploring THe NorthWestern Part of the Island
Ziplining - Toro Verde
I had never been ziplining before, and this was a must on my Puerto Rico bucket list. We drove the hour drive to Toro Verde from San Juan to do the 7 zipline course as well as the Beast! While I did enjoy the 7 ziplines, the Beast was by far the coolest part of the whole experience. I would 100% do the Monster next time. The Beast zipline is 4,745 feet long and you can go up to 60MPH. The Monster zipline is 8,300 feet long and you can go up to 95 MPH! As a first time zipliner, I thought there was no way I could do the Monster and I definitely regret it. It’s not as scary as you think! It’s beautiful and exhilarating and when’s the next time you can fly through a jungle at 90MPH? The only thing that sucks is when it rains it does not feel good on your face when you are going that fast. I loved this experience, and the surroundings were stunning and so was the drive here. I heard a lot about how bad the roads are in Puerto Rico and how scary it is to drive here. Honestly, not that scary. Are there some potholes? Yes. Are there some narrow windy roads? Yes. But overall, really nothing crazy or that made me worried. I guess all that Colorado mountain driving was good preparation! Don’t let the talk of scary roads discourage you from renting a car in Puerto Rico. I truly think it’s the best way to see the island and get out of the super touristy areas of San Juan.
Arecibo
After zip lining, we drove to Arecibo to stay the night in our adorable Airbnb. As we pull up to the Airbnb, we see 9 cats or kittens wander through the street. I think Puerto Rico may have just turned me into a cat person. Our Airbnb was very affordable and very adorable. There were two bedrooms, one queen bed and one bunk bedroom with a bathroom, living room, and kitchen. The decoration was on point, and we felt so at home. Especially after staying at hostels the past couple nights, it was great to each have our own room and get a good night’s rest in this cozy place. The Airbnb was also next to a drive-in movie theater which we totally would have done if we weren’t exhausted. It looked so cute. We ate dinner that night at La Buena Vida and had amazing tapas and pasta. It was the perfect meal for a long day of adventure and exhilaration.
There is plenty to explore around Arecibo. We took it easy after ziplining, but this is definitely a place I could spend more time. We spent the next morning in a coffee shop, Agape. It is also a store with secondhand items and items from local artists. We stayed for a while because we loved the vibe and the people working here. AND the coffee we got here I think was my favorite of the whole trip. This spot is definitely worth a visit.
One of the main attractions near Arecibo is Cuevo del Indio which is a beautiful cave along the ocean along with rock arches. There used to be a ladder to easily get down into the cave, however, it has been removed. There is a hole in the rock you can climb into and climb down in the cave, but it’s recommended that you have some climbing ability to do this. Within the cave you can see Taino petroglyphs, dating back to pre-Columbian days. We walked around the cave and arches and enjoyed the ocean views and even saw some turtles.
We parked in the lot right next to Cuevo del Indio which charges $10 per person (not per vehicle!) The road is narrow without a lot of other great parking options. The parking lot is only open from 9am-5pm so if you are planning to watch sunrise or sunset you may need to plan for different parking arrangements. Make sure you wear sturdy shoes for this one; flip flops aren’t going to work.
Isabela and Aguadilla
Isabela is a fun little beach town, and we ended up spending more time here than we thought we would. We liked this area better than central Aguadilla as it had a more chill, laid-back vibe.
Right before Isabela Is the Guajataca Tunnel. This tunnel was used to transport sugar cane between Quebradillas and Isabela by train and was declared a historical monument in 2000.
Construction began on this tunnel back in 1904 and by 1957 the railway was no longer in use. The tunnel was a part of a rail system developed for 20 years to connect Ponce and San Juan. There are gorgeous murals and artwork here that make great photo ops. You can also take a short walk through the tunnel and down the trail to another beach and just take in the amazing view of the ocean.
One of the main beaches in Isabela is Jobos beach. We spent time there and watched some surfers. Jobos beach is nicely protected on one side by a large wall of rocks that you can walk up that is beautiful to see the waves crash against. Just be careful of strong waves, especially in the winter. We were able to do some swimming here and just relax with a nice day at the beach. There are some restaurants along the beachfront but there are no public amenities like bathrooms or rinse stations. But overall, the beach was a great experience. We stayed at a hotel by the airport that our friend used his points to get us (Shout out to Nate – you da best!) and we really enjoyed being between Isabela and Aguadilla. Some of the restaurants we visited were the Beer Box, Shima Sushi Bar, and Khalan Thai. They were all delicious and had genuinely nice staff. The red curry at Khalan Thai was magnificent.
We did struggle a lot to find cafes that were open in the morning for coffee or cafes or restaurants that were open when they said they were on google. Plan to be flexible when you’re in this area! We explored Borinquen Beach along with the old naval facility and Ruinas del Faro. This was a nice short drive that gave us time to explore some different areas and more ruins! This area also has a lot of hiking and mountain biking trails for anyone interested! To get to these sites, you drive through part of a golf course, but don’t worry, you are going the right way.
Rincon
One day we drove to Rincon to see some more beaches and do some snorkeling! We visited the lighthouse first and enjoyed watching the countless iguanas roaming around. Right next to the lighthouse you can grab food and drinks at Ola Sunset Café and watch the surfers at Domes beach below catch some crazy waves. We really enjoyed having this vantage point with the music and good food.
We then decided it was our turn to get in the water and we rented snorkeling gear from Rincon Diving & Snorkeling. They were super nice here and ensured we knew how to use our gear and that it fit correctly before sending us on our way. They also let you rent your gear for the full day; we didn’t have to return our gear until close of business the following day which is a great opportunity if you plan on staying in the area. They also had recommendations of where to go for snorkeling as well as tours if you’d rather go along with a guide. Another thing I loved about this place was their focus on sustainability. Sustainability is so important, and I love to be able to support businesses that make it a priority!
We snorkeled in the reef right near Rincon Sailing and had an amazing time. There were so many fish to see, and we were incredibly glad we made the impulse decision to rent snorkel gear. I highly recommend having a waterproof phone pouch to at least store your car keys. I kept the keys, my phone, and a credit card with me in case anything happened to the car when we were out in the ocean. Also, you can take photos with a clear pouch so it’s a win win! We then transitioned to Steps Beach for sunset. We brought beer and snacks and had a wonderful time watching the sun go down. Steps Beach has a lot of tide pools that are fun to explore and relax in. It’s also right next to some farmland so you have some cows roaming behind you. I loved how different each beach was that we visited. I know we barely scratched the surface when it comes to beaches on the northwest side of the island, but I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them.
San Sebastian
Another fun adventure was driving to San Sebastian, about a 45-minute drive from the airport area in Aguadilla. San Sebastian and ziplining were the only two days we were actually inland and not out by the ocean! Exploring other places was amazing and as nice as the beaches are, it’s always fun to explore other parts of nature. Puerto Rico has so much to offer with its natural beauty. There are countless opportunities to see beautiful things.
We went to San Sebastian to go to the Gozalandia waterfalls. We also thought about going to the hammock museum. Unfortunately it was closed the day we were there, but I’ve read good reviews. There are two falls at Gozalandia: one is only a couple minute walk from the parking lot, the other maybe a 10-minute additional walk but it is paved and easy to get to. The waterfalls are absolutely stunning. Most people do cliff jumping here, just be careful. If you choose to do the highest jumping point, you need to be sure and have complete confidence when you jump.
A local told us some horror stories, so just make sure you’re safe. That being said, we had a great time jumping into the water. It was my first-time cliff jumping and it was an exhilarating experience. Honestly, I was way more nervous jumping into the water then ziplining over a valley, go figure!
You do have to pay 10 dollars cash to park at the waterfalls and visit but there are bathrooms and a restaurant by the parking lot. There was also a small cave to the right of the first, main fall that 1-2 people can fit in. You swim under but then can go up for air once you’re in the cave. There were also so many fish swimming with you in the water, it felt unreal. Gozalandia can get crowded as it is one of the most popular waterfalls in the area so plan accordingly. The parking opens at 9am. Definitely wear some sturdy shoes (shout out to Chacos, the best water/hiking shoe around). The stairs to the first fall are steep and can be a little slick so just be careful.
Puerto Rico, you were amazing. Its crazy to think I spent 8 days on this beautiful island and was only able to explore about half of it. What I did get the opportunity to explore was a treasure. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and would gladly come back to experience more of the beauty and the wonderful people of Puerto Rico.
