The Beaches of Puerto Rico

Whether you're searching the northwestern coast for surf spots, planning to spend your days admiring underwater life with a pair of fins of your own, or just stretching out on a sandy spot near the water's edge, Puerto Rico's beaches offer something for everyone. Puerto Rico is one of the largest islands in the Caribbean, and popular beaches can be found along every shore.

Puerto Rico participates in the Blue Flag program, which may be familiar to some of the island's European visitors. This system only endorses beaches that meet rigorous standards, so you'll know these beaches offer the very best of Puerto Rico. 

The key to enjoying the perfect beach is being aware of what each one has to offer. Once you're more informed about the unique characteristics of each, you'll need to determine your own beach-going style in order to help you to choose between all of the amazing options you'll find in Puerto Rico.

If you're looking for an adventurous day-trip, you may want to look into Flamenco Beach on the island of Culebra. A participant in the Blue Flag system, this beach offers pristine beauty and a history of naval activity. Motorized water sports aren't permitted here, however, so if you'd like a more active getaway, there may be another beach better suited to your interests.

If you'd prefer to stay on the main island of Puerto Rico, Luquillo Beach is an extremely convenient option. Souvenir stands and lifeguards can be found on this beach, which is part of a national park. Swimming is also enjoyable, as there are off-shore reefs that serve as a natural barrier from rough, choppy waters.

Greater San Juan Beaches

The beaches in the greater San Juan area are some of the most frequented in Puerto Rico - perhaps because they are easily accessible to day-trippers that arrive via cruise ship and located near many top resorts. 

There are several government run beaches in this area, including Balneario de Carolina and Balneario de Escambron, which both have calm surf and excellent facilities including showers, bathrooms, life guards, and picnic tables.  The best beaches for families in the area are Luquillo and Pine Grove, where reef and sand bars make the waters are forgiving to beginning swimmers.  Playa de Condado, which is located near Pine Grove Beach, encompasses a long stretch of waterfront that begins calm and great for family play, then heads into waters that are a bit less friendly.  This area of Condado, as well as nearby Playa de Ocean Park, is great for water sports. 

Eastern Puerto Rico Beaches

Eastern Puerto Rico is home to the largest marina in the Caribbean, and the area offers plenty of scuba diving and fishing opportunities.  There are a few good beaches in the area (Balneario de Monserrate and Balneario Seven Seas, both equipped with life guards, bathrooms, changing areas, picnic benches, and showers), but the best part about Eastern Puerto Rico is that it is a short distance from two of Puerto Rico's most popular smaller islands, Culebra and Vieques.   There are numerous beaches on these islands that are tourist favorites.

Located on Isla Culebra is one of the highest ranked beaches in the world, Playa Flamenco.  This beautiful crescent-shaped strech of land is the only beach on the island fitted with bathrooms and showers.  There are also picnic areas, vendor stands, and camp grounds nearby.  Powder white sand beaches with a mountainous backdrop make this beach picture perfect.

Beaches on Isla Vieques include Playa Media Luna, Red Beach, and Green Beach, where peaceful waters make it a great destination for families; Playa Sun Bay, an area so relaxed that wild horses are commonly seen grazing inland; Blue Beach and Navajo Beach, where beach-goers head to for small crowds and seclusion; Cofi Beach, Playa Grande Beach and Esperanza Beach, three Vieques waterfronts especially known for their pretty scenery; and Black Sand Beach, the treasured beach where the sand is not white or tan, but jet black and beautiful.

Southern and Western Puerto Rico Beaches

The Southern and Western areas of Puerto Rico are known for plains cleared centuries ago to make way for sugar plantations, as well as the famed dry forest Bosque Estatal de Guanica.  Despite the desert like climate, there are a few beaches worth checking out in the area.

La Guancha is the public beach in Ponce, where the small beach's shallow waters are perfect for young children.   On the opposite end of the spectrum is Playa de Jobos in Isabela.  This beach is known for rough waters that attract only the strongest swimmers and surfers.  There are some stretches of the beach that are suitable for recreational swimming, but it is recommended that visitors proceed with caution.  Landing somewhere in the middle is the mile long Playa Crashboat in Aguadilla.  Though the waters are not as shallow as La Guancha, they are quite swimmable, and the numerous colorful fishing boats that dock themselves along the beach make for a pretty picture.

The beautiful beaches of Puerto Rico have many different personalities, as varied as the people of the island itself. From carefully preserved eco-adventures to shores filled with fun activities for vacationers, there's something amazing waiting, no matter which part of the island you visit. To learn more about individual beaches, simply visit the links below. They'll take you to detailed pages about many of the island's top beaches.