There are many things to do in Puerto Rico. Here are 5 of Puerto Rico’s best-kept secrets.

These are a few things you might not have thought about doing.

Visit where Rum is made

Visit the Bacardi Factory in Old San Juan and try the rum.

Not only does the island have great rum, but you can also visit where it’s made. As a by-product of the sugar-making process, rum production in Puerto Rico became a major industry in the 16^th century. Sugar cane juice (guarapo) is extracted and boiled at a high temperature. The process yields a syrup called molasses, which when mixed with water and is fermented, produces the distilled spirit rum.  Bacardi, Don Q, and Ron Barralito are some of the best Puerto Rican rums. You can see how rum is made and have a tasting at the Bacardi factory in Old San Juan.  Read more here: A Taste of Puerto Rican Rum History

Explore Arecibo Observatory

NOTE: This attraction is permanently closed. The sad news is that the telescope has collapsed and will be demolished.

Explore Arecibo Observatory and view the massive telescope.

1,000 Foot Diameter Dish in a Sinkhole

The Northern Coastal Valley region of Arecibo Puerto Rico is marked by stark contrasts.  It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the north and numerous caves, sinkholes, and wooded hills to the south. One sinkhole, in particular, is known for nestling an awe-inspiring 1,000-foot diameter dish. This dish, a radio telescope,  keeps us safe from asteroids, beamed a three-minute pictorial message 23,000 light-years away to the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, and has assisted in numerous notable discoveries. Exploring the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico should be on your to-do list when visiting the island. Read more here: Exploring Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico

Try the Local Foods, they’re Delicious

Mofongo a traditional Puerto Rican food is made with mashed plantains and filled with seafood, beef, chicken, or pork.

Traditional foods are part of Puerto Rico’s heritage and are strongly rooted in the history and culture of the island.  Find a local roadside stand, the beach-front hut, or a restaurant with grandma cooking at the stove down a side road. You’ll not only get a taste of the food but the culture as well.  Wake up your taste buds and eat like a local in Puerto Rico. read more here:

Read more here: Eat Like a Local in Puerto Rico

Go Snorkeling

You will see an amazing amount of fish when snorkeling in Puerto Rico.

When spending time in Puerto Rico, many people who decide to visit this amazing island will lounge on the picturesque white-sand beaches, play in the clear blue water, and soak up the sunshine.  However, renting a paddleboard or a kayak and snorkeling the crystal clear water should be on your list!

Read more here: Where to Snorkel, Kayak, and Stand-Up Paddle Board in Puerto Rico.

I highly recommend this full face snorkel mask.  It makes snorkeling much easier because it forms a seal around your face which prevents water from leaking in.  It’s comfortable, easy to use, and does not fog.  You can click this link for easy ordering.

Traverse the Cave System

Visiting the Camuy Caves will leave you breathless when you view this massive sinkhole.

Located in northwest Puerto Rico in Arecibo, there’s a cave system called The Parque Nacional de las Cavernas del Río Camuy or Rio Camuy Caves.  In the 1950s researchers discovered this large network of natural limestone caves and underground waterways carved out by the third-largest underground river in the world, the Río Camuy.

The canopy of trees and lush vegetation is dense and it’s hard to believe such an extensive cave system hides below the thick forest. Today there are more than 10 miles of mapped trails leading to 17 entrances and 220 caves. Only a small part of the cave system, a 268-acre park, however, is open to the public.  It is home to 3 sinkholes through which an underground river runs, and 2 awe-inspiring caves which visitors can explore. Read more here: Two Caves to Explore in Puerto Rico
When traveling around Puerto Rico it helps to have a GPS to help navigate.

You can click the Amazon link for easy ordering.

When in Puerto Rico, step out of your comfort zone and eat the local foods, explore a cave, or snorkel in the crystal clear waters. You never know what you’ll find when you take the road less traveled.

Here’s how to get to some of the 5 Best Kept Secrets in Puerto Rico https://www.viator.com/Puerto-Rico/d36-ttd

We are a participant in the Amazon Associates, LLC program, an advertising program allowing us to receive fees when you purchase the product above. It does not in any way add to your cost.

Where to Snorkel, Kayak, and Stand-Up Paddle Board – Puerto Rico

Get Social with Boulevards & Byways and like us and follow us at:

The post 5 Puerto Rico’s Best Kept Secrets appeared first on Boulevards & Byways.

Parque Nacional de las Cavernas del Río Camuy

This park was severely damaged during Hurricane Maria. Cleanup and restoration efforts continue.  Call (787) 898-3136 before visiting for information on the re-opening date. 

Largest Cave in Puerto Rico

Located in northwest Puerto Rico in Arecibo, there’s a cave system called The Parque Nacional de las Cavernas del Río Camuy or Rio Camuy Caves.  In the 1950s researchers discovered this large network of natural limestone caves and underground waterways carved out by the third-largest underground river in the world, the Río Camuy.

The canopy of trees and lush vegetation is dense, it’s hard to believe such an extensive cave system hides below the thick forest. Today there are more than 10 miles of mapped trails leading to 17 entrances and 220 caves. Only a small part of the cave system, a 268-acre park, however, is open to the public.  It is home to 3 sinkholes through which an underground river runs, and 2 awe-inspiring caves which visitors can explore.

Spiral Cave and Sinkhole

Tours are given five days a week and start with a short tram ride down through lush forest toward the opening of the cave. The walking audio tour begins with a 205-step stairway into the chilly, dark cave.  Soft lights and railings help navigate the sometimes slippery path. The route leads past stalactites, stalagmites, and many unique and beautiful formations of the cave walls. The audio tour is accompanied by a tour guide who leads the way, provides additional information, and answers any questions you may have.

The cavern opens into an area where the Camuy River runs into the subterranean waterway.  A sinkhole from above gives view to the vegetation hanging into the cave-like long thin fingers hanging down from a hand.  The gentle tweets of birds, as they fly between the opening, gives a peaceful connection between light and life above, to the darkness below.

Clara Cave and Sinkhole

The Clara Cave chamber is immense, and it could fit a 20-story building inside. Towering boulders, vast openness, and the height of the ceiling evoke silence – only broken by the gentle splash water droplets and the echoes of the visitor’s hushed voices. The huge sinkhole above produces eerie shadows as beams of light enter the cave, creating a surreal dichotomy of light and dark. In another area of the cave, the Camuy River can be seen below as multiple bat species fly between the crevices of the walls of the cave.

This is a spectacular and informative tour.  It’s best to get there when it first opens as the park will close when filled to capacity.  Also, if you suspect rain the day you plan to go, call ahead as the park will close when it rains due to flooding. There are picnic and gift shop areas.

Parque Cavernas del Río Camuy

Cueva Ventana

Set at the side of a cliff, Cueva Ventana means “Window Cave.” Unlike the Camuy caves which are underground, Cueva Ventana is stunningly located on the side of a cliff in Arecibo.

With admission, you get a helmet, flashlight, and a guide to walk you through the cave. During the 45 minute walk, trained biologists deliver insight into how the caves formed and the many creatures which call it home, such as insects, snakes, and bats. They also discuss the plants on-site, some of which are near extinction and provide the history of the original Taino Indians who were the original inhabitants of this area.

The cave offers impressive stalagmites and stalactites, however, the real highlight is when the passage finishes dramatically and the open face of the cliff frames the lush Río Grande de Arecibo valley far below. The scenic vistas from this vantage point have attracted visitors for decades, providing views across the entire valley and down to the ground below.

Cueva Ventana

Tours to Cueva Ventana and other sites in Arecibo

Travel Easier & Purchase the Best Carry-On Suitcase Here:

We are a participant in the Amazon Associates, LLC program, an advertising program allowing us to receive fees when you purchase the product above. It does not in any way add to your cost.

Other things to do in Arecibo

The post 2 Caves to Explore in Puerto Rico (Things to do in Puerto Rico) appeared first on Boulevards & Byways.