Puerto Rico Travel Guide ⎜ Puerto Rico Things to Do ⎜ Puerto Rico Beaches ⎜ Best Puerto Rico West Coast Beaches
The West is the best when it comes to beaches in Puerto Rico… from perfect surfing conditions to dreamy crystal clear water, there’s a beach for everyone to love.
The west coast of Puerto Rico is an exciting beach destination, offering visitors weeks’ worth of adventure and relaxation in the water. If beaches are a priority on your vacation, the west coast may be the best vacation destination for you on the main island of Puerto Rico. The diversity in beaches is impressive from world-class surfing beaches to calm swimming beach coves, to crystal clear waters on offshore cays.
The high season on the west coast is during the summer months. For vacationers escaping the cold, it means you can enjoy most of these amazing beaches without crowds on weekdays. Whether you’re a surfer traveling with a group of friends, a honeymooner dreaming of romantic beach scenes, or a family seeking a memorable vacation, the west coast is an excellent destination.
We’ll start off with the beach located in the most scenic location of Puerto Rico…
La Playuela “Playa Sucia” – Cabo Rojo
Best beach for: its scenic views, nearby eco-attractions, and eco-activities right near the beach.
Cabo Rojo. Cabo Rojo has many beaches, but if you’re visiting as a day trip, head to La Playuela, best known as Playa Sucia. A visit here is an all-day adventure with nearby attractions and natural activities that include Los Morrillos lighthouse, hiking trails, salt flats, bird sanctuary, offshore fishing, and an observation tower. Playa Sucia is located on a nature reserve, there are no facilities, you’ll have to bring everything you’ll need throughout the day. Plan on spending a full morning or afternoon visiting the area and enjoying all the attractions it offers. On your way there you can visit the Las Salinas(The Salt Flats) which many now call “pink beach”. Don’t leave the nature reserve before taking a short hike up the lighthouse where you’ll enjoy the most breathtaking views on the island. Note: During certain times of the year, La Playuela gets a lot of sargassum, we always see the most during a full moon. If there is too much sargassum to enjoy the beach, head to Playa El Combate or Boqueron Beach.
Top Rated Tours to Cabo Rojo Beaches & West Coast
Gilligan’s Island / Cayo Aurora – Guanica
Best beach for its crystal clear water, calm water for swimming, floating, and snorkeling with children.
Like a giant natural pool with the clearest water on the entire west and southern coast of Puerto Rico. Lovely place to take the whole family, where even toddlers can play safely on the water and learn to snorkel. You may kayak to the mangrove island or take a ferry over from a private restaurant. Stay at the Copamarina Beach Resort, they offer daily trips at the guest’s convenience.
Top Rated Tours to Gilligan's Island & Guanica Activities
Crash Boat Beach – Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Top Rated Snorkeling Tours in Aguadilla
Pozo Teodoro – Isabela, Puerto Rico
Best beach for watching the waves crash, relaxing on the water, solitude (weekdays), long walks on the beach.
The beach is very wide, sand is soft and golden. Playa Pozo Teodoro changes in size daily, at times the pool is deep and at times very shallow. If the pool is very low, no worries, there are plenty more in Isabela.
Balneario de Boqueron “Boqueron Beach” – Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Playa Escalera aka Steps Beach – Rincon
Best beach for surfing (winter months), great snorkeling (summer months).
Steps Beach, part of the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve boasts a healthy coral reef with abundant sea life including sea turtles and a healthy elkhorn garden. The vibe is relaxed, there’s a food truck at the beach, easy access to the beach, and parking.
Top Rated Snorkeling Tours in Rincon, Puerto Rico
Playa Buye – Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Domes Beach, Rincon
Domes is one of Puerto Rico’s best surfing beaches. Although not the best beach for bathing, it offers beachgoers an entertaining view of surfers, breathtaking sunsets, relaxation, and a great starting point for a romantic walk along the Rincon coastline. Access is really convenient, there’s plenty of parking and nearby beachside restaurants.
Top Rated Surfing Lessons in Puerto Rico
Jobos Beach – Isabela, Puerto Rico
Best beach for: surfing year-round, experiencing authentic casual island vibe, beachfront casual dining.
Jobos is the most popular beach in Isabela, among the top beaches for surfing all year round. This is not your typical touristy beach, this is a beach loved by locals and residents of nearby towns who come here to have a good time. During the surfing season, you’ll find a good mix of surfers coming from the states happily mingling with friendly locals. This is a great beach to surf, get a tan, do a little snorkeling, and make new friends.
Top Rated Tours - Isabela Beaches
Playa Peña Blanca – Aguadilla
Best beach for: snorkeling with sea turtles, beauty, and unique landscape.
If you’re vacationing on the west coast of Puerto Rico during the summer months, be sure to bring your snorkel gear to Playa Peña Blanca. It is a little difficult to find, parking is limited along a narrow street, so get here during the week early morning or super early on the weekend during summer months. Please note that there’s is no beach during the winter months and the water is too rough to safely swim.
Balneario de Rincon (Rincon Beach) – Rincon, Puerto Rico
Balneario de Rincon, also known as Rincon Beach is an active beach, family-friendly with easy access. Rincon Beach is safe for swimming, and beach lovers can enjoy a number of activities such as kayaking, paddle boarding, and snorkeling. This beach is a wonderful place to visit before the day ends, there are a few places near the beach where you can get drinks, then pick a spot to enjoy the wonderful sunsets of Rincon.
Sandy Beach – Rincon, PR
Best beach for: surfing, learning how to surf, one of the best beach bars/restaurants in Puerto Rico.
Beachgoers can walk up to Tamboo Bar & Seaside Grill in Puerto Rico, winner of “Best Caribbean Beach Bar in the Caribbean 2018” and named one of the best beach bars in the world by Travel & Leisure. There are more dining options within walking distance. There are plenty of affordable accommodations including small inns and vacation rentals on the beach and a block away.
Playa El Pastillo – Isabela, Puerto Rico
Top Rated Tours on the West Coast of Puerto Rico
Video Gallery - Beaches on the West Coast of Puerto Rico
Map - Best Beaches on the West Coast of Puerto Rico
Tours Visitors Love in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Travel Guide ⎜ Puerto Rico Things to Do ⎜ Puerto Rico Beaches ⎜ Best Puerto Rico West Coast Beaches
