Puerto Rico’s coastline covers roughly 300 miles, decorated with nearly as many beaches. Stick to the tropical north, anchored by San Juan, for a mix of lively shorelines and rocky Atlantic coves. Head to the cloudless south to dip your toes in calm Caribbean bays protected by mangrove cays. You can also zip west to Rincón, where surfers tube through barrels in winter, or sail east to Vieques and Culebra, where delicate sands sparkle like crushed pearls.
Playas here range from rowdy hangs to remote strips seemingly untouched by human hands. If you want amenities like bathrooms, showers, lifeguards and chair rentals, look for a balneario, which denotes government upkeep. But don’t overlook those far-flung shores hiding behind mangrove marshlands or below limestone cliffs. These secluded spots earn Puerto Rico its nickname La Isla del Encanto (the Island of Enchantment).
This guide to Puerto Rico’s best beaches starts with those along the north coast, then heads east to Culebra and Vieques, the west coast
1. Balneario El Escambrón
Best urban beach
San Juan’s only Blue Flag beach stretches along the beige sands where Puerta de Tierra kisses hotel-packed Condado. Look east to see surfers or walk west to scout ruins of an 18th-century artillery battery. Unlike most of the city’s Atlantic-facing shoreline, with strong currents and choppy waters, a reef barrier makes this stretch suitable for swimming and snorkeling. You’ll find all necessary amenities for a full-day affair, including umbrella rentals – though palms provide plenty of natural shade. Head to nearby Scuba Dogs for snorkeling gear.
Detour: Stroll to the nearby Caribe Hilton for a piña colada. The hotel claims bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero invented the boozy coconut-pineapple concoction on site in 1954.
2. Playa Mar Chiquita
Best beach for dramatic scenery
“Mar Chiquita” translates to “little sea” – an apt name for this crescent-shaped pool in Manatí, framed by two eolianite ridges with a small opening where the Atlantic floods through. Swimming here can be dangerous, particularly in winter, when waves crash over the ridges and strong undercurrents tug deep into the ocean. But that doesn’t bother crowds from San Juan, located 45-minutes east. The salt-splashed rock formations are cinematic, and on weekends, you’ll likely find vendors selling fried foods and fresh coconuts.
Planning tip: Bring sturdy-sole water shoes to explore the beach’s ridges. Rocks here are sharp and slippery.
3. Balneario La Monserrate
Best beach for local food
La Monserrate, also called Luquillo Beach, is a 15-minute drive from El Yunque National Rainforest – the perfect place to unwind after hiking. Start by grazing around the Kioskos de Luquillo – a strip of food stalls serving Puerto Rican classics like mofongo (mashed plantains with pork rinds) and bacalao (cod). Once satiated, walk or drive east to La Monserrate ($5 parking fee). The pristine, palm-lined shore slopes gradually into shallow water, making this beach ideal for kids. Expect boisterous weekend crowds: groups blast music by Puerto Rican rapper and singer, Bad Bunny, as jet skis race in the distance.
Detour: For minimal effort and maximum reward in El Yunque, climb the short path to Juan Diego Falls. Small, freshwater pools line the root-tangled, creek-side ascent to a 20ft cascade.
4. Playa Escondida
Best beach or solitude
Arriving at “Hidden Beach,” an hour’s drive east of San Juan, requires a mile-long hike through a mangrove forest. The legwork reaps big rewards: thin crowds, glittering sands, distant mountain views and reefs that create natural wading pools. Playa Escondida’s water is often clear, and you may see snorkelers – but be careful – the beach is known for strong rip tides.
Planning tip: To reach Playa Escondida, park near Seven Seas Beach (on Carr. Cabezas de San Juan) and follow the coast westward to begin the hiking trail.
5. Playa Flamenco
Best beach for camping
Flamenco Beach is sugar-sand perfection on the island of Culebra, lapped by balmy bathtub water and backed by lush greenery. Walk the mile-long horseshoe-shaped shore to spot two graffiti-splattered Sherman tanks – rusted remnants of when the US Navy occupied Culebra in the 20th century. Getting here can seem Odyssean: choose between a 35-minute flight from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport or a 45-minute ferry from Ceiba, plus a cab ride. Consider camping on-site to make the long haul count – this is Culebra’s only beach where pitching tents is legal.
Detour: For exceptional snorkeling, trek 20 minutes to Playa Carlos Rosario or Playa Tamarindo, where turtles occasionally graze among the seagrass.
6. Playa Caracas
Best beach for powdery sand
The Vieques National Wildlife Refuge covers nearly 18,000 acres of its namesake island, with beaches covered in cumulus-cloud soft sand. Playa Caracas is one of the first shores found on the refuge’s eastern border, and its blue waters set the bar for beauty high. You could spend an entire day nursing Medalla Lites under a shaded gazebo, snorkeling around the east side’s gentle surf or hiking to remote coves, like Playuela, where semi-wild horses often outnumber people.
Planning tip: Getting to Vieques is similar to Culebra. Take a flight from San Juan or a 30-minute ferry ride from Ceiba, followed by a 15-minute cab ride to the beach.
7. La Playuela
Best remote beach
La Playuela, sometimes called Playa Sucia, is a serene strip on the south side of Refugio Nacional Cabo Rojo, where yellow-shouldered blackbirds flit between mangroves and pink-water salt flats. To appreciate the coast’s beauty, climb to Faro Los Morrillos, a 19th-century lighthouse on a limestone cliff 200ft above the Caribbean. From here, you can see La Playuela’s shoreline slicing between saltwater marshes and the turquoise sea like a scythe. With the nearest town 20 minutes away, civilization seems like a distant dream.
Detour: As night descends, beeline to La Parguera for a boat tour of the nearby bioluminescent bay. This is Puerto Rico’s only bio bay where it’s legal to swim among twinkling dinoflagellates – a psychedelic experience.
8. La Jungla
Best beach for soothing Caribbean waters
No need to check the weather forecast here. This cay-protected beach hugs Guánica – a municipality in Puerto Rico’s semi-arid south known as the “paradise of eternal summer.” Arrive as the sun rises to snag a private sand patch backed by mangroves or hike further west to reach two long, slender beaches. The water is usually wave-free – ideal for wading or floating in an inner tube. If the $2 entry fee is a deterrent, head to Playa Santa – a family-friendly public beach nearby.
Detour: Before relaxing at La Jungla, work up a sweat along the 6.5-mile Vereda Meseta Trail, a coastal hike within Bosque Estatal de Guánica, a subtropical dry forest covered in cacti.
9. Playa Domes
Best beach for surfing
Ever since the 1968 World Surfing Championship went noseriding in Rincón, Puerto Rico’s west coast has been the go-to spot for hang-ten pros. Beginners pop up at Little Malibu and desperados brave the occasional 20-footers rolling through Tres Palmas. Even more popular is Playa Domes, thanks to its consistent, reef-breaking waves. The landscape adds to the allure: honey-colored sand stretches between a lighthouse from 1892 and a dome-shaped, decommissioned nuclear power plant, hence the beach’s name. For surfing lessons, try Rincón Surf School.
Planning tip: Surfers descend upon Rincón between December and April, when winter swells bring wild waves. If you’re searching for solitude, visit in summer, when crowds thin out and the waves are child’s play.
10. Playa Crash Boat
Best beach for partying
There’s never a dull moment at Playa Crash Boat in Aguadilla. Once the sun’s overhead, expect to hear reggaeton beats underscoring the action. Food vendors hock ceviches and frituras to families, who rotate between sunbathing, swimming and diving off an artificial pier to spy tropical fish around its pilings. Looking to amp up the adrenaline? Rent a jet-ski from West Paradise. Parking costs $5 – arrive by 11am (if not earlier) to ensure you get a spot.
Detour: Avoid crowds by heading north to Peña Blanca, a petite playa backed by jagged cliffs. The views are postcard-perfect and the snorkeling is decent – best done in summer, when waves are non-existent.
This article was first published Aug 5, 2019 and updated Oct 15, 2024.
