Beaches
1. Playa Ocean Park
Fronting the upscale neighborhood of Ocean Park, this is the preferred beach for the city’s youth, who gather here on weekends to mingle and party. Beach volleyball is popular, as is parasailing. Many of the area’s middle-class mansions have now been turned into guesthouses for beach-loving vacationers.
2. Playa Isla Verde
This beach, to the east of Condado and Ocean Park, was named “Green Island Beach” for an uninhabited isle just offshore. Lined with trendy hotels, casinos, restaurants, and nightclubs, it is the most glamorous beach in San Juan. El San Juan Hotel & Casino here is a destination in its own right (for further details see Playa Isla Verde).
3. Green Beach
At the western extreme of Vieques, this lovely beach offers fabulous views across the Pasaje de Vieques to the main island. Snorkeling is superb in the shallow water, but avoid the northern end, which has strong currents. Avoid the beach entirely around dusk, when thousands of no-see-ums (for further details see Sand Fleas) are prevalent (for further details see Green Beach).
4. Playa de Jobos
This dazzling beach, west of Isabela, is hemmed by limestone headlands that channel the Atlantic waves onto the shore. Several modest hotels and simple seafood restaurants cater to surfers here. The eastern headland has a blowhole – El Pozo de Jacinto – and is a spectacular vantage point for watching surfers, but be cautious when stepping over the jagged rocks.
5. Blue Beach
For four decades, this sensational beach on the south coast of Vieques was used by the US Navy for amphibious assault training. Curving around Bahía de la Chiva (Goat Bay), the lovely stretch of sand is backed by sea-grapes and cooled by strong winds that can pump high surf ashore at the west end. The rest of the bay is usually calm and good for kayaking. The waters around Isla Chiva, just offshore, offer fabulous snorkeling (for further details see Blue Beach).
6. Playa Flamenco
This beach, which stretches for more than a mile (2 km), is considered to be the most beautiful in Puerto Rico. Its pure-white sands melt into vivid blue waters that are good for surfing on windy days. It has campsites, bathrooms, and picnic facilities under shade trees. World War II Sherman tanks, once used for target practice, stud the sands. The beach is a mere 2-minute taxi ride from the airport or 5 minutes from the ferry dock (for further details see Playa Flamenco).
7. Playa Barrero
Brightly colored fishing boats are often drawn up on the sands of Playa Barrero, where fishermen repair their nets beneath trees. In winter, whales can often be seen close to the shore. Playa Barrero’s west-facing position makes it one of the best places on the island from which to enjoy fiery sunsets.
8. Playa Dorado
This beach is named for its golden sands, most of which are taken up by resorts, such as the colorful Embassy Suites Dorado del Mar. The palm-shaded sands extend west to the popular Balneario Cerro Gordo beach, which has bathrooms and showers.
9. Playa El Combate
This beach can get crowded with Puerto Rican families on weekends and public holidays, when many arrive on speedboats and jetskis, but the beach is long enough that you can escape the crowds. Salt pans (salinas) inland offer excellent bird-watching if you tire of the beach (for further details see Playa El Combate).
10. Playa Pinones
Only a few miles east of the capital, this sweeping stretch of golden coastline can be reached by a walking and cycling track – a quicker route than the traffic-clogged coastal roads on weekends. Food shacks on the beach serve interesting dishes such as fried yucca stuffed with crab, and watersports are available (for further details see Playa Piñones).
