Unique Things to Do in Puerto Rico: 12 Hidden Gems from a Local Captain

Every visitor sees Old San Juan and El Yunque, and they should. But when my guests ask what I would do with a free day, I never send them to the famous places. I send them to the ones below. These are unique things to do in Puerto Rico that most people fly home without knowing about, starting close to San Juan and moving out across the island.

Close to San Juan

1. Go inside the mangrove channels of Piñones

Ten minutes from the airport hotels there is a forest growing out of the water. Inside, the channels are narrow and quiet, with red mangrove roots arching overhead and herons standing in the shallows. Thousands of people drive past it every day and never go in. This is my office, and you can see it on the mangrove wildlife boat tour.

2. Hear bomba in Loíza

Bomba is the oldest music in Puerto Rico, born in the communities of enslaved Africans on this coast. A dancer steps in front of the lead drum and the drummer has to answer every move. It is a conversation, and it is powerful to watch. Loíza also has family workshops where vejigante masks are carved from coconut shells. More in my guide to Piñones and Loíza.

3. Swim in La Pocita

A natural pool on the Piñones coast, protected from the waves by a wall of rock. Shallow, calm and full of local families on weekends.

4. See the city lights from the water

Almost every boat in San Juan goes back to the dock at sunset. We go out after it. The coast lights up, the water goes dark and still, and the underwater lights on the boat turn it blue around you. It is one of the most peaceful ways to end a day here. See the Starlight night cruise.

5. Walk the murals of Santurce

Santurce is San Juan’s arts district. Around Calle Cerra, whole buildings are covered in murals by Puerto Rican and international artists. Go in the morning for photos and stay for coffee.

A day trip away

6. Eat lechón in Guavate

In the mountains of Cayey, about 45 minutes south of San Juan, a winding road is lined with lechoneras: open air restaurants that roast whole pigs over coals. On weekends there is live music and dancing between the tables. Order lechón by the pound with rice and pigeon peas, and go early, because the best cuts sell out.

7. Stand inside Cueva del Indio

On the north coast near Arecibo, the ocean has carved arches and caves into the cliffs. Inside one of them are petroglyphs carved by the Taíno, the people who lived here before Columbus. The rock is sharp and the sea is rough, so wear real shoes and keep back from the edge.

8. Look through Cueva Ventana

Also near Arecibo, this cave opens like a window onto a green river valley far below. Visits are by guided tour.

9. Drive the coffee country

Puerto Rico once exported some of the most prized coffee in the world, and the central mountains still grow it. Several haciendas offer tours where you see the whole process and taste coffee where it was picked. The roads are narrow and slow, the views are worth it.

Further out

10. See the pink salt flats and lighthouse of Cabo Rojo

In the southwest corner of the island, shallow salt ponds turn pink in the sun, and a lighthouse stands on limestone cliffs above a perfect half moon beach. It is a long drive from San Juan, about two and a half hours, so stay a night in the west if you can.

11. Float between the mangroves at Gilligan’s Island

Off the coast of Guánica, in the south, a small mangrove cay has channels of clear, shallow water where you float with the current. You reach it by a short boat ride. Go on a weekday.

12. Watch the sunset in Rincón

The west coast faces the open Caribbean and has the best sunsets on the island. Rincón is a surf town with a slow pace, and in winter you can sometimes see humpback whales from the lighthouse park.

How to fit these into your trip

• Half a day: Piñones kiosks, La Pocita and a mangrove boat tour.
• One day: Guavate for lunch, or Cueva del Indio and Cueva Ventana together.
• Two days or more: the south and west: Guánica, Cabo Rojo and Rincón.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most unique thing to do in Puerto Rico?

For me it is the bioluminescent bays and the mangrove forests, two things you will not find in most of the Caribbean, and the bomba tradition of Loíza, which you will not find anywhere else.

What can I do in Puerto Rico that is not touristy?

Eat in Piñones on a Sunday, drive to Guavate, or spend a day in the mountains. You will be surrounded by Puerto Ricans on their day off.

Do I need a car for these places?

For everything outside the San Juan area, yes. The ones in the first section are a short rideshare from the hotels.

Start with the one next door

The closest hidden gem on this list is ten minutes from your hotel. Come see the mangroves with me, in a group of no more than six. For the classic sights, read things to do in Puerto Rico.