Southwest Overview

Forget those images of lush palm-tree-lined beaches; here, the landscape is dramatic and dry, and the coastline alternates between striking cliffs, stretches of uninterrupted sand, and rocky ports. Inland lies the cactus forest of Bosque Estatal de Guánica, and, just offshore, hundreds of mangrove-filled islands invite exploration. Southwest Puerto Rico feels so different from San Juan that the Spaniards gave the region its own capital in 1514. Nowadays, college towns attract young people while the beaches draw families and partygoers from around the island. The fruits of the sea make up the majority of the southwest’s extensive culinary offerings, enticing visitors and Puerto Ricans alike. Summer weekends can be very crowded, but during the week and particularly in the low season, travelers can have a dramatic cliff-top or a quiet beach all to themselves. Casual hiking, kayaking, diving, and snorkeling in some of the island’s best state forests and protected waters attract active visitors, but the greatest natural wonders are found on protected Isla Mona, nearly 50 mi. offshore. Cultural offerings are not lacking either. The region’s long colonial history has resulted in architecture that rivals anything in Old San Juan, while legends of pirates, nuns, smugglers, and town fathers speak to 500 years of contested ownership.