Puerto Rico Camping

Camping in Puerto Rico can be a rewarding way to slash travel costs. Camping areas are generally in beautiful locations, either steps from the beach or deep in a tropical forest, and often offer the same views as 5-star hotels. Puerto Rico’s temperate climate makes camping feasible year-round. During the winter months (Nov.-May) very few Puerto Ricans go on vacation and most of the campgrounds are completely empty. The exceptions are major holidays, such as Christmas and Semana Santa. During the summer months, Puerto Ricans flock to campgrounds around the island and it is advisable to make reservations in advance.

Women and solo travelers may feel less comfortable camping and should consider picking campgrounds with guards or other security measures. Camping with trusted fellow travelers is ideal. All campers should be sure to park their cars in a visible location, lock up valuables, and carry cash reserves in several places.

There are two principal organizations that maintain camping areas in Puerto Rico. The Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales operates campgrounds at reserves primarily in the Cordillera Central, while the Compañía de Parques Nacionales allows camping at several of the public beaches (balnearios) throughout the island (see below). Puerto Rico has very few private campgrounds and those that do exist tend to be more expensive and have fewer amenities than public camping areas. There are no camping sites in the San Juan region, though some people have been known to camp illegally in the Piñones area. For more information on outdoor activities in Puerto Rico, see The Great Outdoors.

Departamento De Recursos Naturales Y Ambientales (Drna). Puerto Rico’s DRNA operates camping areas in Cambalache, Carite, Guajataca, Guilarte, Isla Mona, Lago Luchetti, Río Abajo, Sosúa, and Toro Negro. Good news first: most DRNA campgrounds are relatively safe, well-located, and well-equipped with a gate, rustic showers, flush toilets (bring your own toilet paper), running water, covered picnic tables, outdoor grills, and trash cans. The bad news is that the camping process is enormously bureaucratic. Campers must first get a permit and make a reservation with a regional DRNA office (see list below). To get a permit, you must pay $4 per person and provide the exact dates you want to camp. DRNA officials ask that campers reserve at least two weeks in advance, but they sometimes make exceptions during low season. After obtaining a permit, campers need to check into the reserve’s office during opening hours (usually M-F 7am-3:30pm) to get a key; campgrounds do not have attendants and campers use their own key for the front gate and the bathrooms. A car is required to access most DRNA camping areas. Finally, few DRNA officers speak English. If you can handle the runaround, most campgrounds are gorgeous and peaceful, especially in the slow winter months. The main DRNA office is located in San Juan (☎999-2200; www.gobierno.pr/drna) next to the Club Náutico on Puerta de Tierra . Regional offices are in: Aguadilla , Arecibo , Mayagüez , and Ponce . For complete information (in Spanish), check the DRNA web site at www.gobierno.pr/drna.

Compañía De Parques Nacionales (Cpn). The National Parks Company’s oceanfront campgrounds afford travelers the opportunity to enjoy a million-dollar view for a few bucks. The CPN allows camping at seven public beaches around Puerto Rico, including Cerro Gordo (near Dorado), La Monserrate (in Luquillo), Seven Seas (in Fajardo), Punta Guilarte (near Arroyo), Tres Hermanos (near Añasco), Cavernas de Camuy (Camuy); there are also incredible beach campgrounds on Vieques. These campgrounds almost always consist of big grassy fields that are transformed into a sea of tents during big holidays. Camping areas usually have some type of picnic tables, outdoor showers, and flush toilets, though some bathrooms are not cleaned regularly. Only some CPN camping areas have 24hr. surveillance and unfortunately some of the others (Cerro Gordo and La Monserrate) have reputations for being less than safe. Never camp alone at a camping area without a guard. The CPN charges campers $10 per tent for up to six people, except at Playa Flamenco in Culebra, where prices are now $20 per tent. Fortunately, the CPN is much less bureaucratic than the DRNA and travelers can usually arrive any time and camp without a reservation. For more information contact the CPN main office in San Juan, Apartado 9022089, San Juan-2089 (☎787-622-5200; fax 982-2173). Spanish speakers can find additional information on the CPN web site at www.parquesnacionalespr.com.