It's no secret that Puerto Rico has some pretty great beaches. Being an island, you can only imagine how many beaches there are! While there are an incredible amount of beautiful spots to hit. We've decided to make a list of our top ten beaches in Puerto Rico.
These aren't just beaches with turquoise waters and fine silky sand. These are special because they all have something special to offer! Here are our top ten beaches in Puerto Rico.
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Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #1: Mar Chiquita
This beach is located just 45 minutes outside of San Juan, making it a great spot to check out even if you are just in Puerto Rico for a day or two.
Mar Chiquita is one of our top ten beaches in Puerto Rico due to its arched shape (making it great for drone shots), and its moon like characteristics. Walk along the rocks at the top (but make sure you bring shoes), and you will find small pools created from the waves pouring into the craters.
We stayed until sunset and loved it. However, due to the location, it would have been incredibly magical during sunrise. There are no amenities here, nor proper parking, so be careful you don't hit any rocks, and bring food and drinks.
Mar Chiquita is one of the top beaches in Puerto Rico due to its unique landscapes.
Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #2: Crash Boat Beach
This beach is located right in Aguadilla on the North West side of the island, and we don't know why it isn't more well known! This beach is awesome because it has a set of platforms along a pier, where the waves come crashing down, and splashing up.
You have to see it to believe it, but we witnessed splashes reaching up to thirty feet! It was particularly magical during golden hour and sunset (pictured above).
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This is also a great spot because they have a few food trucks lined up with snacks like pinchos (shishkabob) and daquiris. For some reason there are two entrances to this beach- one where you have to pay $4, and one that is free. The free one is just past the first entrance, and there is a parking lot for no charge.
Suggested Read: 5 Reasons Your Need to Visit Auguadilla
Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #3: Playa Jobos
We love this beach because it combines our two favorite aspects of Crash Boat beach and Mar Chiquita.
Playa Jobos is a surfer's paradise, as well as a sunbather's. This wide beach has plenty of sand to lie out and soak up the sun, with plenty of waves for those who want to get in the water and play around.
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But what makes Playa Jobos unique? You can head over to the right side of the beach and there are rocks that you can climb that have craters- making you feel like you are the moon (just like Mar Chiquita!) Climb up to experience the waves crashing down and splashing up!
This is a part of Playa Jobos that can be accessed by a small trail on the right side. Walk along and you will also find the waves crashing magnificently. But even further, you will find this large hole in the rocks, where you can really experiencing the waves having that backlash, shooting up inside the hole!
This is not just one of our top ten beaches in Puerto Rico, but one of the most unique that we have ever experienced!
Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #4: Cabo Rojo
Cabo Rojo is actually a region in the South West of the island, but there is one part of Cabo Rojo in particular that we have chosen as one of the top ten beaches in Puerto Rico.
Head over to the bottom of the island, where on the map you will see a large area with different beaches, as well as a lighthouse. The beach that we love is marked by Puente de Piedra which means "bridge of rock". This is because the focal point is a natural arch made from rock.
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The Rock Bridge
You can walk along here, but due to others in the world collapsing, such as the one in Malta, we don't like to encourage this. Which is why we enjoyed the area from below.
The small beach underneath can beaches by climbing down a few rocks on the right side. The area is pretty cool because you can listen the rocks being thrown from the intense waves, creating a crackling sound.
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You can swim here (although you should be careful), and you will also find a small cave on your left. We didn't go in because of the rough seas, but it was definitely interesting to see from the side.
Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #5: Playa Piñones
This is one of the top ten beaches in Puerto Rico due to a few factors: the proximity to the capital, the lack of tourists, and the amazing natural pool that has been formed here. The beach area is called Playa Piñones, and the particular spot is called La Pocita.
We discovered this gem from our Uber driver that so kindly shared the location. Piñones is actually a popular area where you will find plenty of restaurants and bars right on the beach. Most tourists go to Isla Verde, which is where the big resorts are. But drive a little further and you will find this great local spot.
Go past the restaurant area and you can park right on the side of the road on the grass. It is free to enter, but does not have any amenities. You will see a long natural rock wall that actually blocks the waves, and creates a natural pool. Due to it's shallow waters, this is perfect for those who aren't strong swimmers, but want to enjoy the Caribbean sea.
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Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #6: Punta Tuna
This beach is pretty off the beaten path, because it is pretty far from most popular spots in Puerto Rico! If you're looking for a relaxing beach and to get away from the crowds, than this is your spot.
Punta Tuna is located on the South East of the island, and nearby are just big fancy houses scattered across the hills. The sand is soft, it's clean, and it's much quieter than the beaches in the North East of the island.
Make sure to pack a lunch and drinks when visiting here, because there isn't much around. However, there is a cool light house that you can check out! Also, if you walk over to the end (right under the light house) you will find a hole in the rock with a small hidden cove to enjoy and watch the waves crashing down.
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Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #7: Humacao
This is another one of our top ten beaches in Puerto Rico that you can find on the East side. Humucao is an area that most visitors don't frequent. The reason we love it? It is lined with tons of palm trees!
This isn't one of the spots we would spend the day at necessarily, but a gorgeous place to catch the sunrise if you are an early riser. If you're planning on staying in the area, we actually stayed at a beautiful beach house right nearby!
At Cindy's you can enjoy a spacious area and wake up with views of the beach (and just a 2 minute drive to the beach with the palm trees). It is clean, has a great host, and is perfect for those looking to have a quiet getaway.
Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #8: Isla Icacos
Now that we have shared with you our top ten beaches in Puerto Rico on the main island, we want to share with you a few that are on nearby islands. Our first pick is Isla Icacos, which can be reached by day trip on a catamaran.
There are plenty of trips going to nearby islands, and they all leave from Fajardo (on the North East of the island). Isla Icacos is a small uninhabited island, but has the purest and most stunning Caribbean beaches.
Isla Icacos can be reached by boat excursion.
There are a ton of great excursions that go to Isla Icacos, and this is a company that we personally used and highly recommend. The staff were fun, food was delicious, drinks were strong, and the atmosphere was great. Here are the different tours that they offer:
Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #9: Black Sand Beach
Most people head over to Iceland or Hawaii to find these unique volcanic beaches. But did you know that there is one right in Puerto Rico? Head over to the small island of Vieques and experience one of the top ten beaches in Puerto Rico, and one of the most unique in all of the Caribbean.
The black sand beach of Vieques is one of the most unique in the Caribbean.
Vieques was closed to foreigners until just recently. The ferry goes from Ceiba and is still operating for just locals. However, foreigners can fly in. Although this can be pricey, the island is a must see- and has plenty of reasons to visit!
Update: Foreigners can now freely visit Vieques via flight or ferry! We have a full guide about this that you can read by clicking the link below.
Suggested Read: The Best Things to Do in Vieques, Puerto Rico
Top Beaches in Puerto Rico #10: Playa Flamenco
Our final beach on our list of top ten beaches in Puerto Rico goes to the small island of Culebra. This is known as the most beautiful beach in all of Puerto Rico, and was rated in the top ten of the world! Playa Flamenco is characterized by lush greenery, silky smooth sand, and crystal clear waters.
Looking for that picture perfect post card from Puerto Rico? Well this is that stereotypical stunning beach that you've been dreaming of.
Flamenco Beach has been rated one of the top beaches in the world.
Culebra was also closed for a while due to Covid-19, but luckily has now opened to the public. Tickets for the ferry are available online on the offiicial website. Want to learn more about visiting the island of Culebra? We have a full guide you can check out!
Want your excursion to Flamenco beach with everything included? Check the excursion below that includes transportation, lunch, snorkeling, and a stop at the beautiful beach.
Suggested Read: A Trip to the Island of Culebra, Puerto Rico
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