In the northern region of Puerto Rico you will find the world’s largest radiotelescope, one of the oldest cities in the New World and the world’s largest cave networks, among other amazing sights. This region is well balanced between its natural wonders, historical places, and amazing beaches - so prepare your cameras and be ready for an exciting journey!

Municipality of Manatí

Located on the northern side of the Island and at a one hour drive from San Juan, Manatí has some gorgeous beaches like Mar Chiquita and Playa Los Tubos. These beaches are not so hard to find but yet there might not be signs on the road so during the way pay attention to the northern side of the road (right side if you come from San Juan). Also you might want to visit the lovely Manatí town and plaza.

Playa Los Tubos: Characterized by its big waves and white sand, this beach is frequented by surfers. Swimmers must be careful with the underwater currents but its beautiful shore is truly for everyone’s enjoyment.

Town’s plaza: Centro de las Artes and Historic Church

Mar Chiquita: This beach is renowned for its horseshoe-shaped cove surrounded by white sands. It is possible to walk through the rocky barrier and photograph the beach from that interesting perspective.

Arecibo

In the municipality of Arecibo there are different photo opportunities varying fom its beautiful shores to the mountain region where the world’s largest radar radio telescope is found.

The Arecibo Observatory offers visitors a close view of the spectacular radar radio telescope of Arecibo. To get the whole shot to fit in the camera you might need a wide angle lens or a fish-eye lens.

Arecibo Lighthouse: Heading out of the mountains an into the shore you will find the Arecibo Lighthouse inside the Arecibo Historical Park and there is an entrance fee; However, to the eastern side of the lighthouse there is nice beach were you can appreciate the lighthouse from afar. The best time for photography from this beach is at the mornings since you’ll be shooting towards the west.

San Juan

Puerto Rico’s capital city, has a great diversity of beaches, historical sites, architecture and more. This is the ideal place for photographing panoramic sites, the local culture and history of one of the oldest cities in the new world.

El Escambrón: This beach has a unique view of the Capitol Building and the sea as well as the glamorous palm trees lined up in the coast.

Old San Juan: The Fuerte San Felipe del Morro and the Views from its historical city walls combines a great opportunity for architectural and panoramic photography.

We hope you enjoyed our selection of EyeTour photographs and remember you can share your favorite places using the comments section below!

If you’re looking for the best sunsets at the beach, west is the way to go. If that isn’t enough, world famous surfing spots, inspiring architecture from the Spanish Colonial era, historical lighthouses, and much more awaits you in this spectacular region of Puerto Rico. This part of the island provides a wide variety of photo opportunities throughout its municipalities, so plan your trip ahead (perhaps by checking out our own collection of EyeTour videos).

Rincón

Rincón is famous for its beaches, the surf and breathtaking sunsets. If you are looking to take pictures of the people surfing in most of the beaches in Rincón the point break of the surf is far from the shore so the use of a Tele Lens and a tripod is recommended.

El Faro de Punta Higüero has a vantage point looking towards the Isla desecheo and Domes Surfing Beach. Since the Lighthouse premises are located on a high grounds and inwards the sea you might be able to take some amazing action shots of the surfers with a good tele-lens (200mm lens or higher).

Cabo Rojo

Los Morillos Lighthouse is one spectacle to behold. This inspiring Lighthouse located on the westernmost corner of Cabo Rojo provides photographer the opportunity to capture a great sunset in a great panoramic scenario.

The Cabo Rojo Salt Flats has on its premises hiking trails, an observation post and the outstanding salt flats, giving the visitor an excellent opportunity for nature photography. You can take a bird watching tour or simply hike through the bio diversity of this reserve.

Aguadilla

Crash Boat is located in the municipality of Aguadilla and is one of the most photographed beaches of Puerto Rico. Just before getting to Crash Boat’s entrance there is an observation deck that is the perfect spot for a panoramic shot of the beach. The other big thing to look for on this beach are the painteresque fishing boats parked in the sand at the eastern side of the shore.

San German

One of the oldest Christian structures in the western hemisphere the Iglesia Porta Coelie stands in the center of the municipality of San German. This church is a great example of the spanish colonial architecture and is a great starting point for taking pictures in the historical town of San German.

From the top of the Porta Coelie’s stairs a good wide view of the plaza can be photographed. Also you can try walking around the plaza and encounter first hand the streets and historical facades of the antique houses around town.

We hope you enjoyed our selection of EyeTour photographs and remember you can share your favorite places using the comments section below!

From El Yunque National Rain Forest to the small island municipalities of Culebra and Vieques, the eastern region of Puerto Rico counts with a great diversity of nature reserves and worldwide renowned beaches. Its proximity to the metropolitan area of San Juan makes the east of Puerto Rico a great destination for day trips and exploring the places that some people like to call paradise.

Culebra Island

The small Island of Culebra is a true paradise full of secluded beaches and the perfect destination for clear skies and the pursuit of nature and underwater photography.

Flamenco Beach: This majestic beach is one of Culebra’s most frequented by visitors. From the distance you can appreciate the perfect half moon shape of the shore and the blue accent of the clear water. If you’re looking for a panoramic  view of this beach you will need to do a long hike to the top of the mountain to the east of the beach.

Dáquiti:  This small bay area is a located at the entrance of the Ensenada Bay where a natural barrier of coral reefs sets the perfect spot for boats to anchor. To find this and more great views from land you have to venture to the southeastern side of the island passing by Club Seabourne hotel towards Punta Soldado Beach.

Municipality of Río Grande

El Yunque Rain Forest: Visit El Yunque and you can expect a great variety of photography opportunities, from wide views to the northern seashore, impressive waterfalls and rivers, to the vibrance of endemic plants and exotic birds. El portal del Yunque is an Information Center useful to plan your visit and gather information of the hiking trails and the diversity of routes available to the public. Situated in the entrance of the forest, visitors can enjoy the outstanding arquitecture of the Portal.

Maunabo

Located on the southeast region of Puerto Rico, Maunabo is a relatively small town with some great lonesome beaches.

View From El Faro Punta Tunas: The Punta Tunas beach offers a wide stretch of sand and can be photographed pretty well from the faro Punta Tunas.For access to the lighthouse you have to register (free of cost) at the administration office in the entrance.

Playa Punta Tunas: This beach has a spectacular view of the Lighthouse and a sandy shore. The access to the beach is through a small passage at the left of the entrance to the lighthouse.

Vieques

Fortín Conde Mirasol: Vieques has many natural wonders for visitors to enjoy but it is the Fortín Conde de Mirasol the perfect spot for a panoramic view of the Town Isabela Segunda

Arriving by Plane: If you’re arriving at Vieques on a charter flight it could be possible to take some amazing aerial shots of this small Island so have the camera on hand. Tip: You might even be able to clean the outside of your window before boarding the plane.

Vieques: Virgin beaches with immaculate white sand are spread throughout the Island. Wild horses are also a common sight.

Spring break is already upon us and Puerto Rico is expecting its fair share of visitors during the season.  A popular destination year after year for those looking to escape the winter weather, the island is the perfect beach vacation escape for spring breakers, offering a strong selection of tropical locales, including some of the best beaches in the world.  Condado’s Ocean Park beach is perhaps the most frequented by the island’s metropolitan crowd.  Located between the Isla Verde and Condado tourist hubs - it’s the perfect spot to both mingle with the locals and meet up with fellow travelers.  It is also a good place to grab a bite, go out dancing, and even stay for the night.  Crash Boat located in Puerto Rico’s west coast is one of the island’s most photographed locals - a beautiful and large beach that is perfect for both water sport activities and romantic escapes.  The nearly two-hour drive from San Juan is well worth the effort (and full of beautiful sights along the way as well).

Playa Flamenco is located in the island-municipality of Culebra, which means you need to either fly there or take a ferry, but it is undoubtedly one of the best beaches that Puerto Rico has to offer with its crystal-clear waters and smooth sand bottom (for this writer, it is the definition of ‘paradise’).  If you make it there during the week, expect few visitors as it is possible to  have some of the beach entirely to yourself - but weekends draw the big crowds, so we recommend traveling by plane and during the week.  Gilligan’s Island in the southern municipality of Guánica offers an unique take on the beach-going experience: a ferry leads you into a series of mangrove-filled cays where Puerto Ricans enjoy picnics and dips in the water (we also recommend going during the week if you want a more relaxed ambience).  Finally, and nearer to the metropolitan area of San Juan, there’s Piñones, the picturesque and often contradictory visual explosion of cultures, beaches and nature reserves, restaurants and kiosks, city nightlife and daytime activities such as biking.

EyeTour.com invites you to visit some of Puerto Rico’s premier beaches through our collection of video tours - continue reading below to get better acquainted with your next Spring Break vacation destination (and don’t forget to click on the pictures to view videos for each site).

Ocean Park - San Juan, PR

The inviting, turquoise waters of the San Juan strip of beach known as Ocean Park are located between the tourist hubs of Condado and Isla Verde.  Its appeal is immediately evident: Ocean Park is a semi-secluded area in the otherwise busy capital, where beachgoers can enjoy both the active scene and the calmer waves while scanning the beautiful Atlantic horizon.  The area offers lodging accommodations, including small boutique hotels, bed-and-breakfast inns, and private rentals. Many of these conveniently feature exquisite restaurants right on the beach. More casual establishments can be found along and near Calle McLeary. VIEW VIDEO

Crash Boat - Aguadilla, PR

One of the best areas for surfing in Puerto Rico is the coast of the municipality of Aguadilla, where professional surfers from all over the world flock to ride waves in beaches like Wilderness and Gas Chambers. Then there’s the star of this northwestern edge of the island, the beach curiously known as Crash Boat. The name is said to originate from the beach’s former use by the United States Air Force. It used to be a small port with a pier where rescue boats for downed airplanes would dock. The old pier still stretches out into the ocean, enjoyed by beachgoers as part of the scenery.  Kayaking, snorkeling, and fishing are popular activities here and several businesses conveniently located right on the beach rent out the proper equipment for these and other water activities.  VIEW VIDEO

Playa Flamenco - Culebra, PR

One of the most beautiful beaches in the world is located in the island-municipality of Culebra, about nine miles east off the coast of Fajardo. The idyllic Flamenco Beach is trully a wondrous site to behold. It’s horse-shoe shape composed of silky smooth, powdery white sand envelops perfectly azure water and is framed by pristine green hills. Once you dive in, the water is impossibly clean and crystal clear because of the lack of rivers flowing into the sea. Snorkeling is a favorite activity because of the abundant coral reefs and slew of marine animals including large schools of fish. A popular landmark is a World War II-era tank that lies just short of the shore, a relic of the time the U.S. Navy controlled the area.  VIEW VIDEO

Gilligan’s Island - Guánica, PR

The municipality of Guánica is full of natural wonders ready to be discovered by visitors to Puerto Rico’s southwestern coast. Among these is Gilligan’s Island, a perfect place to feel like a castaway.  Although these small cays are uninhabited, the crowds can get large on weekends and holidays, so it’s best not to expect the isolation its “TV show”-referencing name suggests.  Gilligan’s does represent quite a different experience for beachgoers. Stretches of sand are scarce, so visitors mainly leave their scant supplies on the shore or hanging from a mangrove, then proceed to wade on the gentle, clear, shallow waters. The hours seem to melt away in this relaxing setting, so do make sure to bring appropriate protection for the sun.  VIEW VIDEO

Piñones - Loíza, PR

Draped in natural beauty and teeming with culture and a myriad of leisure activities, Piñones - located in the municipality of Loíza - has something to please everybody. You can hike or ride a bike through the Boardwalk Trail which guides you through 11 kilometers of beaches and sections of the Piñones Natural Reserve, the largest mangrove forest in Puerto Rico.  There is also a wide selection of beaches, from the relaxing La Pocita with its clear and shallow pool, to the scenic more secluded Vacia Talega, and the surfing hot-spot of Aviones.  Roadside huts and kiosks feature traditional items such as cod fritters and rice with crab meat. There are also plenty of sit-down restaurants and bars. VIEW VIDEO ]]> http://eyetour.com/blog/2009/03/12/spring-break-beach-extravaganza-in-puerto-rico/feed/