Off-the-beaten-track Places in Puerto Rico worth Visiting
Puerto Rico is a part of the Antilles archipelago that lies from Cuba the whole way to South America and separates the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The island is popular among tourists thanks to the white crystal sand and pure water.
Puerto Rico is located in the middle of the archipelago with loads of natural recreation resources and unspoiled nature. Despite the islands long and arduous history of invasions and power dilution, it is now famous for being a calm place to spend a week or two lying on a beach, sunbathing, and enjoying tropical nature.
Traditional tourism companies offer their clients a rather typical vacation plan in Puerto Rico — staying in a hotel with all-inclusive attribute with a couple of prearranged road trips. The majority of tourists, however, omit discovering the island and only visit the main tourist attractions. Surprisingly, there are no road trip tours around the island.
If you try to search the net for personal tours in Puerto Rico or buy cheap essay on the best places to visit on an island, you will probably find a common roster of entertainment. In our opinion, it would be a mistake to skip all the beauty Puerto Rico has prepared for you.
In this article, we have collected the top 5 off-the-track attractions worth visiting in Puerto Rico.
The Tanks With Graffiti
If you are keen on history, you may know that Puerto Rico did not take an active part in Second World War II. However, that does not mean that the US did not leave their siege engines here — US Navy used the island just before the war to test their troops and bombs before applying it into the war conditions. The training exercises began in 1939 and lasted through the war and after. After five years of island exploitation, the US Navy decided to leave Puerto Rico and abandon the archipelago. Due to the urgency of withdrawal, the US left their armor, siege machines, and other gear on their existing site. Finally, all the military stuff became… a piece of art.
If you come to the east-north of the island, you can see tanks covered with graffiti. There are many murals that proclaim peace on the machines of destruction — this way, artists express their resistance to violence. New graffiti is added on top of others as salty water makes the metal rust and oxidize. In order to find this post-war museum under an open sky, go to the Playa Flamenco beach. Apart from painted armor, you can enjoy beautiful beaches with few tourists interrupting you because this place is not usually included in the common tourist guides.
La Guancha Boardwalk
Ponce is a magnificent town with attractive architecture and museums. However, we recommend you dedicate a few hours to La Guancha Boardwalk — a long promenade with ice cream kiosks, restaurants, street musicians, shops, and benches to watch the sunset and enjoy the moment. The best thing is that Guancha is not densely crowded with tourists — only a few of them come here.
Ponce is located in the south of the island. You can get there by car or tourist buses. However, we advise you to come here in the evening — life thrives here during that time. Also, make sure you have located the promenade correctly. There is plenty of negative feedback on TripAdvisor stating that tourists could not find the place and wasted time searching.
El Charco Azul Swimming Pool
If looking for nature treasures is down your lane, then you definitely should find El Charco Azul swimming pool. Locals call it a swimming hole due to its location inside the mountain. The “hole” itself fills up with a waterfall and is not spoiled by tourists. You can enjoy indigenous nature while swimming in the pool as well as tropical fish found in the water. Moreover, it is a perfect spot for a picnic — El Charco Azul is an off-the-beaten-track place, so you should not expect to meet anybody here.
La Cueva Ventana
Want a fantastic view from a quiet and calm place? La Cueva Ventana is a hidden cave offering magnificent views on Arebico Walley. As the mountain itself is home to seagulls, the picture is complemented with a pleasant seaside background sounds. You can’t find a location better suited for enjoying the moment of unifying with the world. La Cueva Ventana is a lovely place for both individual visitors and couples — you can positively impress your second half with a lovely surprise. They will not forget it!
Chinchorros
Chinchorros is a local name for bars with cheap local food and beverages. However, you should not focus on money — Chinchorros offers much more than a usual urban restaurant. They are located in small streets where the locals reside.
If you want to find a Chinchorro, just walk into the town without a map or city guide. Once you get lost in the city, you’ll definitely pay attention to one of the small pub-crawl crowds. Do not miss the chance to talk with local regulars. If they speak English well enough, you’ll have a chance to have a drink with someone who will tell you much more than all tourist guides combined.
By the way, Chinchorros is an institution of chinchorreo art of crawl. Try to fit in the local vibes by slowly driving around the quarter, hitting spots one by one. If you are a good listener, you may know many interesting facts about residents’ life. Finally, make your own list of Chinchorro pubs and rate them. You’ll remember that for far longer than lying on a chaise lounge!
