About 2 hours southwest of San Juan lies a town called La Parguera. It’s known for fishing, diving, and snorkeling. La Parguera is also famous for it’s great parties and atmosphere not only in the city, but just off the shore at the nearby islands of Mata La Gata and Caracoles Cay. People rent or bring their own boats of all sizes, anchoring on a platform just off the beach, and chill all day.

The Drive

If you take the route from San Juan that goes through Ponce, you’ll be blown away by the beauty you see just from the drive. It’s an easy journey, but mountain views are all around.

Skip the Ponce Bypass and head 7 minutes into the Ponce town square. Just have your GPS set to Parque de Bombas and you will get where you need to go. I wouldn’t say Ponce is worth vacationing in, but it is definitely something you should take advantage of along the way. Find street parking at the square, which is free on the weekends, and take a look around. You’ll be delighted at the beautiful architecture, a fountain, a large cathedral, and cute souvenir and coffee shops.

The two main attractions you have to see are right in the town square. The open-air fire-station museum, Parque de Bombas, is a beautiful preservation of Puerto Rico’s first fire station. Next, you have to take a look inside The Fox Hotel Ponce or even stop for a delicious lunch and latte. This is a pop-culture themed hotel that looks like you’ve just stepped into Hollywood Studios or Universal Orlando. The design of this entire hotel is enough to take your breath away, but try the food and I think you’ll be even more delighted!

La Parguera

La Parguera has a little strip of waterfront restaurants that are almost on top of each other. It’s lively and fun with souvenir shops and tasty treats. On this street, there are several boat rental companies that rent John boats, like Gina’s, and kayaks to explore the beautiful water around you. La Parguera is known for its mangroves, where tiny crabs walk all along the winding branches. The Paradise Scuba and Snorkeling Center that is right across from the boat rentals offers several excursions and tours. Although I mentioned these two companies, there are several kayaking and tour options listed here. Many of these companies also have social media pages that make it easy to see their deals and tour schedules.

Where to Stay

We stayed at 2 different hotels only about 8 minutes apart because we wanted to check them both out and share them here with you. Both locations were incredible. We first arrived at the Parador Villa Parguera, which is in the middle of the restaurant hub and right on the water. The rooms are simple and clean, and the grounds are beautifully maintained. Each room has a waterfront view and a patio to enjoy it from. The main beauty of this fairly small hotel is how abundant the seating areas are. There is seating by the beautiful pool, on the dock, on the lawn, and even on the second level of the deck, which has a gorgeous view of the sunset. There is no coffee maker or fridge in the room, but parking is free and abundant.

The Parador has two special rates going on right now. A Puerto Rico Resident rate of $117/ night and an all-inclusive (breakfast, lunch, and dinner with soda and waters) for 2 nights for $350. From experience, the ribs dinner does not disappoint!

After a day spent at the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse and Comabate beach, we checked into our second hotel of the weekend named La Jamaca, which is a little further from the ocean. You will love this place. The room was small, but plenty, and designed beautifully. This lodging is more of a modern feel, compared to Parador Villa which is more classic. Obviously, surrounded by many hammocks, there are plenty of places to relax and enjoy a good meal or just a good view. The staff is incredible, providing everything you need. Do bring bug spray and apply it immediately upon arrival as the jungle feel of this hotel brings in many pesky mosquitoes, that can be remedied instantly by bug repellant. The hotel also has some available, but I would bring your own as well just to have it conveniently near you. There is a fridge in the room, but no coffee maker.

La Jamaca has a few deals going on as well to include a romantic room decoration and wine as well as a rate that includes breakfast and a few dinners. Check out their Instagram to see these special offers. If you would like help in planning your next adventure, I’d love to help you along the exciting journey! Check out my Travel Planning page!

Happy Travels,