What to do on the West Side of Puerto Rico

The West Side of Puerto Rico is an up-and-coming tourist area. There are airports in Ponce and Aguadilla serving select areas from the mainland USA. With easier access to the west side of the island, tourists have been slowly getting to know there’s more to Puerto Rico than San Juan. Here’s what you can do on a day trip from San Juan to the west side of the island. Let this be a taste of what this side of the island has to offer. If you like it, you can always book your next stay back!

This post is part of our Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands series. Here are a few related posts: 

• 10+ Things to do in Vieques PR 
• The West Side of Puerto Rico 
• What to do in Charlotte Amalie, US VI
• Day Trip to St John from St Thomas 
• Day Trip to Water Island from St Thomas 

Many thanks to the Women in Travel Summit (WITS), Discover Puerto Rico, and West Side Destination for hosting me on this trip! 

Here is a good day trip itinerary from San Juan:

• Drive from San Juan to a viewpoint of the Guajataca Railroad Tunnel and the Beach 
• Guajataca Railroad Tunnel and the Secret Beach (can swim if you want) 
• Cara del Indio Monument and the Cave beside it (quick stop, it’s just a roadside attraction)
• Crash Boat Beach of Aguadilla
• Downtown Aguadilla 
• Rincon – Punta Las Higuera Lighthouse to see the sunset 
• Drive back to San Juan (approximately 2 hours) 

Notable attractions on the west side of Puerto Rico 

Here are just a few sites you can visit on your day trip to the West side of Puerto Rico. Note that the first three are the sites we visited on our day trip. You can use this as a guide to help you build your trip in case you want to book a tour. However, there are plenty of other places you can see and stop along the way. 

Crash Boat Beach in Aguadilla

Crash Boat Beach has ties to the US military. The piers that dot the beach were used by the military to launch military rescue boats (also known as Crash Boats). And hence, the beginnings of Crash Boat Beach were because of the crash boats that were parked on the pier. 

Parking is hard to find on this stretch of beach. Some people even park on the road, but you will have to face the direction of where traffic is going. Otherwise, you’ll end up getting a boot on your car (and a hefty fine). With a tour, you can arrange for your driver to return at a certain time. That way, you won’t have to worry about finding parking. You can then enjoy your time on the beach worry-free. 

Crash Boat Beach has multiple piers where people can jump off and swim back to shore. I was not particularly daring to jump off and swim back to shore. If little kids and locals can do it, why not try it if you can? Find a beach where you see the locals jumping off the most, since that may have deeper water. 

Is there an actual crashed boat in Crash Boat Beach?

To see the boat from the beach, you’ll have to go to the leftmost area. You can view the crashed boat from the beach. During high tide, you’ll only see parts of the boat sticking out from the water. 

Aside from the beach, the pier, and the sunken boat, there are a few restaurants and bars in the area where you can get a bite to eat or something to drink. There are also some beach peddlers selling everything you could want or need. On the rightmost side of the beach are small caves where you can attempt to climb up. It is hard to climb up with flip-flops. There are loose and sharp rocks which make it easy to slip and fall. 

Guajataca Tunnel Railroad and Secret Beach

The Guajataca Tunnel Railroad used to be part of a railroad service that went from Isabela to Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. The railroad and tunnel have since been left abandoned. In the year 2000, the tunnel was declared a historical monument and is now a popular tourist spot. 

You are more than welcome to walk through the tunnel, and swim or chill out on both beaches on either end of the tunnel. There is plenty of parking available for the tunnel and beach area, but it takes a quick 5-minute walk to reach the tunnel to the parking lot.

There are toilets available before you enter the tunnel and the beach. However, there are not many food options available in the area. Food trucks occasionally park close to the restroom area for you to grab drinks or a snack. 

Mirador de Guajataca Viewpoint: Amazing Views of the Guajataca Tunnel Railroad and the Water 

The Mirador de Guajataca is a viewpoint from the main road heading to the Guajataca Tunnel Railroad. It has amazing views of the water crashing onto the beach and the tunnel next to it. Within the rest area, you can get local Puerto Rican hand-made items if they’re open. It’s also a good spot to picnic or use the facilities. There are no vendors selling food or drink in the area though, so bring your meals or snacks. 

The rest area has limited parking. However, parking is free of charge, so you can stay as long as you wish to take in the views. 

Caro del Indio Monument and a Cave (Isabela, Puerto Rico)

Puerto Rico also has quick roadside attractions you can stop by. You’ll notice a big Native American carved on the side of the mountain on your drive. This is the Caro del Indio Monument. Translated as “Indian’s Face” from Spanish, the face is of a Taino chief who fought against the Spaniards in 1511 and died during the battle. 

There is a small cave beside the Caro Del Indio Monument that’s free to enter.

The sculpture is easy to miss if you’re driving, so plot your GPS to the intersection of Puerto Rico’s Rt 2 and 113, and find a spot off the side of the road. Once you’ve parked, walk over to the Caro del Indio Monument. 

The Colorful Casas de Colores of Aguadilla Puerto Rico

The houses of Casas de Colores have a very colorful exterior. These houses and flats are located on a hill. The stairs that go up the houses are also colorfully painted. Now, tourists like getting photos posing in front of the murals and the painted exterior of the houses.

If you’ve noticed that a lot of cities and towns in Puerto Rico have colorful murals, it’s thanks to the Pintalto Project. These are a group of artists who banded together to create murals all over Puerto Rico and make their surroundings even more beautiful. They’re so colorful that tourists flock to these said cities just to take photos, and the Cases de Colores of Aguadilla are no exception. 

It was raining when we stopped by Casas de Colores of Aguadilla, but that didn’t stop a few folks in our group from going out and taking photos. In the case of heavy rain (i.e. when we visited), the water just rushes from the stairs going up to the houses. Take plenty of caution or go back when the weather is nicer. 

There are plenty of parking spots in the street in front of Casas de Colores. From there, you can walk to El Parterre, a big plaza also with murals painted on its walls. 

Punta Higuero Lighthouse of Rincon

Rincon is the westernmost part of Puerto Rico. It is the last area of the island of Puerto Rico to see the sunset. The Punta Las Higuera Lighthouse is free to enter, with plenty of parking spots available in front. There are working facilities onsite, but no food options unless the bar area by the lighthouse is open. You can walk around and see endless views of the sea and cliffs from the viewpoints. The best time to visit is during sunset when you can watch the sun dip down on the horizon. 

Aside from watching the sunset, you can bird watch. When the sun sets, the trees on the leftmost side of the viewpoint (facing the water) have birds who call it him for the night. You won’t miss them you’ll hear them first before you see them. 

To the right side of Punta Las Higuera Lighthouse is a fenced-off area. This complex is an old nuclear power plant. Some employees still come to check out the facility and make sure it is stable, but you won’t find any other folks working there full-time anymore. 

Which tour company offers trips and tours to the west side of Puerto Rico? 

West Side Destinations offers day trips from San Juan to the West side of Puerto Rico. These van tours are private, so you won’t be able to hop on a group tour. The price of the private tour depends on where you want to go and the number of hours you want your tour to be. You can inquire directly with West Side Destination on their website. 

How long will a West Side day tour from San Juan last?  

Expect the day to be long, allowing at least 12 hours if you are planning to do beach stops along the way. The drive to the Guajataca Railroad Tunnel from San Juan takes at least 2 hours, and the drive from Punta Las HIgueras Lighthouse takes at least 2 ½, depending on the traffic. That’s at least 4+ hours that you are spending on the van from San Juan and back and does not include the drive to the other attractions once you are on the west side of the island. 

Yes, there is a lot of sitting around on a van doing nothing if you booked a day tour like this, so prepare audiobooks, your music, or a lot of questions you can ask your guide. 

A Day Tour to the West Side of Puerto Rico

Doing a day trip to the West side of Puerto Rico from San Juan is doable. However, you should be prepared to spend hours upon hours just sitting. In my opinion, it’s better to fly into Aguadilla and base yourself in one of the cities already on the west side of the island than trekking back and forth from San Juan.  You can then rent a car and explore the various cities yourself. Enjoy your day trip to the west side of Puerto Rico!