West Side of Puerto Rico: a Complete Travel Guide

Hi everyone! I recently went to Puerto Rico for a girls’ trip with some of my best friends and had an absolute blast. It was my first time in PR, but this place has been on my bucket list for a long time. If you love beautiful beaches and outdoor adventures, this is the perfect travel destination for you. Without further ado, here is the west side of Puerto Rico: a complete travel guide!

This guide will cover:

• Where to stay
• What to do
• Where to eat

Where to Stay

Hotels and hostels are far and few between on this side of the island, so I recommend staying in an Airbnb. My group stayed in an Airbnb in Aguadilla, and I thought the location was perfect! It was fairly close to everything we wanted to do and had plenty of space for the five of us. The best part about our Airbnb was the two-minute walk to the beach and the beautiful balcony overlooking the ocean.

What to Do

My friends and I enjoyed a variety of outdoor activities during our trip, here were some of my favorites:

1. Survival Beach Hike

This hike was the perfect way to kick off our trip! I recommend going early to avoid crowds and beat the heat. The hike starts at Surfer’s Beach, and it takes about 20 minutes to get to Survival Beach. Make sure you bring lots of water and sunscreen. Most of the hike is shaded, but it does get very hot. Along the way, you’ll be offered stunning views of the coast and rock formations.

Survival Beach was breathtaking! You’ll definitely want to spend some time here and relax after the hike. I recommend bringing a snorkel mask and some snacks so you can fully enjoy your time here. Because we went early, we practically had the whole beach to ourselves.

2. Pena Blanca Beach

Pena Blanca Beach honestly felt like a hidden gem. There are only four parking spots at the entrance, and they were all taken when we arrived, but you can pay $5 to park in a local’s driveway, which I think is worth it. The views at this beach are absolutely stunning. When the water is calm, this is a great diving spot. It was a bit rough when we went, and the visibility wasn’t great, but we still saw a ton of fish.

3. Waterfalls in San Sebastian

If you are on the west side of the island, you need to go check out some waterfalls in San Sebastián. We went to Gozalandia first. You have to pay $10 for parking, but I think it’s well worth it. This is another spot I recommend arriving early to, so you can beat the crowds. We went to the lower falls first and had a ton of fun swimming and cliff jumping. Afterwards, we headed to the upper falls, which is just as beautiful. This one has a rope swing, which kept us entertained for quite some time.

About 10 minutes away is Salto Collazo waterfall, which is definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area. You can pull off to the side of the road and walk down to get a closer look. There is no pool for swimming at the bottom, but it was very beautiful to see up close.

4. Tres Palmas Marine Reserve

Tres Palmas Marine Reserve was the first community-managed marine reserve in Puerto Rico. It was established to protect the area’s marine life and surf break. It’s located in Rincon, and from Step’s Beach you can take a walking trail to Maria’s Beach. This is one of those spots you’ll want to spend the whole day at. When the surf is calm, this is a fantastic place to snorkel or dive. There are also a ton of other beautiful beaches in the area that I recommend checking out.

5. Faro Punta Higueras

Faro Punta Higueras is a beautiful 70-foot-tall lighthouse surrounded by gorgeous greenery in Rincon. The surrounding area offers stunning views of the coast and Dome’s Beach. There is a popular bar right next to the lighthouse. It offers perfect sunset views, and they have a great DJ, so it was easy to see why it was so well-liked.

Where to Eat

There were a ton of resturants on the west side of the island and best of all, they were affordable with huge portions. Here are my favorites:

1. Sal de Mar Restaurant & Rooftop Bar

Sal de Mar in Aguadilla was my favorite restaurant we went to during our stay, and I am still dreaming about my dish (crab with rice, definitely get it if you go). Our waitress was super friendly and even helped me learn some new Spanish words. The portions were huge, and everyone in my group enjoyed their meal. The restaurant is right next to the ocean, and they have a gorgeous rooftop seating area.

2. White Rabbit

White Rabbit is the perfect breakfast spot in Aguadilla. This is another spot that felt like a hidden gem. We were actually planning on going to a different coffee shop when we stumbled upon this cafe, and we liked it so much we ended up going twice! Everything was delicious, and if you’re looking for a good caffeine fix, I highly recommend any of their coffee.

3. Caddy’s Calypso

Caddy’s Calypso in Rincon was a great dinner spot in Rincon! The food was delicious, and our waitress was very sweet. It’s right on the beach, and they had live music while we were there, which made for a very fun time.

I hope by now you’re ready to take on some new adventures in Puerto Rico! Thank you so much for reading! If you want to check out more of my travel guides, click here!