Rincón ~ 6 Must-Try Activities
Located on the Western Coast, Rincón is a little town with a bustling Plaza, many beaches where surfers love to go, and generally a chill vibe. It’s the westernmost point on Puerto Rico, and its coast is the site of a Marine Reserve.
Planning a trip to Puerto Rico and wondering if Rincón is worth visiting? Let me tell you: yes! Despite being a small town, it has a lot to offer… especially if you visit on a Thursday.
If you want to SEE my recommendations, click here!
Abandoned boat on a beach in Rincón, with Isla Desecheo in the background.
For restaurant recommendations, click here!
And without further ado, here are my 6 must-try activities while visiting Rincón:
Artisan Market on the Plaza
Thursday is THE day to visit Rincón because in the evening (usually starting around 6pm) the main Plaza transforms into an artisan marketplace, full of booths with different art for sale, and people making music. They have jewelry, clothes, wooden lamps, paintings, and more!
The place does get crowded, especially if there’s a concert in the middle of the plaza (we were lucky to see a concert by Bomba Clandestina. Bomba is a traditional music/dance from Puerto Rico). That means that the restaurants and bars all around the Plaza get crowded too.
El Faro de Punta Higüera
On the northern side of town is the lighthouse, el Faro, surrounded by a small park with benches, some food trucks, and mostly great views!
You’re on cliffs, from there you can see the waves, Isla Desecheo, and tons of people surfing on both sides of the lighthouse. On the northern point of this little park, you get a great view of the Dome, a former nuclear plant, and Domes Beach.
If you’re driving, it’s about 8 minutes from the main Plaza of Rincón. If you’re walking, it’s about 50 minutes: twenty minutes or so until Calle Black Eagle, and then almost a half hour on the trail described below: El Paseo Comunitario.
Walk the Paseo Comunitario
Between the Faro and the Marina at Calle Black Eagle, you can walk on a path that is sometimes gravel, sometimes trail, and a small road for a few minutes closest to Calle Black Eagle. It’s maybe a mile and a half long.
As you can see from the photos, there are a couple of wooden boardwalks, close to El Faro, and there’s also a section on the beach. I’m not sure how much of it is supposed to be on the beach, that part was a little hard to follow, but it goes by the Tres Palmas Reserve, Playa María, and the Steps Beach.
You can explore this trail as an out and back from the lighthouse described above, as a walk if you’re visiting one of the beaches of the Tres Palmas Reserve, or use it as part of your walk to visit the lighthouse from the Plaza… or wherever you’re staying.
Go Snorkeling!
Tres Palmas Reserve is an awesome place to go snorkeling!
We booked an Airbnb Experience with Luke and it was really great. We saw coral reef and many species of fishes, including tarpons which are quite big!
You get plenty of time in the water and get to explore close to shore but also a little bit further away… once the reef stops and the sand begins, it really feels infinite…
Take a yoga class
This is a beautiful studio located only a few minutes walk from the Plaza, and the class we took with Vivienne was one of the best in a really long time. Challenging, but great!
Drop-ins are $20, and you can rent a mat for an additional $1. There are classes almost every day, and it seems from the schedule that different styles are offered, by teachers with different backgrounds.
You can also get a massage there.
Check out their website here.
Watch the sunset from a beach
Rincón is located on the West Coast of the island, making it an ideal place for sunsets. It’s actually part of the motto of the town: “Ciudad de los bellos atardeceres”!
There are several beaches easily accessible from town, just choose one and enjoy!
Have you visited Rincón? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!