Lighthouses are common in any coastal town or island. Many are still in working condition, others are simply sites for the eyes. Cabo Rojo is a must-visit cliff on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico. From here, your view of the Caribbean is spectacular. Not to mention the picturesque reds, oranges, and browns of the constantly eroding cliff side where this lighthouse is situated. Try snapping photos from all angles. Don’t forget to search the cliff for the green Cuban iguanas—a common sight, but an invasive species on the island. They’ll be sunning themselves on the ledges and may even be a brownish color as they try to blend with their environment. Work your way around the lighthouse and find one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches on the island—Playuela, which some refer to as Playa Sucia. On a calm day, you might even see the West Indies manatee and calf playfully swimming out in the bay. Look for their characteristic “footprints"—ring-shaped water coils on the surface of the ocean.
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Perched on a Cliff
Lighthouses are common in any coastal town or island. Many are still in working condition, others are simply sites for the eyes. Cabo Rojo is a must-visit cliff on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico. From here, your view of the Caribbean is spectacular. Not to mention the picturesque reds, oranges, and browns of the constantly eroding cliff side where this lighthouse is situated. Try snapping photos from all angles. Don’t forget to search the cliff for the green Cuban iguanas—a common sight, but an invasive species on the island. They’ll be sunning themselves on the ledges and may even be a brownish color as they try to blend with their environment. Work your way around the lighthouse and find one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches on the island—Playuela, which some refer to as Playa Sucia. On a calm day, you might even see the West Indies manatee and calf playfully swimming out in the bay. Look for their characteristic “footprints"—ring-shaped water coils on the surface of the ocean.
Watching the Storms Arrive
Cabo Rojo is a cliff on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico. From here, the view of the Caribbean is spectacular. Not to mention the picturesque reds, oranges, and browns of the constantly eroding cliff side. Try snapping photos from all angles. Don’t forget to search the cliff for the green Cuban iguanas—a common sight, but an invasive species on the island. They’ll be sunning themselves on the ledges and may even be a more brownish color as they try to blend with their environment. This landing is perfectly situated to watch the storms roll in from the west. Sit by the edge, or back in the meadows, and just relax. Feel the wind and the salt air on your face. Marvel at nature’s ability to turn hardened rock into miniature mountains, standing alone in the ocean.
Savor the past and the views of the lighthouses
Lonely beacons bearing witness to a life spent at sea, lighthouses shine light on the past and can evoke a sense of nostalgia in even the staunchest of landlubbers. Puerto Rico is dotted with them, each offering fresh air and a spectacular vista to go with their particular slice of history. Visit the Punta Higüero lighthouse in Rincón, built in 1892, whose small museum will transport you back in time. Even more mesmerizing are the views out over the sea towards faraway islands; sometimes you can even see whales. Another worthy visit is the Culebrita Lighthouse in Culebra, an island off Puerto Rico’s eastern shore, which overlooks a turquoise ocean and deep green foliage.
