Uluru & The Outback

Uluru, Australia 

Uluru is an ancient desert rock formation and sacred place to the Anangu people. The orange and ochre sandstone monolith towers over the vast desert landscape. It dates back 500 million years and is the source of many Anangu creation stories. Trails lead around the base of Uluru past caves, gorges and watering holes. Lookout points offer views of it and the picturesque surroundings. 

Uluru Base Walk.  A scenic trail looping 10.6km around the entire base of Uluru. The walk offers close up views and distant vantage points of the sandstone monolith. It passes sacred sights, gorges and caves used for generational and gender specific ceremonial purposes. Aboriginal creation stories and lessons are told through geological features and pitted markings covering the sandstone facade. Vertical veins of sediment run through the rock. Depending on the lighting, the surface changes between orange, red, maroon and chocolatey brown hues. The surrounding desert landscape is covered patches of orange soil, tufts of yellow grasses, dried bushes and lush trees.

Pro Tip.  Begin the walk at the Mala Car Park and follow the trail clockwise. Start in the morning and plan to finish by 11am. The entire walk can be completed in 3 hours. 

Mala Walk.  A 1km trail along the base of Uluru home to a significant number of sacred caves and aboriginal stories. The trail starts at the Mala Car Park. Signs share information about the caves, their stories and collections to Aboriginal culture. There are ranger guided tours at 8am daily.

• Teaching Cave / Boys Cave.  A small cave adorned in ochre paintings used for teaching survival techniques and lessons to “bush boys” during their transition to manhood. The 4,000 year old cave paintings feature illustrations of emu footprints, boomerangs, kangaroo hopping, symbols for travel and watering holes.   

• Men’s Cave.  A cave used by Aboriginal men for sharing hunting and water gathering knowledge. The cave is part of an aboriginal story involving the attack of a shape shifting “devil dog.” During the attack, four men were turned to stone, leaving their impressions behind in the cave wall.

• Woman’s Cave.  A cave used by Aboriginal women to pass down oral stories between generations. The cave resembles the pouch of a kangaroo, a symbol of fertility. Photos are not allowed. 

• Kitchen Cave.  A large cave traditionally used by Aboriginal women to prepare food and discuss family matters during ceremonial gatherings. The cave offers a continuation of the aboriginal story from the Men’s Cave. The shape shifting “devil dog” left its giant paw print on the cave wall near an impression of a woman that was turned to stone. It’s one of the only caves that can be entered.

• Old Person’s Cave.  A cave used by Aboriginal elders to share stories, prepare food and keep warm in cooler months. The walls are adorned with millennia old paintings while the ceiling is visibly blackened from smoke. 

• Kantju Gorge.  A scared gorge at the end of the Mala Walk. Towering stone walls flank a lush oasis and watering hole. The orange rock face bares a blackened streak from past waterfalls created during large rain events. The gorge is used for gathering water during Aboriginal ceremonies and reflecting. 

Mutitjulu Waterhole.  A sacred waterhole at the end of a verdant gorge. A shallow pool rests beneath a smoothed crevice and occasional waterfall at the base of Uluru. Stories of ancestral beings are told through geological markings on the stone walls surrounding the entrance of the gorge. 

Uluru Waterfalls & Frogs.  Uluru is the sight of a rare phenomenon after significant rain events. Waterfalls appear and desert frogs emerge from multi year hibernation. Thin veils of water trickle down the towering stone facades. Streams rush between crevices into watering holes at the monolith’s base. Thousands of desert frogs awake to feed and mate. Their clicking and humming croaks echo throughout the gorges. The phenomenon only occurs a few times a year. If fortunate enough visit during a significant rain event, visit the Kantju Gorge and Mutitjulu Waterhole.

Cultural Center.  A dual snake shaped building home to multiple galleries and exhibits about Anangu culture and the landscapes of Uluru. The center shares ancestral stories told through the geological formations of Uluru. Exhibits provide context regarding Anangu connection to the land, animals and seasons. It explains the traditional roles of men and women at various stages of their life. A gallery displays Aboriginal artwork and dot paintings. Signs explain how to respect Uluru’s sacred sights and the Anangu people.

Uluru Lookout Points

Uluru Sunrise Point.  A sunrise viewpoint of Uluru with nature walks and viewing platforms. Visit about an hour after sunrise when Uluru is fully illuminated and all the large tour buses have left. 

Uluru Sunset Point.  A desert viewpoint of Uluru with sunset views. Visit during golden hour to watch the setting sun cast warm glows across on the monolith. 

Ewing Lookout.  A desert lookout point accessible from the Coach Campground between Yulara and Uluru. It has some of the best sunset and night sky views of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and the desert. 

Uluru Lookout.  A lookout just outside of the Yulara with views of Uluru and the desert landscape. It’s an easy 15 minute walk from the town square.

Yulara Desert Loop.  A patch of desert with a series of brief nature trials accessible on foot from most hotels in town. Walk to the Imalung Lookout, the tallest point at its center with distant views of Uluru.

Field of Light.  A desert art installation made from tens of thousands of colors changing lights. Trails lead through the installation resembling a field of glowing tulips. Book with Ayers Rock Resort.

Yulara

Yulara is a resort town outside of Uluru with outback lodges, desert camps and hotels. There is a town square at its center with Aboriginal galleries, boutiques, a grocery store, cafe and restaurant. A couple of brief nature walks lead to desert lookouts within views of Uluru. 

Places to Eat & Drink 

• Kulata Academy Cafe.  A cafe and coffee shop with a range of sandwiches, savory pastries and sweets. The cafe supports Aboriginal locals…

• Native Gelato.  A gelato stand in the center of the town square with Australian flavors. Try the dark chocolate wattle seed and cinnamon Davidson plum 

• Outback Takeaway.  A takeaway restaurant and cafe at the Outback Hotel. Come here for fried bites, pastries and beverages. 

• Outback BBQ & Bar.  A barbecue station at the Outback Hotel with a selection of bush meats (emu, camel, & kangaroo) that can be purchased and self grilled onsite. Live music is performed nightly. Alcoholic beverages are only available for purchase if staying at the hotel.

Kata Tjuṯa

A sandstone monolith towering above the desert landscape. It’s comprised of 36 individual domed mounds making up the overall structure. 

Walpa Gorge.  A sacred gorge between two of Kata Tjuta’s largest stone monoliths. A 2.6km trail leads from the car park into the gorge. Pitted crevices mark its towering stone walls. Large conglomerate boulders are scattered across the landscape. Patches of yellow grasses and leafy trees sprout between amongst the orange terrain. 

Kata Tjuta Dunes Viewpoint.  A roadside lookout of Kata Tjuta and its large domed formations, the bush covered landscape and distant views of Uluru resting on the horizon. 

Kata Tjuta Sunset Viewpoint.  A viewpoint of Kata Tjuta and four of its stone domes. The orange monoliths and desert are well illuminated by the late afternoon sun. 

Kings Canyon & Watarrka National Park

Kings Canyon is an ancient canyon in Watarrka National Park. It cuts through the Australian outback and its orange hued desert landscape. Hiking trails lead around the canyon, its towering sandstone walls and lush oases. 

Kings Canyon Rim Walk.  A 6km loop trail leading around Kings Canyon and its most prominent sights. The trail begins with a steep ascent along the canyon wall to its plateau. It follows the canyon rim, passes through narrow crevices and across the l craggily rock terrain. The rim trail offers dramatic views of the canyon and its geological features. Stop to admire fossilized sea ripples and the maze of weathered sandstone domes. An occasional grey kangaroo and rock wallaby hop through the bush in the early morning. 

Priscilla’s Crack.  A narrow crevice between two domed rock formations. It’s named after a scene from the Australian cult classic, Priscilla Queen of the Desert. 

Kings Creek.  A narrow creek flowing through the center of Kings Canyon. It supports a variety of life including ancient ferns, fruiting bushes, medicinal plants and fragrant trees. 

Pro Tip.  Rest your ear against the trunk of a river gum tree after a heavy rain to hear them “drinking” and absorbing water. The trees grow near water and are recognizable by their smooth white bark.

The Garden of Eden.  A verdant oasis at the rear base of the canyon. Kings Creek flows through it, filing river pools and creating small waterfalls. The sounds of flowing water and singing birds reverberate between the canyon walls. 

South Wall Return Walk.  A 4.8km return trail along the south wall of King’s Canyon Rim Walk. It follows the canyon wall and plateau past domed sandstone formations and scenic lookouts. It’s less rigorous than the full Canyon Rim Walk. Visitors can hike this section in reverse from the parking lot for an easier trek.

South Wall Lookout.  A cliffside viewpoint of the canyon’s sandstone walls and sheer rock cliffs. A temporary waterfall cascades down a crevice in the canyon after heavy rains. The lookout is viewable from both the Kings Canyon Rim Walk and South Wall Return Walk. 

Good to Know.  Plan to begin any hike at sunrise. Do not attempt the hike after 9am on days with temperatures forecasted to reach 36C (97F) or higher. 

Places to Stay

Outback Lodge.  A backpacker’s hotel with blocks of gendered dorms, private rooms and shared restrooms. An outdoor pool and air conditioned lounge offer places to relax. The hotel has its own takeaway restaurant, bbq station and. They offer luggage storage, nightly live music and Aboriginal cultural experiences. Reserve on Booking. 

Coach Campground.  An Outback campground on the edge of Yulara. Each site has an enclave of walk in tents built upon elevated platforms. Inside are twin beds and electric generators. There are communal dining halls, bbq grills, fire pits and a central facility with restrooms and showers. The camp is utilized by tour operators on “Uluru Safaris.”

Kings Creek Station.  An Outback campground near Kings Canyon & Watarrka National Park. In addition to tented campsites, there is a trading post with a small restaurant, cafe and shop selling water, snacks and souvenirs. A swimming pool offers refreshing plunges on hot days. A trail leads to a hilltop lookout point with sunset views. We camped here during our “Uluru Safari” with Adventure Tours Australia. 

Good to Know

Visitor Maps.  Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon trails and points of interest are all very well marked. Download visitor maps when planning your day in each park.

Uluru Park Pass.  A park pass is needed to visit Uluru and Kata Tjuta. It’s only available as a 3 day or annual pass. Purchase it Online the day before visiting unless already included in a tour. 

Respect for Aboriginal Culture.  Obey no photography / videography zones to respect sacred sights. Don’t climb on Uluru or walk past fenced areas. Do not collect stones or sand as souvenirs. 

Extreme Heat.  The summer months invite extreme heat. Temperatures often exceed 40C (104F) and occasionally reach 50C (122F). Stay hydrated, cover your skin, wear loose flowy clothes and avoid peak heat hours. Be cautious when planning hikes.

Extreme UV.  Australia boasts many sunny days. It comes with the price of extreme levels of UV. Wear SPF 50+ sunblock, sunglasses and hats for protection. 

Summer Flies.  Swarms of pestering flies are a constant annoyance in Uluru during the summer months. Dozens hitch a ride on your clothes, buzz around your head and crawl on your face. Wear a fly net in addition to liberally applying insect repellent.

Getting Around

ATT Kings Bus (Airport Shuttle).  A free shuttle operating between the Ayers Rock Airport and the hotels in Yulara. Shuttles wait outside of baggage claim after arrival and pick up from hotels about two hours before flights depart. 

Uluru Hop On Hop Off Bus.  A shuttle service offering a range of transfers to Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa from the resort town of Yulara. This is the best option to visit the sights on your own without booking a formal tour. Purchase tickets online in advance to secure a seat. Book here!

Adventure Tours.  A tour company operating multi day safaris of Outback sights like Uluru, Kata Tjuta and King’s Canyon. We booked a 3 night safari, staying in different camps and visiting sights across the landscape with a small group and local guide. We booked in advance through Viator.

Elsewhere in Australia 

We traveled for over a month in Australia, visiting worldly cities, beautiful national parks and natural wonders along the country’s east and west coasts as well as the famed Outback.  Explore the energetic and beautiful city of Brisbane. Relax on the beaches and surf the waves of Byron Bay. Hike through the lush rainforests of Tropical North Queensland. Dive into the underwater wonders of The Great Barrier Reef. Roadtrip between coastal towns and national parks along The Coral Coast of Western Australia.

For Next Time…

Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon were incredible sights to visit and learn more about while in Australia’s Northern Territories. Next time we return, we plan to visit places elsewhere in the state. 

MacDonnell Range.  A mountain range with dramatic geological features, hiking trails and Outback campgrounds. 

Limmen National Park.  A remote wilderness park with sandstone rock formations, sprawling wetlands and wildlife. 

Kakadu National Park.  A rugged tropical landscape with rainforest, waterfalls and aboriginal cave paintings. 

Tropical North Queensland

Tropical North Queensland

Tropical North Queensland is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. It’s home to jungleous rainforests, dramatic waterfalls, vast coral reefs, palm lined beach towns, peaceful nature walks and ancient species. We spent a week in the coastal city of Cairns, branching out and exploring many of the region’s natural wonders. 

Cairns, Queensland 

Cairns is an adventurous hub and coastal town in Tropical North Queensland, renowned for its access to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. The town is home to restaurants, craft breweries, breakfast cafes, weekend markets and tour operators. 

Central Business District (CBD).  The CBD is the historic center of Cairns. Its shaded sidewalks and tree lined boulevards are lined with breakfast cafes, restaurants, craft breweries, tour operators and popular weekend markets.

Rusty’s Market.  A weekend farmers market with colorful displays of tropical fruits, vegetables, pastries, breads and juices. Artisans sell handmade crafts like beachy jewelry, shell decor, aboriginal artwork and vintage Hawaiian shirts. Thai vendors sell takeaway street food and offer massages.

Cairns Night Market.  An evening market with souvenirs shops, a food court, massage spas and nail salons. 

Esplanade Lagoon.  An outdoor swimming pool with a small sandy beach, series of boardwalks, lush lawns and bbq pits. It’s a popular spot to safely swim and enjoy the tropical atmosphere of Cairns. 

Cairns Esplanade.  A waterfront promenade spanning the length of Cairns. A series of walkways and boardwalks follow the coast through lush city parks, the esplanade lagoon, marina and restaurant wharf complex. 

Cairns Art Gallery.  An art museum with galleries displaying contemporary, indigenous and aboriginal artwork. It features works with themes of identity, ancestry, the landscape and creation stories. It’s free to visit! 

The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system. It’s accessible from Cairns on day trips and overnight live aboard. We spent three days snorkeling and diving in the reef. Read our full guide here, The Great Barrier Reef.

Daintree Rainforest 

The Daintree Rainforest is the world’s oldest surviving rainforest. It dates back 180 million years to the time of dinosaurs and the supercontinent Gondwana. The rainforest is a refuge for ancient species, tropical flora and jungleous landscapes. 

Cape Tribulation Wilderness Cruises.  A boat cruise along the crocodile inhabited Copper Creek. Dense mangrove trees and mangled root structures line its banks. Verdant rainforest blankets the inland terrain. Murky river water gradually mixes with the turquoise seawater of the delta. The occasional alligator is seen sunning on land and lurking beneath the surface of the water. 

Cape Tribulation Beach.  A remote place referred to as the “most dangerous beach in the world.” Its waters are inhabited by jellyfish, crocodiles and sharks. A nature trail leads through the tropical rainforest to a lookout point above the beach’s southern point. The shoreline meanders to a mangrove forest at its northern tip. 

Madja Botanical Walk.  A nature walk through the wetlands of the tropical forest. The trail passes beneath a dense canopy of fan palms, giant ferns, climbing vines, spiky plants and several hundred year old trees. It continues through a muddy and flooded mangrove forest. The hum of insects and songs of birds resonate in the air. 

Mossman Gorge.  A jungleous river gorge with nature trails, lookout points and beaches. River pools offer places to swim in the clear and cool water. Granite boulders of all sizes speckle the riverbed as verdant trees tower over its banks. Insects and birds can be spotted resting on leaves and perched in the tree top canopy. 

Daintree Ice Cream Company.  An ice cream shop serving exotic and tropical flavors made with fruit grown on the property. Try a combination of wattleseed, black sapote, mango, coconut and soursop. 

Experience Daintree.  A tour operator in Port Douglas offering day trips to the Daintree Rainforest. Book on Viator. 

Kuranda Forest

A tropical jungle with densely forested mountains, verdant landscapes and massive waterfalls. The forest is accessible from Cairns by a historic train line and scenic cable car. 

Kuranda Scenic Railway.  A historic railway with scenic views of the Kuranda Forest, its gorges, ridges, rivers and waterfalls. Antique carriages shuttle passengers along a series of twists, tunnels and bridges between Cairns and the Kuranda Village. The journey lasts about 2 hours including a brief stop at Barron Falls Lookout. Reserve tickets in advance here.

Barron Falls.  A massive rainforest waterfall in the Barron Gorge. A trickling stream of water flows over the craggily black stone gorge and cliffside pools during the dry season. It’s raging waters are best seen during the wet season from December to February. 

Stoney Creek Falls.  A cascading waterfall flowing down the face of tall rocky cliff. It’s visible from the Scenic Railway.

Kuranda Sky Rail.  A series of cable cars suspended above the lush treetop canopy of the Kuranda Forest. They offer panoramic views of the mountainous rainforest, its rivers and gorges. Stations at Barron Falls and Red Peak provide opportunities to explore nature trails surrounded by towering trees and tropical plants. Reserve tickets in advance here.

Kuranda Village.  A mountain village in the middle of the Kuranda Forest. Its main street is lined with ice cream shops, souvenir stores, aboriginal art galleries and small zoos. The Scenic Railway and Sky Rail make stops here.

Pro Tip.  Ride the Scenic Railway up and take the Sky Rail down. 

Bird World Kuranda.  An avian park with “free roaming” Australian and tropical birds like macaws, parquets, cockatoos, finches, ducks and a cassowary. Come here to feed the birds seeds, nuts, crackers and fruits by hand. 

The Cassowary.  An ancient and endangered bird native to Queensland’s tropical forests. It’s one the closest living relatives to the dinosaurs and the third largest avian species. They’re recognizable by their blue and red faces, head top casque, black feathered body and three toed feet with large talons. 

Kuranda Koala Gardens.  A small zoo with endemic species of Australian animals like the koala, kangaroo, wallaby, crocodile, wombat and quokka. Come here to observe the animals close in their open air enclosures. Walk through the kangaroo and wallaby pen to hand feed the hopping marsupials pellets of grain. 

Beach Towns 

Palm Cove.  A small beach town with palm covered beaches and boutique resorts. It’s located 30 minutes north of Cairns by car. 

• Palm Cove Beach.  A white sand beach lined with tropical palm groves and turquoise blue waters. Come here to lounge on shore or at one of the many beachside restaurants, cafes or bars. There is a netted and swimmable area south of the pier. 

• Nu Nu Restaurant.  A beachfront restaurant on Palm Cove Beach with an outdoor patio overlooking the swaying palm groves and turquoise sea. Come here for afternoon cocktails and Aussie bites. 

• Buchans Point.  A tan sand beach with a clothing option section towards its south end. It’s a freeing spot to enjoy the coastal breeze and palm shaded shores. The beach is located just north of Palm Cove. 

Port Douglas.  A coastal town located between the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. It’s a popular place with access and excursions to both natural wonders. 

• Macrossan Street.  The Main Street through Port Douglas. The jungelous boulevard is lined with vacation rentals, beachwear shops, clothing boutiques, aboriginal art gallery’s, sports pubs, cafes and restaurants. 

• Four Mile Beach.  A lengthy tan sand beach lining the shores of Port Douglas. It’s a relaxing place for beach walks, sunbathing and swimming. There is a netted and guarded section with nearby the north end. 

• Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail.  A coastal trail with hillside views of Four Mile Beach and the deep blue ocean. Hike the trail an hour before sunset to watch for tropical birds like parquets and cockatoos. 

Places to Eat & Drink

Prawn Stars.  A floating seafood restaurant on a series of trawler boats in the marina. Come here for a kilo of the “Bugs,” a type of crustacean also known as slipper lobsters. 

Dundees on the Waterfront.  An elevated restaurant along the waterfront wharf with Australian dishes and cuisine. Come here for the seafood tower with local mud crab, bay bugs, prawns, fried calamari, barramundi oysters and mussels. Reservations are recommended!

Flamingo Tiki Bar.  A modern tiki bar with a vast menu of inventive cocktails and classic tiki drinks. Come here for the happy hour tiki drink of the day between 4-6pm. 

Waffles on Cairns.  A brunch spot specializing in everything waffles. Come for their sweet and savory waffles or waffle breakfast sandwiches. 

Mi Piace Espresso Bar.  A breakfast place with fancified egg dishes, speciality pancakes and smooth coffees. 

Sugio Cafe.  An all day cafe and coffee shop with Japanese dishes and matcha lattes. 

Hemingway Brewery.  A waterfront brewery along The Esplanade with a series of locally brewed craft beers. Try the 7th Heaven Tropical Ale! 

Australian Cuisine 

Bay Bugs.  A type of crustacean somewhere between a prawn and lobster with a sweet seafood flavor. They’re often served cold cut in half.

Mud Crab.  Large crabs harvested from the mangrove forests and estuaries. They’re a local delicacy served at many seafood restaurants. 

Barramundi.  A white fish native to North Eastern Australia. It’s commonly fried and served as fish & chips. 

Meat Pies.  Savory pies made with buttery crusts and meaty fillings are popular across Australia. Vegan meat and veggie options are difficult to find. 

Toasties.  A buttered and griddled sandwich usually with a cheesy filling and protein. It’s often served at breakfast, lunch or on the go.

Aussie Coffee.  Coffee shops and cafes sell local coffee beverages like the Flat White and Long Black. The flat white is essentially a double shot latte while the long black is another name for an Americano. 

Vegemite.  A yeasty sandwich spread made from fermented barley. It has a savory and umami flavor to it. Try a thin spread on buttered toast or bread. 

Tim Tams.  Two sandwiched chocolate cookies covered in rich milk chocolate. 

Pavlova.  A traditional Australian dessert made from flamed merengue lathered with berry jams and fruits. 

Good to Know

Pronunciation.  Cairns is pronounced as Cans with long emphasis on the “a.”

Cash vs Card.  Credit and debt card are the most common forms of payment. Cash is rarely used but accepted. 

Tipping.  Tipping is not generally expected in Australia. It’s common to round up on most bills or leave 5-10% at higher end restaurants. 

Beware of Crocs.  Crocodiles are prevalent  in the creeks and coastal waters of Cairns. Avoid entering or approaching any non-designated beaches or waterways. 

Stinger Season.  The time of year when poisonous jellyfish inhabit the coastal waters of tropical North Queensland. Stinger season starts in late October and lasts until May. Only swim in netted areas or with a wetsuit when in the reef.

Sun Protection.  The UV is often extreme on sunny days. It best to wear sun cream with a minimum of 50 SPF. Make sure it’s reef friendly if going in the water! 

When to Visit.  The end of Spring in mid October is one of the best times of year to visit tropical north Queensland. The temperature is warm, days are sunny and waters are typically calm. 

Getting Around

On Foot.  The streets and promenade of the CBD are easily walkable and best explored on foot.

By Uber.  Getting around town outside of the CBD is best by Uber. Avoid calling an uber during the morning and late afternoon rush hours.

By Car.  The rainforest and beach towns north of Cairns are best reachable by rental car. We rented a car from Sixt at the airport for a few days of our travels here. 

Where to Stay

Cairns Airbnb.  An apartment rental located about 15 minutes from the CBD in a residential area of Cairns. The private space has a fully functional kitchen, comfy bed and spacious outdoor patio.  Book on Airbnb.

Elsewhere in Australia 

We traveled for over a month in Australia, visiting worldly cities, beautiful national parks and natural wonders along the country’s east and west coasts as well as the famed Outback. Explore the energetic and beautiful city of Brisbane. Relax on the beaches and surf the waves of Byron Bay. Dive into the underwater wonders of The Great Barrier Reef. Roadtrip between coastal towns and national parks along The Coral Coast of Western Australia. Visit the remote landscapes of and Uluru & The Outback.

For Next Time…

One week is barely enough time to experience Tropical North Queensland. Australia and this region of the country are high on our list to return to one day. These are just a few of the natural wonders we’ll come back to visit. 

Walshs Pyramid.  A freestanding mountain, naturally shaped like a pyramid. Hiking trails lead around the mountain’s base and to its verdant summit. 

Kahlpahlim Rock (Lambs Head) Lookout.  A rainforest mountain peak characterized by its large granite boulders. It’s accessible after a rigorous hike through the tropical terrain.

Whitsunday Islands National Park & Whitehaven Beach.  A chain of islands famed for their powdery white sand beaches, multicolored blue waters and coral reefs. 

Undara Volcanic National Park.  A national park home to Australia’s largest lava tube, volcanic craters and though not tropical, lush savannas of grasses and trees.

Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park.  A national park with large limestone formations, underground caves, hiking trails and aboriginal rock art. 

Torres Strait Islands.  An archipelago located between the northern tip of Queensland the southern shores of Papa New Guinea. It’s home to an array of ecological diversity and indigenous peoples. 

The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, stretching for hundreds of miles along the coast of Australia. It’s home to an incredible array of marine bio diversity including billions of corals, anemones, schools of tropical fish, sea turtles, sharks and rays. We snorkeled and dived in this underwater world in between relaxing on a live aboard and exploring on shore. 

Cairns, Queensland 

Cairns is an adventurous hub and coastal town in Tropical North Queensland, renowned for its access to the Great Barrier Reef. The town is home to restaurants, craft breweries, breakfast cafes, weekend markets and tour operators. 

The Great Eight

The Great Eight are the most iconic marine species that represent the Great Barrier Reef. The list includes: 

1. Clownfish 

2. Giant Clams

3. Sea Turtles

4. Sharks

5. Māori Warsse

6. Potato Cod

7. Manta Rays

8. Whales

During our three days on the reef, we spotted clownfish swimming in anemones, opened giant clams, feeding green sea turtles and white tipped reef sharks. The Māori warsse, potato cod and manta rays proved to be allusive however we spotted other colorful and large fish as well as sting rays.

Good to Know.  To spot whales, visit during their migration season between May and September. 

Tour Operators 

Cairns is home to many well reviewed tour operators offering single and multi-day trips to The Great Barrier Reef. Excursions often include snorkeling, scuba diving, introductory courses and all aquatic gear. We booked a two day one night live aboard with Diver’s Den on Viator and a separate day trip with Silver Swift on Get Your Guide.

Diver’s Den.  A scuba and snorkel operator with single and multi day trips to sites around The Great Barrier Reef. We joined their 2 day 1 night live aboard. It included 3 guided snorkel tours per day, a private cabin and all meals. The ship, the Ocean Quest has several public spaces including the dive deck, dining room, indoor lounge and outdoor sun deck, perfect for viewing the ocean by day and stars by night.

Silver Swift.  A scuba and snorkel operator with single day trips to sites around The Great Barrier Reef. It included two free style snorkel tours, a guided introductory scuba dive and a vegetarian friendly buffet lunch. 

Pro Tip.  Bring a sweater! The AC on the boats is very cold, especially after getting out of the water. 

Saxon Reef 

Saxon Reef features large underwater formations like coral boomies, cliffs and gardens. It’s home to wide variety of marine life including tropical fish, sea turtles, cuddle fish, rays and eels. We snorkeled at three separate sites around the reef.

Twin Peaks Dive Site.  A popular snorkel and dive site in Saxon Reef with massive coral structures and sandy ocean patches. Tropical fish flash their solid and prismatic patterned scales while green sea turtles drift by. It’s an easy location to spot clownfish, parrotfish, triggerfish, puffers, colorful wrasse, angelfish and unicorn fish. 

Coral Garden Dive Site.  A healthy coral garden home to an array of underwater life. The reef supports all manner of strange shaped corals resembling antlers, brains, mushrooms, ruffles, tubes and flat fans. Their bright green, iridescent blue, deep purple, yellow and pink colors stand out among shades of tan, grey and mauve. 

Sandra’s Dive Site.  A popular scuba and snorkeling point in Saxon Reef. It’s home to all types of coral formations and marine life. Large eels weave between corals. Stingrays rest on the sandy ocean floor. Green sea turtles surface for air. Large barracuda swim by menacingly. Cuddle fish lurk in the depths. Stingrays rest on the sandy ocean floor. Juvenile giant clams open and close skittishly.

Hastings Reef

Hastings Reef is a stunning bow shaped reef with sprawling coral gardens and coral walls. It’s home to diverse array of sea life including sharks, schools of fish, giant clams and starfish. 

Sandra’s Dive Site.  An expansive area of Hastings Reef with vibrant coral formations rising from the depths like an underwater mountain. White tipped reef sharks patrol the reef wall while scuba divers watch below for cephalopods. Schools of tropical fish swim in all directions and in-between the coral crevices. Giant clams rest on the seafloor with their blue shells wide open. The occasional starfish lays sprawled out across jagged corals. 

Flynn Reef

Flynn Reef is a spectacular example of the Great Barrier Reef’s biodiversity. The ever changing coral structures and array of marine life make it an idyllic site to snorkel, free dive and scuba dive. We visited three separate sites across the reef.

Coral Garden Dive Site.  A lively section of Flynn Reef with layered meadows of corals and pockets of sandy depressions. It’s home to an aquarium of tropical fish and sea creatures. Large schools of tiny fish and small groups of large fish swim between coral structures, hide in their crevices and bite at their protruding nodules. We drifted with the ocean currents and free dived for closer views of tiny starfish, giant clams and families of clownfish brushing through anemones.

Tracy’s Bommie Dive Site.  A section of Flynn Reef with narrow channels and underwater sea arches formed by coral structures. Its vibrant colored corals are home to sea turtles, conches, giant clams and multitudes of tropical fish like pufferfish, clownfish and rainbow parrotfish. 

Gordon’s Dive Site.  An idyllic dive site for beginners with massive coral formations, sea anemones and tropical fish. Our introductory dive brought us to shallow depths of 10-12 meters for about 30 minutes. The dive instructor led us in-between coral crevices and alongside coral walls. We were able to learn some scuba basics while navigating on our own under the close watch of the dive teacher.

Caring for the Reef

The Great Barrier Reef and all coral reefs for that matter are extremely fragile environments. There are a few simple things to keep in mind while visiting the reef.

• Wear reef safe sun block 

• Don’t touch or take anything 

• Avoid stepping on or kicking the corals 

• Book reputable tours with good reviews 

• Don’t chase or feed the marine life 

• Don’t litter or leave anything behind 

Dry vs Wet Season 

The Great Barrier Reef can be visited at any time of year however the dry season often offers the most favorable conditions. We chose to visit in mid October at the end of the dry season. 

The Dry Season.  A period lasting from May through October. It’s characterized by calm seas, clear water, little rain and cooler temperatures. Peak whale migration happens between May to September. 

The Wet Season.  A period lasting from November to April. It’s characterized by hot temperatures, frequent rainstorms and less visibility. It coincides with the jellyfish spawns of “stinger season.” Wear a wet suit! 

Underwater Photography 

Capturing photos underwater in The Great Barrier Reef is possible with most smart phones and a specialty case. We used the Pictar Waterproof Smartphone Case available on Amazon. 

Tropical North Queensland 

After visiting the Great Barrier Reef, spend time exploring Tropical North Queensland. The region is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. It’s home to jungleous rainforests, dramatic waterfalls, palm lined beaches and exotic wildlife. Read our full guide here, Tropical North Queensland.

Elsewhere in Australia 

We traveled for over a month in Australia, visiting worldly cities, beautiful national parks and natural wonders along the country’s east and west coasts as well as the famed Outback. Explore the energetic and beautiful city of Brisbane. Relax on the beaches and surf the waves of Byron Bay. Roadtrip between coastal towns and national parks along The Coral Coast of Western Australia. Visit the remote landscapes of and Uluru & The Outback.

For Next Time…

The Great Barrier Reef is absolutely massive! As lovers of the underwater world, this won’t be our only time visiting it. Next time we return, we plan to base ourselves in the Whitsunday Islands. 

Whitehaven Beach.  A world famous white sand beach with swimmable turquoise waters and fringing coral reefs. 

Whitsunday Live Aboard.  Visit the island chain’s and their reefs on a multi night live aboard. 

Scenic Flight over Heart Reef.  An areal view of the reef system and one shaped like a heart. 

A Weekend in Byron Bay

Byron Bay, Australia

Byron Bay is a laidback beach town and surfers paradise on Australia’s far eastern coast. Surfers line up to catch consistent waves and offer beginner lessons. Sun kissed beachgoers relax along white sand shores and meet up at nightly happy hours. Colorful streets are flanked by vibey cafes, diverse restaurants, beachy boutiques and surf shops. We spent a weekend here surfing, sunbathing and enjoying the atmosphere of the coastal town. 

Things to Do

Take Surf Lessons. There are numerous surf schools in Byron Bay. We booked a two day group lesson with Soul Surf School, shuttling between Byron Bay, Seven Mile Beach and Sharps Beach for morning surf classes. Surf boards and wet suits are included. 

Ride the Byron Solar Train.  A solar powered vintage train that travels between Byron Beach and North Beach. Rides take less than 10 minutes. It operates every hour between 10am - 5pm. Tickets can be purchased in person.

Hike The Cape Byron Walking Path.  A coastal walkway with scenic overlooks, forested trails, beaches and a lighthouse. Come here to watch for marine life including whales, sea turtles and dolphins. Signage shares knowledge about the landscape and its importance to the Arakwal people. The trail loops 3.7km from The Pass Parking Lot.

Beaches & Coastal Sights 

Byron Beach.  A squeaky white sand beach accessible from the center of town. It’s a popular spot to swim, sunbathe and surf. Surf schools line the town’s main street while surfers ride the gentle waves.

The Pass.  A popular surf spot for beginner and intermediate surfers. Small and steady waves cruise into Byron Beach after breaking near Fisherman’s Lookout. 

Fisherman’s Lookout.  A coastal lookout point on the rocks above The Pass. It’s a beautiful spot to admire the bay and watch surfers catching waves.

Wategos Beach.  A small beach nestled between two rocky points. It’s popular for sunbathing, body surfing and dolphin spotting. 

Australia’s Most Easterly Point.  A viewpoint of the Pacific Ocean marking Australia’s most easterly point. Come here to spot sea turtles in the waters below the cliffs and migrating whales in the far distance. 

Cape Byron Lighthouse.  A historic lighthouse perched on the cliffside peak of Australia’s most easterly point. It offers panoramic views of the forested woodlands, white sand beaches and Pacific Ocean. 

Sharps Beach.  A sandy beach with a rocky point and consistent surf conditions for beginner and intermediate surfers. We came here our second day of surf lessons.

Seven Mile Beach.  A long sandy beach with beginner surf breaks and sand bars. It’s a popular spot for instructors to teach lessons and locals to have play time with their pups. 

Lake Ainsworth.  A coastal freshwater lagoon tinted brown by tree tea oil. Come here for a refreshing snd therapeutic swim after surf lessons. 

Places to Eat & Drink 

Stone & Wood Brewery Byron Bay.  A large brewery in North Beach with a range of craft beers and bites. Come here for a flight to sample several seasonal brews on tap. Try the Barrel Aged Stone Beer. 

Balcony Bar & Oyster Co.  A seafood restaurant in the center of Byron Bay. Come here for fresh and the loaded oysters. Try the version topped with creme fraiche, horseradish and caviar. 

Blue Cow Gelato.  An gelato and ice cream shop with large scoops and unique flavors like pavlova, butterfly pea flower and Turkish delight. 

The Hum.  A waterfront cafe across the Byron Beach with coffees, smoothies, açaí bowls and a range of breakfast dishes. Come here before or after a surf lesson. 

Roca.  A vibey restaurant with a style Spanish tapas menu and 2 for 1 happy hour cocktails from 5-7pm. 

Miss Margarita.  A Mexican restaurant with tacos, quesadillas and shareable starters like chips & salsa or guacamole. Come here for the daily happy hour margaritas and mojitos from 5-6pm.

Breads Pies Cakes.  A bakery selling everything in its name. Come here for the sweet and savory miniature pies like apple raspberry or spinach cheese. 

Where to Stay

Rainforest Retreat.  A cute cottage nestled in the tropical jungle outside of town. It’s surrounded by towering trees, verdant foliage and the echoing sounds of birds and insects. An outdoor patio offers the perfect place to enjoy the nature. Book on Airbnb. 

Getting Here & Around 

Greyhound Australia.  Book tickets on the Greyhound bus to reach Byron Bay from Brisbane. The ride takes about 3 hours, passing through the Gold Coast on the way south. Book tickets online here. 

On Foot.  The city center and surrounding area is small and easily walkable. For further distances, take an Uber. 

Good to Know

Time Change.  Depending of the time of year, Byron Bay is on a different time zone than Brisbane due to the practice of daylight savings time in New South Wales. 

When to Visit.  Mid October is one of the best times of year to visit Byron Bay. The southern spring weather is idyllic with warm sunny days and cool cozy nights. 

Sunblock.  Wear SPF 50+. The UV is significantly higher due to its location in the southern hemisphere and depleted ozone layer. 

Tipping.  Tipping is not generally expected due to fare and regulated wages. Best practice is to round up on bills or leave a small tip for exception service. 

Cash vs Card.  Credit card is widely accepted everywhere. Cash is rarely needed. 

Elsewhere in Australia 

We traveled for over a month in Australia, visiting worldly cities, beautiful national parks and natural wonders along the country’s east and west coasts as well as the famed Outback. Explore the energetic and beautiful city of Brisbane. Hike through the lush rainforests of Tropical North Queensland. Dive into the underwater wonders of The Great Barrier Reef. Roadtrip between coastal towns and national parks along The Coral Coast of Western Australia. Visit the remote landscapes of and Uluru & The Outback.

For Next Time…

Time passes slowly yet quickly in Byron Bay.  Next time we return, we plan to surf more of the nearby beaches, visit other coastal towns and explore The Hinterlands. 

The Gold Coast.  A beachy metropolis north of Byron Bay with golden sand beaches, beginner surf breaks, towering skyscrapers, seafood restaurants and craft breweries. 

Tallow Beach.  A lengthy white sand beach on the coast opposite of Byron Bay. It’ has a popular surf break and national park with nature trails. We were able to overlook it from the Cape Byron Lighthouse.

Tallebudgera Creek Beach.  A blue and emerald hued creek with beaches along its sandy banks.

The Hinterland.  A tropical rainforest with lush valleys, waterfalls, volcanic calderas, hiking trails, wine vineyards, small towns and campgrounds.

Brisbane, Queensland

Brisbane, Queensland

Brisbane is a sunny subtropical city with trendy neighborhoods, bountiful green spaces and access to Australia’s east coast. We spent a few days here exploring the city and its offshore islands on a trip through Queensland. 

Neighborhoods & Streets

Fortitude Valley.  A trendy neighborhood with brunch spots, designer boutiques and nightlife. It’s a lush and walkable area with plenty to do by day and night. 

St Ann & Brunswick Streets.  The nightlife streets in Fortitude valley with music venues, gay bars and restaurants. 

Westend.  A vibrant and grungy neighborhood with late night restaurants, cocktail bars, breweries and live music venues. It’s a popular spot with younger Australians and the queer community. 

Boundary Street.  The main street in Westend home to many of the neighborhood’s restaurants and bars. 

Howard Smiths Wharves.  A lively riverfront wharf under the Story Bridge with breweries, restaurants and walking paths. 

South Bank Parklands.  A riverfront park with a leisurely walkways, an artificial beach, ferris wheel, vibey restaurants and cafes. 

The Brisbane River 

The Brisbane River meanders through the city and its many neighborhoods. It’s lined with riverside parks, clifftop viewpoints and boardwalks. Dozens of unique bridges span between its banks, coining the city’s nickname, “Bridgebane.” Plan to spend time exploring the riverside on foot and by ferry! 

City Botanical Gardens.  A large city park nestled between the skyscrapers of the CBD and the Brisbane River. It’s home to lush walkways, riverfront lookouts, mangroves and gardens. Exotic and flowering trees transport visitors to a tropical rainforest in the middle of the city. 

New Farm Riverwalk.  A geometric boardwalk over the Brisbane River. It offers scene views of the city’s skyline, riverside home and Story Bridge.

Wilson Outlook Reserve.  A cliffside park along the Brisbane River with views of the Story Bridge and city skyline. It’s accessible from Howard Smiths Wharfs.  

Brisbane Riverwalk.  A riverside boardwalk located between the Neville Bonner Bridge and Goodwill Bridge. Both bridges are pedestrian only bridges and offer beautiful views of the city.

Kangaroo Point Lookout & Riverwalk.  A cliffside park along the Brisbane River with walking paths and views of the city’s skyline. 

Eat Street.  A vibrant weekend food market with dozens of kitchens serving street food and cuisine from all around the world. It’s built along a riverside wharf from colorful shipping containers, covered sheds and stages with live music. The market is open from Friday to Sunday from 4pm-9pm. Get here by taking the City Cat Ferry to the North Shore Hamilton Ferry Terminal. 

Places to Eat & Drink

The Burrow.  An artsy and casual restaurant with local beers, cocktails, live music and baskets of pub food like burgers, nachos and pizzas. 

The Boundary.  An elevated pub and sports betting bar. Come here for the wide selection of beers on tap and international dishes with an Aussie twist. Come for the fish and chips!

Covent Garden.  A bar with the world’s largest collection of Australian made gins. Come here for a gin tasting or round of craft cocktails.

Jungle Bar.  A dimly light and tropical feeling tiki bar with all the classic tiki drinks and rum cocktails like the mai tai, pina colada, painkiller and navy’s grog. 

Barbossa Bar & Bottle.  A rum bar and restaurant in East Banks with a wide range of cocktails, rums and island inspired tapas dishes. Try the Zombie & the Ship is Wrecked. 

King Arthur Cafe.  A brunch spot in Fortitude Valley with large fresh baked cookies and classic dishes like eggs benedict, avocado toast, açaí bowls and waffles. 

Epilo.  A “plant cafe” decorated with pots of verdant botanicals and terrariums. Come here for the  artisan coffees and fresh baked pastries.

Felon’s Brewery.  A riverfront brewery located at the base of the Story Bridge. Come here for pints of local beers, boozy cocktails and pub style food. 

North Stradbroke Island 

A protected island home to Australian wildlife like kangaroo, wallaby and koala. Its seaside cliffs and lengthy white sand beaches offer opportunities to spot marine creatures like manta rays, sea turtles, humpback whale, dolphins and sharks. 

North Gorge Walk.  A cliffside nature walk through forested paths with scenic views of the coast. Come here to spot all types of marine and wildlife. Kangaroos and wallaby can be spotted grazing on grass and resting in the shade. Manta rays gracefully glide underwater, sea turtles surface for breaths of air, pods of dolphins porpoise in the waves and sharks hunt for prey. 

Humpback Whale Migration.  Humpback whales migrate along the eastern coast of Queensland between June and November. Pods of whales spray geysers of water and continually breach the surface with a massive splash. The best views of them can be seen from the cliffside lookouts along the North Gorge Walk.

Pro Tip.  Bring binoculars to watch wildlife and a camera to capture images better than the zoom on a phone. 

Cook’s Seat.  A hilly lawn overlooking Frenchman’s Beach. Come here for a picnic lunch or order a meal and local beer from one of the nearby cafes or restaurants. 

Main Beach.  A lengthy white sand beach hugged by turbulent aquamarine waters. It’s popular with experienced surfers. Visit the North Gorge Walk for its best views.

Cylinder Beach.  A white sand beach with a small protected swimming area, a surf school and parking lot with trunk cafes. Keep an eye out for wild kangaroos nibbling on grasses.

Ballow Street.  A forested street with tall eucalyptus trees home to wild koalas. Walk the street towards the beach looking up for the cute and sleepy animals hugging onto the branches.

Straddie Brewing Co.  A brewery with craft beers brewed on the island. They’re sold virtually everywhere. Try the dark lager and jumpinpin IPA. 

Stradbroke Island Tours.  A company offering day trips to North Stradbroke Island from Brisbane. Their small group tour includes transportation, ferry tickets and wildlife spotting guides. We booked with Viator.

Morton Island 

Morton Island is a massive sandbar island famed for its pristine beaches, sunken shipwrecks, desert like sand dunes and forested trails. 

Tangalooma Island Resort.  A beautiful beachfront resort on Morton Island with access to its scenic nature. Take a day trip here from Brisbane to enjoy some beach time and a range of marine activities. We booked the Adventure Day Pass which included round trip ferry tickets, snorkel gear and kayak rentals. 

Tangalooma Wrecks.  A series of sunken metal ships protruding from the bay. They a habitat for corals and all types of colorful and tropical fish. Rent kayaks from the resort to paddled around them and snorkel gear to observe underwater marine life. 

Tangalooma Beach.  A beautiful white sand beach stretching the length of the Tangalooma Island Resort. It’s a popular place to spot starfish during low tide. Come here to swim, snorkel and sunbathe. 

Moreton Island Desert.  A white sand desert surrounded by forest. It’s a popular spot for dune walking and sand boarding. Walk along the beach from the Tangalooma Island Resort to the Desert Walking Path. The trail leads 2km uphill and through the forest to an opening overlooking the desert. 

Where to Stay

East Brisbane Tiny House.  A cozy and well equipped backyard caravan (aka camper). The tiny space has a comfy bed, dining area and outdoor patio with a grill. Book on Airbnb.

Getting Around 

Train.  The light rail is the best way of getting between neighborhoods and the airport. Tap your credit card when entering and exiting the stations.

Brisbane Airport Train. The airport train is the cheapest and most direct way of getting between the central business district and the airport. Board at the Roma Street Station or Central Station. 

On Foot.  Brisbane is very pedestrian friendly. Explore the city’s neighborhoods, bridges and parkways on foot. 

Uber.  Ubers are available across Brisbane. They can be extremely expensive. Try to avoid booking during rush hour.

By Ferry.  The City Cat Ferry makes stops up and down the Brisbane River. It’s a scenic and convenient way of getting around and sightseeing. Tap your card to pay when getting on and off. Fares cost $0.50 AUD.

Good to Know

Sunblock.  Wear SPF 50+. The UV is significantly higher in Queensland due to its location in the southern hemisphere and depleted ozone layer. 

Tipping.  Tipping is not generally expected due to fare and regulated wages. Best practice is to round up on bills or leave a small tip for exception service. 

Cash vs Card.  Credit card is widely accepted everywhere. Cash is rarely needed. 

Elsewhere in Australia 

We traveled for over a month in Australia, visiting worldly cities, beautiful national parks and natural wonders along the country’s east and west coasts as well as the famed Outback. Relax on the beaches and surf the waves of Byron Bay. Hike through the lush rainforests of Tropical North Queensland. Dive into the underwater wonders of The Great Barrier Reef. Roadtrip between coastal towns and national parks along The Coral Coast of Western Australia. Visit the remote landscapes of and Uluru & The Outback.

For Next Time…

Brisbane is a beautiful and livable city that we see ourselves returning to one day! There is so much more to experience and explore when we do. A short list of places we missed but plan to visit next time are: 

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.  A koala sanctuary with all types of native Australian animals including kangaroos, platypus, Tasmanian Devils, dingoes, wombats, emus and crocodiles.

Mt Coot-tha.  A mountain park on the outskirts of Brisbane with nature trails leading through a eucalyptus forest to waterfalls, panoramic view points and a botanical garden. 

Mount Gravatt.  A hilltop lookout just outside of the city with numerous hiking trails. Come here to the sunset views and to spot wild koalas.

The Gold Coast.  A beachy metropolis south of Brisbane with golden sand beaches, beginner surf breaks, towering skyscrapers, seafood restaurants and craft breweries. 

Central Puerto Rico

A Lush & Rugged Landscape

The central mountainous region of Puerto Rico is a lush and rugged landscape with tree covered mountains, ancient cave systems, breathtaking canyons, mesmerizing waterfalls, scenic hiking trails, coffee haciendas and Taino archeological sights. We’ve ventured to the interior of the island on previous trips, getting to explore more of its natural landscapes, biodiversity and learn about its history. 

Natural Landmarks  

The interior of the island is home to many natural landmarks worth visiting. Rent a car and road-trip through the interior to swim below waterfalls, explore caves, traverse canyons and overlook the mountains from scenic lookouts. 

Canyon Blanco.  A canyon with large white rocks and cliffs polished smooth by the river. There is a trail leading along the canyon with Taino petroglyphs, a small beach and views of the surrounding mountainside. 

• Petroglyphs.  There are well defined Taino petroglyphs dating back hundreds of years carved into some boulders throughout the canyon. The most notable are figures of babies swaddled in blankets. They’re unmarked but easily visible if you’re looking. The petroglyphs are primarily located on large boulders downriver from the bridge before entering the canyon. 

• Getting Here.  Take PR-140 and park at “Parking For El Sofa” just before a small bridge over the river. Walk down the west bank of the river and wade through it on foot before the rapids to reach the canyon trail. Alternatively, there is paid parking at Private Property a few minutes past the bridge for $10 with access to the canyon and trail. 

• Good to Know.  The canyon is one of the most beautiful sights on the island but is difficult to reach. There is no cell service here. Download offline maps before traveling to the canyon. Don’t go on rainy days. Flash floods and rising waters are common. 

Cueva Ventana.  A cave that leads underground through multiple chambers with bat colonies, stalactites and stalagmites before reaching a cliffside opening that overlooks the valley and river below. From here, Taino petroglyphs can be seen as cave birds and bats flutter into and out of the window like opening of the cave. It’s located 15 minutes from the city of Arecibo. Make reservations online ahead of time. 

Cueva La Clarito.  A cave with a large chamber, giant flow stone, stalactites, stalagmites and petroglyphs dating back thousands of years. It’s accessible along the tour to Cueva Ventana. 

Gozalandia Falls.  A waterfall over a smooth rock cliff with a natural swimming pool below it. Upstream are several river pools and another waterfall with a natural swimming pool. Parking costs $10. There is restaurant and bar at the entrance selling fresh coco frio (cold coconuts).

Doña Juana Waterfall.  A 100ft tall waterfall with a swimming pool at its base, It’s a popular roadside stop in the central mountains with a restaurant and bar. 

Lago dos Bocas. A mountain lake created by a dam popular with locals for fishing and kayaking. It’s located 20 minutes from the city of Arecibo. 

Cerro Las Tetas.  A mountain range known for its twin peaks that resemble a pair of breasts. It’s visible from various roadside overlooks and pull offs along Highway 1 in Salinas. 

Cerro de Punta.  The tallest point on the island measuring 4,390 feet above sea level. Park along the road, Ruta Panoramica (PR-143), at the trail head and hike about 20 minutes to reach the summit. On a clear day, there are views across the island. Be cautious of the wasp nests in the bushes at the lookout.

El Yunque National Forest.  A rainforest full of lush tropical vegetation, waterfalls with natural pools, hiking trails, lookout towers, tree snails and frogs. Read more about El Yunque in our Eastern Puerto Rico Guide. 

Adventure Tourism

The rugged interior of the island is a popular place for adventure tourism and contrasts with the golden beaches surrounding the island. Come here to overlook Puerto Rico from its tallest peak, speed down one of the world’s longest zip-lines and hike miles up a river canyon. 

Tanama River Eco-Adventure.  On a guided tour, we hiked up the Tanama River, a river located in a canyon with steep walls, overgrown cliffs, small waterfalls and stalactite covered caves. Hiking through the forest to reach the river. Our guide, pointed out flora invasive to the island, toxic vegetation and medicinal plants. Once reaching the river, we plunged in and began a miles long journey upstream, swimming against the current, wading through the water and crawling into dark caves. On our return, we floated downstream and let the current lazily carry us back the starting point. Along the way, we learned that the Tanama River is the original route the Taino people traveled to navigate between the coast and the mountains. We booked the experience through Viator.

Toro Verde Adventure Park.  An adventure park high in the mountains known for two of the world’s longest zip lines, suspension bridges and smaller zip lines. 

• The Monster.  The zip line measures over 1.5 miles long and spans between two lush mountains above a 1,000 feet deep canyon. Unlike typical zip lines, on The Monster, you lay flat in a cocoon flying between the mountains reaching speeds over 90 miles per hour. 

• The Beast.  The park’s other super long zip line. We have yet to ride this one but have it on our list for next time. 

• Toro Bikes.  A zip line with bikes attached to the cable and used to peddle back and forth between towers. 

• Good to Know.  The park is located about 2 hours from San Juan. Book tickets online in advance and prepare to wait in-line for over an hour for your chance at riding The Monster or The Beast. Phones and cameras are not permitted. Photos are available for sale.

The Land of The Tainos

The central mountainous region was home to the Taino people, a pre-Columbian culture that populated the Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands hundreds of years ago. Today, several archeological sights including ceremonial grounds, detailed petroglyphs and museums with artifacts from the Tainos are on display throughout the region. 

Cemí Mountain.  A mountain with 3 distinct peaks that held spiritual and cultural important to the Taino people. Many artifacts have been found shaped in the likeness of the mountain.  

Caguana Ceremonial Indigenous Heritage Center.  A Taino archeological park at the base of the sacred Cemí Mountain with outdoor ball courts and stone monoliths carved with ornate petroglyphs of humanoid figures, condors and a fish. The sight is one of the most important Taino archeological sights in the Caribbean. 

Caguana Ceremonial Indigenous Heritage Museum. A museum with hundreds of Taino artifacts including: tools made from manatee bone and shells, remnants of clay pottery, stone axe heads, stone ceremonial belts and statues representing the Cemí Mountain. 

La Piedra Escrita.  A massive river boulder with Taino petroglyphs including faces, swirling formations and an iconic frog. Many locals come here to swim in the natural pool at the base of the boulder. 

El Cemí Monument Museum.  A museum built in the shape of a giant Cemí with exhibits that promote and celebrate the Taino culture and people. It houses Taino artifacts including wooden vomit spatulas, tools made from bone and shells, clay pottery, stone axe heads and statues representing the Cemí Mountain. There is a grave of a Tiano woman outside of the museum. 

Coffee Haciendas 

The mountainous region provides the perfect climate and conditions for coffee farming. There are dozens of coffee haciendas across the region growing beans for cafes across the island and offering tours of their farms. 

Hacienda San Pedro. A coffee hacienda with a cafe, shop, museum, processing factory and farm stand with local produce, honey and juices. 

Good to Know.  Many of the coffee haciendas are remote and have inconsistent hours making them difficult to visit. Call ahead to confirm hours and availability. 

Getting Around

By Car.  The only way to get around the central mountainous region is by car, preferably one with all wheel drive. Many of the roads twist and turn around the mountainsides and steep valleys. 

Elsewhere in Puerto Rico

Having visited Puerto Rico nearly 20 times, we’ve experienced many places across the island. Though we don’t live here, we consider ourselves non-local experts and one day hope to call this beautiful island our home. Explore the colorful and colonial streets of Old San Juan. Experience Puerto Rican culture in the capital city of San Juan. Head to the southern coast of Caribbean Puerto Rico. Hike the El Yunque Rainforest in Eastern Puerto Rico. Visit the surf towns along Western Puerto Rico. Get off the mainland to visit the islands of Culebra and Vieques.

For Next Time…

Whether a spontaneous weekend trip or planned vacation, we will certainly be back to Puerto Rico many more times! We have our eyes set experiencing things we’ve missed during past trips around the interior and mountainous regions of Puerto Rico including: 

• Explore Arecibo.  Spend a weekend exploring the beaches, sea arches and caves in Arecibo. 

• Rio Camuy Caves.  A vast cave system with an underwater river, large caverns, stalactites, stalagmites, rock formations and colonies of bats. It located about an hour from San Juan between the central mountains and the town of Arecibo. 

• Hike Cerro Mime.  A steep grassy mountain peak with views of the surrounding valleys. 

• Toro Negro State Forest.  A forested area in the central mountainous region with hiking trails, waterfalls, mountain peaks and camp grounds.

• River Caving Tour.  Join a kayaking tour through one of the mountainous rivers and caves. El Batay Adventures across from the Caguana Ceremonial Indigenous Heritage Center offers excursions. 

Caribbean Puerto Rico

The Caribbean Coast

Puerto Rico’s Caribbean Coast offers a tropical and cultural escape to some of the island’s best gems. The coast features unspoiled beaches, protected marine reserves, a bioluminescent bay, a dry forest and pink salt flats. It is also home to Indigenous cultural sites and the colonial city of Ponce.

Ponce

Known as “The Pearl of the South,” Ponce is famed for its architecture, cultural sights and annual carnival festivities. We spent a week here, celebrating Carnaval and exploring other areas along the Caribbean Coast. 

Architectural Styles 

Ponce is a historic city with multitudes of architectural styles and colorful buildings. We spent an afternoon wandering the streets to see the mix of Creole, Colonial, Neoclassical, Spanish Revival, Miami Art Deco, Arabesque and 90s Modernist style buildings. 

An Underdog 

The city is a bit of an underdog; recovering from hurricanes, earthquakes and the effects of the pandemic. Though quieter and less traveled to, it has a charming local ambiance that can’t be overlooked. Like many Ponceños, we’re rooting for this beautiful city!

Sights & Museums

Plaza de las Delicias.  The lush town square and historical center of Ponce with monuments, statues, landmark buildings and adjacent restaurants.  

• Fuente de los Leones.  A large two tiered fountain with statues lions, a symbol of strength and of Ponce.

• Ponce Cathedral.  A large light blue and white neoclassical cathedral that divides the plaza. 

• Parque de Bombas.  Ponce’s iconic red and black striped former fire station and now museum. 

Museo de la Historia de Ponce.  Ponce’s historical museum with galleries explaining the significance of the city, its history, politics, architecture and cultural impacts on Puerto Rico as a whole. A local historian, Ronald, gave us a tour, recommended places to eat in Ponce and nearby places to visit. 

Museo Castillo Serrallés.  A large mansion overlooking the city that once belonged to a sugar cane & rum baron. It’s now a museum and event venue with lush gardens and city views. Come to tour its grounds and interiors while sipping on a Don Q piña colada from its cafe. 

La Guancha.  A waterfront boardwalk and beach with restaurants, kiosks, a marina and an observation tower. Hurricane Fiona caused structural damage to the boardwalk and its since been condemned. Many restaurants have since opened food trucks along a road in the parking area. 

Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes.  A free archeological museum dedicated to the Tiano people with exhibits displaying artifacts including pottery, stone tools, shell jewelry and human remains. A short walk behind the museum is an open air exhibit with uncovered petroglyphs, stone platforms, ball courts and a plaza. 

Places to Eat & Drink

Campioni Pizza Birra & Tapas.  A popular restaurant for Puerto Rican style pizza (thin crust pizza cooked in a wood fired oven). Order the fruto del mar pizza topped with shrimp, calamari and octopus to and a sangria.

Lola Eclectic Cuisine.  An elevated restaurant serving international cuisine. Try the tuna tartare wonton tacos, grilled salmon on a taro cake, sea bass over lentils and ice-cream on a fried plantain. 

Mariscos Patio Beach.  A roadside seafood kiosk overlooking the Caribbean with fresh and fried seafood dishes. Try the octopus salad, shrimp salad and tostones. 

Tazza D' Oro Caffé.  A breakfast and brunch spot across from Plaza de las Delicias. Try the egg quesadilla or eggs Benedict on brioche. They serve Gusto’s coffee, a Puerto Rican coffee roaster. 

Con Leche.  A breakfast and brunch cafe. Try the Mallorca egg sandwich or breakfast wrap made with eggs and salsa rojo.

Chango Bar.  A dive bar named after the little black birds seen across Puerto Rico. Come here for a Medalla or glass of Don Q served neat. 

Carnaval Ponceño (Festival of Masks)  

Ponce’s week long carnival festival included nightly events, parades, performances and the famous Vejigantes leading up to carnival Tuesday. 

Vejigantes

Carnaval Ponceño, also known as The Festival of Masks, is famous for the Puerto Rican Vejigantes, elaborately painted paper mache masks decorated with pointed horns, jagged teeth and worn with colorful jumpsuits. The Vejigantes are the symbol of the carnival and traditionally act as a reminder of evil spirits. Nowadays, they’re an expression of Puerto Rican culture. 

The Festival 

Plaza de las Delicias is turned into a fair with food, drink and craft vendors, amusement park rides & a main stage hosting musical performances and announcing the events on the carnival. Unlike what’s typically expected from carnival, Ponce’s is very family friendly.

Food vendors fry all types Puerto Rican dishes like mero (grouper), mofongo bites (mashed plantain), bacalaitos (cod fritters) and cheese. Full bars serve medalla, the local beer, and a list of cocktails like piña coladas, cuba libres and rum punch. Craft vendors sell handmade items like Vejigante pins, masks, horns and painted jackets. We bought and wore a pair of horns, similar to the full face masks worn by the Vejigantes.

The Main Parade 

The main parade is the largest event of the carnival celebrations with Vejigantes, marching bands, floats, the queens of the carnival, classic cars & loud speaker trucks. The parade travels west down Calle Reina towards Plaza de las Delicias and ending in front of the main stage. The parade happens on Sunday afternoon before carnival Tuesday. It started around 2:30pm and lasted into the evening with festivities lasting even longer. Most people arrive by late morning and set up chairs along the shaded side of Calle Reina for the best views. 

Guanica

Referred to as the “Paraíso del Eterno Verano,” of the Paradise of Eternal Summer, Guanica is a sunny region with white sand beaches, dry forests and coastal look out points.  

Playa Santa. A popular white sand beach with turquoise waters, kayak rentals and beach restaurants. Stop for drinks at Mojito Beach Bar & El Anclan Flontante for all kinds of fried empanadas like fish, lobster, conch, octopus and shrimp. 

Guanica State Forest.  A dry forest home to many species of cacti, thorny evergreens and coastal mangroves. The park is divided by the Guanica Bay with several hiking trails that lead to beaches, rock formations and ruins. It’s designated as a UN bio-reserve. Located 30min west of Ponce.

• Fuerte Capon.  The ruins of a small fort overlooking the Guanica Bay and forest. Start at the visitor center and hike follow the 6 mile trail to hike here or park at Playa Jaboncillo beach and follow the shorter 30 minute trail to Fuerte Capon.

• PR-333.  A scenic coastal road with views of the dry forest and Caribbean Sea. There are many beaches, scenic pull offs and hiking trails along the way.

• Pro Tip.  The visitor center closes at 4pm and doesn’t allow people to begin hiking longer trails after 2pm. 

La Parguera Nature Reserve 

A marine reserve located in the fishing town of La Parguera. The reserve is made up of over 30 cayos, mangroves, sand bars, coral reefs and a bioluminescent bay. The only way to explore the reserve is by boat. We hired a captain for 5 hours with Joy Tours PR to bring us to different cayos in the reserve. 

They Cayos

Cayo Caracoles & Robo la Gata.  Two cayos with a shallow sand bars and clear turquoise water protected by the reefs and mangroves. Underwater trails lead through the mangroves and into the reef. They’re a popular spot for swimming, snorkeling, relaxing and partying. We spent the afternoon lounging in a raft, tanning in the sun and drinking Caribbean rum. 

Good to Know:

• Bring all food and drink with you for the day. 

• Wear water shoes to avoid sea urchins and broken coral. 

• Some cayos were closed due to damage from Hurricane Fiona. 

• Many boats often dock here on the weekends while the weekdays are quiet. 

La Parguera Bio Bay 

One of three bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico, and the only one that people are allowed to swim in. Arriving on a tour boat at night, we jumped into the water causing a bright blue cloud of bioluminescence to form around us. As we swam in the warm salty water, it glowed bright blue with every movement, sparkling on our skin. It was a surreal experience that felt like swimming in a pool of glitter. 

We booked with Paradise Scuba. Our tour included unlimited medallas and 2 fired vegetarian empanadas. We stoped at Cayo Caracoles to swim at sunset before making our way to the bio bay. We spent about half an hour in the bio bay before returning. Out of all 3 bio bays in Puerto Rico, this one was our favorite experience! 

Pro Tips. The best time to visit this bio bay is on a fully dark, moonless night, after a sunny day and at least five days after the last rain. Bring a hoodie for the boat ride back. After swimming it gets cold.

Parguera Restaurants

There are many restaurants and bars along the main road in the city center of La Parguera. Most serve seafood, Puerto Rican dishes and rum based cocktails. 

Puerto Parguera Restaurant.  A seafood restaurant with dishes like octopus salad, whole fried red snapper and seafood paella. We splurged and ordered a grilled Caribbean lobster with a side of maduros (fried sweet plantains).

Isla Cueva.  A restaurant and bar with over a dozen burger options including beef, chicken, pork, fish and vegan. We ordered the fried mahi mahi burger, piña colada and sangria. It’s a great spot to come before or after visiting the bioluminescent bay tour. 

Cabo Rojo

A picturesque corner on the south west side the island with pink salt flats, desert-like terrain and turquoise Caribbean waters. 

Cabo Rojo Salt Flats

Famous for their pink and light blue hued salt ponds. Upon arrival, we parked at the visitor center. It has a quaint museum with information on the surrounding ecosystem, the indigenous history behind the salt ponds and their use today. They also sell bottled water and have a restroom if needed.

Across from the visitor is a 3 story tall observation tower overlooking the salt flats. It offers a great vantage point to take in all of the different colored ponds. Further down the road is an entrance to the salt ponds where we walked across the narrow pathways separating each pond. The salt flats are open from 8:30am-4:30pm

Cabo Rojo Trails

There are a few nature trails that weave through the salt flats and desert-like terrain. We spent about two hours hiking through them and exploring the area. When coming here, wear sun protection, bring a sturdy umbrella and plenty of water. 

Observation Tower Loop.  A trail leading through the dry forest from the visitor center to an observation tower overlooking a large salt pond.

Ruins Trail.  A trail that cuts across two large salt ponds, past a pile of salt, to a series of smaller ones and ends at the sea. The trail connects to the Observation Tower Loop and Bikes Trail.

Bikes Trail.  A long trail that weaves throughout the salt flats, frequently used by mountain bikers  

Coastal Sights 

Playa Sucia.  A crescent shaped beach covered in soft white sand hugging a turquoise bay. There are no nearby restaurants so bringing food, snack and water is a must. It’s a popular beach despite being semi remote and best to arrive early to find parking and a shaded spot under the trees. From here, we hiked to Faro Los Morrillos Lighthouse.

Faro Los Morrillos Lighthouse.  A cliffside lighthouse with panoramic views of the Caribbean. There are hiking trails throughout the peninsula, rock formations and steep jagged cliffs. 

Maunabo

A remote town on the far southeast side of Puerto Rico with lengthy natural beaches along the Caribbean Sea. 

Playa Los Bohios.  A pristine yellow and black sand beach lined with palm trees and views of the mountains. The water can be dangerous for swimming due to currents. 

Faro de Punta Tuna.  A historic Spanish lighthouse overlooking Playa Los Bohios and Punta Tuna Beach.

Punta Tuna Beach.   A secluded palm lined yellow sand beach. The beach is not safe for swimming but makes for a beautiful setting for a relaxing afternoon. 

Ecuarican Bar Restaurant.  A restaurant with Ecuadorian and Puerto Rican fusion cuisine. It’s perched high on a cliff with an outdoor deck overlooking the coast. Come here for the mixed seafood ceviche and empanadas. 

Puerto Rican Cuisine 

Chillo Frito Entero.  A fried red snapper served whole with crispy skin, tender meat and squeezed with lime. It’s usually accompanied by fried plantains like tostones, mofongo or amarillos. 

Mofongo.  Fried plantain mashed with garlic and butter. It’s often served plain or stuffed with an option of seafood. If prepared with bread fruit and yucca, it’s known as trifongo. 

Empanadillas.  Puerto Rican style fried empanadas stuffed with a range of fillings like octopus, conch, cod, shrimp, crap and pizza. 

Pinchos.  Grilled meats served on a stick often served at beaches or roadside kiosks. Our favorites are shark and shrimp. 

Mojo Isleño.  A savory sauce made from tomato, onion, bell pepper, garlic, olives and bay leaves. It’s often served on fried red snapper, lobster or mixed with octopus and conch.

Mallorca.  A Puerto Rican pasty often shaped like a bun or swirled roll and dusted in powered sugar. Our favorite preparations are pressed with guava with cheese or egg and cheese. 

Coco Frio.  A cold and freshly opened coconut. Drink the coconut water inside then the sweet meat inside. Alternatively, enjoy it with coconut rum to create a tropical cocktail 

Rum.  Puerto Rico is unarguably the rum capital of the Caribbean with several distilleries and local brands served in bars across the island. Order it on the rocks, in a Pina Colada or other tropical cocktail. 

Medalla.  The island’s most popular local beer, recognizable by it’s small golden can. It has a light slightly nutty flavor and is served everywhere. Buy a 6 pack for the beach!

Getting Around

Fly into Ponce.  Ponce has a small airport with several flights per day operated by Frontier and Jet Blue. It’s located 15 minutes from the city center. 

Rent A Car.  Renting a car is necessary to get around anywhere on the south side of Puerto Rico outside of Ponce. There are multiple car rental companies at the airport. 

Driving Between Towns: 

• Cabo Rojo is about 1 hour 30 minutes west of Ponce. 

• La Parguera is about 1 hour west of Ponce.

• Guanica is 30-45 minutes west of Ponce.

• Salinas is about 45 minutes east of Ponce. 

• Maunabo is about 1 hour 30 minutes east of Ponce. 

Where to Stay

Casa Luna.  An inexpensive hotel in a neon green creole style building located 2 streets away from Plaza de las Delicias in Ponce’s city center. It has multiple private rooms with bathrooms, a public patio and outdoor kitchen. Book on Airbnb.

Elsewhere in Puerto Rico

Having visited Puerto Rico nearly 20 times, we’ve experienced many places across the island. Though we don’t live here, we consider ourselves non-local experts and one day hope to call this beautiful island our home. Experience Puerto Rican culture in the capital city of San Juan. Explore the colorful and colonial streets of Old San Juan. Hike the El Yunque Rainforest in Eastern Puerto Rico. Visit the surf towns along Western Puerto Rico. See the indigenous Taino sights of Central Puerto Rico. Get off the mainland to visit the islands of Culebra and Vieques.

For Next Time…

Whether a spontaneous weekend trip or planned vacation, we will certainly be back to Puerto Rico many more times! We have our eyes set experiencing things we’ve missed during past trips around the southern side of Puerto Rico including: 

Isla Caja De Muertos (Coffin Island).  A secluded nature reserve off the coast of Ponce home to a dry forest, many species of birds, coral reefs for snorkeling and diving, sandy beaches, turquoise water, hiking trails and mangroves. It can only be reached by boat however most ferries and tour operators have stopped visiting the island since hurricane Fiona and a series of earthquakes. 

Explore Yacuco.  Spend a day exploring the colorful hillside community and its nearby coffee haciendas.

Western Puerto Rico

Tropical Paradise 

The western coast of Puerto Rico a tropical paradise with surf towns, palm lined beaches and sunset views. It’s best known for the districts of Rincón and Aguadilla. The relaxing atmosphere is best enjoyed on a surf board at sea or under an umbrella on shore with a piña colada in hand. 

Rincón

Rincón is a tropical destination famed for its surfing, laid back vibes and large “expat” population. The district is centered around two main areas, Centro Puntas and Rincón Pueblo. Each has their own atmosphere, beaches and nightlife. 

Centro Puntas.  A sleepy stretch of Rincón dotted with colorful homes, verdant hillsides and beaches that wrap around the island far western point. Surf schools provide lessons while oceanfront restaurants provide offer views of surf breaks. The 

Rincón Pueblo.  The town center is a hub for activity in Rincón while capturing the laidback vibes of the island’s west coast. It’s home to weekly markets, cocktail bars, roadside cafes, island boutiques and Puerto Rican restaurants.

Surf & Snorkeling Beaches 

Rincón is the surf capital of Puerto Rico. It’s the point where the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean meet providing consistent waves year round. The winter months offer the best surf conditions with larger waves caused by strong Atlantic winds. Surfers of all levels can be seen riding waves from sunrise until sunset. There are multiple surf schools and board rentals near the beaches. 

Don Antonio’s Beach.  A beautiful beach with a coral reef located just off shore. The reef makes it a quiet and peaceful place to sunbathe or relax under the shade of the palm trees. It’s a popular beach for surfers to practice and catch waves. 

Playa Maria.  A very popular surfer’s beach for all levels of experience. Instructors offer lessons and rentals while shops sell surf gear. It’s great location to spot sea turtles and snorkel in the beautiful coral gardens on a calm day. The shallow but long shore offers a range of places to hideout under the palms and enjoy the tropical vibes.

Domes Beach.  Named after the giant white dome, a deactivated nuclear reactor, towering above the palm trees. Its placement offers a stark juxtaposition to the pristine nature surrounding it. The beach itself is popular with experienced surfers and for surf competitions. 

Sandy Beach.  A golden sand stretch of shoreline perfect for sunbathing, bodysurfing, swimming and surfing. There are a few boutique hotels overlooking the shore, nearby restaurants, cafes and bars. Multiple surf schools are based in the area along with a shipping container with surfboard and boogie-board rentals. A 4 hour rental for $25 or an 8 hour for $35.

Dogman Beach.  A very small beach with a reef on either side. It acts as a launching point for surfers to safely paddle out. It’s located just south of Playa Maria. 

Pro Tip.  Surf earlier in the morning before the waves become too choppy. 

Steps Beach.  A snorkeling beach with healthy coral formations and many species of fish. We snorkeled over large formations of elkhorn coral and spotted parrot fish. During low tide, there are shallow tide pools where families relax with children. The beach is named for a set of concrete steps washed up onshore. It’s also a great spot to look for sea glass. 

Playa Dona Lala.  A sandy beach with a deep shoreline and calm aquamarine waters. It’s the perfect place to swim and relax under the Caribbean sun. Vendors rent umbrellas, beach chairs and jet skis. There is a small plaza with cafes & restaurants behind the beach parking lot. It’s only about a 10-15 minute walk from Plaza Pública de Rincón.

Rincón Surf School

A surf school near Sandy Beach with board rentals and a range of lessons. We booked a 3 day surf class with 3 hour morning lessons starting at 8am. After some onshore basics, the paddled out to begin surfing!

• Day 1 - Dogman Beach.  The first day focused in the basics of paddling, standing up and balancing while riding the waves. With the push of our instructor, we were able to catch and ride several waves! 

• Day 2 - Playa Maria.  The second day was very similar to the first but at a different beach. With practice, we were able to catch several more waves with less assistance. An onshore photographer even snapped a few photos! While waiting in the lineup, we spotted sea turtles swimming in the reef beneath our boards. It was a magical experience. 

• Day 3 - Playa Don Antonio.  My third and final surf lesson was the most rewarding. We were able to watch for, catch and ride about half of the waves without the help of our instructor. From never having surfed before to riding waves on my own felt so rewarding. 

A surf lesson in Rincón is worth every moment for anyone who loves the ocean! It’s a mix of high energy and relaxation while being surrounded by stunning nature. The only advice to anyone learning to surf is be ready to paddle a lot! It’s all worth it once you ride a wave! Book Lessons Here. 

Rincon Sights 

Punta Higüero Lighthouse.  Located at the south end of Domes Beach is a Spanish style lighthouse and lookout point. It’s a nice place to watch surfers, spot for whales or enjoy a meal and drink at the cliffside restaurant, Ola Sunset Cafe.

Tres Palmas Reserve Path.  A nature and biking trail along the Caribbean coast and a gated cattle field north of Steps Beach.

Domes Trail.  A coastal nature trail north of Dome’s beach and around the nuclear reactor. It passes multiple smaller secluded beaches. 

Plaza Pública de Rincón.  This plaza is the heart of Rincón Pueblo. It hosts weekly events like the Rincon Art Walk and Farmer’s Market. 

Events & Markets 

Rincón Art Walk.  On Thursday nights, the plaza comes to life with artists and vendors selling handmade jewelry, sea glass, decorated drift wood, scenic paintings, local photographs, wooden cookware, oils, soaps, etc. At the same time, live musicians and performances entertain crowds in the center of the plaza. All the while, people sipping on ice cold medallas and tropical cocktails spill out of bars onto the surrounding streets. The art walk typically lasts from 5-10pm while the nightlife continues into the early morning. 

Rincón Farmers Market.  On Sunday mornings, the plaza transforms into a farmers market. Vendors set up under white tents selling locally grown produce, tropical flowers, potted herbs, baskets of eggs, empanadas, fresh squeezed orange juice, vegan meals and organic oils. The market is open from 8am until the early afternoon.

Surf Shops & Boutiques 

Centro Puntas features several surf shops, while Rincón Pueblo offers boutique specializing in handmade goods and home decor. A few we love visiting are:

Rincón Surf Market.  Located under Kahuna Burger Bar. Come here for clothes, beverages, jewelry, surf boards and sun block. The owner owns the restaurant above, hotel and surf school.

Stoked : Surf + Espresso.  A surf shop and cafe at Playa Maria. It’s a great place to come before or after surfing for coffee, juice, baked goods or surf equipment.

Mango Beach Surf Shop. Come here for souvenir t-shirt’s, hoodies, sunblock and aloe vera.  

Trove.  A beautiful home goods store with desert vibes and tropical aesthetics. They sell items made from dried grasses, handwoven area rugs, textural pillows embossed with palm trees and sand colored objects.

The Uncharted Studio.  A tropical boutique specializing in beachwear, jewelry, artwork and hand made items. 

Places to Eat & Drink

There are many amazing cafes, restaurants and bars across Rincón, here are some of our favorites in Centro Puntas and Rincón Pueblo. 

Kahuna Burger Bar.  A local favorite near Sandy Beach. Come here for the mahi mahi and veggie burgers. Add a grilled pineapple for a tropical twist. Their bar is open late, offering rum punch for $4. 

Jakes Java House.  A road side coffee shop with smoothies and açaí bowls next to Sandy Beach. 

Jack’s Shack.  A roadside restaurant with breakfast tacos, egg sandwiches and iced coffee served from a food truck and trailer. 

Caddy’s Calypso.  A surf bar & restaurant at Playa Maria. Come here for their double rum cocktails, mahi mahi tacos, nachos & coconut shrimp. 

Tamboo.  A restaurant on Sandy Beach with Caribbean views, Puerto Rican seafood and tropical cocktails. Try the mahi ceviche, and watermelon tuna tartare with tostones. Order the hibiscus rum cocktail. 

La Rosa Inglesa.  A hotel restaurant perched on the hills overlooking Rincón. Come here for their brunch menu including flights of tropical mimosas, fresh fruit bowls, latin egg dishes and shrimp hollandaise Benedicts. 

The Beach House.  A restaurant, bar, hotel and surf shop with a line up of white chairs overlooking the forested coast behind Dome’s Beach. Come here to enjoy a drink, sunset, the view or all of the above.

Ola Sunset Cafe.  A cliffside restaurant overlooking Dome’s Beach and the Caribbean Sea. Come here to spot migrating whales and watch the sunset while eating empanadas and sipping on large tropical mojitos. 

La Sirena.  A nautical themed restaurant with sushi, seafood dim sum and cocktails served in classic tiki mugs.

Harbor Restaurant.  A popular beachfront seafood restaurant. Order a classic rum cocktail, try the whole fried red snapper and a side of crab tostones. 

La Marketa.  A restaurant and bar in downtown Rincon and the former location of the city’s market. They keep the market alive with tables of craft vendors on Sunday morning. Come to play darts and corn hole while sipping on a medella. We ordered the fish burger with yucca fries and mahi mahi skewers. 

Paletados.  Stop in for ice cold paletas (popsicles) on a hot afternoon. They offer tropical, fruit and dessert flavors with a range of toppings. 

Good to Know: Carry cash. Many businesses are cash or Venmo only.

Aguadilla 

Aguadilla is the entrance to the west side of Puerto Rico. It’s home to the west’s main airport, renowned beaches and daily sunset views.

Crash Boat Beach

Famous across the island for its concrete pier that juts out and branches into the bay. People of all ages line up to jump, dive and cannon ball from it into the calm blue water. On shore, people eagerly await grilled pinchos like skewered shark and buttered shrimp while sipping drinks including ice cold Medalla or piña colada made with Don Q. Vendors rent chairs and umbrellas for $5 a piece and offer tours of the bay on jets skis or inflatable banana boats.

Good to Know.  Recent hurricanes and tropical storms have collapsed parts of the pier. While not what it once was, it’s still a joy to jump from.

Aguadilla Pueblo

In the city center of Aguadilla, people stroll down a concrete promenade while others relax along the golden sand beach. At the same time, fishermen return from sea on small boats with the day’s catch and artists sell items including crocheted beachwear, home made candies and hand painted ceramics. 

Cerro Cabrera.  A colorful hillside community with dozens of painted houses and apartment rentals. 

El Parterre.  A plaza with a natural spring and stream passing through it in the center of the downtown. 

The Promenade 

Along the promenade are several kiosks and restaurants serving coffee, pastries, fried food, the fisherman’s catch, tropical cocktails, frozen paletas and a range of Puerto Rican cuisine. As night falls and the sun sets, locals in cars with souped up speakers and buses with equipped with train horns and lights roll into town for a vibrant night out. 

Mint.  A popular bar along the promenade. We’ve came here for the well made cocktails, plantain chip nachos and giant versions of games like jenga and connect four.

Sal de Mar.  A seafood restaurant across the street from Mint with a rooftop overlooking the ocean. Their menu specializes in dishes like Caribbean lobster, fried mahi mahi bites, ceviche and crab empanadas.

Aguada 

Aguada is city half way between Aguadilla and Rincon. It’s a peaceful place to stay and the perfect location to branch out from. The coastal route is lined with palm trees, painted sculptures, boutique hotels and restaurants. The town center is built around a tree lined plaza, flanked by a cathedral, Puerto Rican homes and narrow streets. 

Beaches & Restaurants 

Pico de Piedra Beach.  A spacious and quiet beach with several nearby restaurants and bars. It’s a tranquil place to relax for the morning or afternoon. Visit Platano Loco, a beach front restaurant where everything on the menu includes plantain. Try the plantain burger with large tostones for buns. 

El Galeón.  A pirate themed seafood restaurant with pirate ship paintings, a port hole bar and a pirate statue. It’s located across the street from the waterfront. 

Guayabos.  A beachfront restaurant on a small cliff with a patio overlooking Aguada Beach. Order dishes tapas style and try the octopus salad, ceviche, shrimp empanada and fried mahi mahi bites. 

Isabella 

Isabella is a town on the northwest corner of Puerto Rico. It’s home to protected beaches, cliffside restaurants & nature trails. It’s located about 30 minutes north of Aguadilla by car. 

Beaches & Restaurants 

Jobos Beach.  A sandy beach in a protected cove shielded from large Atlantic waves by a rocky  peninsula. Its turquoise waters are the perfect place to swim and surf in the remnants of broken waves. Palm trees line the shore, offering sunbathers a shaded reprieve from the tropical sun. Empanada vendors walk the beach while a series of restaurants and bars offer places to eat and drink. Shops and rental kiosks offer beach necessities, surf boards, chairs and umbrellas. 

Montones Beach.   A sandy beach protected by a large rock island. It’s a popular spot to snorkel and lounge onshore, especially for those staying at the beach’s colorful rental cottages.

Pozo De Jacinto.  A cliffside plateau with jagged rock formations and a large seaside cave. Waves crash into the cave, spraying mist into the air during large swells.

Mirador Paseo Tablado.  An elevated boardwalk meandering over steep sand dunes and through a pine forest. Its located between Jobos Beach and Montones Beach. 

Jobos Mojito Beach Bar & Restaurant.  A cliffside restaurant with panoramic views overlooking the Jobos Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. A chalkboard menu above the bar lists over 30 different types of mojitos. We ordered tamarind and passion fruit mojitos along with veggie paella for dinner from a menu including fried seafood, burgers and mofongo. 

La Playa

As the name suggests, La Playa is all about the beach. We stopped here for an afternoon at Balneario Tres Hermanos, a vast sandy and palm lined beach with calm swimmable waters. The beach also doubles as a camp ground for tents and trailers. Sea turtles are known to nest here. La Playa is about 15 minutes south of Rincon by car. 

Puerto Rican Cuisine 

Chillo Frito Entero.  A fried red snapper served whole with crispy skin, tender meat and squeezed with lime. It’s usually accompanied by fried plantains like tostones, mofongo or amarillos. 

Mofongo.  Fried plantain mashed with garlic and butter. It’s often served plain or stuffed with an option of seafood. If prepared with bread fruit and yucca, it’s known as trifongo. 

Empanadillas.  Puerto Rican style fried empanadas stuffed with a range of fillings like octopus, conch, cod, shrimp, crap and pizza. 

Pinchos.  Grilled meats served on a stick often served at beaches or roadside kiosks. Our favorites are shark and shrimp. 

Mallorca.  A Puerto Rican pasty often shaped like a bun or swirled roll and dusted in powered sugar. Our favorite preparations are pressed with guava with cheese or egg and cheese. 

Coco Frio.  A cold and freshly opened coconut. Drink the coconut water inside then the sweet meat inside. Alternatively, enjoy it with coconut rum to create a tropical cocktail 

Rum.  Puerto Rico is unarguably the rum capital of the Caribbean with several distilleries and local brands served in bars across the island. Order it on the rocks, in a Pina Colada or other tropical cocktail. 

Medalla.  The island’s most popular local beer, recognizable by it’s small golden can. It has a light slightly nutty flavor and is served everywhere. Buy a 6 pack for the beach!

Getting Around

Fly into Aguadilla.  The airport has several flights per day and two small restaurants, usually open when flights are arriving or departing. Multiple car rental companies have lots nearby the airport.

Rent A Car.  Renting a car is an absolute must to get around anywhere on the west side of Puerto Rico. The entire west side of the island can be driven across in about 2 hours from north to south. We’ve had good experiences renting from Enterprise and Cabrera Car & Truck Rental. 

Places to Stay

Having spent two weeks on the western side of Puerto Rico over the years, we’ve found two go-to places to stay.

Puntas Tree House.  A bright pink house located in the middle of Cento Puntas across from Sandy Beach. The house has two floors of affordable apartment rentals, all decorated in tropical & beachy aesthetic. Book on Airbnb.

Aguada Oceanfront House.  A vacation rental located along the beach in Aguada. It has a spacious and simple interior with nautical decor and a large window with panoramic views of the sea. We fell asleep to the sounds of the waves. Book on Airbnb.

Elsewhere in Puerto Rico

Having visited Puerto Rico nearly 20 times, we’ve experienced many places across the island. Though we don’t live here, we consider ourselves non-local experts and one day hope to call this beautiful island our home. Experience Puerto Rican culture in the capital city of San Juan. Explore the colorful and colonial streets of Old San Juan. Head to the southern coast of Caribbean Puerto Rico. Hike the El Yunque Rainforest in Eastern Puerto Rico. See the indigenous Taino sights of Central Puerto Rico. Get off the mainland to visit the islands of Culebra and Vieques.

For Next Time…

Whether a spontaneous weekend trip or planned vacation, we will certainly be back to Puerto Rico many more times! We have our eyes set experiencing things we’ve missed during past trips around the western side of Puerto Rico including: 

More Beach Time.  Visit more beaches along the far southwest side of the island including: Buyé Beach, Parque Nacional Balneario Boquerón and Playa El Combate Beach. 

Isla de Mona.  A remote island halfway between Puerto Rico’s western coast and the Dominican Republic. It’s known at the Galapagos of the Caribbean for its isolation, diverse wildlife, coral reefs, caves, Taino petroglyphs and beach camping. 

Culebra and Vieques

The Puerto Rican Archipelago  

Culebra and Vieques are two islands off Puerto Rico’s eastern coast known for their sleepy vibes, tropical atmosphere, natural landscapes and Caribbean beaches. They’re lesser traveled to and equally as enchanting as other areas of Puerto Rico with unique character of their own.  

Culebra 

Culebra is a tiny island half way between “mainland” Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Things move a little slower here making it a great place to relax and appreciate life. The island has a small town with great restaurants, is home to multiple nature reserves and a variety of beaches. 

Things to Do

There are many things to do while exploring Culebra, primarily focused on outdoor activities like snorkeling, beach hopping, hiking and watching the sunset. 

Explore Dewey.  Culebra’s only town can be walked from end to end in minutes. Though small, its main road is home to restaurants, cafes, guest houses and the ferry terminal.  

Jump from the Bridge.  Join locals and jump from the Dewey bridge into the canal. Wear water shoes to protect your feet from the mussels and urchins.

Hector the Protector.  Walk along the rock break wall across from the ferry terminal and visit Hector the Protector, a planked wood human figure holding a lantern. 

Watch a Caribbean Sunset.  Many of the western beaches like Tamarindo, Punta Soldado or Carlos Rosario are peaceful places to watch the sunset below the Caribbean.

Visit the Beaches

Culebra has many great beaches all worth visiting for different reasons. There are white sand beaches, rocky beaches, remote beaches and unofficial nude beaches.

Flamenco Beach. Flamenco Beach is beloved for its powdery white sand shore that wraps around a turquoise blue bay. Come here to relax in under the heat of the Caribbean sun or shade of a swaying palm tree. The beach is famed for its graffitied tanks. home to a campground and offering of beach services and amenities. 

Flamenco’s Tanks.  Flamenco Beach is famed for its graffitied tanks. The shoreline surrounding the most iconic tank has been swept away by recent storms. Though still accessible, it’s now a pelican nesting ground. The second tank resides on a small hill nearby. 

Beach Services.  Flamenco Beach has a range of services and amenities making it easy to stay here all day. 

• Fees.  Parking costs $5 per vehicle and $2 per person. 

• Amenities.  Restrooms, showers and lockers are available 24/7. Lockers cost an additional fee to use. Bring your own hand soap for the restrooms. 

• Kiosks.  A series of modern kiosks offer food, beverages, ice cream, beach supplies and souvenirs. Try the traditional Puerto Rican snacks like empanadillas, bacalaitos, alcapurrias and pinchos. Pair them with a boozy tropical cocktail, local beer or fruit juice. 

• Rentals.  Two kiosks offer beach rentals including chairs, umbrellas, snorkel masks, life jackets and floaties.  

• Lifeguards.  Life guards watch over designated swimming areas. 

Flamenco Beach Camping.  Camping at Flamenco Beach is one of the most enjoyable ways to maximize beach time and experience Culebra’s pristine nature. We camped here for a long weekend on our most recent trip to the island. Ten under the stars, fall asleep to the sounds of crashing waves and wake up to the calls of roosters.

• Camping is DIY.  Bring your own gear: tent, sleeping bags, air mattress, hammock, beach chairs, flashlight, etc. 

• Where to Camp.  The official camping area is located after the kiosks and behind the beachfront tree line. It’s an expansive and shaded area with plenty of space to set up undisturbed. 

• Fees & Bookings.  Camping costs $35 per night per tent. Call ahead for a reservation or book at the beachfront ticket office. The office hours are from 8am-5pm. If showing up after hours, return the next day to register and pay. For reservations and information, call (787) 742 0700. 

Culebrita Beach. A crescent shaped beach with a narrow white sand shore and calm aquamarine water. It’s located on the island of Culebrita (Little Culebra) and requires a boat to reach. We sailed here on a catamaran with a group of friends through East Island Excursions. The tour brought us to coral garden off the coast of Culebra to snorkel before mooring off shore from Culebrita Beach. We spent the afternoon diving from the catamaran, dancing to Reggaeton music, swimming between the boat and shore, relaxing on the beach and enjoying an unlimited supply of rum cocktails. 

Playa Resaca.  This beach is as much about the journey as it is the destination. After a rigorous hike, you’ll reach a vast beach that you’ll likely have to yourself the entire day. The only swimmable area is the shallows at the far east end of the beach. Because it’s so remote, it’s the perfect place to get naked ;)

Hiking to Resaca:  

• Follow a paved road up the hill past the airport. There will be a parking lot at the top. Walk through the waist high grass behind the sign to locate the trail. 

• The further you descend, the more rigorous the trail gets. You’ll have to walk over boulders and duck under tree branches. We recommend wearing pants, hiking shoes and bringing a stick to knock away spider webs and thorny plants. 

• The trail ends at a mangrove forest just before the beach. There will be pink and orange ribbons, nautical debris and water bottles strung along the trees guiding you through it. Follow these markers, even if you think you’re on the path, or you will get lost! 

• The final stretch leads through a thicket of beach grape trees ending at a lone palm tree overlooking the beach. From the parking lot, it should take 45min to reach Playa Resaca. Plan to leave the beach at least 1 hour before sunset. 

Playa Zoni.  A white sand beach equally as beautiful as Flamenco. It’s located on the northeast side of the island, easily reachable by car though rarely that busy. Outside of free parking, there are no amenities.

Playa Punta Soldado.  A rocky beach great for finding conch shells. You’ll find a lot of fragments and occasionally a whole shell. Supposedly it’s a good spot to snorkel though we’ve never tried here.

Snorkeling Beaches 

Culebra is beautiful place to snorkel with multiple reefs easily accessible from shore. The beaches along the southwest coast of Culebra are the best on the island for snorkeling.

Reserva Natural Canal Luis Peña.  A canal and  protected nature reserve separating Culebra and Cayo Luis Peña. It’s home to coral reefs, sea grass meadows, an abundance of sea life and views of Caribbean sunsets. 

Playa Tamarindo Grande.  A secluded beach along the Canal Luis Peña, accessible via the Carlos Rosario Nature Trail. Just offshore is a vibrant reef with all types of lively and colorful corals. For the best snorkeling, enter the water near the green beach sign at the center of the beach, swim about 25 feet out, then follow the reef to the left. Water shoes are recommended due to jagged rocks near the shore.

Carlos Rosario Nature Trail.  A nature trail leading from the parking lot of Flamenco Beach to Playa Tamarindo Grande and Playa Carlos Rosario. The hike is relatively easy, leading over a hilltop crest, taking about 20 minutes one way. Along the trail, watch out for skittish lizards, hermit crabs and the occasional gardener snake. 

Good to Know.  Stay on the trail as unexploded munitions from military testing are believed to be in the area. 

Playa Tamarindo.  A beautiful beach with salt and pepper pebbles and a narrow stretch of white sand. This easily accessible spot is popular place for snorkeling. A small and colorful reef home with tropical fish resides just offshore to the far left while a vast meadow seagrass meadow begins about 50 feet out. Sea turtles, eagle rays and reef squids can be seen gliding through these waters.

Playa Melones.  A small and unassuming beach with a rocky shoreline and breathtaking coral reef. Enter the water at the center of the beach then swim out and towards the rocks on the right. Beneath the surface are large formations brimming with colorful corals and tropical fish. Green, purple and yellow corals sway in the currents as fish swim between and lurk within crevices. It’s some of the best snorkeling on Culebra!

Good to Know

• Snorkel Gear.  Bring your own snorkel gear or rent it from Blue Water or Culebra Divers, both located next to the ferry terminal. 

• When to Snorkel.  The sea life is most active before 10am and an hour before sunset. 

• Sunblock.  Wear reef safe sunblock to avoid harming the corals.

• Underwater Camera.  Capturing photos underwater is possible with most smart phones and a specialty case. We used the Pictar Waterproof Smartphone Case available on Amazon. 

Places to Eat and Drink 

For a tiny island, Culebra has a range of great restaurants, cafes and bars, mostly centered around Dewey.

Dinghy Dock.  A popular restaurant overlooking the island’s inner bay, frequented by boaters on inflatable dinghies. Come here for tropical cocktails and fresh caught seafood dishes like grilled Mahi Mahi and Chillo Frito Entero (whole fried red snapper). Feed the scraps to the giant tarpon waiting dockside.  

Mamacita’s.  A lively restaurant and bar located along the narrow canal in the middle of town. It’s a favorite spot of ours to come for boozy cocktails and sharable appetizers like coconut shrimp, mahi mahi bites and tostones. Like Dinghy Dock, come here to feed the tarpon.

La Cocina del Navigante.  An elevated restaurant overlooking the island’s inner bay. Their kitchen specializes in seafood dishes like Caribbean lobster, filets of red snapper, shrimp stuffed mofongo and paella! 

El Batay.  A roadside bar and local hangout located halfway between town and the airport. Come here to play a game of pool, sip on drinks or order one to takeaway.  

Pan Cafe.  A very popular bakery serving pastries, breakfast sandwiches and coffee. Try the Mallorca, a bready Puerto Rican pastry shaped into a swirl and sprinkled with powdered sugar. 

Hotel Kokomo.  The perfect go to for an inexpensive meal or quick lunch, especially while waiting for the ferry. We’ve ordered fish sandwiches and empanadas. 

Black Flamingo Coffee.  Our favorite breakfast spot on the island. Come here for their coffee, homemade sourdough toast and breakfast tacos.

Culebra Coffee.  A coffee shop selling mango and acai bowls, egg dishes and baked goods.

Good to Know:

• Most places accept credit cards however it’s good to have cash. There’s an ATM in town near the ferry terminal.

• Make reservations at places you want to eat. Service ends early and places can book up.

• Be patient, people and businesses move slower here.

Grocery Stores 

There are two grocery stores on the island. Colmado Carniceria Milka, located in town and Colmado Costa del Sol, located next to the airport. Both offer all the basics and necessities of any grocery store. They’re also good spots to buy snacks and drinks for the beach. 

Getting to Culebra 

By Ferry.  Take the Puerto Rico Ferry from Ceiba to Culebra. It’s an efficient and cost effective way of reaching the island. The ferry operates on a strict schedule. You need to buy tickets at least 1 week in advance, especially if traveling on a weekend. It can take anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on the type of boat and sea conditions. 

Getting to Ceiba.  Preschedule an Uber or Lyft. Rides typically cost around $100 one way. The drive from San Juan to Ceiba takes on average 1 hour 30 minutes depending on traffic and time of day. 

By Plane.  Book flights on a puddle jumper through Cape Air. Flights take less than 30 minutes from San Juan. Roundtrip tickets can cost between $200 and $300 per person. Due to cost, we typically opt for the ferry.

Getting Around Culebra

Golf Cart Rentals.  A golf cart is the most efficient way to navigating Culebra on your own. UTV Rental PR offers a range of rugged club cars for $70-$85 per day   

Jeep Rentals.  Having a Jeep is helpful for getting around on your own schedule but can be expensive. We’ve rented from Jerry’s Jeep Rental and Carlos Jeep Rental on past trips for around $150 per day. It’s often more adoptable to rent a golf cart or call a taxi when needed.

Culebra Taxis.  Local drivers provide taxi services around Culebra. The typical ride costs $20 for up to 4 people. Expect to pay in cash or by payment link. Here are some reputable taxi drivers. 

• Angel (787) 455 1892

• Damaris (787) 455 1893

• Abner (787) 237 5313

On Foot.  Though Culebra is a small island, getting around on foot outside of the town is difficult but not impossible. Many people are friendly enough to stop and give you a ride. Carry a flashlight when walking at night. 

Where to Stay 

Having visited Culebra three time, we’ve camped, stayed in Dewey and further away along the bay. 

Mamacita’s Guest House. A hub for activity on Culebra and a lively place to stay in the center of town. The rooms are simple but well equipped for a relaxing stay. Make sure to visit the restaurant and bar for dinner and drinks. Book on Airbnb. 

Oceanfront Villa.  A vacation rental with panoramic views the island’s inner bay. The villa has private suites and shared balcony. It’s located about 20 minutes on foot from Dewey or 5 minutes by car. Book on Airbnb. 

Vieques

Vieques is an island 6 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. It’s home to a bioluminescent bay, free roaming horses, white and black sand beaches, turquoise swimmable water and marine reserves.  

Faro Puerto Mulas.  A small abandoned lighthouse overlooking Isabella Segunda. 

El Fortín De Conde Mirasol.  A small Spanish fort overlooking the town of Isabel Segunda surround a blue and orange painted museum. 

300 Year Old Ceiba Tree.  A sacred tree known for its age and impressive root structure. It’s located between the airport and Mosquito Pier.  

Mosquito Pier.  A mile long pier on the north side of the island. Come here to spot marine life including manta rays, sea turtles and jelly fish.

Paso Fino Horses.  The island is home to over 2,000 free roaming horses. They are tame and can be found walking the beaches, grazing in fields and along the road sides. Watch out for piles of horse manure. Various company’s offer riding tours along the beaches. 

Vieques National Wildlife Refuge.  A nature reserve that covers more than half the island and includes bays, mangrove forests, salt flats, hiking trails, beaches and coral reefs.

Things to Do 

Explore the Small Towns.  Vieques is home to two small towns on opposite sides of the island.

• Isabel Segunda. The main town on the north side of the island with the ferry terminal, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and souvenir shops.

• Esperanza.  A beach town on the south side of the island with restaurants, hotels, tour companies and a range of beaches. 

Crab Island Rum Distillery.  Visit the island’s on rum distillery! Crab Island produces 14 month, 3 year and orange flavored rums. Most bars and restaurants on the island serve their rum. Go to Bili for a Rum Island Iced tea made from all three! 

Go Stargazing.  Given the remote location and lack of city lights, the sky is often dark for brilliant stargazing. Download the free Sky Tonight app to identify constellations, planets and distant stars.

Kayak in the Bioluminescent Bay (Mosquito Bay).  Recognized as the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world. We came here to kayak at night to experience the bioluminescence. Immediately after paddling away in our kayak, the water began to sparkle around us, our paddle illuminated vibrant streaks of bioluminescence and swimming fish left a glowing trail behind them. It was truly an unreal experience that felt like the Manta Ray in Moana or a patronus charm in Harry Potter. Book with Abe’s Snorkeling and Bio Bay Tours. They offer snorkeling tours across the island and kayaking tours in the bio bay and mangrove channels. 

Beach Hopping 

Rent a car and spend time beach hopping across the island. Vieques is home to numerous beaches ranging in size, swimmability and accessibility. The most popular and swimmable beaches are on the south side of the island. The most remote are located in the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge.

Bastimento Beach.  A long meandering beach with turquoise water, a sandy shore, coral reefs, a protected tide pool and snorkeling on the north side of the island.

El Gallito (Gringo Beach).  A roadside beach with a sandy shore, short palm trees and views looking towards the mainland of Puerto Rico and Culebra. 

Playa Negra.  A semi remote cliff side black sand beach. There is a small parking lot nearby Playa Negra Fine Foods. Follow a trail to get here (technically a stream) and walk for 15 minutes until reaching the beach. It’s not the safest for swimming due to rocks and currents. It’s located on the south side just west of Esperanza. 

Playa Caracas (The Red Beach).  A beach with white sand, palm trees, turquoise water and shard gazebos. It’s located in the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge.

Esperanza Beach.  A popular beach nearby town on the south side of the island with kiosks, restaurants, bars and kayak rentals.

Sea Glass Beach.  A small beach to collect handfuls of sea glass within minutes of beach combing. It’s located in the town of Isabel Segunda. 

Playa Pata Prieta (Secret Beach).  A secluded beach popular for swimming and snorkeling. It’s a 10 min drive east of Playa Caracas. 

Playa Chiva (Blue Beach).  A long powder white sand beach with calm with turquoise and navy blue water. Come here to swim and snorkel. It’s a 5 min drive east of Playa Pata Prieta. 

Escondida Beach.  A small beach with some snorkeling. It can frequently be covered in sea weed. Located a 15min walk east of Playa Chiva. 

Playa Plata.  A semi private white sand beach with crystal clear turquoise water for swimming and snorkeling. Located a 5min drive east of Playa Chiva. 

Places to Eat & Drink 

Saint Voodoos Mar Azul.  A waterfront bar with a deck overlooking the Caribbean. Come here for cocktails and lite bites at sunset. 

Lazy Jacks.  A restaurant and bar near Esperanza beach for tacos, sandwiches, salads, beers and cocktails. 

Lydia’s Bakery.  A bakery with breads, sandwiches, pastry’s and coffee. 

Bili.  A restaurant with an impressive seafood menu including Caribbean lobsters, grilled mahi mahi and octopus. Come here for their Crab Island Long Island. 

Vieques Food Park.  A food truck park with several restaurants. We came to Rincon Cafe for breakfast and coffee. 

Bar La Nasa.  A beach front bar with cocktails, beer and music. 

Family Market Centró Ahorras.  A grocery store located in Isabella Seguda. Come here to stock up on water, beers and snacks before heading to the beach. 

Getting to Vieques 

By Air.  We booked a one way flight with Cape Air, from San Juan to Vieques. It’s a quick 20 min flight over the El Yunque rainforest and scenic way to travel. They offer multiple flights daily for around $100 one way. 

By Sea.  We booked our return trip on the Puerto Rico Ferry, from Vieques to Ceiba. From Ceiba we took an Uber to San Juan. One way ferry tickets cost $2 and the Uber costs around $100. 

Getting Around Vieques

By Car.  Vieques is a large island. The best way to get around, see all of the sights and explore is by renting a car. We booked with Maritza’s Car Rental for about $110 per day with insurance. 

By Taxi.  Taxis were readily available across the Island bringing people between Isabella Segunda, Escondida, the airport and accessible beaches. 

Where to Stay

Tropical Guest House. A beautifully decorated home in Isabella Segunda with a comfy bed, kitchenette, outdoor grill, beech chairs, umbrellas and snorkel equipment. Book here on Airbnb. 

Elsewhere in Puerto Rico 

Having visited Puerto Rico nearly 20 times, we’ve experienced many places across the island. Though we don’t live here, we consider ourselves non-local experts and one day hope to call this beautiful island our home. Experience Puerto Rican culture in the capital city of San Juan. Explore the colorful and colonial streets of Old San Juan. Head to the southern coast of Caribbean Puerto Rico. Hike the El Yunque Rainforest in Eastern Puerto Rico. Visit the surf towns along Western Puerto Rico. See the indigenous Taino sights of Central Puerto Rico. 

For Next Time…

Whether a spontaneous weekend trip or planned vacation, we will certainly be back to Puerto Rico many more times! We have our eyes set experiencing things we’ve missed during past trips to Vieques including: 

Mt. Pirata Observation Post.  Hike to tropical summit of the tallest point on Vieques measuring nearly 1,000 feet above sea level. 

Horseback Riding on Vieques.  We have our eyes set on a beach sunset horseback riding tour. 

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Bienvenidos al Viejo San Juan

Old San Juan is an enchanting, romantic, vibrant and historic neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The old town is lined with cobble stone streets, colorful colonial architecture, world famous cocktail bars, restaurants serving Caribbean cuisine and music playing during all hours of the day. It is rich in history, flanked by two fortresses and surrounded by a stone wall overlooking the North Atlantic. 

A Second Home

Puerto Rico has become a second home to us. From quick weekend getaways to month long trips, we’ve spent time exploring the island and immersing ourselves in so much of what it has to offer from the nature, cuisine and culture. This guide focuses on our time visiting and staying in Old San Juan. 

Neighborhoods & Streets

Calle San Sebastián.  This street is filled with colorful and vibrant colonial architecture and incredible nightlife. Multiple famous bars as well as a couple gay bars can be found here. 

Calle San Francisco.  This street runs central through Old San Juan and is a good place to start exploring. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, hotels, plazas and residences here.

Calle de la Luna.  Though all streets in Old San Juan are flanked with beautiful architecture, this one is one of our favorites to walk down. There are many colorful buildings, colonial balconies, unique door knockers and abandoned buildings that have been retaken by nature. 

La Perla.  A colorful seaside neighborhood located between the north wall of Old San Juan and the Atlantic Coast. Over the past years, the community in La Perla has turned their neighborhood into a destination filled with rustic bars, local hangouts and art. 

Sights & Museums 

Castillo de San Cristóbal.  This is one of the largest colonial military fortress in the Caribbean and marks the entrance to Old San Juan. You can easily spend a half day here exploring the barracks, fortress walls, guard towers and grounds. One of the fort’s hidden gems is a surviving drawing of Spanish ships drawn on the wall of a former prison cell deep with in the tunnels. 

Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro).  This is the oldest colonial fortress in the Caribbean and a great place to learn about the history and strategic importance of Old San Juan. Similar to San Cristobal, you can spend an afternoon here exploring the different levels and sections. The fort is perched on the NW side of the old town. It’s accessible after crossing a large lawn known for flying Chiringas or kites and food carts selling tropical flavored snow cones called Piraguas. 

Pro Tip.  The receipt from one fort gets you access to the other on the same day you visit.

Paseo del Morro.  A romantic seaside promenade that follows the old town’s wall. It is a beautiful place to walk, watch the sunset and look out towards the sea. We we’re incredibly lucky to see the Green Flash from here. It passes La Puerta de San Juan, the original entrance to the walled city and connects Paseo de la Princesa to the Maria Magdelana Cemetery. 

La Casa Estrecha.  A narrow house, measuring about 5 feet wide, with a vibrant yellow facade. Adorned with the Puerto Rican flag, the building is an iconic symbol of Old San Juan.  

Calle Fortaleza. This street is filled with shops and restaurants, ending at the Governor’s Palace, La Forteleza. It’s popular for it’s colorful umbrellas hanging above the street.

Paseo de la Princesa.  A palm lined seaside promenade along the south wall. There is a nightly market with salsa dancing, food trucks offering up fried foods and sweets, gazebos selling cocktails, and tented vendors selling homemade crafts.

Plaza del Quinto Centenario.  A plaza commemorating the 500 years since Columbus first voyaged to Puerto Rico. At its center is a tall totem made from fragments of clay pottery representing the violent first meeting between the indigenous Taino and European colonists. 

La Puerta de la Bandera.  A black and white painting of the Puerto Rican flag on the wooden door of a crumbling brick building. It symbolizes Puerto Rican resistance against injustice.

Callejón de la Puerta con la Bandera. A large doorway at the end of a blue cobblestone alley with a vivid painting of the Puerto Rican flag. It’s a very popular photo spot for both tourists and locals. Recently an artist added a colorful mural of Puerto Rican artists Bad Bunny and Elizam Escobar to the adjacent door.

Maria Magdelana Cemetery.  A beautiful seaside cemetery with above ground tombs, a large mausoleum and monuments dedicated to the dead. Its location between La Perla and El Morro along the coast is strategic to carry the deceased souls across the ocean into the afterlife. 

Museo de las Americas.  This museum focuses on pre-colonial and modern art and artifacts, the colonization of Puerto Rico and the island’s African heritage.

Capilla del Cristo.  A small but beautiful chapel dedicated to health and well being. People feed and pose with pigeons in the park adjacent to here.
Plaza das Armas.  Old San Juan’s historic town square with performers, a fountain, statues and pigeons. It’s a favorite spot of ours to grab a coffee and mallorca from the green gazebo in the northwest corner.    

Things to Do

Hire a Photographer.  Hire a photographer to take photos of you around the old town during the morning or evening golden hours. We booked with Raul at Rolo Photo PR and couldn’t have been happier with the outcome! 

Fly a Chiringa. The ocean breezes from the lawn in front of El Morro make it a great location and fun Sunday afternoon pastime. Kites can be bought from street vendors adjacent to the lawn. 

Visit the Farmers Market.  Located in front of the San Juan Museum every Saturday morning. It’s a great spot to purchase local produce, fresh baked breads and flowers.

Sunset Harbor Boat Ride.  A sunset cruise on a large pontoon style boat around the harbor of Old San Juan with historical info, snacks, rum punch and music. Book Here!

Vamos al la Playa

Playa Peña.  A secluded beach in Old San Juan, located on the other side of Castillo de San Cristobal. It’s a cute sand and rock beach below the cliff in front of the capital. The water isn’t safe for swimming. 

Playa El Escambrón.  A sandy palm covered beach between Old San Juan and Condado. It’s a popular beach for swimming, snorkeling, grilling and sunbathing. The best place to snorkel is the protected cove next to the Caribe Hilton. Come here in the morning to spot sea turtles feeding in the seagrass and tropical fish swimming among the underwater sculpture garden. There’s also the ruins of a small fort, Fortín del Escambrón, nearby. 

Places to Shop

Spicy Caribe. A spice store with hot sauces, spices and vanilla made from locally grown ingredients. 

El Mundo Taino.  A souvenir shop with locally made home goods, artwork, jewelry and coffee. 

John Napoli.  A kitchen supply store with a range of cookware and kitchen gadgets including Puerto Rican pilóns and calderos. 

U Go Market. A grocery store with produce, snacks, beverages, alcohol, beach-ware and sunblock. 

Puerto Rican Cuisine 

Chillo Frito Entero. A fried red snapper served whole with crispy skin, tender meat and squeezed with lime. It’s usually accompanied by fried plantains like tostones, mofongo or amarillos. 

Mofongo. Fried plantain mashed with garlic and butter. It’s often served plain or stuffed with an option of seafood. If prepared with bread fruit and yucca, it’s known as trifongo. 

Empanadillas. Puerto Rican style fried empanadas stuffed with a range of fillings like octopus, conch, cod, shrimp, crap and pizza. 

Pinchos. Grilled meats served on a stick often served at beaches or roadside kiosks. Our favorites are shark and shrimp. 

Mallorca. A Puerto Rican pasty often shaped like a bun or swirled roll and dusted in powered sugar. Our favorite preparations are pressed with guava with cheese or egg and cheese. 

Coco Frio. A cold and freshly opened coconut. Drink the coconut water inside then the sweet meat inside. Alternatively, enjoy it with coconut rum to create a tropical cocktail 

Rum. Puerto Rico is unarguably the rum capital of the Caribbean with several distilleries and local brands served in bars across the island. Order it on the rocks, in a Pina Colada or other tropical cocktail. 

Medalla. The island’s most popular local beer, recognizable by it’s small golden can. It has a light slightly nutty flavor and is served everywhere. Buy a 6 pack for the beach! 

The Food Scene 

A huge part of the culture in Puerto Rico involves eating, drinking and getting together with others. With that in mind, there are so many great places to eat and drink. Having visited Old San Juan several times, we’ve been able to try out numerous restaurants, cafes and bars. 

Pro Tip. It’s best to make a reservation whenever dining out in Old San Juan. 

Restaurants 

La Garita.  A restaurant and bar serving Puerto Rican dishes and rum cocktails with a view overlooking La Perla. Ask for a Pina Colada made with a double shot of Don Q, Puerto Rico’s most popular rum. 

El Jibarito.  Another restaurant serving Puerto Rican dishes. Come here for the whole fried fish and mofongo. 

La Madre.  A Mexican restaurant with delicious tacos. Eat outside on the pedestrian tree-lined street. 

Cayo Caribe.  A small local chain of restaurants serving Caribbean seafood. Try the Salmorejo (stewed land crab and tomatos). 

Genisis.  A late night restaurant with a fusion of Caribbean and Spanish cuisine. We had paella and sangria. 

Ladis.  A famous seaside restaurant built into the cliff between OSJ and Condado. Come here for seafood, cocktails and ocean views.

Señor Paleta.  A popular spot to buy fruit and dessert popsicles mid-day or after dinner.

Puerto Criollo. A Puerto Rican restaurant with classics like fried snapper, stuffed mofongo and octopus salad. They also service inventive tropical cocktails in unique glasses.

Al Fresco Rooftop Wine & Tapas.  A quiet place with a rooftop patio in the middle of Old San Juan. Come here for lite bites and wine. We shared a cheese board and bottle of bubbly. 

Otras Cosas.  A large outdoor restaurant to come for lunch, dinner and live music. Try the whole Caribbean lobster and coconut filled with coconut rum. 

Mar y Rosa.  A newly opened rooftop restaurant with el fresco dining and an elevated menu. Come here for the panoramic views at sunset, tasty cocktails and seafood menu with Korean & Caribbean influences. 

Cafes & Coffee Shops 

Cuarto Estaciones.  A green gazebo located in the Plaza de Armas serving coffee and pastries. We often come here for our first breakfast while in town, sitting under the shaded patio, surrounded by potted plants and chirping birds. Our usual order consists of iced lattes with canela and Mallorca with guava and cheese. They’re cash only. 

La Carreta.  Come here for the variety of sweet and savory breakfast dishes. Try an egg sandwich on Mallorca and a mimosa made from freshly squeezed OJ. 

Caficultura.  A good spot for breakfast and coffee, have the Mallorca con Guayaba (guava).

St Germain Bistro & Cafe.  A vegetarian friendly brunch spot with pancakes, toasts, sandwiches and burgers. 

Mallorca. A bakery specializing in its namesake, Mallorca. It’s unmistakable by its sign spelling out Mallorca in large red letters.

787 Coffee.  A coffee shop brewing Puerto Rican grown and roasted coffee beans. We discovered them on the East Village of NYC and visited their location near Escambron Beach while in Old San Juan.  

Pilao Bakery-Cafe.  Bakery with large portion breakfasts and coffee. 

Bien Papaya.  A coffee shop with Mallorca, smoothies and smoothie bowls right by San Cristobal. 

Don Ruiz.  A cafe in the Museo de las Americas with fresh roasted coffee and bottled beer.

C.B Restaurant.  A breakfast and brunch spot in plaza colon. Try the Boricua Morning Mallorca. 

Cocktail Bars & Nightlife 

La Factoria.  A famous cocktail bar in a dimly lit old world interior, connected to multiple other bars. One of our favorite drinks to order here is the Peligroso, made with Ron de Barillito, Campari, spices and lime. 

La Cubanita.  Connected to La Factoria, this bar is offers equally as good and unique cocktails. Our favorite section is the hidden bar up the stairs and though a door to the right. 

El Desvio.  A candle lit cocktail bar hidden within the passageways of La Factoria 

El Batey.  A late night dive bar with graffitied walls, a pool table and lights covered in notes, cash and napkins left behind from past visitors.

La Casita.  A pink house and outdoor cocktail bar serving rum and tiki drinks overlooking the bay. It’s a nice escape from the busy streets or to end the night.

Barrachina.  The location where the Piña Colada was invented. Come here for the classic cocktail and stay for lunch or dinner in their courtyard. 

Cannon Club.  A dueling piano bar with live parrots, multiple levels and eclectic decor. This place is more about the drinks and unique atmosphere than the food.

La Verguenza.  This multi-level bar overlooks La Perla is the center of nightlife in OSJ. The nightly party spills out into the streets and continues early into the morning. 

Scryer Rum Barrelhouse & Rooftop.  A small batch rum distillery and cocktail bar in Old San Juan with a wall of barreled rum. We drank cocktails here made exclusively from their house distilled rum under candle light during a city wide black out. 

Cafe Darsenas.  A blue gazebo on the Paseo de la Princesa with affordable drinks and light bites. We often come here for a frozen sangria to-go. 

El Vino Crudo.  A hidden wine bar tucked away on Callejón Gambaro. They pour natural wines and serve Spanish tapas late into the night.

Places to Stay 

We’ve stayed at a range of places in Old San Juan including apartments overlooking the ocean, a private room in a rum baron’s mansion, a ruin style apartment and a boutique hotel. 

Casa Luna.  A boutique hotel with range of apartment rentals and a rooftop terrace. It’s located in the middle of Old San Juan on Calle de la Luna. Book Here!

Cozy Historic Ruin Apartment.  A small apartment built within the ruins of a crumbling building.The space has character and charm that exemplifies the old town. Book Here!

PH Apt in Old San Juan w/ Terrace.  A comfortable and spacious apartment with a large private terrace overlooking the old town’s cobblestone streets and colorful buildings. Book Here!

Live Like a Rum Baron in a 200 Year Old Mansion.  An elevated apartment with private rooms and cozy communal spaces in a renovated colonial building. Book Here!

Getting Around

On Foot.  Old San Juan is very walkable and by far the best way to see the city. Be careful of the narrow sidewalks and cobble stones. 

By Uber.  Use Uber to get to/from Old San Juan from the airport or San Juan proper. Ubers are typically inexpensive. The best place for pick up and drop off is Plaza Colon at the entrance of the old town. 

Free Shuttle.  There is a free “shuttle” aka a large golf cart the shuttles people a loop in the old town.

By Car / Parking.  Traffic gets congested in and around Old San Juan. The best place to park in Old San Juan is Dona Fella, garage on the south side of the Old Town. Parking typically costs $1 per hour.

Elsewhere in Puerto Rico

Having visited Puerto Rico nearly 20 times, we’ve experienced many places across the island. Though we don’t live here, we consider ourselves non-local experts and one day hope to call this beautiful island our home. Experience Puerto Rican culture in the capital city of San Juan. Head to the southern coast of Caribbean Puerto Rico. Hike the El Yunque Rainforest in Eastern Puerto Rico. Visit the surf towns along Western Puerto Rico. See the indigenous Taino sights of Central Puerto Rico. Get off the mainland to visit the islands of Culebra and Vieques.

For Next Time…

Whether a spontaneous weekend trip or planned vacation, we will certainly be back to Puerto Rico many more times! We have our eyes set experiencing things we’ve missed during past trips around Old San Juan including: 

San Sebastian Festival.  A massive festival and street party held throughout Old San Juan in January to mark the end of the holidays with performers, a parade, street food, music and dancing. 

Tomb of Juan Ponce de León.  The tomb of the decisive conquistador credited with founding San Juan. His tomb is located inside of the Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista

Casa Blanca.  A 500 year old house in Old San Juan built for Ponce de Leon. It was converted into a museum with Spanish colonial artifacts.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan is a tropical metropolis that’s equal parts city and beach with skyscrapers and homes lining the Atlantic coast. Come here to spend leisurely afternoons on a sandy shore, under an umbrella or at a beach club. Explore the city’s cultural side at art museums, graffitied streets, historic sights and rum distilleries. Celebrate life like a Puerto Rican with Reggaeton music, salsa dancing, traditional dishes, tropical drinks or a local beer. 

Neighborhoods & Streets

Condado.  A seaside neighborhood with skyscrapers, hotels, restaurants, bars and beaches.

Miramar.  A residential neighborhood with historic homes and buildings built in The Spanish Colonial Revival style. It’s central to Old San Juan and Condado. 

Santurce.  A large area of San Juan home to art museums, food truck parks and the nightlife hubs of Calle Cerra and La Placita. 

Ocean Park.  A trendy yet local neighborhood popular for its beach and variety of restaurants and nightlife. 

Calle Loíza.  Ocean Park’s main street for brunch spots, open air restaurants, cocktails bars, surf shops and Loíza Brinca, a famous corner building featuring the Puerto Rican flag.

Cataño.  A neighborhood a quick ferry ride across the harbor from Old San Juan with a waterfront boardwalk home to several restaurants and bars. The ferry operates from the cruise docks hourly throughout most of the day for just a couple of dollars. It’s a popular place to visit for the Bacardi Factory from. 

Piñones.  A food hub known for Puerto Rican and Caribbean cuisine just outside of San Juan. The main street, located along the Atlantic coast, is lined with dozens of restaurant, bars and kiosks. We hopped from place to place and ordered crab empanadillas, cod alcapurrias, coco frio and rum punch. 

Vamos a la Playa

Atlantic Beach.  A sandy beach great for swimming nearby the hotels in Condado. There are no public amenities (restrooms or showers) though vendors rent umbrellas and chairs for negotiable prices. There is frequently a gay section in front of The Tryst Hotel. 

Playita del Condado.  A beach located next to the Puente dos Hermanos between the Condado Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. The water is calm enough for swimming and snorkeling with chair rentals for lounging on the beach.

Ocean Park Beach.  This vast beach is probably the most popular in San Juan. Everyone from locals, tourists, families and couples come here. There are plenty of restaurants, marine sports and activities, chair and umbrella rentals and vendors selling drinks on the beach.

Numero Uno Beach Hotel & Restaurant.  A beach club located at Ocean Park Beach. Come here for a relaxing day under the shade of an umbrella or palm tree while watching kite surfers ride the wind and waves. Order the beach vibes package, it includes two chairs, an umbrella, bottle of bubbly and bag of chips and salsa.

Isla Verde Beach.  A large crescent shaped white sand beach with calm turquoise water, palm trees, beach rentals and hotels.  

Pine Grove Beach.  A beach between Island Verde and Ocean Park Beaches. It’s popular for beginner surfing with surf schools and rentals.  

Sights & Museums 

Fortín San Jerónimo de Boquerón.  A small fort at the mouth of the Condado Lagoon. The visiting hours are infrequent due to repairs post Hurricane Maria. It’s worth visiting if open. 

Puente Dos Hermanos.  The bridge crossing the Condado Lagoon connecting to Old San Juan. It’s beautiful to walk across with great views. There is also a ledge making it easy to jump from into the lagoon. The Condado side has a small sandy beach, Playita del Condado. 

Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico.  A well curated and diverse collection of Puerto Rican art and history. After touring the galleries, walk through the sculpture garden. 

Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico (MAC).  A contemporary art museum with rotating galleries specific to social movements, local artists and Puerto Rican heritage. 

Things to Do

Visit a Rum Distillery.  The two distilleries to visit are the Bacardi Factory or Ron del Barrilito. Both offer similar experiences. Bacardi is large scale production while Ron de Barrilito is small batch and higher end. Arrive to a welcome drink, learn about the history of each distillery, their processes of rum making and afterwards take a mixology class, sample aged vintages or simply order cocktails from the bar. Either way, expect to leave tipsy.  

SUP or Kayak in Laguna de Condado.  Tour companies based around the lagoon offer SUP and Kayak rentals for $20/hour. The lagoon is a boat free place to spot eagle rays, star fish and sea turtles. We booked though VIP Adventures Puerto Rico.

Dance Salsa.  We’ve taken two salsa lessons, learning the history and basics from our instructor, Angelina, while sipping on rum punch. Afterwards, we headed to a salsa bar in La Placita for dancing and drinking. Book Here!

Calle Cerra

Calle Cerra is a gritty street with large murals and graffiti covered walls. The surrounding neighborhood is home to many hostels, restaurants, cafes & bars. The area becomes a center for nightlife on weekends. Hundreds of people gather at in the street and at bars as live music and reggaeton echos throughout the neighborhood. Some of our favorite spots are:

Esquina El Watusi.  This bar is the heart of the nightlife scene in Santurce. Come here to join hundreds of people gathered in the street out front and ordering from the bar. Drinks are strong and inexpensive. 

Machete.  A bustling yet vibey cocktail bar with well priced drinks and a menu of flavorful bites. To drink, try the Vampiro for something smokey or House Daq for something fruity. To eat, order the ceviche and pulpo + fries! 

Botánico.  A spacious cocktail bar with an interior patio decorated in florals. Come here for an escape from the high energy atmosphere of other bars along Calle Cerra. Try the Flora or Mezcal Botanical. 

Pro Tip.  Wear pants and shoes to avoid being turned away at bars.

La Placita

La Placita is a cultural hub. It is a place to buy local produce during the morning, where elderly locals gather during the day and an energetic place to meet people, drink late into the evening and dance Salsa. The plaza is surrounded by lively restaurants and bars.

The Produce Market.  Located inside the Plaza de Mercado in the center of the plaza. We used a machete to cut plantains from the bunch, picked out limes to make our own cocktails and selected a ripe papaya for lunch. 

La Tasca del Pescador.  The place to go for seafood. In the heart of La Perla. We ordered the snapper, squid Ink rice & grilled prawns.

Asere Cubano Kitchen and Bar.  A fusion of Cuban and Puerto Rican cuisine with a roof top bar overlooking the plaza. 

La Alcapurria Quemá.  A restaurant and bar specializing in the famed Puerto Rican street food, alcapurria. We ordered a variety including ncluding crab, cod and vegetarian. 

Jungle Bird.  A cocktail bar serving tiki and tropical island drinks.

Taberna Los Vázquez.  An energetic salsa bar with live music and cheap drinks. 

Boronía en la Placita.  A restaurant serving Creole cuisine like mofongo, gumbo and seafood.

Puerto Rican Cuisine 

Chillo Frito Entero.  A fried red snapper served whole with crispy skin, tender meat and squeezed with lime. It’s usually accompanied by fried plantains like tostones, mofongo or amarillos. 

Mofongo.  Fried plantain mashed with garlic and butter. It’s often served plain or stuffed with an option of seafood. If prepared with bread fruit and yucca, it’s known as trifongo.

Empanadillas.  Puerto Rican style fried empanadas stuffed with a range of fillings like octopus, conch, cod, shrimp, crap and pizza. 

Pinchos.  Grilled meats served on a stick often served at beaches or roadside kiosks. Our favorites are shark and shrimp. 

Mallorca.  A Puerto Rican pasty often shaped like a bun or swirled roll and dusted in powered sugar. Our favorite preparations are pressed with guava with cheese or egg and cheese. 

Coco Frio.  A cold and freshly opened coconut. Drink the coconut water inside then the sweet meat inside. Alternatively, enjoy it with coconut rum to create a tropical cocktail.

Rum.  Puerto Rico is unarguably the rum capital of the Caribbean with several distilleries and local brands served in bars across the island. Order it on the rocks, in a Pina Colada or other tropical cocktail. 

Medalla.  The island’s most popular local beer, recognizable by it’s small golden can. It has a light slightly nutty flavor and is served everywhere. Buy a 6 pack for the beach!

Places to Eat & Drink

From beachfront restaurants to food truck parks and cocktail bars, there is no shortage of great places to stop for a meal or drink in San Juan. Some of our favorites are: 

Cafes & Coffee Shops

Wicked Lily.  A beach front bar and restaurant at The Tryst Hotel. Come here for brunch, rent a pink umbrella and join the other gays soaking up the sun. 

Café Comunión.  A coffee shop and breakfast spot. Come for the coffee, open faced sandwiches and fresh sugar glazed donuts

Tostado.  A coffee shop breakfast spot. Come for the coffee, tropical fruit, French toast and egg dishes.

Musa.  A funky brunch spot with egg dishes, French toast and mimosas 

La Coffeetera.  A breakfast spot with dishes like pancakes and egg scrambles. Order the eggs Benedict on a Hawaiian roll or the stuffed avocado. 

Restaurants

La Cueva Del Mar.  A Puerto Rican seafood restaurant with a range of dishes like whole fried red snapper, ceviche, creole style shrimp, fish filets and fried plantains. 

Bottega.  We came for the inventive cocktails and music. We had the Safe Flight, Ritmo Tropica, El In-Muerto and shared the octopus salad. Lucha Libre DJ really added to the vibes of the night.

Casita de Miramar.  A romantic restaurant serving elevated Puerto Rican cuisine. We dined here one evening on their outdoor porch. For our meal, we enjoyed plantain soup, mini bacalaitos, arroz de montosteo cooked with house made pique, a whole fried red snapper, and for dessert, tres leches made with coquito.

Paulina Escanes Gormandize.  We’ve dined here twice, for bunch and dinner, tasting a range of items across the menu including mallorca with egg, cheese and avocado, corn bread soufflé, tacos and Tiradito (Peruvian sashimi) on a tostada. 

Container Bar.  One of several waterfront restaurants and bars in Cataño nearby the ferry terminal. Try the crab salad arepas and enjoy a medalla. 

Food Truck Parks.  Quite popular across Puerto Rico, three go-tos in San Juan are Tresbé, Lote 23, and Miramar Food Truck Park.

La Marqueta.  An open air food hall with ocean views and palm trees. It’s a great spot to grab a bite or drink after visiting the lagoon or beach. 

Cocktail Bars & Nightlife 

Pinaloca.  A walk-up window in Condado serving Pina coladas in pineapples. 

Oasis.  A gay bar and tapas restaurant near Condado beach with late night music and dancing 

El Bar Bero.  A barbershop themed bar with barber chairs, mustache art and smokey cocktails.

Kane Rum Bar.  A tiki bar in Condado with lux tropical vibes, cocktails and bites. Order a classic tiki drink like the Zombie, Mai Tai or Painkiller along side light bites like a vegan Hawaiian pizza, tropical ceviche or sesame seared tuna.

Places to Stay 

We’ve stayed at a range of places in San Juan including airbnbs like a private room at a hostel and an apartment style inn. 

Casa Santurce Hostel.  A hostel with dorm and private rooms in San Juan’s arts district. It offers affordable rates and near nightly activities. Book Here!

Casa del Caribe Inn.  A small family run hotel in the heart of Condado. It’s large apartment style rooms are perfect for a weekend getaway. Book Here!

Cool Tripper’s Inn.  A boutique hotel near Ocean Park Beach with tiny yet well designed apartments. Book Here!

Getting Around 

On Foot.  Old San Juan is best explored on foot! You can walk straight from end to end in less than 20 minutes. Spend time walking though the streets, admiring the architecture, discovering bars, dancing in the plazas and finding neighborhood gems.

By Shuttle.  There is a free shuttle or multi row golf cart that weaves through the streets southern streets of Old San Juan and along the perimeter towards El Morro. 

On Scooter.  There are rental scooters available around the streets of San Juan. Download the Bird app and scan the scooter’s QR code to ride. 

By Uber.  Ubers are the best way to get to and from the airport and throughout San Juan.

By Car / Parking.  Rent a car if you plan on exploring outside of San Juan. Though expensive, it’s still the most affordable way to get around.

Elsewhere in Puerto Rico

Having visited Puerto Rico nearly 20 times, we’ve experienced many places across the island. Though we don’t live here, we consider ourselves non-local experts and one day hope to call this beautiful island our home. Explore the colorful and colonial streets of Old San Juan. Head to the southern coast of Caribbean Puerto Rico. Hike the El Yunque Rainforest in Eastern Puerto Rico. Visit the surf towns along Western Puerto Rico. See the indigenous Taino sights of Central Puerto Rico. Get off the mainland to visit the islands of Culebra and Vieques.

The Mayan Jungle

The Mayan Jungle

Deep within the lush jungles of Belize and Guatemala are some of the Mayan civilizations most sacred sights. Ancient acropolises reside at the center of lost cities while overgrown ruins and towering pyramids rise from the dense jungle canopy. Sacred caves and their vast chambers entomb sacrificial remains and historic artifacts. Remote towns offer places to taste local cuisine, meet over travelers and reenergize in nature. 

Caracol Mayan Ruins 

Caracol is an ancient Mayan city within the Belizean jungle. It’s ruins and acropolises are comprised of pyramids, ball courts, astronomic observatories, royal tombs, reservoirs and hieroglyphs. 

The Sky Palace.  A three tiered pyramid named Caana, which translates to “Sky Palace.” It has remained the tallest built structure in Belize for over 3,000 years! We climbed steep stone steps to its upper level, explored its rooms, crawled into a royal tomb and looked across Belize and into Guatemala from above the jungle canopy. 

Astronomical Acropolis.  Astronomy was one of the cornerstones of the Mayan Civilization. They built structures to track the solstices, study the stars and connect to their gods. The astronomical acropolis at Caracol is one of the most significant to be discovered. It’s flanked by temples, pyramids and a ball court. 

Wildlife Spotting.  The remoteness of the archeological park emphasizes the ancient and abandoned nature of the site. As we explored, we heard the billowing grunts of howler monkeys and spotted the reclusive Quetzal, Guatemala’s national bird. 

Caracol Tour.  We visited Caracol on a small group tour from San Ignacio, traveling about two hours along back roads through dense jungle to reach the ruins. The tout included a local lunch of rice & beans, fried plantains, spiced & stewed tofu and drank rum punch. We booked with Maya Walk Tours through Viator. 

Tikal National Park

Once the epicenter of the Mayan civilization, Tikal is the largest Mayan city ever constructed. Formerly home to 150,000 people and more than 2,000 structures, it’s now dramatically reclaimed by nature. Its ruins reveal the achievements, ceremonies and eventual collapse of the ancient Maya. Nature trails link towering temples, buried mounds and ongoing excavations while wildlife such as toucans, parrots, spider monkeys, and foxes roam the surrounding forest. We explored the ancient wonder on a cross border day trip from Belize to Gatemala. 

Temple of the Double Headed Serpent.  A ceremonial temple and the largest at Tikal. It’s crumbling ruins rise 70 meters from the jungle canopy. Stairs lead to its upper levels with views of the expansive jungle canopy and distant temples protruding from it. We imagined what the city must have looked like from this vantage point during its peak. 

Fun Fact.  The view from this temple is made famous by s scene in Star Wars when the Millennium Falcon landed on the rebel moon base of Yavin 4.

Temple of the Jaguar Priest.  One of the tallest temples at Tikal. It’s upper levels rise from the jungle canopy while it’s base is overgrown with vegetation. The temple is not accessible bt can be viewed through the trees below and from Temple IV. 

The Lost World Complex.  A large ceremonial complex with multiple temples, pyramids and an astronomical acropolis. It’s largest pyramid has an observation deck overlooking several nearby temples and pyramids across Tikal.  

The Talud Tablero Temple.  A temple within The Lost World complex featuring architectural influences from the Teotihuacan civilization. Climbable steps lead up its wide base and sloped levels to an exposed room at its top. 

Plaza of Seven Temples.  A linear astronomical acropolis with seven pyramids and temples designed to track the solstices and study the stars. Many of the structures remain overgrown and only partially exposed. 

The North Acropolis.  The most well preserved and recognizable acropolis at Tikal. Its central plaza framed by multiple pyramids, residential structures and a ball court. Once home to Mayan royals and the burial site of past rulers, it features tombs and stelae. The complex is largely free to explore, including the opportunity to climb two of its pyramids for sweeping views of neighboring structures and close-up looks at their detailed carvings and hieroglyphs.

Temple of the Great Jaguar.  The most picturesque pyramid at Tikal residing at the center of the North Acropolis. It’s ten level stepped sides lead to a throne room at its top. Though non-accessible, the temple can be view from the plaza and Temple II

The Temple of Masks.  A large stepped pyramid with a shrine at its upper level featuring eroded carvings of two masks. It offers the best views of the North Acropolis and 

Getting Here.  We visited Tikal with Belize Family Excursions on a day trip from San Ignacio. Our tour included transportation across the boarder of Belize and Guatemala, free time to explore the ruins and lunch at a local restaurant in Guatemala. 

Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave

Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) is one of the most sacred places to the ancient Mayans, considered the entrance to the underworld. The sprawling cave system features an underground river and breathtaking rock formations. The chambers of the cave contain sacrificial human remains and Mayan pottery. The cave is well protected, with only a limited number of visitors permitted to enter per day.

The Entrance of the Underworld 

A hike through the jungle and across three shallow rivers leads to the entrance of the cave. A striking blue river flows from the darkness of its mouth. We swam inside with headlamps lighting the way. We squeezed through tight crevices and water filled passages before entering wider chambers and climbing over rocks as the river moved around us. Along the way, we admired clusters of stalactites and stalagmites used as musical instruments, like a xylophone, by the ancient Maya when tapped on. We scrambled up to a cliff to access the cave’s vast second half.

Ceremonial Chambers 

At this point, we removed our shoes and continued in our socks out of reverence of what awaited. We stepped into a massive cathedral like chamber with columns of rock, sparkling stalactites and mineral pools. Countless pieces of 1,000 year old pottery lay all around us, many of which remained mostly intact. Carved stalagmites cast shadows said to depict stories of Mayan gods. As we moved deeper, we encountered skeletal remains of sacrificial victims, including skulls and the bones of infants, culminating in the haunting sight of two calcified and exceptionally well preserved skeletons at the chamber’s furthest reach.

Mayan History

The ancient Mayans visited Actun Tunichil Muknal to make sacrifices in hopes the gods would provide water and end an extensive drought. When the rituals failed, the Mayan’s abandoned many parts of Belize and Guatemala leaving behind the ruins of their ancient cities.

Good to Know

• Less than 200 people are allowed in per day. We booked ahead of time with Maya Walk Tours on Viator.

• Phones, cameras, food and water bottles are prohibited. Photos provided are courtesy of Maya Walk Tours. 

• The trailhead to ATM is located over an hour from San Ignacio by car. 

• Like our tour of Caracol, it included a similar lunch. 

• You will get wet! Bring an extra pair of clothes and shoes to change into. 

Rio Frio Cave 

A sacred cave with a massive entrance, chamber and series of rock formations, including one resembling the profile of a monkey.  The ancient Maya believed the god of rain, Chacc, resided here, often appearing as a cloud of mist exiting the cave in the early morning. Visits are usually included on excursions to Caracol. 

Rio in Pool

Relaxing in Belize’s mountain rivers is a popular local pastime. The Rio in Pools are natural river pools formed in the bedrock of the Rio Frio. Contrary to the name, the pools are not cold but quite tepid. They are surrounded by a pine forest known as the pine ridge mountain. 

Western Belize 

Even in more remote areas of Western Belize are small towns and cities with thriving local culture, markets, restaurants and festivals. 

Cayo District.  A jungleous region of Belize on the west side of the country bordering Guatemala. It is home to lush terrain, underground rivers and most notably, Mayan ruins and temples. 

San Ignacio.  The main city in the Cayo District with a local and backpacker vibes. It’s a hub for eco activities and excursions on both sides of the Belize and Guatemalan boarders. 

Burns Avenue.  A pedestrian street in the center of San Ignacio with hostels, shops, restaurants, bars and tour operators. We visited in early may during the Cinco de Mayo Festival. The street was decorated with colorful banderas and came to life at night with music, fireworks and vendors selling street food. We ate papusas, tortas, and sambusas while sipping on margaritas and the local beer, Belikin. 

Bullet Tree Falls.  A remote town 5km from San Ignacio in the middle of the jungle only accessible by dirt road. We stayed here at the Mahogany Hall. 

Places to Eat & Drink

Lola’s Restaurant and Bar.  An outdoor patio perched on the hill overlooking San Ignacio. The menu was heavily seafood based. We ordered the herbed fish, blackened fish, conch & octopus ceviche as well as a few cocktails.

Ko Ox Han Nah.  A popular restaurant for Belizean cuisine made from local ingredients, mostly sourced from the San Ignacio Market. We ordered the whole fried red snapper and garlic rum shrimp with sides of coconut rise. 

Booze and Branches.  An open air bar circling a large tree with twinkle lights and linen draped pergolas made from branches. They offered classic cocktails like margaritas, mojitos, sangria and rum-ritas.

Guava Limb.  A locally recommended restaurant on Burns Ave with a fusion of foods from Belize and South East Asia as well as brick oven pizza. We spent hours here chatting with a new friend, Jacob, who we met during our excursion to Actun Tunichil Muknal.

Coffee de los Mayas.  A coffee shop with a walk-up counter located on Burns Ave. 

San Ignacio Market.  A daily farmers market held near the center of town from 6am to 5pm. Local vendors set up stands selling vegetables, fruits, honey, souvenirs and street food. Come here for breakfast at Magaly’s Fast Food, sorrel (hibiscus juice) & horchata (sweetened rice milk).

Belizean Cuisine  

• Fry Jacks.  Deep-fried pieces of dough served with refried beans and tropical fruit.

• Salbutes.  Deep fried corn tortillas topped with veggies or meat. 

• Pupusas.  A white corn arepa stuffed with various fillings or toppings. We had the bean and cheese pupusas. 

• Escapeche.  Chicken and onion stewed in a curry sauce. We were offered a vegetarian version made with tofu during lunches on our excursions. 

• Sorrel.  Hibiscus juice. 

• Marie Sharps.  A popular habanero hot sauce seen on nearly every dining table throughout Belize. 

• Belikin.  Belize’s national beer with a Mayan temple on its label. 

Where to Stay

We stayed at, Mahogany Hall, an eco hotel along the banks of the Mopan River in the town of Bullet Tree Falls. It was a peaceful location in the middle of the tropical jungle. Our room was accented with mahogany furniture with carvings of jaguars, toucans and tropical plants. The hotel has a restaurant, bar and infinity pool. We enjoyed breakfast here most mornings and a Belikin by the pool during the evenings. 

The Mopan River.  While here, we joined locals and waded in Mopan River to cool off from the afternoon heat. We lounged on the shallow river bed as the current gently passed by and tropical birds chased each other over head.  

Getting Around 

Airport Shuttle.  We shuttled to and from the airport and our hotel in Bullet Tree Falls with Belize Family Adventure through Viator. Transportation took less than two hours and was a good way to see the countryside.

Excursions.  All of our excursions included transportation. We were either picked up from our hotel or at the operator’s office before being shuttled to our destination.

By Taxi.  In San Ignacio, taxis were easy to find and would more than often find us. Identifiable by their green license plates with white letters. We took the number of one taxi driver, Apellio, who quickly became our driver while in town.Taxis cost $20-25 Belize Dollars ($10-$12.50 USD) between Bullet Tree Falls and San Ignacio. 

On Foot.  San Ignacio is a relatively small town and can be easily walked on foot.

Good to Know

Currency. The Belizean Dollar and US Dollar are used interchangeably across the island. At the time, the exchange rate was 1 USD to 2 BLZ, making conversions and transactions easy. 

Cash vs Card.  Carry cash for for taxis, snacks and tips. 

Language.  English is the most commonly spoken language in Belize. Spanish is most commonly spoken in Guatemala. 

Drinking Water.  Tap water is not safe for consumption due to risk of contamination. Only drink filtered or bottled water. 

Elsewhere in Belize & Guatemala 

Explore our guide on the Caye Caulker for an island escape in Belize or our guides on Lago Atitlán and Antigua for volcanic landscapes and cultural experiences in Guatemala.

For Next Time…

We fell in love with the jungle, Mayan ruins and culture of Belize and Guatemala. We will certainly be back one day and have plans to visit more locations across both countries. 

Altun Ha.  A Mayan acropolis with pyramids, temples, ball courts and platforms on the mainland north of Belize City. 

Tikal Sunrise Hike.  An early morning hike in Tikal to watch the sunrise from the top of the famed pyramids. We saw photos of the colorful sunrise, layers of morning mist and dramatic ruins peak from jungleous canopy below.

Flores, Guatemala.  A picturesque island city on Lago Petén Itzá known for it’s colorful architecture and proximity to Mayan ruins. 

Caye Caulker, Belize

Caye Caulker, Belize

Caye Caulker, Belize is a small Caribbean island with a tropical atmosphere and laid back way of life. The slow and sleepy vibes are emphasized by the islands motto “Go Slow.” Its sand covered streets, named after marine life, are lined with colorful wooden buildings, many of which are elevated on stilts. Conch shells decorate yards as palm trees sway above and pelicans flock overhead. Reggae beats play from beachfront bars, tours depart for the Belize Barrier Reef and locals sell handmade shell jewelry. The island is touristy but not overly developed allowing it to retain its character. 

The Belize Barrier Reef

The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest coral reef in the world, stretching hundreds of miles along the Caribbean shores of Belize. The reef’s multi-hued blue waters are home to vast coral formations, low lying atolls, mangrove islands and tidal sand bars. The reef is teeming with all manner of marine life, making it a popular spot for snorkelers like us as well as divers, fishers and sailors. We were able to experience the reef from above and below, flying over parts of its expanse to The Blue Hole and snorkeling in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. 

Seven Spot Snorkeling Tour 

We booked a snorkel tour stopping at seven points around Caye Caulker and The Great Belize Barrier Reef, including Shark Ray Alley and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. 

The Coral Gardens.  A healthy reef home to a variety of colorful coral formations. Corals sway in the gentle currents as schools of tropical of fish swim past. 

Hol Chan Marine Reserve.  A protected marine reserve with an vast array of biodiversity and sea life. Our guide led us through an underwater “snorkel trail” to spot some of the reserve’s best sights. Between the giant coral formations, he pointed out countless species of marine life including a moray eel, barracudas, parrot fish, angelfish, blue striped grunts, horse eye jacks, sea fans, giant anemones, conches, christmas tree worms, sea urchins, sand dollars and a puffed up pufferfish with the scariest green eyes. 

Shark Ray Alley.  A grassy sandbar and feeding area with dozens of nurse sharks. We snorkeled and swam alongside them as they circled the boat and came within feet of us. Green sea turtles grazed in the open field of seagrass while small fish swam around pockets of corals. 

The Sunken Barge.  An underwater wreck now overgrown with lively corals and schools of colorful, striped and tropical reef fish. We snorkeled above the wreck and watched as fish swam in and out of holes in the ship. 

On our return to Caye Caulker, we stopped at Manatee Point, Tarpon Cove and Stingray Beach to spot manatees, tarpon, stingrays and seahorses. The full day tour included fresh fruit, lunch, rum punch and snorkel equipment. We booked with Salt Life Eco Tours on Get Your Guide. 

The Great Blue Hole Fly Over Tour 

The Great Blue Hole is a perfectly round geological formation famed for its deep blue color contrasted by lighter blues of the surrounding shallows. It was created by an underwater sink hole that collapsed and filled with seawater, giving it its color. We flew over it as if in a trance, circling from different altitudes on both sides of the airplane. In route, we flew over cayes, small islands, atolls, corals reefs and drop offs that created an intense spectrum of blue hues ranging from aquamarine to bright blue, turquoise, deep blue and navy. Looking out the windows, we were mesmerized by the blue beauty of the Caribbean and Belize Barrier Reef. The flight lasted about an hour. Though expensive, it is a sight worth seeing! We booked directly with Maya Island Air. 

Things to Do 

Sunset Tiki Bar Cruise.  In love with all things tiki, we joined several others aboard the “Pontiki,” a pontoon boat converted into a floating tiki bar with a palm thatched roof and side skirt, bamboo railing, kitschy tiki decor, one of a kind tiki mugs and bamboo straws. Most importantly, the cruise included the booziest rum punch made with Belizean rums. For nearly two hours, our captain boated us around the Caye, refilling our tiki mugs and bringing us to the perfect spot for a Caribbean sunset. We booked with Nina’s Pontiki Cruises on Viator. 

Visit The Split.  The Split is a narrow channel separating the north and south sides of Caye Caulker. It is the informal center of the island and common departure point for tours. Visit The Lazy Lizard,  a beach club with an outdoor restaurant, expansive bar and music venue. Their pier is lined with colorful wooden lounges, tables shaded by thatched umbrellas and a ladder with a diving platform. 

We spent an afternoon lounging along the pier with tropical cocktails and lunch. Try the frozen coconut mojito and spicy margarita. After working on our tan, we swam around and snorkeled in the aquamarine waters, spotting stingrays, conch and starfish. At night, we returned for their Full Moon Party where we danced in the sand and howled at the full moon as live DJs spun House and Reggae music.

Feed or High Five a Tarpon.  Tarpon are giant ”bone fish” that grow up to several feet in length. On the west side of the caye is a small boardwalk where they swim around waiting to be fed. For $5 BZD, buy some bait, hold it above the water and wait for one of the giant fish to quickly jump out and snatch it from your hand. Alternatively, hold your hand just above the water and wait for one of the tarpon to “high five” your hand. It’s a common stop on snorkel tours. 

Spot Stingrays & Seahorses at Stingray Beach.  A small beach at the Iguana Reef Inn with palm shaded lounges, a thatched bar and habitat for stingrays and seahorses. We stopped in for rum cocktails and took our pick of the many lounges set up along shore before relaxing in the overwater swings and hammocks. While here, we spotted yellow and brown seahorses slinking alongside the pier and giant stingrays fluttering through the shallows near shore. It’s a common stop on most snorkel tours. 

Belizean Cuisine 

Belizean cuisine on Caye Caulker is influenced Caribbean and West Indies flavors. Restaurants barbecue the day’s fresh catch on street side grills, beach shacks serve savory fried foods, dishes are flavored with jerk seasonings, coconut, curry and spicy hot sauces. Dishes to try are Jerk and coconut shrimp, whole fried and grilled red snapper, grilled Caribbean lobster, conch fritters, conch and shrimp ceviche, coconut rice and curried seafood.

• Fry Jacks.  Deep-fried pieces of dough typically stuffed with refried beans served at breakfast. 

• Pupusas.  A corn masa arepa stuffed with various fillings like black bean and cheese, topped with a pickled cabbage and carrot slaw. 

• Johnny Cakes.  Sweet coconut and vanilla biscuits. 

• Marie Sharps.  The national hot sauce made with habanero and carrot. It’s available everywhere.

Places to Eat & Drink 

For a tiny island, there is no shortage of places to eat and drink! We visited several spots during our week on the Caye for local cuisine and island bites. 

Ice n’ Beans.  A coffee shop and cafe with breakfast sandwiches, fresh baked banana bread, rum balls and mini donuts. We quickly became regulars here during our week on the Caye, sitting at the yellow picnic tables under the palm trees with seaside views of the Caribbean. 

Errolyn's House Of Fryjacks.  A popular breakfast spot to try Belizean Fryjacks. Order any combination stuffed with refried beans, eggs, bacon, chicken, ham and cheese. Don’t forget to top it with house made green salsa! 

Pelican Sunset Bar.  The spot to watch the sunset, enjoy rum cocktails and feast on Caribbean seafood!We saw the sun set as leopard rays fluttered through the water, sipped on happy hour rum punches and ordered the island’s best conch fritters, whole fried red snapper and grilled lobster. Arrive an hour before the sunset to claim a table or sit along the dock with your feet dangling in the water. 

Big Titty Rum Bar.   A rum bar with a variety of house made and infused rums. With friends, we ordered a spread of daiquiris from classic, habanero, tamarind and grapefruit coconut. We came back near nightly for a final drink or shot of rum.

Las Palapas.  A higher end restaurant with surf and turf dishes and a full wine menu. It has a beachy and romantic vibe with a sand floor, wooden furniture and warmly lit chandeliers all under a thatched roof. We ordered the curry seafood and snapper filet. We came here for our friend’s engagement dinner and were not disappointed by quality of the food nor the service. 

Reina's.  We were lured in on our first night in town by a street side barbecue with fresh lobsters, red snapper and shrimp sizzling on its grates. We sat on rickety wooden furniture inside the beach style shack with sand below our feet while sipping on a Belikin as our food grilled. The restaurant is first come first serve but is worth the wait. Arrive just after opening to get first pick of the day’s fresh catch.

Roy’s Blue Water Grill.  One of the many seafood bar and grills on the Caye. We came here for dinner in hopes of tasting their well reviewed lion fish. Though they were sold out, we enjoyed fried cod fritters, snapper filets and coconut curry veggies.  

Hebbie Jeebies.  A street side bar with a menu of tropical rum cocktails like the rum runner, painkiller, mojito, piña colada or island favorite, Lizard Juice, made with Caribbean rum, pine apple juice and neon green Curaçao. Cocktails are served frozen or on the rocks. For an extra cost, they can be served in a coconut or pineapple! 

Nicco’s Ice Cream.  An Ice cream parlor with Belizean flavors like coconut, chocolate, tequila rose and sugar corn. The layer of which, literally tasted like sweet corn. 

Belize Chocolate Company.  A chocolate shop with Belizean chocolates including artisan truffles, brownies, cookies, chocolate bars, hot chocolate and cocoa nib tea.

Caye Caulker Bakery.  A bakery famed across the Caye for their cinnamon rolls. We stopped in on our last day for two of the spiraled and glazed cinnamon pastries. 

Belizean Rums & Beers 

Belizean rums and beers are popular across the country and often very affordable compared to anything imported. The most popular Belizean rum is Caribbean Rum. It’s available in clear, amber and coconut flavored varieties, all perfect for mixing in cocktails. The two most popular Belizean beers are Belikin and Land Shark. 

Belikin.  Belize’s national beer, baring the country’s most famed Mayan ruin, Caracol, embossed on its bottle. Its flavor is light but very bready. 

Land Shark.  A very easy drinking light beer with a slightly citric flavor. 

Caribbean Fusion Brewing Company.  The islands only brewery with brews influenced by the flavors of the island. We visited their second floor taproom and ordered a flight:

• Tropical Seltzer.  The house spiked seltzer made in a variety of tropical flavors like lime, fruit punch and pineapple. 

• Pale Ale. A classic beer with a rye forward flavor.

• Belgian Ale 1.  An ale with a slightly sour flavor close in flavor to a hefeweizen.  

• Belgian Ale 2.  An ale with a darker color and molasses flavor. 

• IPA.  An IPA with a very lightly hopped flavor and sweet finish. 

• Stout. A coconut flavored stout made with coconut water.

Where to Stay

Rik's Getaway Cabin.  We stayed at the most perfectly appointed tiny house on the south side of Caye Caulker in a very local area of the island. Perched on stilts, the tiny house included a full kitchen, queen sized bed, spacious bathroom with washer & dryer, board games, a tv and an outdoor deck with a ledge for dining. Book on Airbnb.

The Treetops Hotel.  A boutique hotel with spacious apartment style rooms equipped with full kitchens. The property has its own private beach, a rooftop patio, outdoor pool and free bike rentals. We visited our friends staying here to cook together, lounge on the beach and sip on rooftop cocktails. 

Getting Here 

The only ways to reach Caye Caulker is by ferry or airplane. Ferries and flights operate between Caye Caulker, San Pedro, Belize City and Chetumal, Mexico. 

San Pedro Belize Express. Ferries depart daily a frequent times between 6am and 5pm. We booked tickets online arriving in Caye Caulker from Chetumal, Mexico with a stop in San Pedro for customs. We departed from Caye Caulker, arriving in Belize City where the ferry operator shuttled us to the international airport.

Pro Tip.  Don’t worry about missing your scheduled ferry time. As long as tickets remain unused, they’re valid for up to three months at any time slot. 

Maya Island Air & Tropic Air.  The two main airlines with a fleet of puddle jumpers operating flights between Belize City, Caye Caulker, San Pedro and The Blue Hole. Flights are often fast and scenic but expensive. 

Getting Around 

There are very few cars on the island. Golf carts and bikes are the main form of transportation on the island, however it’s also easily walkable. 

On Foot.  It takes 30 minutes on foot to travel between the caye’s furthest points, the airport and “The Split.” Wear flip flops or sandals to walk through large puddles and pools of water after rain. 

By Bike.  Bikes are an easy way to get around the island. Most hotels offer free bike though there are some rentals in town for around $10 USD per day. 

By Taxi (Golf Cart).  It takes 10 minutes by golf cart to travel between the island’s furthest points, the airport and “The Split.” Taxis only cost a few USD and are commonly available. 

Good to Know 

Currency. The Belizean Dollar and US Dollar are used interchangeably across the island. At the time, the exchange rate was 1 USD to 2 BLZ, making conversions and transactions easy. 

Cash vs Card.  About half of the island is cash only, especially at smaller restaurants, bars and cafes. 

Language.  English is the most commonly spoken language. Spanish and Creole are frequently spoken between locals. 

Drinking Water.  Tap water is not safe for consumption due to risk of contamination. Only drink filtered or bottled water. 

Happy Hours.  Most bars have happy house from 4-7pm, perfect timing after retuning from a tour.

Dinner Hours.  Most restaurants and kitchens close between 9-10pm nightly. 

Toilets.  Like most places in Central American, the plumbing is not the greatest. Used toilet paper is not flushed but put in a bin next to the toilet. 

Reef Safe Sunblock.  Only use reef safe sunblock on the island or in the water to avoid harming the corals and marine life. 

Safety.  Caye Caulker is extremely safe! The locals are some of the friendliest and most down to earth people we have ever met. 

Drugs.  Locals commonly offer and sell drugs on the streets. They’re not pushy about it. Simply tell them no thank you if not interested. 

Elsewhere in Belize 

Explore our guide on the Mayan Jungle for travel ideas along the country’s interior and western boarder. 

For Next Time… 

This was our second trip to Belsize and we’re already dreaming of returning to this beautiful country to experience more it its culture, nature and history! When we return, we plan to visit some of the coastal cities and Mayan ruins. 

Hopkins.  A seaside village home to the Garifuna, the indigenous and Afro-Caribbean people of Belize with a rich culture. 

Placencia Peninsula.  A fishing village and beach town with white sand beaches.

Altun Ha.  A Mayan acropolis with pyramids, temples, ball courts and platforms on the mainland north of Belize City. 

Lamanai.  the ruins of a Mayan temple only accessible by boating deep into the jungle.

Antigua, Guatemala

Antigua, Guatemala

Antigua is a picturesque and historic city with colonial era streets, a lively cultural scene and views of imposing volcanos. The city’s charm invites travelers to admire its Spanish colonial architecture and explore the remains of crumbling ruins. The bustling food scene and cafe culture make Antigua a wonderful place to taste traditional Guatemalan dishes and coffee. Vendors at artisan markets sell handmade crafts, colorful textiles and vibrant ceramics. Backpackers stay at local hostels and study at Spanish language schools. Overnight hikes lead to summit of nearby volcanos including the explosive, Volcán de Fuego. 

A Colonial Gem

Dating back nearly 500 years, Antigua is the Spanish colonial gem of Guatemala. Landmark sights, museums, ornate cathedrals and crumbling ruins built of stone, brick and plaster line Antigua’s grid of cobble stone streets. Warmly painted facades ranging in tones of red, ochre, yellow and cream alternate from building to building. Carved wooden doors often lead to lush shaded courtyards occupied by restaurants and cafes. Popular terraces boast views overlooking the clay tiled roofs, cathedral spires and imposing volcanos. 

Colonial Sights 

Santa Catalina Arch.  A famous yellow arch and clock tower stretching over the cobblestone street and framing Volcan de Agua. Come just after sunrise for the best view without groups of people.

Catedral de San José.  A cathedral built into the ruins of Catedral de Santiago. Its grand white facade with intricate plaster work, niches containing statues and large wooden doors spans the eastern width of Parque Central. 

Parque Central.  A park and plaza at the center of Antigua with benches, trees, gardens and a mermaid fountain with water spraying from her breasts. Locals come to relax with their families, vendors sell ice cream cones, guides offer walking tours and shoeshiners polish boots. It’s surrounded by restaurants, cafes, shops and colonial landmarks. 

La Iglesia de Merced.  A baroque style church with a yellow facade decorated in finely detailed white stucco ornamentation of grape vines and bunches. La Merced remains one of the few undamaged churches to survived from the centuries of earthquakes.

Iglesia del Carmen.  The crumbling ruins of a church held together by supports and scaffolding. It’s in accessible but can be admired from out front of it’s baroque facade. 

Tanque la Union.  A yellow arched pavilion and former colonial laundry well turned into a public fountain and park.

Cerro de la Cruz.  A hilltop hike to a viewpoint overlooking Antigua, the volcanos, mountains and valley. It’s popular at sunset or the early morning. The hike takes 10-15 minutes from the entrance guarded by police.

Crumbling Ruins 

Antigua is an architectural and archeological play ground with ruins of colonial buildings & churches destroyed during centuries of earthquakes. 

Catedral de Santiago.  The ruins of a massive cathedral characterized by its collapsed domed ceiling revealing the sky above. Many arches of the domed ceiling remain, held up by towering brick and stone columns, some of which are still embellished in delicate plaster moldings and flourishes.  

Iglesia La Recolección.  Destroyed beyond repair, a lone arch and set of stairs lead to this former church where only the walls remain standing. Within its sanctuary are toppled columns, massive pieces of brick masonry and plaster debris. The ruins can be explored and even climbed on, making for a photogenic picture. The remaining grounds encompass two courtyards with the ruins of a convent. 

Convento de San Capuchinas.  A former convent turned into an art museum. The grounds contain an interior courtyard, the ruins of a church, a butterfly garden and a circular building of nun’s cells complete with creepy nun mannequins. Exhibits display a collection religious artwork, pre-colonial artifacts, broken statues and stone masonry.

Convento Santa Clara.  The ruins of a church and convent with an ornate stone facade and crumbling cloisters surrounding a lush garden courtyard. The beautiful setting doubles as an event space for dreamy weddings.  

Iglesia de San Francisco.  A restored church with a partially collapsed facade and grounds with the crumbing ruins of a former monastery used by the friars. With in the grounds are lush gardens home to nesting green parrots and walkways leading to a second floor with views of the volcanos.

Iglesia San Jerónimo.  The ruins of a former church. All that remains is a grassy courtyard with a restored fountain and some accessible cloisters.  

Museums 

Museo de Arte Colonial.  A colonial art museum with galleries of religious paintings and artifacts. The museum is one of the few buildings not destroyed during the 1773 earthquake and featured on the 100 Quetzal bill.

Museo Nacional de Arte De Guatemala (MUNAG).  A Guatemalan art museum adjacent to the Parque Central. It includes paintings of the country’s landscapes, Mayan people, Guatemala’s declaration of independence, iron cannons, religious artwork and pre-Colombian artifacts.

Artisan & Local Markets

Parque la Merced.  Located outside of La Iglesia de Merced, this park is brimming with food and craft vendors. It’s one of the best places in the city to find every kind of Guatemalan street food or sweet imaginable. A fountain with fish reliefs relocated from Iglesia de San Francisco is located here.

Mercado Central.  A large market with a maze of aisles and booths under a patchwork tin roof. Locals come here for every day necessitates including produce, meats, flowers, shoes, clothes, electronics, appliances, toys, etc. There are restaurant stalls in a food court style pavilion. We brought home fresh purple corn tortillas from here. 

Mercado de Artesanias.  A beautiful handicrafts market with vendors selling colorful textiles, painted ceramics, wooden objects, jade jewelry and souvenirs. Come here to haggle and buy something locally made. We bought mugs, a tortilla blanket and an ornament. 

Mercado de Artesanias El Carmen.  A handicrafts market with aisles of vendors selling locally made items and souvenirs. It’s located next to the ruins of Iglesia El Carmen.

Volcanic Landscapes 

Antigua is flanked by dormant and actives volcanos providing a breathtaking landscape that creates a postcard style backdrop to the city’s colonial era streets. 

Volcán de Fuego.  Known as “The Volcano of Fire,” Fuego has been continuously erupting since 2002 with bursts of lava and clouds of ash spewing from its summit every 15 to 30 minutes. Views of its eruptions can be regularly seen from Antigua both day and night.

Volcán Acatenango.  The twin volcano to Fuego and tallest of the 3 surrounding Antigua. Many backpackers hike and camp overnight on its slopes to witness Fuego’s eruptions up close. 

Volcán de Agua.  A dormant cone shaped volcano to the south of Antigua. The best views of its summit are during the early morning before clouds settle in. 

Overnight on Acatenango

Volcán de Acatenango should be on every backpacker’s wish list! We joined a guided group to hike it’s slopes, camp overnight, witness unclose eruptions of Volcán de Fuego and watch a beautiful sunrise. It was one of the most physically exhausting things we’ve done but equally rewarding.

Hike to Basecamp 

The hike to basecamp started at Aldea la Soledad, a small village an hour outside Antigua. It marks the trail head of La Ruta de Acatenango. It brought us through different terrains and micro climates. We began our assent on a trail through farmland and steep dirt stairs. Climbing in altitude, we reached the cloud forest, a wooded area with tall moss covered trees, ferns, slippery trails and constant fog. The fog began to lift the further we hiked, completely clearing by the time we reached the pine forest. This forested area is covered pine trees, tall grasses and colorful wildflowers. The hike took 5 hours to reach basecamp.

Acatenango Basecamp

Basecamp was our home for the night and starting point for our hike to the crest of Fuego and the summit of Acatenango. We “slept” in a small A frame style shack, cuddled up to keep warm. The guides kept a small fire lit for warmth and to prepare camp meals. 

The Volcano of Fire

The campsite offered direct views of Volcán de Fuego and its frequent eruptions. During the day, the volcano billowed grey clouds of ash into the blue sky. At night, the red glow of lava rocketed through the air followed by a deep boom and crackling as it spilled down its slopes. Shockwaves from larger eruptions could even be felt in our chests! 

Hike To the Crest of Fuego 

The hike to the barren and black crest of Fuego began from basecamp, passing through pine forest to the saddle between both volcanos. Beyond that point, the ascent grew steep and unstable, with loose gravel and exposed roots. Clouds began to settle as the sun set, blocking views of the summit. After waiting in cold, wet and windy conditions without a clearing, we retuned to basecamp, stopping for brief rests as to glimpse ash, lava and embers pierce the clouds. 

Summit Sunrise

The hike to the summit of Acatenango began a 4am. The sun rose quickly afterwards, illuminating the cloud dappled sky and volcanic landscape in brilliant colors of purple, red and orange. Soon after, we began our descent and return to Antigua. 

Things to Keep in Mind

Hire A Guide.  Guides are not required to hike Acatenango but are helpful when navigating the route. We joined a guided group through a local operator on Viator.

Porters.  There are options to hire a porter to carry your equipment and gear. 

Vendors.  There are vendors along the trail before the pine forest selling snacks and beverages. 

Cash.  Bring plenty of cash for the additional hikes, snacks, beverages and tips 

Gear to Pack.  Bring your own gear or rent equipment from your guide.

• A 30 to 40 liter backpack 

• Hiking shoes/boots

• Warm clothes and layers (thermals, sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats, puffer, waterproof outer later)

• 2-3 liters of water

• Trail snacks 

• Sleeping bag and pillow

• Headlamp or flash light 

• Sunblock 

• Toilet paper 

• Hand sanitizer 

• Sunglasses

• A power bank 

Volcanic Farmland 

Antigua’s fertile volcanic valleys make it ideal for growing a range of crops including coffee, cacao and macadamia nut. We visited, Valhalla Farm, A sustainable and organic macadamia nut farm with free tours, tastings, a restaurant and spa. We came here for a full body macadamia nut oil massage after our overnight hike to Volcán de Fuego. It was so relaxing and therapeutic! The farm tour included a walk around the grounds to see the macadamia nut trees, learn how they’re harvested and processed. Afterwards, we sampled macadamia nut products like roasted nuts, chocolates, baked goods and oils. 

Cafe Culture

Antigua has a bustling cafe culture with many small cafes, coffee shops and breakfast spots brewing Guatemalan grown and roasted coffee beans. 

Bakery San Martin.  A cafe and bakery with fresh breads, cookies, and carafes of French pressed Guatemalan coffee. Come for the “Desayuno Antigueno,” which includes scrambled eggs with onion and tomato, breads, fried sweet plantains, refried beans and tortilla with cheese. 

El Gran Cafe.  A small coffee shop for Guatemalan coffee and light pastries. We brought home two bags of whole beans. 

12 Onzas.  A cafe for Guatemalan pour over coffee, light pastries and classic breakfast dishes. 

Places to Eat 

We quickly learned that Antigua has a thriving food scene with restaurants serving traditional and contemporary Guatemalan dishes, authentic street food and vegan or vegetarian options. Most restaurants in Antigua have a garden courtyard, rooftop or terrace and interior dining room. 

Los Tres Tiempos.  A colorfully decorated restaurant with a lush outdoor terrace and menu including traditional brunch dishes. Try the sweet corn pancakes covered in a creamed corn sauce, the chilaquiles with white & blue corn chips and red & green sauce or the fruit platter with pineapple, papaya and water melon. 

27 Adentro.  A restaurant with a modern take on Guatemalan and Latin dishes. It has a garden courtyard and rooftop with views of Volcán de Fuego. We saw a large eruption with lava from here. There are many vegetation options including pepián, sopa de maíz, tostone cups and sangria. 

La Fonda Calle Real.  Around lunch time, the smell of pan fired masa wafting from the store front comal invites passersby in. The romantic interior has an open air courtyard with a canopy of flowering vines. The menu consists of traditional Guatemalan dishes. We tried the vegetarian pepián, chile relleno and plantains con mole. 

Saberico.  A vegetarian friendly garden restaurant with a sprawling outdoor patio and menu of contemporary Guatemalan dishes. We ordered the beet & cabbage tostadas, chile relleno and kombucha cocktails.

Antojito Salvadoreño.  An unofficial restaurant specializing in pupusas. Call ahead to order and wait outside of the Condominio Arcadas for pick up. We ordered cheese and bean pupusas with a canoa de platano. 

Frida’s.  A Mexican style restaurant themed after Frida Kahlo with portraits of the artist pictured throughout. The menu specializes in tacos and margaritas. We tried the veggie tacos, crispy broccoli in poblano mole and seitan al pastor tacos with pineapple. For drinks, the spicy mezcal margarita and hibiscus mezcal margarita. 

El Adobe.  The eye-catching entry with a display of colorfully painted Guatemalan wooden masks invites passersby in for a look at the menu. The restaurant serves traditional Guatemalan and Mayan inspired dishes. We ordered the blue corn tortillas with cheese and salsa, fried black beans and a whole fried fish called Mojarra. 

Places to Drink

Together with a brewery, speakeasy, dive and rooftop bar, there is no shortage of places to find a drink in Antigua. 

Antigua Brewing Company.  A brewery with local beers and city views from their terrace. We sampled a flight of beers. Two favorites are the Fuego IPA, a very hoppy brew, and the Canchona Blonde Ale, a refreshing and slightly nutty ale.

Ulew.  A dimly lit speakeasy with a stone and brick interior located behind a phone booth in the Antigua Brewing Company. Mixologists make drinks based on your flavor preference. We ordered spicy but balanced tiki style drinks that came out in a volcano and wave mug.

Cafe No Se.  A dive bar for beer and mezcal. The menu is handwritten on cardboard, candles dripping in wax light the interior and the walls are covered in signatures and stickers. We drank and played chess at a table in the corner. 

Adra Hostel.  Come to their energetic courtyard and rooftop for local beers, cocktails and live DJ. 

Guatemalan Cuisine

There are so many authentic dishes to try when visiting Antigua. Some of our favorites include traditional ingredients like corn masa and plantain.  

• Pupusas.  A griddle fried masa patty filled with beans and cheese or meat. 

• Chile Relleno.  A stuffed poblano pepper that’s been breaded and deep fried. It common to be stuffed with cheese or rice, beans and vegetables.  

• Pepián.  A spiced stew made with a base or green or red tomatoes. I can be vegetable or meat based. 

• Sopa de Maíz.  A creamy corn soup. 

• Tostones.  Twice fried and smashed green plantains, often served with a salsa. 

• Purple Corn Masa.  Purple corn used to make any corn based dish like tortillas or pupusas. 

• Platano con Mole.  A sweet plantain that’s been fried and covered in a savory sweet mole sauce. 

• Canoa de Platano.  A whole sweet plantain that’s been deep fried, cut open like a canoe and filled with a sweet cream sauce. 

• Mojarra.  A popular Central American fish. It’s commonly served whole fried with lime. 

• Gallo.  A lager and the beer of choice across Guatemala, recognizable by it label picturing a rooster. 

• Nispero.  Popular at fruit stands and in dishes at restaurants. Small orange fruits with a citrus peachy flavor, a thin skin and pit. Try them fresh, jammed, canned or in a sauce. 

Where to Stay 

Antigua is a large backpacker destination with apartment rentals and hostels throughout the city. We stayed in a centrally located Airbnb at the El Solar Apartments. The apartment was a renovated ruin with exposed brick, stone walls, wooden beams and artwork of the city. 

Getting Around 

Guatemala City to Antigua.  Book a transfer between Guatemala City and Antigua with a reputable local agency like Due South Travels. They safely shuttled us between the airport and our stay in Antigua during late night hours.  

On Foot.  Antigua is a very walkable city. Exploring it on foot is the best way to see the colonial sights, crumbing ruins and volcanic views. 

By Taxi.  Yellow cabs and Ubers are readily in Antigua. They’re an affordable way of reaching nearby locations. Always confirm the price and destination before getting into the taxi. 

Good to Know

• Water:  Tap water is not drinkable. 

• Cash vs Card:  Many businesses are cash only. 

• Safety:  We found the city to be safe and people to be very welcoming and friendly. 

• Language:  Spanish is widely spoken, many people speak English and some speak Mayan.

• UV Protection:  Wear sunblock. The higher altitude makes the sun’s UV stronger.

Elsewhere in Guatemala 

Explore our guide on Lago Atitlán, Guatemala and The Mayan ruins of Tikal in our guide to San Ignacio, Belize. 

For Next Time… 

• Flores, Guatemala.  A picturesque island city on Lago Petén Itzá known for it’s colorful architecture and proximity to Mayan ruins.

• Monterrico.  A beach town along Guatemala’s Pacific Coast known for its black sand beaches and annual sea turtle migrations.

• El Paredón.  A sleepy surf town along Guatemala’s Pacific Coast with black sand beaches and great year round surf conditions. 

Lago Atitlán, Guatemala

Lago Atitlán, Guatemala

Lago Atitlan is a fresh water lake in a volcanic crater of Guatemala’s lush and rugged highlands. Its shores are surrounded by conical volcanos, nature preserves, coffee farms and small pueblos home to Mayan cultures, indigenous peoples and backpackers. 

San Juan de la Laguna 

San Juan de la Laguna is a pueblo with an authentic and vibrant local culture known for its handicrafts and artistic traditions preserved by indigenous women. Buildings throughout town are painted with colorful murals depicting the women and their artistry. The main streets are decorated in canopies of umbrellas, banderas and string lights. Cafes, bakeries, textile shops, art galleries and roof top restaurants with views of Lake Atitlán are common places to taste the local culture.

Los Calles de las Sombrillas.  A series of painted streets throughout the pueblo with a canopy of colorful umbrellas, banderas and string lights hanging overhead. The most vibrant street leads from the ferry dock into town, passing craft and souvenir stores, cafes serving Guatemalan coffee, galleries selling colorful paintings and walls painted with vibrant murals depicting the local culture. 

Market Municipal.  A small produce market along La Calle de las Sombrillas with vendors selling fresh vegetables, produce, dried peppers, eggs, herbs and lake fish. We bought groceries for the week to cook Guatemalan meals in our hotel’s traditional kitchen. 

SOL 4.  The main road that passes through San Juan. After the last ferries leave for the day, this road becomes the epicenter of activity for locals. Whole families gather for dinner as street food vendors fill the air with aromas of grilled meats, fresh made tortillas and burning charcoal. Brightly illuminated chicken buses roar past, announcing their presence with the honk of a train horn.

Iglesia Católica San Juan La Laguna.  A historic but simple stone church in the center of town with dual bells. The plaza in front of it is a popular spot for street food vendors selling pollo con papas (chicken with fries), choco-fruitas (chocolate covered fruits), pan dulces (sweet breads) and micheladas. 

Traditions & Crafts

Indigenous women keep Mayan traditions and crafts alive. Throughout the pueblo, women are seen wearing colorful handwoven textiles, often seen making tortillas on streets and weaving inside shops and collectives.

Licor Marron Chocolate.  A Guatemalan chocolatier with traditional chocolate making classes, tastings and history lessons about cacaos importance to the ancient Mayans. During an hour long class, we began by separating hundreds of dried cacao beans by size to roast in a traditional clay comal (frying pan). An intoxicating chocolate aroma wafted from the beans as they popped and cracked under the heat. Once fully roasted, we separated the husks by hand and pulverized the beans on a traditional grinding stone. We tasted tea made from the husks and ancestral hot chocolate made from the cacao grounds mixed with molasses sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. We bought a few hand pressed bars and large pellet on ancestral chocolate used to make our own hot chocolate at home.

Casa Flor Ixcaco Weaving Cooperative.  A female owned weaving cooperative with demonstrations of the textile making process. During the demo, a weaver began by separating seeds from raw cotton, beat the cotton fibers to soften them, spun them into yarn and dyed them in a turmeric bath. Using a back strap loom, she continued weaving a piece that was weeks in the process. The cooperative has a store with textiles made by the women, including clothes, bags, home decor and blankets. Each piece has a tag with a photo and name of the woman who made it, the type of cotton it’s made from, the dyes that were used and how long the item took to make.

Mundo de Abejas Mayas.  A bee farm and honey producer with an interactive garden home to hives of various species of stingless bees. We visited and tasted over a dozen types of pure and infused honeys made from local ingredients. We bought a jar of crystallized honey spread to smear on toast and sweeten herbal tea. Their shop sells all types of bee products including candles, honeys, pollen, raw honey combs, royal jelly, bee venom, honey wine and soaps. Despite its name, the bee farm has nothing to do with Mayan culture. It’s focused on the sustainable harvesting of honey and preservations of bees endemic to Guatemala.

Asociación Q’omaneel.  A traditional medicinal garden commonly grown by Guatemalan women at home and used to make teas, soaps and oils to treat various ailments from stomach aches, joint pain, burns, stress, etc. We bought a tea that’s supposed to help with sleeping made from dried stems, leaves and flowers. We steeped it nightly and mixed it with our crystallized honey from Mundo de Abejas Mayas. 

Hiking & Lookouts 

Cerro Cristalino (Nariz del Rostro Maya).  A mountain peak popular for its sunrise hike overlooking Lake Atitlán, the surrounding volcanos and pueblos. Starting at 4am, we hiked with a local guide from the trail head to the summit. We passed through farmland with avocado trees, coffee plants, black beans and corn stalks, reaching the lookout 30 minutes later. Surprised to be the first to arrive, we took front row seats to watch the sunrise! 

The San Pedro, Tolimán and Atitlán Volcanos create a silhouette set against the dark blue and purple star covered sky. Below, twinkling lights from the pueblos dot the lake. Further in the distance the volcanic chain continues with Agua, Acatanango and Fuego. Every several minutes, we saw the red glow of lava erupting from Fuego and giant plumes of ash rising above it. First light appears with dim reds, turning to oranges, pinks and yellows as the sun rose above the volcanic landscape and reflected in calm the lake. As the sun rose, we were served coffee in clay mugs and conchas for breakfast. 

The tour included a round trip transfer from our hotel in San Juan to the trail head. We booked with Tours with Vick on Viator. 

Good to Know.  From San Juan, the mountain crest looks like the profile of a face looking upwards. It’s named after a beloved Mayan woman and local legend. Tourists commonly call the mountain, “The Indian’s Nose.” This is considered disrespectful to locals and best avoided. 

Places to Eat & Drink

Cafe Las Marias.  A tiny coffee roaster with a cafe on its second floor serving and bold brews of Guatemalan coffee prepared in various styles including drip, aeropress and Turkish. The cafe is semi-hidden in an alley. Once finding it, ring a bell to be let in. The intimate cafe only has two tables and boasts views of Cerro Cristalino. They offer full breakfasts and do occasional coffee roasting demonstrations but there’s no set schedule.

Jaque.  A second floor restaurant above a gallery with an outdoor patio overlooking Lake Atitlán and the San Pedro Volcano. The menu features a range of pizzas, seafood and vegetarian dishes. We ordered a Mojarra Frita (whole fried fish) and garlic shrimp with fresh made tortillas and two bottles of the local beer, Gallo.

Restaurante MayAchik’.  An eco hotel and restaurant on the outskirts of town with homemade vegetarian and vegan dishes. We ordered the Tacos de la Casa made with hibiscus flowers and Chapín, a local soup made from chile peppers, tomato and cilantro. Both were served with locally grown avocado and handmade tortillas. For dessert, we shared a plate of fried plantains covered in a spicy and chocolaty mole with a garnish of toasted sesame seeds.

Santa Catarina Palapó

A small pueblo known locally for its traditional handicrafts and patterned buildings painted in shades of blue. It’s lesser visited and nearly untouched by tourism allowing it to maintain a strong sense of authenticity. We followed a combination of cultural routes leading through town past various sights including viewpoints, museums and artisan shops. Similar to San Juan, many of the shops are women owned cooperatives used to keep the local traditions alive and to allow them to earn an independent livelihood. 

Proyecto Pintando Santa Catarina Palapó.  A small but fascinating cultural center dedicated to the town’s efforts of painting all of its buildings in a range of blue hues and patterns reflective of the local Mayan people. Blue represents the primary color of the local textiles and the symbols represent nature including birds, butterflies, fish, corn, the volcanos and lake. We bought a clay Christmas ornament painted to look like a local house. 

Casa Museo.  A simple museum dedicated to the town’s cultural history and way of life with four small exhibits. One discusses the history, traditions and legends of the communities in Santa Catarina. The second is a replica ancestral home adorned with artifacts, furnishing and personal belongings. The third is a mock Temascal, a traditional Mayan sauna and bath. The fourth is a Mayan betting game named Patolli. Filed down beans are used as dice and rolled to move a token twenty-some places forward before the other player. The museum has a rooftop restaurant and cafe with views of the town’s center, built up hillside and lake flanked by volcanos.

Iglesia Santa Catarina Palapó.  A small windowless church in the center of the pueblo with a white painted facade, wooden doors, clay tiled roof and motif of two lions holding up a blue circle. 

Centro Cultural Santa Catarina Palapó.  A small museum dedicated to the textiles of the community. It’s explains the history, colors and meaning behind the traditional textiles worn by the locals. Red colored textiles were the most traditional. Shades of blue later became popular. Today, it’s a mix of those colors and many others that represent the individual weavers own style. There is a textile shop on the second floor with women weaving on back strap looms.

Fábrica de Velas y Cerería Sajvin.  A traditional candle maker with various styles and colors of handmade candles. The shop owner explained the process of how the candles are dipped, colored and molded using bees wax and paraffin wax. We bought strings of pink and blue candles for 15Q each. 

San Pedro de Atitlán

San Pedro a larger pueblo at the base of the San Pedro Volcano. It’s locally known as backpacker destination and for its nightly party scene. The roads parallel to the lake are busting with expats, travelers, hostels, restaurants, cafes and bars making it a popular place to visit and stay. Further into the pueblo, we discovered the local side of town. We walked along the quiet winding streets listening to locals speaking Mayan and watched as they mixed mass to make tortillas. The pueblo is more Catholic than many of the others we visited. Simple murals of bible verses are contrasted by colorful ones depicting Mayan and indigenous culture. 

Tzunun' Ya'.  A museum dedicated to the history and people of San Pedro as well as Lake Atitlán’s geological formation and volcanic past. One of the most interesting parts of the exhibit was a black and white film from 1941 of life in the pueblo. Several aspects remained the same including women wearing traditional clothes and carrying objects on their heads as well as men fishing from small wooden boats and carrying heaps of firewood on their backs. 

San Pedro Playa Pública.  A public beach looking over the lake, skyline and volcano. It’s a simple beach popular with locals and backpackers. We came here to layout, listen to the waves and picnic. 

La Ventana del Lago.  An elevated lake view restaurant with seafood dishes and Guatemalan cuisine. It’s a little out of place for a backpacker’s town which inadvertently made it a quiet spot for a date night. We dined by candle light, ordering the Mojarra Frita (whole fried fish) and Caldo de Marriscos (seafood soup).

Backpacker Bars

• Sublime.  A large bar overlooking the lake with nightly events, daily happy hours, well made cocktails, local beers and simple but tasty dishes like vegetarian nachos. We ordered the watermelon mojito and pineapple sunrise. 

• 420 Reggae Bar.  A local bar with a backpackers vibe along the main road displaying a well curated wall of spirits used to make classic cocktails all for 25Q. 

• Shanti Shanti.  A restaurant and bar overlooking the lake. We stopped in for spiked fruit smoothies made with pineapple, muskmelon, watermelon, run and vodka.

San Pedro Volcano 

A 3,000 meter high conical shaped volcano covered in farmland and lush forest on the shores of Lake Atitlán beyond the pueblo of San Pedro. 

Hiking the Volcano 

A trail leads from the welcome center through farmland with crops of coffee, avocado, corn and squash. As we hiked up, farmers harvested firewood, carrying large bundles down on their backs. Beyond the farmland, the trail passed through forest, providing shade most of the route up. The path is well maintained, paved in occasional sections with cement stairs, wooden log steps and stacked rubber tires. The trail climbs steadily uphill with altitude markers every 100 meters and occasional points of interest along the way. 

Mirador Tz'unun Ya'.  A lookout over San Pedro La Laguna and Lake Atitlán at 2,173 meters. 

Area de Descanso.  A rest area and lookout with a tire swing overlooking the lake at about 2,300 meters. 

Arbol Anciano Quercus.  A fallen 400 year old tree at 2,600 meters.

Tronco de Arbol Aijlamam Gran Abuelo.  A sacred Mayan tree believed to be the reincarnation of a powerful Mayan wizard. It’s located around 2,750 meters.

Area de Acampar.  A campground with an graffitied wooden cabin and restroom at 2,867 meters. 

The Summit

After 2 hours 30 minutes of hiking, we reached the summit at an altitude of 3,000 meters. We walked the crater rim lined with moss covered trees to a rocky outcrop with views of the deep blue lake, its pueblos and the chain of volcanos. From above, boats looked like small dots as they crossed the lake leaving a rippled trail behind them. In the distance, Volcan de Fuego let out continual eruptions of smoke and ash high into the sky. We spent about an hour at the summit, eating our lunch and enjoying the views. 

Things to Know

• Hire a Guide.  We hired our guide, Vic, from the Cerro Cristalino (Nariz del Rostro Maya) Sunrise Hike. He organized transportation, safely guided us to/from the summit, shared stories about Mayan legends and info about the local nature and landscape Book his tour here!

• Timing.  We began hiking at 9am and reached the summit at 11:30am. It took us under 2 hours to hike down.

• Safety.  Having read the warnings about armed bandits online, we were apprehensive about going on the hike. Beforehand, we read recent reviews, spoke to others that had safely completed the hike and confirmed the current safety situation with our Airbnb host and guide. We only carried enough cash for the hike. We left our wedding rings, all but one cell phone and one credit/debit card at our hotel. 

• Popularity.  The San Pedro hike is not as others in Guatemala. We met about a dozen hikers at the summit, some solo and others in pairs. Along the route down, we passed a few groups, one led by two armed police officers. 

San Marcos 

San Marcos is very small pueblo with bohemian vibes, winding pedestrian walkways, a peaceful nature reserve and the best views of Lake Atitlán and the volcanos.

The Hippie Highway.  The narrow street leading from the ferry dock into town is locally called the “Hippie Highway.” The street is appropriately named for all of the health food cafes, fruit and vegetable farm stands, tins of smoldering incense, shops with bohemian style clothes, vendors selling feather and wire jewelry, long and dreaded hair expats, stick and poke tattoo shops, wellness studios with crystals healers, spiritual massages and yoga classes. 

Cherri Tzankujil Nature Reserve.  A peaceful nature reserve with trails leading to Mayan ceremonial altars, bathing areas and lookouts over the lake, volcanos and town. We spent an entire afternoon here, surrounded by breathtaking nature, hiking the trails, sunbathing and picnicking along the rocky cliffs and swimming in the cool refreshing water. From one of the overlooks, we watched as adrenaline seekers jumped from The Trampoline, a 12 meter jump into the lake below. 

Circles Cafe & Bakery.  A bakery and cafe with Guatemalan coffee, sourdough breads, rustic pastries, sandwiches and pizzas.

Mi Vida Bar.  A two floor open air bar with views of the lake and volcanos, local beers and classic cocktails.

Panajachel

Panajachel, also called Pana, is the most developed and commercial pueblo on Lake Atitlán. It’s home to multitudes of Guatemalan craft shops, cafes and lake front restaurants. It’s a branching off point and hub to reach the other pueblos around the lake. 

Calle Santander.  Panajachel’s main tourist street lined with shops and vendors selling all types of handmade leather goods, colorful woven textiles, beaded jewelry and hammocks. The road follows the lake front and leads further into the pueblo. Along the lake, restaurants share similar menus with views of it and the volcanos. Further in town, cafes serve Guatemalan coffee. Overhead, twinkle lights and banderas crisscross the street as tuk tuks and moto bikes zip by.

Guatemalan Cuisine 

• Chapín.  A local soup made from chile guajillo, tomato and cilantro served with avocado and tortilla.

• Pepián.  A very traditional Guatemalan stew made from a mixture of peppers, veggies, spices, seeds and meats.

• Corn Tortillas.  A common base or accompaniment to nearly every dish in Guatemala. The tortillas are often made fresh from yellow, white and sometimes blue corn masa. 

• Pupusas.  A corn masa arepa stuffed with various fillings like black bean and cheese. 

• Desayuno Typical.  A typical breakfast dish comprised of eggs, tortilla, refried beans, sliced avocado, cheese and fried plantains. 

• Mojarra Frita.  A whole fried white fish with a spiky spine found in the lakes, rivers and shores of Central America.

• Caldo de Marriscos.  A clay pot or bowl of with a base of spicy seafood broth and a range of fish, crustaceans and shellfish.  

• Choco Fruita.  Chocolate dipped fruits like banana, coconut, papaya and watermelon sold by street vendors. They’re popular in San Juan. 

Guatemalan Drinks 

• Ancestral Hot Chocolate.  A traditional Mayan method of making hot chocolate from pure cacao mixed with cinnamon and raw sugar then mixed with creamy milk.

• Guatemalan Coffee.  Guatemala is one of the most prosperous coffee producing regions in the Americas. Locally grown and roasted beans are brewed into a full bodied, rich and chocolaty flavored cups of coffee and espresso at cafes and homes around the country. 

• Gallo.  Guatemala’s national beer, recognizable by its green bottle and the logo of a rooster on its label. It has a class light beer flavor and is sold everywhere across the country. 

• Michelada.  A cocktail made from beer, tomato juice, lime and spices with a salted rim. They’re commonly made with Gallo and sold at bar carts by street vendors.  

• Quetzalteca.  A local spirt sold in small bottles with flavors like tamarind, hibiscus strawberry, pineapple, watermelon and mulberry. It’s often prepared at bars either ice, lime juice and tajin. 

• Zacapa.  Guatemala’s national rum. With our Priority Pass, we visited Casa del Ron, the brand’s lounge at the La Aurora International Airport. For free, we ordered two cocktails, the Zacapa Sour and Zacapa Express as well as a glass of Zacapa XO neat, a blend of 10-25 year aged rum.

Where to Stay 

Hotel Tijax.  We stayed at boutique hotel in San Juan de La Laguna with balcony views overlooking Lake Atitlán and the tin clad roofs of the pueblo. The rooms are decorated in local products including textiles, paintings, ceramics and candles. One of the best aspects of the hotel was the outdoor kitchen! It’s equipped with a wood burning comal, grill and traditional clay dish-ware. The space is decorated with a colorful tiled backsplash, basket lights and live edge dining table. The owners provide clean drinking water and freshly brewed coffee from Cafe Las Marias up the street. Book on Airbnb.

Getting to Lago Atitlán  

We hired a transfer ahead of time from the airport in Guatemala City to bring us to Panajachel. The trip took 4 hours due to traffic. We hired the same company to transfer us from San Juan back to the airport. The trip took 3 hours. We booked on Viator. 

Getting Around Lago Atitlán  

Public Ferries (Lanchas). Public ferries are an enjoyable way to sightsee and happen to be the most affordable method to visit towns along Lake Atitlán. Ferries operate from docks in town, starting at 6:30am until 5:30pm. They travel in a circuit around the lake stopping at most towns between Panajachal and San Pedro, including Santa Cruz, Jaibalito, Tsununa, San Marcos, San Pablo and San Juan. 

• Ferry Prices.  Tickets cost 15-25Q per person depending on the distance between towns. There is typically an authorized price chart at the ferry dock with the latest prices. Anything more than what’s listed is a scam. 

• Beware of Scammers.  People at the docks can be scammy telling you there are no public ferries to your destination and the only option is a private boat. This is not true if traveling between the hours of 6:30am to 5:30pm. Ignore them and keep asking around for the public ferry. 

• Good to Know.  Ferries don’t depart until there are at least a dozen passengers on board. We never waited longer than 15 minutes. The water gets increasingly bumpy and wavy in the afternoon due to wind.

Tuk-Tuks. Tuk-tuks are readily available to get around town at all hours. Prices typically cost between 5-10Q per person. Tuk-tuks can travel between towns but drop off on the edge of the next town. The price varies depending on the distance between towns. 

On Foot. If you’re okay walking uphill, most of the towns are easily walkable. It’s a great way to see the local culture, murals and views of the lake. 

Good to Know

• Fireworks.  Fireworks are regularly set off in all pueblos of Lake Atitlán, day and night. The echos sound lake a volcanic eruption! 

• Safety.  We felt safe in all of the cities we visited along Lake Atitlán and kept aware of our surroundings. We followed common recomendations like hiring a guide when hiking and didn’t walk between towns, especially at night. 

• Toilets.  Like most places in Central and South America, used toilet paper is thrown in the bin, not the toilet. 

• Drinking Water.  Tap water is unsafe to drink in Guatemala due to contamination. Stick to bottled or purified drinking water.

• Cash vs Card.  Most businesses only accept cash. Carry enough for the day. There is at least one ATM or currency exchange in all of the major towns around the lake. 

• Stray Dogs.  Stray dogs are common around the pueblos of Lake Atitlán. They’re very rarely aggressive but best left alone. 

Elsewhere in Guatemala 

Explore our guide on Antigua, Guatemala and The Mayan ruins of Tikal in our guide to San Ignacio, Belize.

For Next Time…

Having been to Guatemala three times, we’re certain to return! There are few things high on our list next time we visit this magical country 

• Flores. A colorful colonial island town on one of Guatemala’s mountainous lakes. We were teased seeing the city from above on a layover from Belize to Guatemala City. 

• Tikal Sunrise Hike.  An early morning hike in Tikal to watch the sunrise from the top of the famed pyramids. We saw photos of the colorful sunrise, layers of morning mist and dramatic ruins peak from jungleous canopy below.

• Chichicastenango.  Latin America’s largest outdoor market known for its handicrafts, textiles and jewelry. If we make it back to Lake Atitlán, we’ll take a day trip here from Panajachel

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

San Miguel de Allende is a charming and historic pueblo famed for its unique architecture, vaquero lifestyle, desert landscapes and vineyards.  

A Historic Pueblo 

The town is best explored on foot. The stone paved streets exude warmth as painted buildings alternate in tones of tan, amber, orange, red and ochre. At night, street lanterns illuminate the city in an incandescent glow. Ornate Neo-gothic and Baroque style cathedrals with grand spires tower above rooftop terraces offering sunset views of the pueblo. Locals, tourists and expats are styled in silver jewelry, leather boots, cowboy hats and woolen ponchos sold by vendors at artisan markets and boutiques.

Despite its dry surroundings, it’s a verdant place with potted cacti, blossoming plants, sculpted trees and tall shrubs completing with the height of the cathedral spires. Church bells ring out regularly as mariachi bands perform in plazas adding music to the already lively ambience. Unsurprisingly, San Miguel de Allende is listed as one of Mexico’s Pueblos Magicos and recognized as a UNESCO Heritage Sight. 

Neighborhoods & Streets 

Zona Central.  The neighborhood at the city center with a high concentration of warmly painted historic buildings, monumental cathedrals, treelined plazas, artisan markets, boutique shops, hotels, restaurants and rooftop bars. It’s the ideal neighborhood to stay in and explore on foot while visiting San Miguel. 

Barrio de Guadalupe.  A residential neighborhood north of the city center with walls decorated in mosaics and murals of Mexican culture. We spent time wandering the open air gallery of streets admiring the works. Some of our favorites were mosaics of Frida Kahlo, Dia de los Muertos Catrinas, and a masked Lucha Libre wrestler. 

Call Aldama.  A photogenic street with historic and warmly painted buildings centered on the gothic spires and domes of Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel.

Callejon de Chorro.  A winding and hilly street surrounded by landscaped gardens, historic public laundries, stepped walkways and red painted colonial architecture in the oldest area of the city. It reminded us of Lombard Street in San Francisco. 

Sights 

La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel.  A towering neo-gothic cathedral located in the city center with pointed spires and vaulted arches constructed from pink stone. It the Disney castle of cathedrals and beautiful to view both day and night.

Torre del Reloj.  A pink, orange and tan stone neo-gothic clock tower attached to the cathedral. 

El Jardín Allende.  A popular tree covered plaza in front of the cathedral with views of its pink spires and the adjacent clock tower. It has a lively and cultural atmosphere. Well dressed Mariachi bands walk through the plaza performing for visitors both day and night while Mojigangas, giant painted paper-mache puppets, walk around posing for photos. The sides of the plaza are flanked by buildings with ground floor restaurants and shops. 

El Mirador.  A hilltop lookout with views of the city center, cathedral spires, white domed roofs and desert landscape. We visited in the morning when the city was well lit however it’s also a popular sunset viewpoint.

Plaza de la Soledad.  A plaza in front of the Templo de Nuestra Señora de La Salud with sculpted trees and bushes. Vendors walk around selling sombreros and ice cream. 

Templo del Oratorio de San Felipe Neri.  A pink, orange and red stone cathedral with an ornate baroque style facade and multilevel bell tower. 

Templo de San Francisco.  A historic cathedral with an intricately carved stone facade and bell tower. Visitors gather in a beautiful park with sculpted trees and bushes in front. 

Templo de Nuestra Señora de La Salud.  A historic church with recessed stone facade capped with an inverted shell design. 

Parque Benito Juarez.  A quiet and peaceful city park with well landscaped gardens, lush tree covered walkways, small fountains and sculptures. 

Charco del Ingenio.  A dry and aired botanical garden with trails leading through the landscape past thorny bushes, cacti and maguey plants. The park is divided by a steep volcanic canyon and dam holding back a lake with different sections and sights speckled throughout. 

• The Canyon Trail.  A narrow trail following the canyon’s edge with views of its volcanic stone walls. Shout into it to hear your echo reverberate back. 

• The Birdwatching Trail.  A trail following the reservoir home to migratory and aquatic birds. 

• Sculpture Garden Trail.  A trail leading from the welcome center towards the western viewpoints with several sculptures along the way. 

• Regional Plant Trail.  A trail leading between the conservatory and welcome center with native plants and cacti. 

• The Western Viewpoints.  A series of overlooks along the western park trails with panoramic views of San Miguel de Allende, the canyon and Guanajuato Mountains. 

• Pollinator’s Garden.  A garden with hummingbirds and honey bees buzzing around, pollinating the budding and flowering flora. 

• Conservatory of Mexican Plants.  A glass building home to all types of prickly and thorny native plants and cacti. 

Markets 

Ignacio Ramirez Market.  A colorful market with aisles vendors selling fruits, vegetables, flowers, piñatas and miscellaneous dry goods like beans, corn husks and tostadas. A section with restaurants serves affordable Mexican classics like quesadillas, gorditas, molletes and flautas. We ordered lunch from Los Farolitos spending less than 200 pesos.

Mercado de Artesanías.  An artisanal market attached to Ignacio Ramirez with locally made leather goods, textiles, pottery and jewelry. Vendors sell everything from cowboy boots and hats, leather shoes and belts, silver and beaded jewelry, woven rugs and blankets, hand embroidered pillows and tortilla holders and traditional clay pottery like cafe de olla mugs and cazuelas. 

Calle Lucas Balderas.  A covered street extending from the Mercado de Artesanías with dozens of silver and craft vendors selling jewelry, sculptures, tableware, paintings and textiles. Like with all markets, prices are negotiable, especially if paying in cash. We bought a minimal silver bangle and ring for less than 40 USD. 

Fabrica La Aurora.  A former textile factory converted into a high end artisan market and showroom with furniture vendors, art galleries, home good stores, antiques and restaurants. 

Places to Eat & Drink

The Rooftop at Selina.  A rooftop restaurant and bar with sunset views overlooking the warmly painted buildings and landscape stretching beyond San Miguel. We sipped on cocktails at the bar while the sun set and murmurations of migratory birds flew across the sky. 

Don Taco Tequila.  A vegan taqueria with a wide range of vegan meat, mushroom and veggie tacos prepared on house made tortilla and paired with homemade salsas ranging in flavor and spiciness. Their bar menu boasts a short list of cocktails wider range of sipping tequilas and mezcals. Try the tacos Pastor, Don Chicharo, Chicharrito and Bigotes for an array of savory flavors.

San Telmo Gastro Pub.  A restaurant and bar with a classic yet eclectic interior and stage with nightly singers. We stopped in for a glass of wine while listening to the musicians perform. 

Panio Bakery.  A Mexican and French style bakery with conchas, croissants, donuts, baguettes and honey bread. 

Cerveceria Allende.  A craft brewery and tap room with house brewed beers. We tried the Golden Ale, an easy drinking and flavorful classic beer as well as the Brown Ale, a thicker and slightly sweet beer.

La Michoacana del Portón.  A ice cream and peleta shop with dozens of water and cream based flavors. We stopped in while walking across town, ordering guava and horchata peletas.

Places to Shop

Other than the artisan markets, the central neighborhood has numerous shops and boutiques with locally made goods. We visited multiple shops and have a few favorites. 

Artesanías Alcatráz Loka.  A boutique with traditional and contemporary style leather goods including boots, jackets, bags and belts. I found a pair of cowboy boots made from black leather and white leather stars. Unfortunately it wasn’t available in my size. 

Casilda Mut.  A small boutique with cowboy hats, leather jackets and silver accessories. I found a cropped and studded leather jacket that fit perfectly but the price was well out of reach.

Maison Manhes.  A tiny shop with locally made items and art including natural wool ponchos, colorful woven baskets and bags and hand painted ceramic dishes. 

Where to Stay

Casa Lool Beh.  A beautiful guest house with private rooms and shared commons spaces like a cozy rooftop terrace, kitchen and living room lounge. It’s centrally located, one street away from Jardín Allende. At the same time, it’s very hidden. We entered through, La Cabra Iluminada, a ground floor cafe with a lush courtyard and took the stairs to reach our room. 

Good to Know

Safety.  The city is extremely safe both day and night with minimal security concerns or recent issues. 

Senior Travel.  San Miguel de Allende is a popular destination for senior citizens and retired expats due to its slower pace, walkable streets, temperate climate and affordable costs of living compared to the United States.

Costs.  Though costs of living are much less than in the US, the city is more expensive destination than other cities in Mexico. 

Cash vs Card.  Most businesses accept cash or card when paying however there is often a cash discount. 

Drinking Water.  Tap water is not safe for consumption. It’s best to drink filtered or bottled water. 

Getting Here and Around

Getting Here by Bus.  We took an ETN Bus round trip from Mexico City. Ticket prices are significantly costlier than other bus companies like ADO. The bus however is comfortable and reliable with assigned seats, on board restrooms and charging ports for devices. 

Getting Around on Foot.  The city is best explored and admired on foot. Its historic neighborhoods are easily walkable. 

Getting Around by Taxi or Uber.  Both taxis and Ubers are readily available and affordable methods for getting around the city, with prices costing 50-100 pesos in town. 

For Next Time…

We only spent a couple of days in San Miguel de Allende but fell in love with this charming city, its desert landscapes and Vaquero style boutiques. We’re sure to return and have a list of things to do, see and buy when we do. 

Vaquero Boutiques.  We window shopped at several boutiques around San Miguel’s center. We tried on boots, jackets, poncho and cowboy hats and have a few items in mind to purchase when we return. 

Vineyard Tours.  The countryside of San Miguel de Allende is one of Mexico’s largest wine producing regions with vineyards and winemakers. While here we were able to sample a couple wines.

• Hacienda San Miguel.  A vineyard outside of the city with bottles labeled in Mexican banderas. We tried their mid bodied red blend made from Shiraz, Tempranillo and Cabernet. 

• Casa Madero.  Though not near San Miguel, it’s the oldest vineyard in the Americas, dating back to 1597. We tried their Merlot, a full bodied and flavorful red wine. 

Horseback Riding.  Various companies offer horseback riding tours ranging around the city and countryside ranging from half day to overnight. Short on time, we weren’t able to gallop across the desert landscape into the sunset but are keeping a couple of well reviewed providers in mind for next time, San Miguel Parque de Aventuras and Coyote Canyon Tour. 

Plaza de Toros San Miguel de Allende.  A coliseum in the historic center used for rodeos, bull flighting and Mexican opera.  Though we don’t agree with bullfighting, seeing a rodeo or opera would be a special experience.

Cañada de la Virgen.  A nature preserve and archeological sight with Otomi pyramids and ruins located about 20 minutes by car form the city center. 

Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Puerto Escondido is a tropical surf town on Oaxaca’s Pacific coast. Relaxing days on palm lined beaches make way to lively evenings along sandy streets.

A Tropical Escape 

There are few better things than the sand between our toes and salt in our hair. We sat on the beach for three days, sunbathing, surfing, drinking tropical cocktails, eating seafood tacos and getting tattoos.  

La Punta

La Punta is neighborhood on the far eastern end of Playa Zicaleta. It’s popular with surfers, digital nomads, expats and young travelers. Under the bamboo and palm thatched buildings are shops selling beach attire, tropical jewelry and surf boards. Coffee shops, taquerias and cocktail bars line the neighborhood’s sand covered streets and dirt roads. Posters advertising nightly parties are displayed at hostels and tattoo parlors.

Beaches 

Playa Zicaleta.  A long tan sand beach stretching across a large expanse of Puerto Escondido’s shoreline. 

Playa Punta.  The most eastern section of Playa Zicaleta. The beach is a surfers paradise with lessons, board rentals and surfers riding waves from first light until sunset. Tanned and tattooed beach goers relax under umbrellas, walk along the shore and frolic in the ocean waves. Beachfront restaurants rent umbrellas and lounges, serve seafood dishes, tropical cocktails and inexpensive local beers. It’s a popular spot to watch the sunset over the ocean. We were even lucky enough to withness the green flash as the last of the sun dipped below the horizon. 

Things to Do 

Lounge on the Beach.  Visit Punta Puerto on Puntas Beach, an ocean front restaurant and bar with rentable sun lounges and umbrellas. At the time, prices cost 200 pesos for a lounge and umbrella for the full day with no minimum spend. This was significantly less than any of the other spots nearby. Service and drinks were great, the food was a little bland but for the price, it was absolutely worth it.

Take a Surf Lesson.  Puerto Escondido is a surfer’s haven with plenty of waves for beginners to experts. I booked a two hour group lesson with Silva Surf School, meeting the instructors at 7am and catching the morning’s first waves as the sun was rising. The instructors were very helpful providing a push to catch waves and pointers on how to “pop up,” balance on the board, ride and safely fall off. They provided a 9ft fiberglass surfboard that glided through the water with plenty stability, making it easy to catch every 3 to 5 foot wave that came in. 

Places to Eat & Drink 

Armonía Café.  A small cafe with smoothie bowls, juices and strong coffees. We stopped in after surfing ordering the açaí bowl, made with mixed berries and banana as well as the spirulina bowl, made with greens and banana. 

La Punta Restaurant & Bar.  A beachfront restaurant and bar with sun lounges and cold Mexican beers. 

La Ola Taquería.  A taqueria along a narrow and sandy alleyway leading to the beach with a vast menu of seafood tacos and dishes. We ordered multiple dishes a la carte including the coconut shrimp tacos, fish tacos, tamarind ceviche and octopus tostada! 

Fish Shack La Punta.  A seafood shack preparing fish tacos, baskets and sandwiches. It’s the perfect lunch spot after spending time on the beach! Come for their fried fish sandwich or shrimp po’boy paired with a Mexican beer. 

Helados Palma Negra.  A shop serving tropical flavored ice cream and paletas. Try the mango passion fruit, mango tajin or chocolate coconut. 

Terraza Los Costenos.  A cozy oceanfront terrace nestled between the swaying fronds of verdant palm trees with tiki, tropical and mezcal cocktails. Try the Tropical, a mezcal, rum and passion fruit cocktail or the Tiki Taka, a floral gin and strawberry cocktail. 

Bikini Cocktail Bar.  A tropical beach shack style bar with bamboo walls, wooden swings for seats and Mexican inspired tiki cocktails. We quickly became regulars here, sampling half the menu. Try the Boo Loo, a mezcal, passion fruit and pineapple cocktail or the Elderfower Tiki, a mezcal, st germain and kombucha cocktail. 

Juana Mezcala.  A mezcal cocktail bar with shareable bites and nightly live music. To drink, try the Hibiscus Mezcalita or Santa Juana made with mezcal, chartreuse and hoja santa. To share, order the grilled pineapple and shrimp skewers cooked in mezcal or jalapeño poppers. 

Where to Stay

Punta Bungalows.  A boutique hostel a few streets from the beach with private rooms, a large shared kitchen, an outdoor pool, comfy hammocks and a tropical garden. We loved waking up to scent of the plumeria trees, wearing fallen flowers above our each morning. Reserve on Airbnb. 

Getting to Puerto Escondido 

We took an ADO Bus from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido. The ride took 3 hours through mountain roads and tunnels. The closer to the coast, the more verdant the landscape became and winding the roads twisted. 

Elsewhere in Oaxaca 

Explore our full guide on Oaxaca, Mexico to read about its cuisine, artisan goods, ancient ruins, colonial pueblos and scenic landscapes.

For Next Time…

Explore El Centro.  We made the most of our time in the Puntas neighborhood. When we return, we plan to explore the beaches, markets, restaurants, cafes and bars of the city’s central neighborhood. 

Playa Zipolote.  Mexico’s only official nude beach located an hour and a half down the coast. It’s popular for swimming, surfing and sunbathing. Unlike most nude beaches, it has beachfront bars and restaurants. 

Playa Del Amor.  A queer friendly nude beach at the east end of Zipolote Beach. We can’t wait to return to Oaxaca’s coast for this alone. 

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca is the cultural hub of Mexico famed for its cuisine, artisan goods, ancient ruins, colonial pueblos and scenic landscapes. Across the region, traditional dishes are prepared by street food vendors, in restaurants and at markets. Generations of artisan makers produce patterned textiles, vibrant alebrijes, wood block prints, leather goods and traditional ceramics. Archeological sights and museums display ruins and artifacts from the Zapotec civilization. The mountainous desert landscape is covered in fields of maguey plants and Mezcal distilleries. Tropical beaches and surf towns line its Pacific coast. At its center, an energetic and colorful capital city is where the best of everything in Oaxaca comes together. We spent over a week here, meeting up with friends and exploring the region together. 

Bienvenidos a la Oaxaca! 

We arrived after midnight in Oaxaca. On our first morning, we were woken up by the sounds of the Tamale Lady listing off her tamales over a loud speaker. “Tamales de amarillo, tamales de raja, tamales de salsa verde, tamales de pollo, tamales de cebolla, tamales de elote, tamales de chipilín.” The list went on and on! We were in Oaxaca! 

Oaxaca de Juarez

Oaxaca de Juarez is the metropolitan center of Oaxaca. Its cobblestone streets are lined with historic colonial buildings, draped with colorful Mexican banderas and decorated with street art and murals. Around town, the vibrant culture is experienced through cuisine and artistry. Local dishes are served at Oaxacan style restaurants, food markets and from street carts. Artisan goods produced in pueblos across the region are sold in shops and displayed in galleries and museums.

Barrios de Oaxaca

Centro Historico.  The historic center of Oaxaca is an architectural gem home to numerous cultural sights, markets, hotels, artisan shops, restaurants and cafes. Its photogenic streets are a sight to wander. Adobe facades are painted in a spectrum of vibrant hues and large murals. Ornate stone buildings and cathedrals overlook lush plazas. Flowering trees and potted cacti rest on rooftop ledges and decorate courtyards. 

Barrio de Jalatlaco.  A small and invitingly youthful barrio with indie vibes, print studios, thrift shops, used book store, hostels, digital nomad friendly cafes and mezcal bars. Much like the city center, the cobblestone streets are decorated with strings of colorful banderas and vibrantly painted buildings. Paper graffiti and murals depicting cultural scenes and traditions like dancing, piñatas and Dia de Los Muertos celebrations cover walls.

Plazas & Squares 

El Llano.  A large plaza with fountains, walkways and gardens with cacti, palms and yellow flowering trees. The perimeter is lined with food carts selling agua frescas, griddled hamburgers, candies, pan dulces, coffee and tortas. We ordered iced coffees and cococada, essentially a hay stack of sweetened and baked coconut. We wandered around, people watched and posed in a photo booth. 

Plaza de la Danza.  A plaza dedicated to restaurants serving dozens of flavors of Nieves, A creamy and icy frozen treat similar to a sherbet. Visiting with a group of friends, we ordered a range of scoops combining several regional flavors like mamay (creamy fruit), elote (sweet corn), leche quemada (burnt milk), tuna (prickly pear), tequila and mezcal. 

Museums & Sights

Museum of Cultures of Oaxaca.  A former convent converted into a cultural museum built from Cantera, Oaxaca’s iconic green tinted volcanic stone. The museum houses artifacts from Monte Albán including ceramics, stone stelas and most notably, the Mixtec treasures once buried in Tomb 7 at the ruins. The tomb’s treasures include intricate gold masks, beaded jewelry made from a range of precious materials, elaborate ceramic figures, intricately carved bones and most notably, a skull with cranial deformations decorated in a fine mosaic of turquoise. Other exhibits include a historic library, artifacts from the colonial period and of Oaxacan artists. 

Catedral Metropolitana.  A nearly 500 year old cathedral with symmetrical bell towers and a baroque style facade carved from stone blocks. 

Museo Textile de Oaxaca.  A small museum with textiles from the Oaxaca and across Central America featuring traditional designs and contemporary pieces. It’s free to enter. 

Markets 

Mercado Benito Juarez.  A vast market with all manner of vendors selling fruits and vegetables, meats, seafood, mounds of mole pastes, bottles of mezcals, Oaxacan cheese, corn tostadas, dried chile peppers, barrels of spiced chapulenes (grass hoppers), fresh cut flowers and handmade items. We shopped here for groceries, snacks and mezcal. 

Mercado 20 de Noviembre.  A large food market with aisles of vendors selling breads, traditional Oaxacan dishes and grilled meats. The intoxicating smell of freshly baked breads wafts from dozens of panaderías selling Pan de Yema, Mollettes de Panela, Pan Amarillo and various Pan Dulces. From kitchens within the maze of restaurant stands, cooks shout out their menu offerings, typically including Oaxacan staples like tlayudas, mole y pollo and chiles rellenos. Wafts of heat, smoke and the sizzling smell of grilled meats and sausages radiates from Pasillo de Humo, a passageway with coal and wooded fired grill stations. We ate here for breakfast and lunch visiting two restaurant stands. 

• Fonda Lupita for tlayudas and pan de yema served with a mug of cafe de olla. 

• La Abulita for tlayudas, horchata and freshly squeezed orange juice. We shared a vegetarian tlayuda prepared with a large cracker thin tortilla and covered in puréed black beans, bright orange squash flowers, Oaxacan cheese, lettuce, tomato and avocado. 

Monte Alban

Monte Alban is an ancient Zapotec hilltop acropolis with stepped pyramids, ball courts, astronomical temples, grand plazas, platforms, palaces and tombs. We spent four hours exploring the ruins, reading the plaques and contemplating life during the ancient times of the Zapotec.

Galería de Los Danzantes (Gallery of The Dancers).  A stone wall adorned with over a dozen carvings of castrated male figures depicting a blood sacrifice or fertility ritual. 

Plataforma Sur (South Platform).  The tallest platform and pyramid of the entire acropolis located at its most southern point. 

Edificio 1 (Building 1).  The only building of the entire acropolis that does not align with the cardinal points. It is thought to have been used as an astronomical observatory by Zapotec persists. It’s adorned with a series of conquest stones depicting Zapotec battles and victory’s 

Platforma Norte (North Platform).  The largest platform of the entire acropolis with several well preserved pyramids buildings and structures featuring geometric designs and monumental stelas.  

El Patio Hundido (The Sunken Patio).  A prominent feature of the North Platform, a sunken patio with an alter at its center used for ceremonies and rituals. 

Juego de Pelota (Ball Court).  A large ball court with sloped stone sides and a goal marker on the floor of its center. Contrasted with Mayan ball courts, the Zapotec did not sacrifice players but used the game for religious celebrations and to settle disputes. 

Monte Alban Museum.  A museum with ornate stelas, well preserved ceramic pottery and human remains found in the tombs of Monte Alban. 

Getting Here.  We took a round trip shuttle from the Centro Historico with Lescas Co Tours. The ride took 20 minutes through the city and winding hillside. Pick up was every hour. 

Mezcal Tour 

Oaxaca is the birthplace of Mezcal, a smoky spirit distilled from the maguey plant. We toured two Palenques, distilleries where mezcal is produced and a maguey field where the plant is grown. 

Palenque de Rosaluna.  A small batch mezcal distillery where we saw, smelled and tasted every aspect of the mezcal production. As we toured the palenque, a truck load of harvested maguey cores, also called piñas, were being delivered. In an underground oven, roasting piñas filled the air with a smoky and sweet scent. An empty pit lined with lava rocks waited to be used next to it. We tasted the raw bitter piña and molasses like roasted piña for comparison. Inside the fermentation warehouse, the smoky and sweet scents intensified. A large pile of roasted piña were being chopped up and pressed into pulp by a stone wheel. The pulp was transferred to huge pine barrels where it fermented before being pressed and distilled. We tasted mezcal dripping straight from the distilling copper drums and finally terracotta shot glasses of the bottled spirit. 

Palenque Mal de Amor.  A historic mezcal distillery that follows traditional production methods. Underground ovens are used to roast the cores of the maguey. Horses pull large stone wheels to grind the roasted maguey into pulp. Pine barrels are used to ferment the pulp. Wood burning ovens are used to heat and distill the pressed pulp into mezcal. Brands like Illegal Mezcal, Mal de Amor and Ve Lua are produced here. We tasted over a dozen types of mezcal in fluted glasses repurposed from prayer candles. Flavors were always smoky with sometimes sweet, spicy and even funky notes. 

Maguey Fields.  The Oaxacan landscape is covered in fields of maguey plants used to produce Mezcal. Under a cloudless blue sky, we visited one to learn about the agricultural and harvesting process. Machete in hand and several mezcals in, we practiced chopping off blades from the maguey before sipping on mezcal poured down one of the plants severed arms. 

Hierve de Agua 

Hierve el Agua is a “petrified waterfall” formed over thousands of years by mineral rich cold springs. As water flows down the mountainside, it deposits calcite, creating white rippled terraces, natural pools and stunning white rock formations that look like a frozen waterfalls. Trails lead to cliff edge swimming pools, waterfall overlooks and small geysers with bubbling springs of cool salty water. It’s one of one two petrified waterfalls in the world. 

Vendors.  There is a path with vendors selling coconuts, swimsuits, sweaters, Oaxacan hot chocolate and Mexican dishes between the parking lot and trail head. For lunch, we ordered tacos, quesadillas, memelas and hot chocolates cooked over a wood burning stove. 

Pro Tip.  It gets very cold and windy in the late afternoon. Bring layers to keep warm. 

Getting to Hierve el Agua

Getting to Hierve el Agua is an adventure! We took a series of colecticos here and back from Oaxaca City. 

Step 1 - Oaxaca to Mitla. Hire a colectivo from Oaxaca City to Mitla. Colectivos wait at the corner in front of the Eduardo Vasconcelos Stadium. Colectivos are the burgundy colored shared taxis with a white side strip. It should cost no more than 500 pesos total (less per person). The ride takes under an hour to reach Mitla.

Step 2 - Mitla. In Mitla, walk down the main road, Avenida Internacional, until finding the “colectivo trucks” to Hierve el Agua. Trucks leave every 30 minutes for 900 pesos total. Trucks typically leave with a minimum of 12 people, meaning the cost per person is at least 75 pesos. It costs more per person if less than 12 people. 

Step 3 - Mitla to Hierve el Agua. Hop in the back to the covered truck and ride over an hour through the mountain roads to reach Hierve el Agua. There is a 15 peso toll per person when leaving Mitla. 

Step 4 - Getting Back to Oaxaca City. The last truck from Hierve el Agua to Mitla leaves at 6pm. Ask the driver to be dropped off at the bus station where colectivos wait. Hire a colectivo to Tule for 200 - 300 pesos total or back to Oaxaca City Centro for 500 pesos. 

Places to Eat & Drink 

Catrina de Alcalá.  A hotel restaurant in an atrium flanked by stone columns with large colorful piñatas decorating the space. The restaurant serves traditional Oaxacan breakfasts, coffee and conches. We ordered spicy eggs dishes including Huevos a la Oaxaqueña Molcajete y Quesillo Gratinado and Chilaquiles en Salsa de Molcajete con Huevos. 

Cafe Brújula.  A cafe with locations around the Centro Historico brewing extremely strong coffees, espressos and cold brews. It’s the perfect spot to get a caffeine kick and cool down from the mid afternoon heat. Order one with a shot of mezcal! 

Santo de Mi Devocion.  A moody mezcal cocktail bar with a blackened interior and skull decor. The mixologists shake and stir Oaxacan mezcals with regional ingredients like hibiscus, passion fruit, ancho reyes, tamarind, agave honey, pineapple and chile serrano. 

Armadillo Negro.  A cocktail bar and restaurant with tapas style Oaxacan dishes, mezcal cocktails and live music in an outdoor patio. 

Donas y Churros El Vega.  The best churros in all of Oaxaca! The sweet and sugary smell lured us in from down the street to their display of stacked churros, glazed donuts and cream filled pastries. 20 pesos buys a paper bag with four churros, either covered in sugar, dipped in chocolate or mixed. 

Chocolate Mayordomo.  An incredibly popular Oaxacan cafe chain known for their chocolatey drinks. Recommended by multiple locals, we ordered the Choco Mio, a cold chocolate milk spiced with cinnamon and vanilla. It pairs well with a fresh baked concha from their bakery. 

Levadura de Olla Restaurante.  A Michelin starred restaurant serving traditional, ceremonial and contemporary Oaxacan cuisine. All dishes are prepared with seasonal ingredients and served on locally made clay pottery. Try the guacamole topped with chapuline, creamy corn soup garnished with squash flowers and Oaxacan tomato salad.

Mundo Ceiba AC.  A late night restaurant, bar and bike rental shop with inexpensive meals, beers and mezcals. Come for the vegetarian burritos and tlyudas.

Vaca Marina.  A high end seafood and beef restaurant with a rooftop terrace and views of the Templo de Santo Domingo. We came here for a glass of Mexican wine at golden hour, watching the sunset and illuminate the cathedral. 

Con Vista Al Mar.  Affordable and authentic Mexican tacos, snacks, beers and mezcals. We stopped in for an afternoon happy hour, ordering doubles of mezcal, guacamole and calamari. 

Oaxacan Cuisine 

Oaxaca is the gastronomic hub of Mexico home to many of the counties most iconic and traditional dishes and drinks. We tried as many as possible while here to taste them in their most authentic form.

• Tejate.  A traditional Oaxacan chocolate drink made from the fats and flower of the cacao plant.

• Enmoladas.  Any type of taco served or covered with mole sauce. 

• Cocoa Caliente.  Spiced traditional hot chocolate drink made with cocoa, cinnamon, sugar and milk. It’s often mixed with a wooden spindle called a Molinillo. 

• Tomato Salad.  A salad made from sliced tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, radish, cilantro and lime.  

• Tlayudas.  Large grilled crunchy tortillas topped with ingredients like beans, avocado, tomato and cheese.

• Tamales.  Warm packets of steamed and cooked masa stuffed with any number of fillings wrapped in dried corn husks and often served with a spicy chile sauce or mole.

• Atole.  A hot chocolaty and warm spiced drink thickened by rice flower. 

• Chipilín.  A Central American herb with a flavor similar to spinach. 

• Chapulines.  A local delicacy, roasted grasshoppers often cooked with spices or chile lime. They have a tangy and grassy flavor. The larger ones are crunchy snacks while the smaller ones are perfect for garnishing all types of dishes. They’re sold size by size and flavor in barrels at the markets and by street food vendors. 

• Mole.  A savory and spicy sauce used to envelop countless Oaxacan style dishes. It comes in multiple varieties, made from nearly two dozen ingredients, including dried chile peppers, warm spices, nuts, seeds, berries, day old tortillas, chocolate and typically lard. It’s sold as a paste or powder in mounds at the local markets. 

• Tacos Dorados (Taquitos).  Rolled tortillas filled with cheese, meats or veggies and deep fried. 

• Molotes (Empanadas).  Half circular corn masa pockets often filled with cheese, meats or veggies and deep fried.

• Memelas.  A thick ovular tortilla grilled on comal topped with beans and cheese.

• Tacos.  Corn tortillas folded in half with meats, beans, cacti, insects, veggies, cheese and spicy sauces. 

• Tetelas.  Triangular folded tortillas filled with beans and cheese. 

• Quesillo.  A stringy Oaxacan cheese with a savory and salty flavor. 

• Tortilla Soup.  A tomato soup blended with chips or tortillas to give it a think and creamy texture.

• Mamey.  A brown tropical fruit that looks like a large kiwi. Inside it has the texture of an avocado and flavor of strawberry ice cream. 

“Buen Provecho,” a kind way of telling somewhere to enjoy their meal. It’s often said when passing by someone who is eating or preparing food. It’s commonly said to your neighbor at a restaurant when their food arrives or once you finish dining. 

Places to Stay

Oaxaca Apartment.  We stayed in a cute apartment about 20 minutes on foot from the city center. It was the perfect spot with a comfy bed, small kitchen, spacious bathroom and rooftop terrace. We shared the space with a group of friends, cooking Oaxacan style food and enjoying it together on the roof! Book on Airbnb. 

Hotel Azucenas.  A bed and breakfast in the Centro Historico with comfy rooms surrounding a small courtyard and fountain. Breakfast is served on the rooftop terrace lined with potted cacti and flowering trees. We stayed here our last night in Oaxaca City after returning from the coast. Book online or call for reservations. 

Getting Around

From the Airport.  Head to the “Sitio de Taxi” kiosk in the airport after baggage claim. From here, hire a taxi or collectivo (shared taxi van) to bring you into town. Prices vary by zone and it’s the easiest and way. Our collectivo dropped us off 3 blocks from our accommodation. 

On Foot.  The central neighborhood is very walkable on foot and the best way to explore the historic and colorful streets.

By Taxi.  Yellow cabs. Negotiate the fare before getting in and confirm the cost is not per person. We found most cab drivers to be very honest. 

By Collectivo.  Shared taxis or burgundy cabs with a white stripe. Can also double as taxis and are often cheaper, especially for longer distances.

Elsewhere in Oaxaca 

Explore our guide on Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, a tropical beach town and surfer’s destination along the pacific coast of Oaxaca.

For Next Time…

Mitla.  The religious center of the Zapotecs and second most important archeological site in Oaxaca. It was a sacred burial sight and is famous for its unique mosaic patterns not seen in any other part of Mexico. Wrap your arms around column, tells you how much life you have left. 

Yagul.  An archeological sights with courtyards, tombs and ball courts. 

Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla.  A cave with paintings dating back 12,000 years. 

Teotitlán del Valle.  A town known for weaving intricate and colorful textiles made from natural dyes.  Shop at the market for rugs, table runners, blankets and clothes. 

San Martin Tilcajete. A town outside of Oaxaca known for its Alebrijes and the inspiration for Coco. 

Day of the Dead in Mexico City

Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos is one of Mexican culture’s most important holidays and traditions. It is a day to remember those that have died and to celebrate life. The holiday is officially celebrated on November 1st with a week of festivities leading up to it including parades, ofrendas, markets, food and decorations. 

Elements of Dia de los Muertos 

Multitudes of symbols and decoration make up many elements of Dia de los Muertos. Many of which are symbolic of the joy of life, life after death and honoring the deceased. 

Alebrijes.  Ornately designed and colorfully painted representations of animals and mythical creatures that act as spirit guides to the dead. They’re seen all across Mexico, especially around Day of the Dead. 

Papel Picado.  Stings of colorful paper flags with beautiful and lively images of skulls, skeletons, marigolds cut out of them. They’re a common sight, often displayed in restaurants and above ofrendas. 

Calaveras.  Colorfully painted smiling skulls intended to laugh at death. People’s faces are commonly painted as Calaveras during the Dia de los Muertos festivals and parades. 

Cempasuchil.  The Aztec word for merigold. These orange flowers and their petals decorate ofrendas, homes and public spaces during Day of the Dead.

Ofrendas.  Alters to honor the dead decorated with a photo of the dead surrounded by Cempasuchil, candles, paper marché skeletons, painted sugar skulls, pan de muerto, wax models of food a bottled drink. Some ofrendas even go as far as to honor their lost pets. Ofrendas range in size from small ones at people’s homes to large ones in public squares. The most notable of which is the Mega Ofrenda, Mexico City’s largest ofrenda located in Zocalo Square. It consists of 32 ofrendas, one for each state in Mexico, flanked by a Catrina dressed in the traditional clothes and colors of the state it represents. 

La Catrina.  The classic and elegantly styled skeleton costume typically featuring a dress and large sombrero. Catrinas are common costumes worn by people during the Dia de los Muertos festivals and parades.

Calacas.  Skeletal figures commonly seen during Day of the Dead. They’re a common costume by many, including us, to celebrate the parade day festivities. 

Pan de Muerto.  The sugar dusted dome of bread with two pieces of dough made to look like crossed bones. They’re made specifically by bakeries during Day of the Dead. 

Paseo de la Reforma 

Paseo de la Reforma, a long diagonal avenue that stretches across Mexico City. It is a hub for many of activities during Dia de los Muertos, most notably being the Parade. The median is planted with marigolds while the avenue is lined spectators, makeup artists painting faces, vendors selling street food, decorations, souvenirs, ofrendas and exhibits including: 

• Marigold Festival.  A tented section of the avenue With sculptures and structures decorated in different colored marigolds and vendors selling potted marigolds. 

• Mexicaneos Exhibition.  An exhibit of 50 large Calaveras displayed along the avenue.

• Alebrijes Exhibition.  An exhibit with hundreds of large and intricately designed Alebrijes displayed along the Paseo de la Reforma.

• Face Painting.  On the parade day, there are makeup artists  set up along the parade route painting faces. You can choose from a book of designs or show the artist a design. Face painting typically costs $100 Pesos ($5) and takes 10-15min.

Zocalo Square

A massive public square in the Centro Historico and hub for Mexico City’s Day of the Dead festivities. The square is decorated in towering catrinas and ofrendas each representing  a different state of Mexico. It’s the sight of many street food vendors and performances including the parade day’s “Grand Closing Ceremony.” 

The Parade

The parade is one of the largest public festivities in Mexico City leading up to Dia de los Muertos. It travels across the city ending with a grand closing ceremony in the historic center. Over a million spectators from all over Mexico and the world line the streets to celebrate. Many people arrive in costume while others get their faces painted by artists set up along the route.

The parade includes floats with giant skeletons, others dedicated to Frida Kahlo and alebrijes. There were marching bands dressed in the colors of the Mexican flag, dancers dressed as Catrinas, monarch butterflies and La Llorona as well as performers in Aztec ceremonial outfits. 

The Parade Route 

The parade traveled down Paseo de La Reforma starting from the Estela de Luz at the corner of Bosque de Chapultepec to Avenida Hildago passing Alameda Central and onto Avenida Cinco de Mayo before ending in Zócalo Square. 

The parade is a relatively new addition to the Dia de los Muertos celebrations. The official route, date and time were only announced two weeks before the celebrations took place. We had to monitor Mexico City’s government website to stay up-to-date with the Official Announcements. 

Where to Watch the Parade 

From the Street.  Arrive a couple of hours early and claim a spot along the metal barricades lining the parade route for the best view. It gets very busy and difficult to see if you’re further into the crowd. 

From a Restaurant or Bar.  We watched the parade in Centró Historico at a bar called Pata Negra. Though we didn’t have a front row view, we were elevated above the crowds, had a seat to sit on, restroom to use and bar to order cocktails from. 

The Grand Closing Ceremony 

The grand closing ceremony ended in Zócalo Square with a concert featuring Ángela Aguilar where she performed La Llorona and two other songs as choreographed fireworks lit up the sky in front of the grand cathedral.

Festival de Coyocan 

One of the largest festivals held during two weeks leading up to Dia de los Muertos with celebrations and ofrendas. The streets surrounding the Centró de Coyoacan are lined with food vendors, mobile panaderias, handicraft booths, makeup artists, fair games and carnival rides. People from all over the neighborhood and city come here to celebrate.

Mercado Artisanal.  A two level market with stalls of vendors and artists selling alebrijes and calaveras as well as the Mexican handicrafts like textiles, books, leather goods and home decor.

Restaurants in Coyocan

Restaurant Ave Maria.  A higher end restaurant serving classic Mexican meals like enchiladas in mole, chile relleno with queso and tres leches served on traditional clay dishes 

Los Danzantes.  Oxacan style and traditional Mexican dishes, located in Coyoacán. 

Cabo Coyote.  A restaurant and bar in Centró Coyoacan. We came here for pre-dinner cocktails. 

Boicot Café Coyoacán.  A multilevel coffee shop in Coyoacan. We came here for an afternoon caffeine fix. 

Lecaroz.  A bakery specializing in Mexican pastry and breads. Visiting during Dia de los Muertos, they had an endless supply of Pan de Muerto in multiple sizes.

Mexican Street Food

Street food is popular all across Mexico City, especially around Day of the Dead. Look out for vendors selling gorditias, tlayudas, elotes, chapulines and churros. 

• Gordita.  Thick corn masa tortillas cooked until puffy, cut open and stuffed with filling. We ordered them from a street vendor on Paseo de la Reforma who stuffed them with beans, cheese and salsa. 

• Tlayuda.  A cracker thin tortilla topped with various garnishes. Our favorite was from a street vendor in Zocaló Square. It was spread with refried beans and topped with nopales, Oaxacan cheese and hot sauce. 

• Elote.  A grilled ear of sweet corn served on a stick. It’s covered in Mexican creama and garnished with cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime juice.  

• Chapulines.  Crispy fried grasshoppers. We had them on tacos, as a garnish to dishes, in bars mixed with peanuts and saw them sold in barrels as snacks with a squeeze of lime.

• Churros.  Fried sticks of ridged dough covered in cinnamon sugar and served with dulce de leche, chocolate sauce or sweeten condensed milk.

For Next Time…

Having visited Mexico City for Dia de los Muertos, we would love to return one day to celebrate the festivities in Oaxaca or some of the smaller pueblos around the country.

Mexico City, Mexico

A Mexican Metropolis

Mexico City is a sprawling metropolis where old meets new. It’s a vibrant cultural hub shaped by both contemporary Mexican influences and Mesoamerican heritage. Trendy barrios and historic centers are home to celebrated landmarks and world class museums. The city is a paradise for cuisine from street food vendors, bustling local markets and restaurants that celebrate Mexico’s rich culinary traditions.

La Roma 

La Roma was our home both times we visited in Mexico City. The neighborhood is lush with tree lined streets, tropical plants and blossoming flowers. Architecturally, it shares a mix of styles including Art Deco, Spanish Colonial and Contemporary. It’s a trendy area with boutique hotels, cute shops, cafes selling pan de dulce, mezcalerias and wide a range of restaurants. It’s home to millennials, American expats and dog owners. 

Parque Mexico.  An ovular shaped park in the heart of La Roma. Between the tall trees and Art Deco fountains, couples can be spotted romantically kissing on park benches, pet owners letting their well behaved dogs play freely and families enjoying long afternoons together. 

Avenida Amsterdam.  An ovular avenue offset from Parque Mexico. We spent our mornings walking along the central boulevard admiring the nature, architecture and dogs while window shopping and looking for cafes and restaurants to eat at. 

Mercado Medellin.  A traditional Mexican market in Roma with restaurants and aisles of vendors selling produce, seafood, meats, flowers, mole and more. We visited in the morning for breakfast and to shop for groceries. In the produce section, we bought nopales, squash flowers, poblanos, tomatillos, plantains, papaya and mangos. We walked through the seafood section admiring the fresh and exotic catches like red snapper, parrot fish and whole shark sitting on beds of ice. Further in, we watched butchers slice and tenderize hunks of beef as whole chickens laid along the counters and large pork rinds hung from racks. The edge of the market is a fragrant section with vibrant floral displays, colorful arrangements and potted succulents. 

La Abuelita.  A restaurant in Mercado Medellin with traditional Mexican breakfast dishes. We’ve come here twice on separate trips to Mexico City and tried their hurraches, huevos rancheros, chilaquiles and cafe de olla.

Centro Historico 

Centro Historico is the oldest neighborhood in Mexico City. We came here to sightsee along the narrow roads, visit landmarks and immerse ourselves in Mexican culture. 

Zocalo Square.  A massive public square in the Centro Historico and common place for cultural events, performances and street vendors. It’s flanked by the Catedral Metropolitana, Palacio Nacional and Grand Hotel. At its center is a large flag pole supporting the Mexican flag.

Catedral Metropolitana.  A historic cathedral at one end of the Zocalo Square built on top of and from the stones of Aztec temples and pyramids. Its facade has a symmetrical design with two grand bell towers, religious motifs and ornate patterns carved into the stone. An elaborately designed church with a terracotta tiled dome is attached to one side. Its interior is adorned with golden altars and sacristies, catholic statues, a massive organ system and sections with wooden pews. 

Palacio de Bellas Artes.  An art museum with an ornate stone exterior and gilded with a golden domed roof. Its interior is an Art Deco masterpiece with Aztec inspired ornaments, marble clad surfaces, geometric & organic elements. The museum features a multilevel atrium with frescos and murals, painted by Mexican artists. The most famous is El Hombre Controlador Del Universo, painted by Diego Rivera. A large fresco depicting the opposition of Capitalist and Socialist societies and the exploration of the planet. It was originally commissioned to grace the walls of Rockefeller Center in NYC but was destroyed due to its depiction of Lenin. Several temporary galleries branch off from the atrium with works created by Mexican artists.

Alameda Central.  The oldest public park in Mexico City just outside of the historic center along Paseo de la Reforma. There are often street performers and festivals held here.

Pyramid of Ehecatl.  An Aztec temple unearthed during the construction of Mexico City’s subway. The ruins are visible in the Pino Suarez station with an exhibit of its discovery and preservation. 

Gran Hotel Terraza.  A rooftop terrace at the grand hotel overlooking Zocolo Square, Catedral Metropolitana and Palacio Nacional. We watched the presidential guard lower the flag at sunset while sipping on mezcalitas. The hotel lobby is equally as impressive with one or the largest Tiffany glass ceilings in the world, creating a beautiful mosaic of colors.

Templo Mayor.  The ruins of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec city destroyed by the Spanish to build colonial Mexico City. A pathway leads through the ruins past several periods of its expansion to its center with a sunken pyramid, with two shrines on top, several ceremonial altars and a museum housing artifacts discovered in Templo Mayor. Plaques tell the story of its ceremonial purposes, expansion, destruction and preservation. 

• Temple Entrance.  A platform featuring statues of snakes with well preserved heads, still baring red paint. 

• The Shrine of Huitzilopochtli.  A shrine at the top of Templo Mayor dedicated to the Mexica god of war. The platform was believed to have been used for human sacrifices and funerals.

• The Shrine of Tláloc.  A shrine at the top of Templo Mayor dedicated to the Mexica god of water. A painted statue of Tláloc holding a bowl for offerings is preserved at the front of the shrine. 

• The House of Eagles.  A platform and temple used by elite Mexicas to perform ritual ceremonies. Protected under a pavilion, the ceremonial sight features stone “banquettes” with bases decorated in ornately carved and painted hieroglyphs.

• Altar Tzompantli.  A alter building with its sides covered in stone carved skull, dedicated to the god of death. 

• Red Temple.  A small temple with walls built from red stone circles and painted in various designs.

Templo Mayor Museum.  A museum housing artifacts discovered at Templo Mayor including carved stone reliefs, statues, the remains of human sacrifices, stone masks, obsidian blades and jewelry. Some of the most important artifacts on display are: 

• Monolith of Tlaltecuhtli.  A giant stone monolith of one of the Aztec’s most important gods. Viewed as source of life, the god was often appeased with blood sacrifices and human hearts. 

• Coyolxauhqui Stone.  A giant round monolith of a dismembered Aztec goddess. It’s one of the largest intact artifacts discovered. 

• Mictlantecuhtli God of Death.  A clay statue of the skeletal looking Aztec god, with its arms extended and claw like hands. 

• Eagle Warrior.  A clay statue of a warrior dressed like an eagle found in The House of Eagles.

• Turquoise Disk.  A small disk made with over 15,000 turquoise pieces depicting warriors.

Bosque de Chapultepec 

Bosque de Chapultepec is the city’s largest park and green space with forested areas and tree covered walkways. At is center is a lake with paddle and row boats, surrounded by vendors selling snacks, street style food, luchador masks and children’s toys. The park acts as a cultural hub with numerous museums and a historic hilltop castle. 

Museo de Arte Moderno.  A modernist and surrealist art museum with painting and pieces depicting Mexican heritage, culture and landscapes by artists like Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo and José Clemente Orozco. One of Frida’s most famous works, Los Dos Fridas (The Two Fridas), is prominently on display. Some pieces, including Diego’s, Velorio o Dia de Muertos, are paired with a wooden orb containing an aroma of what’s pictured.

Museo Nacional de Antropología.  An anthropological museum dedicated to the ancient civilizations and cultures of Mexico. Exhibit halls are dedicated to each group including the Mexica, Aztec, Mayan, Zapotec and Teotihuacan. Artifacts of display include sacrificial stones, statues of gods, carved stelas, ball court rings, jade masks, golden breast plates, painted pottery, human remains and temple reproductions.  Some of the most important artifacts on display are: 

• The Aztec Sun Stone. One of the most famous and recognizable Aztec artifacts discovered, prominently displayed in the Mexica Hall. The complexly carved 12ft diameter stone monolith is often referred to as the “Aztec Calendar.” Baring elements of the calendar, it was used as a sacrificial alter for blood sacrifices.  

• Montezuma’s Headdress.  A replica of the Aztec ruler’s magnificent headdress made from turquoise, red and iridescent green feathers adorned with gold medallions. It’s located in the Mexica Hall. 

• Colossal Olmec Head.  One of the few colossal stone heads of an Olmec ruler discovered. It’s located in the Gulf Coast Hall.

• The Funerary Remains of Pakal The Great.  Referred to as one of the Mayan Empire’s greatest rulers. His funerary offerings including an elaborate mask, beaded jewelry and skeletal remains are displayed in a replica sarcophagus and jade. It’s located in the lower level of the Maya Hall.

• Tlaloc "Señor de la Lluvia."  A massive stone sculpture of the Aztec god of water surrounded by a fountain in outside of the museum.

Coyoacan 

Coyoacan is an authentic and historic neighborhood with a lively center, traditional markets, beautiful colonial era homes and many restaurants. It’s famous as the birthplace and home to Frida Kahlo. 

Centró de Coyoacan.  The central plaza and park is the heart of the neighborhood. It’s a place for all ages and generations to gather, where street performers put on a show, mariachis serenade diners and vendors sell handicrafts, street food, cotton candy and firework poppers. In the middle of the park is a fountain with coyotes playing, they are the symbol and namesake of the neighborhood. Flanking the center is a handicrafts market, a historic cathedral and many restaurants serving traditional Mexican cuisine. 

Mercado Artisanal.  A two level market with stalls of vendors and artists selling alebrijes, calaveras, textiles, books, leather goods and home decor. There are even a few stalls to get tattoos and piercings. 

Mercado San Juan.  A market, very similar to Mercado de Medellin in La Roma, albeit slightly larger in size. Locals come here to shop for produce, meat, spices and home goods, tourists for souvenirs and everyone comes for its food stalls and restaurants.

Casa Azul.  Cayocan is the birthplace and home to many renowned artists, most notably Frida Kahlo. We visited her family home, Casa Azul, named after its vibrant blue painted exterior. While here, we toured her gardens, art studio and many rooms within her house. The museum displayed her artwork, clothes, diaries and braces while explaining the story of her life. Purchase tickets ahead of time on Viator in order to secure a reservation. Once inside, purchase a photography sticker for $30 Pesos. 

Xochimilco

Xochimilco is an ancient Aztec canal system built around floating gardens. It’s best known today for its narrow waterways, colorful gondolas and lively  atmosphere. The canals are a place to fiesta and enjoy a leisurely afternoon while learning about Aztec culture and the haunting legend of La Llorona.

A Fiesta on the Canals

We started our tour at Embarcadero de Cuemanco, one of the main canals in Xochimilco. The canal was lined with dozens of colorful and vibrant gondolas, called Trajineras, and surrounded by a market of shops, restaurants and bars. Before embarking, we picked up cervezas and snacks for our journey. We then met our guide, Maria, at our Trajinera named, Feliz Cumpleaños, fitting for Devin’s birthday. Maria and our rower were ready for us with snacks, music, mezcal and tequila! 

Rest Stops along the Canals 

As we set off, the rower gradually navigated us through the canals using a long wooden stick with occasional stops at various bars for cocktails and restroom breaks. We made 3 stops:

• First at Don Pino, a bar and snack shop. We of course had margaritas

• Second at Chinampa Onkali, where we saw axolotls (cute amphibious salamanders) and had lunch including blue corn quesadillas and tacos. 

• Third at Micheladas el Yogui, an excellent bar with cocktails and shots served in clay pottery. We even brought the pottery home.

Mezcal & Mariachis 

Throughout the tour, not only did we get a little tipsy but we got to see beautiful nature and learn about the Aztec history and construction of the canals. Our rower even let us try guiding the Trajinera! Maybe it was the alcohol but we soon after drifted off course. Towards the end, a Trajinera with a Mariachi band pulled up and serenaded our group with a few songs!

Tips for Visiting

Hire a Guide. Guides can be hired from any of the docks in Xochimilco, however wanting to be a part of a group, we booked ahead of time through Airbnb Experiences with several other travelers. 

Pronunciation.  Xochimilco is pronounced: So-Chee-Mill-Co.

Traffic.  Plan for traffic if booking a tour. It took us an hour and a half to reach Xochimilco from La Roma.

Buy Snacks.  Buy food and drink to enjoy on the boat from the nearby market. Timing.  The best time to come is between 12-1pm when its busy and most festive. Plan to ride in canals for minimum of 2 hours. 

Cash Only.  Everything in Xochimilco is cash only. This includes:

• Cerveza:  20 Pesos

• Cocktails: 50-100 Pesos

• Bathrooms: 5-10 Pesos

• Mariachi Band: 200-400 pesos (dependent on negotiation, quantity of songs and number of people on board)

Teotihuacán 

Teotihuacán is an ancient city with pyramids, ruins, murals and artifacts that predate the Aztecs by over 1,000 years. One of the most popular ways to view the ruins is by hot air ballooning overhead as the sunrises followed by exploring them on foot.

Sun Rise Over Teotihuacán. We booked a sunrise hot air balloon tour from Mexico City to Teotihuacán, a longtime dream that began with a 4am pickup and an early arrival at Sky Balloons Mexico. While checking in, we sipped hot cocoa and watched dozens of vibrant balloons inflate and ignite in the dark. As dawn approached, balloons lifted off one by one. Soon after, we climbed into our basket, drifting gently upward as the sun rose over the hazy landscape, glowing like a brilliant balloon in the sky.

Ballooning Over Teotihuacán.  Floating toward Teotihuacán, we shifted altitudes above the Pyramid of the Sun as colorful balloons filled the air. From above, the Avenue of the Dead and surrounding ruins slowly came into focus, entirely empty and eerily serene before the park opened. We descended over the avenue toward the Pyramid of the Moon and landed softly in a nearby field, celebrating with a champagne toast. Back on the ground, we enjoyed chilaquiles and tropical fruit while overlooking the ruins and balloons floating overhead.

Exploring Teotihuacán

There are many notable sights to see throughout the ancient city. We were able to explore several of them throughout our visit: 

The Avenue of the Dead.  A 1.5 mile long plaza flanked by the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon as well as many smaller pyramids and stone platforms. Many vendors line up selling obsidian sculptures, howling noise makers and other items. 

The Pyramid of the Sun.  The largest pyramid at Teotihuacán located along the center of the Avenue of the Dead. It faces west overlooking the north and south ends of the avenue. 

The Pyramid of the Moon.  The second largest pyramid at Teotihuacán located at the north end of The Avenue of the Dead. It faces south looking down the entire avenue. 

Palacio de Quetzalpapaloti.  A well preserved palace with stone carvings, painted walls and ruins of ancient rooms. 

Mural del Puma.  A well preserved mural of a cougar on the east side of the Avenue of the Dead halfway between the pyramids of the sun and moon. 

Plaza Oeste.  A plaza along the south west end of the Avenue of the Dead with underground layers of a stepped pyramid, serpent heads and ruins of multiple temple buildings. 

Tips for Visiting

Getting Here.  Teotihuacán is 1 hour 30 minutes from Mexico City. The best way to get here is with a tour group or by renting a car. The advantage of booking with a tour group is that it takes away the hassle of transportation; the disadvantage is that your time is limited. We booked on Get Your Guide. 

Wear Layers.  It’s chilly when arriving before sunrise but quickly heats up during the afternoon. 

Climbing.  The pyramids have been closed for climbing on since 2020.  

Mexican Cuisine 

Mexican cuisine is one of our favorites in the world. While in Mexico City, we made sure to try as many authentic dishes and favors that we would. 

• Chapulines.  Crispy fried grasshoppers. We had them on tacos, as a garnish to dishes, in bars mixed with peanuts and saw them sold in barrels as snacks with a squeeze of lime. 

• Tlayudas.  A cracker thin tortilla topped with various garnishes. Our favorite was from a street vendor in Zocaló Square. It was spread with refried beans and topped with nopales, Oaxacan cheese and hot sauce. 

• Gordita.  Thick corn masa tortillas cooked until puffy, cut open and stuffed with filling. We ordered them from a street vendor on Paseo de la Reforma who stuffed them with beans, cheese and salsa. 

• Churros.  Fried sticks of ridged dough covered in cinnamon sugar and served with dulce de leche, chocolate sauce or sweeten condensed milk.

• Molcajete.  A traditional stone motar heated over fire and filled with protein like steak, chicken or chorizo. In our case, seitan, tofu or shrimp. The protein is topped with salsa, radish, avocado, cheese and draped in grilled nopales.

• Chilaquiles.  Fried corn tortillas simmered in salsa verde or salsa rojo and topped with fried eggs, avocado, onion, cheese, cream and cilantro.

• Mole.  One of Mexico’s most famous and traditional sauces. It’s typically dark brown and made from a mixture of chili peppers, nuts, dried fruits and spices like cinnamon, star anise and cumin. We had this over cheese enchiladas in Coyoacan. 

• Café de Olla.  Coffee brewed with cinnamon and star anise. It’s typically sweetened with raw cane sugar and served in a clay mug.

• Tequila.  The famous liquor made from the sap of the blue agave cactus. We tried it neat and in cocktails. 

• Mezcal.  A smoky version of tequila. We often drank it neat from candle vase typically seen in churches. 

• Pulque.  A yeasty and fermented drink made in the dying core of the agave cactus.

Places to Eat & Drink

We ate and drank at a range of restaurants, cafes and bars across the city, enjoying Mexican cuisine, cocktails, snacks and street food. 

• Café de Tacuba.  An elevated restaurant in the Centro Historico popular amongst locals. Stop in for mid afternoon coffees and fresh pastries. 

• SOM.  A cocktail bar with exclusively Mexican spirits like mezcal, tequila and pulque. We ordered the piñacati & pulquerita. 

• Matuche.  A mezcal bar with mezcals from all across Mexico. Order a flight to sip on or let the bartender make recommendations. 

• Tlachiquero.  A dive bar specializing in mezcal. Join locals in sipping on mezcal from miniature clay jugs and bowls garnished with tajin and orange slices. 

• Taqueria Orinoco.  A popular taqueria for a Mexico City staple, midnight tacos! Open until the early morning hours, we stopped in late at night after a few drinks for avocado tacos and cheese quesadillas accompanied by a spread of salsas. The food is simple, delicious and inexpensive.

• Churrería el Moro.  A cafe on the corner of Parque Mexico serving churros and chocolaty drinks. Order the warm “Español” for dipping or cold “Mexicano” for sipping.

• Pasillo de Humo.  A restaurant serving traditional Oaxacan cuisine including: smoky homemade salsas, charred tortillas, cricket tacos, a caramelized pumpkin dessert and a cart with a variety of mezcals.

• Fonda Fina.  We came here for Devin’s birthday dinner. The restaurant makes classic Mexican dishes with a contemporary twist and creative cocktails.

• Veganion.  A fully vegan restaurant offering Mexican staples traditionally made with meal like a molcajete, tacos al pastor, carne asada and a sope. 

• Restaurant Ave Maria.  A higher end restaurant serving classic Mexican meals like enchiladas in mole, chile relleno with queso and tres leches served on traditional clay dishes 

• Los Danzantes.  Oxacan style and traditional Mexican dishes, located in Coyoacán. 

  Degú Condesa.  A brunch spot with bold coffee and dishes with Mexican flavor like scrambled eggs cooked in salsa verde or a grilled nopal with a fried egg surrounded by a poblano creama sauce.

• Chiquitito Café.  We learned about this cafe from a Duolingo Podcast on Mexico City. It’s a dog friendly cafe with a range of light pastries, breads and coffee.

Tips for Dining Out

• Reservations.  Make reservations at restaurants ahead of time to guarantee a spot.

• Tipping.  Tipping 10% is standard. Tip anything more for exceptional service. 

• Cash.  Carry cash, especially for street food and at the markets. 

• Restrooms.  Carry small coins to use public restrooms, which usually cost 5 pesos. As with many toilets in Central America, don’t flush used toilet paper. It often clogs the plumbing.

• Tap Water.  Avoid drinking tap water due to risk of contamination unless it’s been boiled or filtered.

• Clothing.  Avoid wearing shorts or sandals. This is seen as beachwear and out of place. 

• Mezcal.  Mezcal is much more popular than tequila. 

Where to Stay

Roma Art Deco Apartment.  A private two bedroom Airbnb in the heart of La Roma steps from Parque Mexico. The home is a cozy spot to relax after a full day exploring the city. 

Casa Aimee.  A guest house with several rooms in a family’s home in Roma Sur. The hosts were wonderful and accommodating, allowing us access to their shared kitchen, rooftop dining area and washing machine. They even prepared us barista style coffees every morning. Reserve on Booking.

Getting Around 

Traffic.  Traffic in Mexico City is notoriously congested. The best recommendation is to plan for extra time when getting around.

By Uber.  Ubers were our preferred method of getting around because of how inexpensive and consistent they are. We could travel from the airport to La Roma for $20 or across town for $10. 

By Metro.  The city also has an extensive subway system. Though we didn’t ride it, it looked to be a cheap and effective way of getting around.

For Next Time…

Watch a Lucha Libre Match.  See the colorfully masked wrestlers perform at the Arena Coliseo. 

Visit Puebla.  One of Mexico’s “pueblos magicos,” a colonial town with historic buildings covered in tiled walls and bright colors. 

See more Sights.  The Palacio Nacional, Museo Somaya, Casa y Studio Luis Barrigan and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico.

Hike the Volcanos.  Three volcanos with hiking trails outside the city including Iztaccihuatl, Nevado de Toluca and Popocatepetl.