Headed to Puerto Rico? These Beaches Belong on Your Bucket List

My father grew up on Puerto Rico‘s west coast, where beach days began with a barefoot walk to the sand around the neighborhoods of Isabela or Aguadilla and often ended wherever the waves happened to be breaking next. I grew up on stories of salty hair, sun-warmed sand, and long, glittering afternoons in the water. Eventually, I started following in his footsteps, exploring the island’s beaches for myself and discovering just how many different shades of paradise fit along its 300 miles of coastline. There are the rollicking Atlantic surf breaks at Jobos and Middles, the impossibly blue waters and colorful fishing boats of Crash Boat, the mangrove-fringed coastline around La Parguera, and the powdery white sands of Culebra’s Flamenco Beach. Some days call for a boat ride out to Culebrita’s secluded Tortuga Beach; others are better spent under the palms in Luquillo, with a plate of fresh seafood and a cold Medalla from the nearby kiosks.

The island is filled with beaches, all with a slightly different personality. Whether your plan is to wake up early and arrive with a surfboard, head out on a boat ride, snorkel, or lounge on the sand with absolutely no plans at all, I’ve got a rec for you. From well-loved surf towns to far-flung island hideaways, these are the best beaches in Puerto Rico worth building a trip around—plus, where to stay when you get there.