Five Stunning Natural Wonders To Explore Across Puerto Rico

Located just east of Hispaniola, the iconic island of Puerto Rico has earned worldwide acclaim for its thriving music industry and incredible food scene—but this sprawling territory is perhaps best known for its abundant natural beauty above all else. Home to verdant mangrove forests, white sand beaches, and towering mountains, Puerto Rico offers scenic landscapes found nowhere else in North America. For any hardcore nature lovers planning their next vacation, don’t miss out on the treasure trove of natural wonders found across this storied Caribbean island.

Bosque Estatal de Toro Negro

There’s a wealth of top-tier ecotourism destinations found across Puerto Rico, but for birdwatchers in particular, Toro Negro State Forest hosts one of the island’s most coveted endemic subspecies. Known as the Puerto Rican sharp-shinned hawk, this elusive raptor has seen a dramatic drop in population over the past few decades, with recent hurricanes wreaking havoc across the island. In addition to this fascinating species, visitors can also spot colorful native avifauna like the northern parula, mangrove cuckoo, and Puerto Rican mango, while the bird-averse can spend their time hiking through the wilderness in search of roaring waterfalls and tranquil ponds.

Piscinas Naturales de Manatí

Located in the municipality of Manatí, the aptly-named Natural Pools of Manatí provide visitors with some much-needed relief after a long day under the Caribbean sun. Carved through eons of wind, rain, and tide exposure, these rocky divets are filled with seawater as waves lap against the shore, with no shortage of native crustaceans and fish thriving in the surrounding area. While it’s a particularly scenic destination when the weather is cooperating, visitors should make sure to bring a pair of water shoes to avoid any contact with sea urchins, and avoid approaching the water during stormy weather.

Culebra

While it’s not the most easily-accessible destination in Puerto Rico, the picturesque beaches and incredible snorkeling potential of Culebra make it well worth the lengthy journey. Located roughly 20 miles east of the main island, this small landmass is a paradise for visiting wildlife lovers, with the 1,450-acre Culebra National Wildlife Refuge sheltering sea turtles and a plethora of nesting seabirds. While Culebra is famous for its world-class beaches, visitors can also marvel at its collection of heavily-graffitied military tanks, a tangible reminder of the island’s bygone past as a U.S. military bombing site.

Bosque Estatal de Boquerón

South of the scenic coastal city of Mayagüez, Bosque Estatal de Boquerón offers 5,000 acres packed with wildlife, historic landmarks, and scenic landscapes. For history buffs, the towering Faro Los Morrillos de Cabo Rojo—or Los Morrillos Lighthouse—is a particularly fascinating attraction, first installed in 1882 to aid seafarers in navigating the Mona Passage. While the preserve is best known for its sprawling salt flats, the dense mangrove forests along the coast play host to a massive array of native birds, with Bosque Estatal de Boquerón serving as one of the island’s most crucial preserves for the yellow-shouldered blackbird.

Bosque Nacional El Yunque

Measuring in at more than 28,000 acres, the sprawling El Yunque National Forest serves as Puerto Rico’s crown jewel of biodiversity, equipped with a massive array of native flora and fauna for visitors to encounter. While classic Puerto Rican creatures like the bananaquit, Puerto Rican owl, and coquí—a type of whistling frog—are common across the reserve, one bird in particular can only be spotted by the most fortunate of hikers. Listed as critically endangered by the U.S. government, the Puerto Rican parrot rests on the precipice of extinction, with just 23 birds recorded on the island in 1989. Though the future of these colorful creatures once seemed hopeless, great strides have been made in recent years to restore them to their native range, with intensive tracking and captive breeding programs taking place in the 21st century.