Thousands in Puerto Rico are celebrating the resignation of Governor Ricardo Roselló. But whether or not you’re participating in the festivities, it’s still a great time to consider a Puerto Rico vacation. During my most recent trip, my husband and I stayed in Boquerón, which is one of the island’s best beach destinations. And I found three exciting new things to do in this sun-soaked paradise.
For decades, Boquerón has been one of the most attractive places for a Puerto Rico beach vacation in Boquerón. This barrio, part of the municipality of Cabo Rojo, has the relaxed vibe of a tiny beach town, but enough nightlife and dining to inject as much excitement as you like. The beach — called Balneario Boquerón — is one of the best in Puerto Rico, with picturesque views, lovely sunsets and calm waters that are ideal for swimming (including for families). Boquerón is also great for nature lovers, since it’s home to two protected wildlife refuges: the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge and the Boquerón State Forest. And every June, this tiny village hosts Puerto Rico’s largest LGBTQ pride festival, with parties and revelers spilling out onto the streets for an entire weekend of fun.
In other words, there are lots of reasons to visit Boquerón. I’ve picked out three new discoveries from my most recent visit, to get you started.
- Eat well. One of the newest restaurants is Downtown Boquerón, a lovely little venue with mostly open-air seating as well as a small indoor dining room (which is air conditioned and, in a wonderfully quirky design touch, features a video of a blazing fireplace). Chef José Carles is in charge of the delectable menu here, which skews heavily toward seafood. I ate here with my husband (who’s from Puerto Rico) and his parents, and we sampled everything from tasty red snapper with mofongo (mashed plantains; one of my favorite Puerto Rican dishes) to paella con carne and giant pork chops. The restaurant, which is located in downtown Boquerón (not a surprise, given the name), also hosts a popular weekend brunch.
2. Stay Well. Quite possibly the coolest small hotel in this part of the island, the new Boho Beach Club (it used to be known as the Boquerón Beach Club before a major renovation) offers hip style, a laidback vibe and Boho Kitchen, a stylish restaurant with an extensive menu of Puerto Rican and international cuisine. You can spend lazy days in the swimming pool, walk to town or the beach. The hotel is working to restore a collection of vintage Airstream campers to rent them out as accommodations, as an interesting complement to the standard hotel rooms. Read the review of my stay at this Puerto Rico hotel here.
3. Drink Well. Boquerón is dotted with lots of cute little bars. One of my favorites opened just over a year ago: Punto Borincano, where the vibrant mural outside sets an artsy tone that continues throughout the venue, both inside and in the backyard seating area. Original artwork and friendly service complement the bar menu, which also includes light food.
How to Get to Boquerón: Located in the southwestern part of Puerto Rico, Boquerón is an easy drive from San Juan (less than three hours, although you might want to plan extra time so you can stop in other towns on the way and sightsee). If Puerto Rico’s west coast is your main area of focus, you can also fly into the Aguadilla airport, which is about an hour away and has flights from JetBlue, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines. The Ponce airport, which is a bit more than an hour away toward the east, is served by JetBlue. Since airline service is much more limited in Aguadilla and Ponce compared to San Juan, schedules may not be as convenient and fares may be less competitive — but it can be worth it, if you want to have more time to explore all that this beautiful region of Puerto Rico has to offer.
I always say if you visit Puerto Rico and only stay in San Juan, you’re missing out on a lot. Boquerón is yet another example of why you should expand your horizons and discover more of the isla del encanto.