The 18 Things to Do in Guanica That are Worth It
👉 Jump to: Best Things to Do | Beaches | Outdoors | History, Art & Culture
With calm and inviting beaches, a giant dry forest, and multiple cays, there are plenty of things to do in Guanica, Puerto Rico for year-round adventures.
Located in the south of Puerto Rico, and off the beaten path of many visitors, Guanica is one of the best Puerto Rico destinations for beach bums and nature lovers.
As a Puerto Rican local and a major fan of our mesmerizing forests and beaches, I can assure you that Guanica will not disappoint. Not convinced yet? Check out these 18 amazing things to do in Guanica.
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18 Best Things to Do in Guanica, Puerto Rico
Guánica State Forest
Hike through Puerto Rico’s dry forest.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 821-5706 | Hours: 7:30 am – 4 pm Tues-Sun, Closed Mon
Part of the United Nations International Biosphere Reserve, this dry coastal tropical forest hosts hundreds of flora and fauna species that nature lovers can discover through various hiking trails. The forest is one of the largest tropical dry coastal forests in the world, and it houses even more biodiversity than El Yunque, making it one of the best places to visit in Puerto Rico.
The good thing is that the forest also has trails to some of the best beaches Puerto Rico has to offer, where you can escape the heat of the south coast.
Fuerte Caprón
Admire the best view in Guanica.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 821-5706 | Hours: 24 hours daily
Although the original fort dates back to the Spanish occupation era, the current fort was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1930. More a tower than an actual fort, Fuerte Caprón offers beautiful views of Guanica Bay.
The Fuerte Trail is a 6-mile long trail of average difficulty that takes you there from within the Guánica Dry Forest, but you do need to visit early to make the round trip from the forest’s main entry.
If you, however, are visiting late or just want to walk less, you can also access the forest in a much shorter (but challenging!) trail from PR-333.
🛎️ Need a Hotel? Guanica is a top destination with outdoor attractions that make the perfect Caribbean getaway. You can stay at Copamarina Beach Resort & Spa to have Guanica’s beaches a few steps away.
Punta Ballena Natural Reserve
Discover a unique reserve.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 722-5844 | Website
Officially part of the Guánica Dry Forest, the Punta Ballena
Nature Reserve covers 162.92 acres on the coast between the towns of Guánica and Yauco. The reserve is known for housing Playa Ballena, one of Puerto Rico’s most secluded and yet beautiful beaches.
You’ll also find a diverse coastal ecosystem here, including mangroves. During the high tide season, water covers part of the peninsula, creating a sort of cay known as Isla Ballena, connected to land through an isthmus.
👉 Local Tip: Park in PR-333 and hike around 0.6 miles, passing the gate and southbound, until reaching the coast. Don’t leave any valuable belongings in your car.
Caña Gorda Beach
Enjoy a family beach day.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 821-5016 | Hours: 8am – 5 pm Wed-Sun, Closed Mon-Tues | Entrance: $4 parking
Families looking for an easy-access beach with facilities, head over to Caña Gorda. This beach has calm waters where everyone can swim, bathrooms, showers, changing rooms, gazebos, picnic tables, and lots of trees for shade. You can also rent water sports equipment.
This beach is also a great launching site if you’re planning to kayak to Gilligan Island.
Best Beaches
Playa Santa
Discover another world underwater.
Besides being a popular public beach in Guánica for its calm waters, five miles outside Playa Santa, you can find La Pared. Translating to “the wall” this underwater wall descends more than 100 feet deep into the blue, offering a unique diving experience.
La Pared extends for miles between Guánica and Lajas, and it’s full of coral reefs and sea life that will delight any diving enthusiast. You can book a tour with Paradise Scuba.
Playa Jaboncillo
Escape to a hidden beach.
📍 Google Maps | Hours: 9 am – 4 pm daily
If instead of doing watersports, swimming, or mingling with the locals, you just want to enjoy the landscape and sunbathe on the sand, Playa Jaboncillo is your go-to beach.
This half-moon-shaped beach is less crowded than Playa Santa and Playa La Jungla, and it’s bordered by cliffs and coastal rock formations that, besides making great picture backgrounds, give the beach a sense of seclusion.
📚 Bookmark for Later: Best Season to Visit Puerto Rico
Playa San Jacinto
Enjoy fritters by the shore of this local hidden beach.
Playa San Jacinto is a small shore near the Copamarina Beach Resort in Guánica. It used to be the port of the Gilligan’s Island ferry.
Although the ferry is no longer running and the beach space is limited, San Jacinto Beach is great for watching boats navigate the bay and sitting in shallow waters.
Near the shore, you’ll find the San Jacinto restaurant. It’s a great place to buy fritters and a drink to enjoy while at the beach.
La Jungla Beach
Explore the beach mangroves.
📍 Google Maps | Hours: 7 am – 5 pm Tues- Sun, Closed Mon | Entrance: $2, adults, free under 12
Playa La Jungla is a shallow beach surrounded by mangroves you can explore by kayaking, swimming, or snorkeling. Visit during the weekdays to enjoy a calmer atmosphere.
There aren’t any facilities close by, but the scenery of this beach and its calm waters is one of the most popular in Guánica.
Best Outdoors
Cayo Don Luis
Soak in the shallow waters of a cay.
If you love Gilligan’s Island, you can’t miss Cayo Don Luis. This small cay located less than a mile from the main island features channels among mangroves you can explore and shallow turquoise coastal waters that will make you feel like you’re walking over the ocean.
Cayo Aurora (Gilligan’s Island)
Snorkel in crystal clear waters.
Cayo Aurora, also known as Gilligan’s Island, is an offshore mangrove home to shallow, crystal-clear waters great for snorkeling. Although it’s officially closed since the Puerto Rico 2020 earthquakes, many people visit the cay kayaking from Guánica’s coast, or with private tour operators.
Finca El Girasol
Get lost among sunflowers.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (939) 402-7967 | Hours: 10 am – 4 pm Mon & Fri; 9 am – 6 pm Sat & Sun | Entrance: $2
Finca El Girasol is one of the best stops in in Puerto Rico for couples. The farm features a field with hundreds of sunflowers where you can take pictures, stroll through the fields, and buy sunflowers to take home. Call before visiting to make sure they’re open, as sometimes the weather affects the opening hours.
Bio Bay La Parguera
Take a night trip to a bio bay.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Browse La Parguera Tours on Viator
A short ride away from Guanica you’ll find La Parguera bio bay, one of the three bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico. La Parguera in Lajas is the only bio bay where you’re allowed to swim in the water, but kayaks and boat rides are an option too. Be sure to visit during the new moon to appreciate it better.
📍 Looking for more nearby attractions? Check out our list of the best things to do in Ponce!
Best History, Art, and Culture
Guanica’s Lighthouse Ruins
Witness history at a fallen lighthouse.
Also located inside the dry forest, Guanica’s 19th-century lighthouse ruins are barely standing, but they represent the damage made by the 2020 earthquakes. This lighthouse was the first to spot the American ships during the invasion in 1898.
Puente Hamaca
Cross the city’s hanging bridge.
For those who like to hunt for curious sites, a quick visit to Puente Hamaca in Guánica is something they can’t miss. This is one of the hanging bridges in Puerto Rico and it dates back to 1956.
Although relatively rundown, many still venture into bridge to strike a pose. The area is somewhat solitary, so as a general Puerto Rico safety tip, you should visit during daylight hours only.
Guánica’s Sugar Plantation Ruins
Photograph abandoned ruins in Guánica.
Guanica’s plantation ruins are the perfect site for spooky ruins filled with history. The town on the south coast, like many others in Puerto Rico, used to be filled with sugar cane plantations and sugar cane fields.
Although the industry declined, and many plantations were abandoned, they are great sites to visit for photographers and history enthusiasts.
Find the sugar cane mill ruins in the Ensenada neighborhood in Guánica. I recommend that you don’t go alone and visit only during daylight hours.
Museo Pedro Juan Vargas Mercado
The former city hall is now a museum that hosts local art and artifacts.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 821-4343
Museo de Arte e Historia Pedro Juan Vargas Mercado is Guánica’s museum located downtown next to the town’s main square. The historic building with neoclassic architecture is over 100 years old and once housed the city hall.
Now, it’s a historical landmark and one of the few surviving historical buildings from the January 2020 earthquakes. The museum’s collection showcases Guánica’s history and local art.
Guanica Town Center
Search for street art in the town center.
Following the trend of urban art in cities like San Juan and Yauco, Guánica also created its route of street art in the city’s town center.
Although the original project, known as Guánica Color y Vida included 17 murals, many of them were lost after the 2020 earthquakes. But you can still find some of them around the main plaza, on 25 de Julio street, Calle B, and Calle A.
🚗 How to Get There: If you’re staying in San Juan, your best option for getting to Guanica is to rent a car. Use Discover Cars to compare agencies and find cheap prices for car rentals.
El Malecón
Take a stroll on the beachfront.
After having dinner in Guánica’s downtown, take a relaxing walk, go for a run, or take your kids for a bike or scooter ride at El Malecón in Guánica.
From this oceanfront promenade, you can see small fishing boats on the bay, the abandoned sugar mill, and the Caprón Fort.
While there, make a stop at La Piedra de Guanica, a rock carved by the American troops when they landed in Guanica during the 1898 invasion.
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Thanks for reading the best things to do in Guanica! If you’re looking for more fun options, check out other fun activities to do in Puerto Rico.
Have fun in Guanica!
