Where to Go Kayaking in Puerto Rico Kayaking (By a Local)
For those of you looking for some outdoorsy fun, Puerto Rico kayaking experiences never disappoint.
Between the beaches, rivers, and lagoons, Puerto Rico offers hundreds of places to kayak for all tastes and levels of expertise. Best of all, visiting most of these sites is free, which is why kayaking is a popular Puerto Rico activity.
I’m a Puerto Rico local with a love for the outdoors and adventure. In this article, I’ll list the best kayaking spots in Puerto Rico.
Want to jump around?
- 17 Best Kayaking Spots in Puerto Rico
- Condado Lagoon
- Laguna Grande
- Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay
- La Parguera
- Monkey Island
- Gilligan Island
- Ensenada Yegua
- Culebra
- La Plata Lake
- Tanama River
- Mameyes River
- Laguna La Torrecilla
- Medio Mundo and Daguao Nature Reserve
- Punta Santiago Nature Reserve
- La Reserva Natural Corredor Ecológico del Noreste
- Punta Guaniquilla Nature Reserve
- Aguadilla
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17 Best Kayaking Spots in Puerto Rico
Condado Lagoon
Kayak in this lagoon and enjoy the skyline of Condado and Miramar.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book Kayak Tours to Condado Lagoon
The Condado Lagoon is one of the best places to kayak in Puerto Rico and one of the easiest to get to from Old San Juan.
You’ll find multiple family-friendly kayaking tour types and rentals near the lagoon. However, one of the most popular tours is the night kayak tour with LED lights.
The lagoon’s currents are usually beginner-friendly, so you have the option to rent kayaks and navigate the lagoon on your own. Look out for the diverse wildlife in the area, including protected species like manatees and turtles.
Laguna Grande
Experience a unique glowing water phenomenon as you kayak in this lagoon in Fajardo.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book a Kayak Tour to Laguna Grande
Laguna Grande is a bioluminescent lagoon located in Fajardo. Nestled within the Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve, this lagoon is one of the three bioluminescent bodies of water in Puerto Rico.
Kayaking tours start at Kayak Village, from where you will navigate through channels of mangroves. After kayaking for about ten minutes you’ll reach the opening to the lagoon.
Make sure to visit during the new moon to appreciate the glow at its best.
Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay
Kayak in a bio bay and watch the water glow every time you paddle.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book Tours to Mosquito Bio Bay
Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay is the brightest bio bay in the world according to the World Guinness Records. It’s located in Vieques, Puerto Rico.
Kayaking in this Puerto Rico bio bay will be an amazing adventure for your family. The large presence of dinoflagellates in the water makes the water glow with every movement.
Plenty of local companies and tour guides offer daily kayak tours to the bay that are equally doable for beginners and experts.
La Parguera
Home to a bio bay and lots of cays, La Parguera is great for kayaking at any hour.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book Kayak Tours to La Parguera
La Parguera is one of Puerto Rico’s best spots for kayaking during both the day and night. Families and adventure enthusiasts can kayak between the site’s secluded cays and islands, and make stops in them to enjoy clear and shallow waters.
Visit the fishing town at night to enjoy a unique kayaking experience at La Parguera Bioluminescent Bay.
The whole family will love the shimmering water that lights up with every movement. This is also the only bio bay in Puerto Rico that allows swimming.
Monkey Island
Kayak to an offshore cay outside Humacao filled with monkeys.
Cayo Santiago, also known as Monkey Island, is a research site in a small cay located outside the coast of Humacao. It’s inhabited by Rhesus monkeys.
Although you can’t visit the cay itself, kayaking near its shore is a unique excursion that will allow you to see the animals in their natural habitat. Barefoot Travelers offers tours to Monkey Island.
Gilligan Island
Located just off Guánica, this island is known for high-visibility waters and lots of marine life.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book a Gilligan Island Kayaking Tour
Gilligan Island, also known as Cayo Aurora, is one of Puerto Rico’s most visited islands. It’s located south of the town of Guánica.
Kayaking from the town to Gilligan Island takes about half an hour depending on the weather conditions for the Caribbean waters. Once there, you can spend the day snorkeling in the clear waters. You can visit on a tour or plan the excursion on your own.
Ensenada Yegua
With shallow clear waters and a beautiful landscape, kayaking off this beach is a dreamy experience.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book a Kayak Tour in Fajardo
While Laguna Grande in Fajardo is one of the best places for kayaking in Puerto Rico, Ensenada Yegua also offers a great experience for kayakers and is located right next door.
Also known as Seven Seas Beach, one of Fajardo’s main beaches, Ensenada Yegua has shallow waters protected by reefs and sandbars ideal for all types of kayakers.
The beach has kayak rentals, so you can set out kayaking all on your own.
Culebra
Hop and kayak between islands at Culebra.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book a Kayak Tour in Culebra
Kayaking is one of the top attractions in Culebra Island. Culebra beaches are filled with marine life and offer incredible views of the Caribbean.
Many visitors opt to take a snorkeling boat tour to Culebra, but exploring the island by kayak is an amazing experience filled with thrill and rare finds. One of the most popular kayak trips is from Tamarindo Beach to Cayo Luis Peña, where you can swim with sea turtles.
La Plata Lake
Fish and kayak in one of Puerto Rico’s largest lakes.
📍 Google Maps | Hours: 7 am – 5 pm daily, Closed Mondays and Tuesdays | Entrance: Free
La Plata Lake is located between Tao Alta and Naranjito and is one of the biggest lakes in Puerto Rico. Not only is this a great kayaking spot, but it’s also a popular fishing spot, so you can bring your fishing rod on your kayaking trip.
There aren’t many kayak rental options on-site, so plan ahead and rent your kayak in San Juan. Alternatively, you can rent one from Lago La Plata Guest House.
Tanama River
With caves, canyons, and beautiful scenery, the Tanama River is a great alternative to kayaking on the beach.
The Tanamá River is a great alternative to kayaking off Puerto Rico’s beaches. Although the river has many sections that extend between Utuado Arecibo and Adjuntas, it is the 100-foot El Portillo Cave that attracts many kayakers.
Getting to the Tanamá River on your own is possible, but visiting with a small group or a tour is recommended. Batey Adventures offers a mix of kayaking, hiking, and rappelling tours.
Mameyes River
Paddle and fish in a river with a view of El Yunque.
Located in El Yunque National Forest, the Mamayes River is a popular Puerto Rico destination for outdoor activities.
While many visit it for swimming, the river mouth next to Playa Fortuna in Luquillo is a popular spot for kayaking and fishing.
Since it’s located next to some of the best Luquillo beaches, you’ll find plenty of kayak rentals nearby.
Laguna La Torrecilla
This lagoon between Carolina and Loíza is great for kayaking after a beach day in Piñones.
Laguna La Torrecilla is located between Carolina and Loíza. The lagoon is popular among boat lovers and fishing fans, but it’s also a great place to kayak. Side note: Piñones is also Puerto Rico’s fritter capital, so I highly recommend grabbing a few once you’re done kayaking.
Laguna La Torrecilla offers multiple routes that cater both to beginner and expert kayakers. The longest route covers the entire lagoon and can take from three to four hours to complete. You can rent your kayaks at COPI.
Medio Mundo and Daguao Nature Reserve
From mangrove channels to offshore cays, this kayaking route in Ceiba is for expert kayakers.
The Medio Mundo and Daguao Nature Reserve in Ceiba offers one of the best hidden kayaking routes in Puerto Rico.
The challenging route starts at the pier in Los Machos Beach and crosses Medio Mundo Beach, the Ceiba State Forest’s mangrove channels, and the Medio Mundo Channel until reaching Cayo Piñero.
Para La Naturaleza occasionally offers kayaking tours, but for the most part, you’ll have to rent a kayak in nearby towns and bring it with you to the reserve.
Punta Santiago Nature Reserve
Find wildlife and historical ruins during your kayak trip in this nature reserve in Humacao.
The Punta Santiago Nature Reserve is located in Humacao and is popular for hiking, birdwatching, biking, and kayaking.
Even if you’re a beginner, you can rent a kayak within the reserve and explore the site’s multiple lagoons. Besides the wildlife, you’ll also see informative signs and historical ruins during your visit.
La Reserva Natural Corredor Ecológico del Noreste
Located between Luquillo and Fajardo, a kayak trip in this nature reserve is filled with wildlife and peace.
Corredor Ecológico del Noreste is a nature reserve that extends from Luquillo to Fajardo.
Many visit the reserve for its beaches, but the Sabana River offers scenic views El Yunque Rainforest and a peaceful spot for wildlife watching during your kayaking trip.
Sun Capital Paddlesports offers rentals and tours in Corredor Ecológico del Noreste.
Punta Guaniquilla Nature Reserve
Paddle on beaches and lagoons in this Cabo Rojo reserve.
The Punta Guaniquilla Nature Reserve is located next to Buyé Beach, one of Cabo Rojo’s top beaches. This Cabo Rojo attraction houses multiple sites for kayaking, including turquoise beaches and the Guaniquilla Lagoon with unique rock formations.
The kayaking route starts at Buyé Beach and goes around Punta Guaniquilla until entering the Guaniquilla Lagoon from the south.
Endless Summer Watersport PR rents kayaks on Buyé. Keep in mind the lagoon dries out seasonally.
Aguadilla
Kayak underneath an abandoned sugar cane dock at Aguadilla.
Aguadilla has a wide offer for kayaking fans. Crash Boat Beach, one of Puerto Rico’s top beaches, is probably the most popular kayaking spot in Aguadilla.
But, if you’re looking for something more challenging, head out from Rompeolas Beach to the north until you reach Aguadilla’s Sugar Cane dock. Nearby you can also spot Cueva Golondrinas, which environmentalists are fighting to protect from overdevelopment.
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Those were the 17 best kayaking spots in Puerto Rico! For more water fun, check out my guide to the best scuba diving spots in Puerto Rico. Safe travels!
(Featured Image Credit: BrendaLee Quiles Alvarado / Shutterstock)
