10 Best Beaches in Puerto Rico

Crash Boat Beach, or Playa Crash Boat, offers a wide range of activities including scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing, swimming, surfing, and relaxing in the sun. This is amongst the most popular beaches in Puerto Rico's Aguadilla region. It's just a few steps from the El Natural diving spot where you can see an entire underwater universe of marine life in all its forms and colours.

It's also known as the party beach of the island, with music, food stands, shopping kiosks, and other forms of entertainment. All of this fun, excitement, and romance is about 15 minutes north of city centre Aguadilla.

Flamenco Beach, or Playa Flamenco, is a public beach on Culebra with crystal-clear water and white sands lined by palm trees and lush green mountains offering snorkelling and swimming. The beach also has bathrooms, shopping, and dining kiosks, and even a campground area where you can spend a day or 2 in the great outdoors.

Lifeguards are on-site monitoring the waters, so it's a safe place for kids to swim. It's also an incredibly spacious beach, so it's usually pretty easy to find a spot where you can just chill out and relax without crowds. It's just 8 minutes north of central Culebra.

Playa Jobos, or Jobos Beach, is a stretch of sun and sand about 18 minutes northwest of city centre Isabela that's a secluded local favourite with snorkelling and surfing. This isn't a bustling beach full of holidaymakers but is a popular local spot with a natural rock wall, turquoise waters, golden sands, and budget-friendly local eateries.

Locals have been fighting to resist development here for some time. For now, Playa Jobos is a natural beach that's quiet and friendly. It's a good place to come to escape from the hustle and bustle of the crowds and enjoy some peace and quiet.

La Poza del Obispo Beach is a small stretch of sand sheltered by rock formations next to a historic and lovely lighthouse with shallow swimming waters. The water can get pretty rough depending on the weather, so parents may want to keep an eye on the kids if they're swimming.

Street parking is available but can be a challenge to find at times. The beach is part of the Arecibo Lighthouse and Historical Park, just about 10 minutes east of central Arecibo Pueblo. Here you can explore a replica indigenous village, a pirate ship, playgrounds, and, of course, the lighthouse itself.

Playa Montones offers easy, direct access to a shallow pool with calm surf that makes it one of the more popular beaches for families in the Isabela region. The beach is safe for kids of all ages, even toddlers, because of the shallowness, while the adults love to relax in the calm, scenic surroundings of white sands and crystal-clear marine waters.

If you're looking for a quiet place to get away from the holidaying crowds, this is a place to go. It's preferred by locals, which makes it something of a hidden gem amongst Puerto Rican beaches. It's just 20 minutes north of city centre Isabela.

Peña Blanca Beach is a secluded sand and rocky beach tucked away in a residential area known for its crystal-clear waters that are calm in summer and great for surfing in winter. Here you can explore natural rock formations, wade in the waters, and go snorkelling to see colourful tropical marine life and turtles.

The beach is about 20 minutes north of central Aguadilla Pueblo along the coast. Keep in mind when travelling here that parking is limited. It's best to visit during the week because the largest crowds descend on weekends.

Playa Sucia translates to "Dirty Beach," but it's actually quite clean and offers turquoise waters and white sands surrounded by green space just steps from the Cabo Rojo lighthouse. The beach has a public car park that's about a 10-minute walk from the shore. The lighthouse is open to the public and offers gorgeous panoramic views of the surrounding area.

During the week, this beach tends to be peaceful and sparsely visited, but crowds descend on weekends. It has calm surf and has been ranked amongst the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. It's about 40 minutes south of Cabo Rojo.

Playa Punta Borinquen is a family-friendly beach that offers a wide stretch of golden sand and strong swells from shallow reef breaks that appeal to surfers. In fact, it's been declared the first World Surfing Reserve in the Caribbean by the Saves the Waves Coalition, a designation that protects it as a world-class spot for the sport.

Famed breaks and tubes here include Wilderness, the Gas Chambers, and Survival Beach. The area is also surrounded by gorgeous green forested lands, making it an ideal enclave for sports or relaxation just about 30 minutes north of Aguadilla.

Surfer's Beach is a few minutes from city centre Aguadilla and offers pipes that are popular amongst novice and expert surfers as well as family-friendly stretches of sand and sea. It also connects directly to a second beach that has been declared a World Surfing Reserve. If you're a veteran surfer looking to catch great waves or a novice looking to dip your toes into the sport, this is a good space.

It also offers soft, golden sands and clear, dark-blue waters that families can enjoy for a peaceful escape from the local crowds. Street parking is available but can be sparse when the beach is crowded.

Seven Seas Beach is famed for its crystal-clear, calm waters, making it great for swimming and snorkelling, as well as its family-friendly amenities. The beach offers on-site bathrooms, showers, and barbecue facilities. If you want to spend a few days here, you can book a campsite or caravan house.

Just a few steps away from the waters and sand you'll find a wide stretch of grass and trees for kids to run and play while the adults kick back and relax at a picnic area. It's just 11 minutes from city centre Fajardo.