E l Yunque & East Coast - Lonely...
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Why Go? The east coast is Puerto Rico shrink-wrapped; a tantalizing taste of almost everything the island has to offer squeezed into an area not much larger than Manhattan. Sodden rain- forest teems with jungle waterfalls and noisy wildlife at El Y unque National Forest, the commonwealth’s giant green lungs and biggest outdoor attraction. Down at sea level, beach hedonists bask on the icing-sugar sand of Playa Luquillo. Golfers and resort-seekers will find a different kind of nirvana: the highest concentration of mega resorts outside San Juan. Scruffy Fajardo is the island’s uncrowned water-sports capital, where adventurers kayak, dive, snorkel and fish, and rich yachters park their sailboats. Cutting through the region like a thin, green ribbon is the Northeast Ecological Corridor, a slender tract of undeveloped and endangered pristine land featuring Las Cabezas de San Juan Reserva Natural ‘El Faro, ’ a tiny nodule of coastline har- boring one of Puerto Rico’s stunning bioluminescent bays. When to Go Noteworthy annual events in Luquillo include the Fiesta de los Platos Típicos (Traditional Food Festival) in November, and on the third Saturday in April the Sierra Club promotes the preservation of the Northeast Ecological Corridor with a child-friendly turtle festival (Festival del Tinglar). An April kite festival is a fun event in Fajardo. Note that hurricane season – early June through late November – can bring sodden conditions to El Yunque, with the possibility of trails being closed due to mudslides and flooding some years. El Yunque & East Coast El Yunque . . . . . . . . . . .94 Luquillo & Around . . .100 Fajardo & Around . . . . 103 Naguabo & Around . .109 Yabucoa & Around . . . 111 Best Places to Eat » La Estación (p108) » Pasta y Pueblo (p102) » Pasión por el Fogón (p108) » Friquitines in Luquillo (p102) » Aquamar Steakhouse & Seafood (p112) Best Places to Stay » Casa Cubuy Ecolodge (p99) » Rainforest Inn (p98) » Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn (p101) » Ceiba Country Inn (p107) » Casa Flamboyant (p98) ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Transcript of E l Yunque & East Coast - Lonely...
Why Go? The east coast is Puerto Rico shrink-wrapped; a tantalizing taste of almost everything the island has to off er squeezed into an area not much larger than Manhattan. Sodden rain-forest teems with jungle waterfalls and noisy wildlife at El Yunque National Forest, the commonwealth’s giant green lungs and biggest outdoor attraction. Down at sea level, beach hedonists bask on the icing-sugar sand of Playa Luquillo.
Golfers and resort-seekers will fi nd a diff erent kind of nirvana: the highest concentration of mega resorts outside San Juan.
Scruff y Fajardo is the island’s uncrowned water-sports capital, where adventurers kayak, dive, snorkel and fi sh, and rich yachters park their sailboats.
Cutting through the region like a thin, green ribbon is the Northeast Ecological Corridor, a slender tract of undeveloped and endangered pristine land featuring Las Cabezas de San Juan Reserva Natural ‘El Faro,’ a tiny nodule of coastline har-boring one of Puerto Rico’s stunning bioluminescent bays.
When to Go Noteworthy annual events in Luquillo include the Fiesta de los Platos Típicos (Traditional Food Festival) in November, and on the third Saturday in April the Sierra Club promotes the preservation of the Northeast Ecological Corridor with a child-friendly turtle festival (Festival del Tinglar). An April kite festival is a fun event in Fajardo.
Note that hurricane season – early June through late November – can bring sodden conditions to El Yunque, with the possibility of trails being closed due to mudslides and fl ooding some years.
El Yunque & East CoastEl Yunque . . . . . . . . . . .94Luquillo & Around . . .100Fajardo & Around . . . .103Naguabo & Around . .109Yabucoa & Around . . . 111
Best Places to Eat » La Estación (p 108 )
» Pasta y Pueblo (p 102 )
» Pasión por el Fogón (p 108 )
» Friquitines in Luquillo (p 102 )
» Aquamar Steakhouse & Seafood (p 112 )
Best Places to Stay
» Casa Cubuy Ecolodge (p 99 )
» Rainforest Inn (p 98 )
» Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn (p 101 )
» Ceiba Country Inn (p 107 )
» Casa Flamboyant (p 98 )
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
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EL YUNQ
UE & EAST COAST EL YUN
QUE & EAST COAST
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6 miles010 km0
�1 Ramble through the moist rainforest fl ora in El Yunque National Forest (p 94 )
�2 Admire the sea views, iguanas and seven diff erent ecosystems in Las Cabezas de San Juan Reserva Natural ‘El Faro’ (p 104 )
�3 Surf the local break and swim at one of the island’s
best beaches at Luquillo (p 100 )
�4 Explore hidden waterfall pools and petroglyphs on El Yunque’s quiet south side (boxed text, p 98 )
�5 Kick back at one of the pretty oceanfront paradores near low-key Yabucoa (p 112 )
�6 Drink in the mesmerizing water with a kayak tour (p 106 ) of Fajardo’s glowing bioluminescent bay
�7 Traipse the forest or beachside landscape with a horseback riding trip on the north (p 110 ) or south coast (p 101 )
El Yunque & East Coast Highlights
