Aquatic Exploration, Puerto Rico, Caribbean

Aquatic Exploration

A first-time must for visitors to Puerto Rico is taking a day trip to the tiny uninhabited island of Desecheo, which is a National Wildlife Refuge, exploring the coast by boat (while viewing Rincón’s lighthouse from a different angle) and going scuba diving. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a tour.

Aerial View-Beaches , Vieques, Caribbean

Beaches

The best beaches on Vieques are located on the southern Caribbean side, and are accessible by car. Pack a picnic and set out to explore the pristine white sand beaches. Navio is ideal for active beach goers who want to bodysurf, Green Beach is located on the Western tip of the island and offers views of Puerto Rico, while Blue Beach is famed for snorkeling. Sun Bay offers picnic facilities, and Playa Negrita is the island’s only black sand beach (though is it a bit of a hike to get to). Red Beach is one of the most popular and flanked by mountains and calm waters for swimmers.

Bioluminescent Bay Kayaking

Expert ecologist guides will lead you in kayaks through the thick mangrove channels that lead to Laguna Grande. Here, microscopic plankton (or Phyrodinium Bahamense) produce natural light when they come in contact with anything. Each paddle stroke creates a glowing trail, illuminating nearby plants and creatures like an underwater comet. Learn about the constellations sparkling above and the delicate ecosystem supporting the lagoon. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a tour.

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Cueva Ventana

Visitors craving a more comprehensive understanding of Puerto Rico, or who have more time to explore the island, should fly into Aguadilla and stay in the less luxurious Rincón area for a few days before heading towards San Juan. The drive from Rincón to the northern coast region is over two hours, but stopping at Cueva Ventana is a great way to break it up.

Adjacent to an abandoned gas station on the side of the road, it is easy to miss the trailhead leading to Cueva Ventana’s entrance. Pay the $10 entry fee and sign a waiver before heading a few hundred yards uphill, where guides, helmets and other visitors await. After finding the right size gear, join the group of mostly native Puerto Rican visitors and head towards the caves (be sure to tell your bi-lingual guide if you do not speak Spanish!)

Cueva Ventana is one large underground chamber broken up into smaller caves by stalactites, stalagmites and collapsed earth. Descending can be tricky, so this excursion is not recommended for small children or people with mobility issues. It is also not for the faint of heart. (Guides warn against stepping on the cockroaches and snakes on the cave floor and ask that nobody use flash photography, as the bats swarming on the ceiling are extremely sensitive to light.)

Persevere and you will see centuries-old graffiti from the native Taino culture scrawled on the walls and the magnificent vista that the cave opens to. ‘Ventana,’ is the Spanish word for window and the cave's opening overlooks green pastures, jungle-covered mountains and the “Rio Grande” of Arecibo.

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Indagare Access: Buen Provecho Dinner Tour

This evening food-focused tour begins in one of Old San Juan’s main squares and covers highlights and major events that took place in the historic area. As you walk along the blue-cobblestoned streets lined with beautiful European-inspired architecture, you’ll experience traditional local flavors in bites and on tempting tapas-style plates, stopping at four beloved restaurants. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a dinner tour.

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Indagare Tour: Camuy Caves and Observatory

This tour takes place in the northwestern part of the island and includes stops in Camuy, whose park contains one of the largest cave networks in the Northern hemisphere. Thanks to recent developments, visitors can experience some of the network’s caverns, craterlike sinkholes and caves via trolley, seeing huge stalagmites, rocky ravines and an underground river.

The Arecibo Observatory is home to the world’s largest radar/radio telescope. A 600-ton platform hovers over a radar dish, which is 20-acres in length and sits in a 565-foot deep sinkhole. The telescope is responsible for some of the most cutting-edge astronomy work in the world and is capable of examining planets, monitoring pulsars, quasars and natural radio emissions from distant galaxies. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a tour.

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Indagare Tour: Catamaran, Snorkeling and Picnic

Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a private catamaran day trip to include snorkeling, beach combing, swimming off-board and a picnic lunch.

Indagare Tour: Fishing

Professional fisherman travel from all over the world to try catching the snook and tarpon that live in the Torrecilla and San Jose Lagoons of Carolina, an area just outside of San Juan. Guests can go out on light tackle charters through beautiful mangroves or out to sea on a specialized deep sea fishing vessel. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a fishing charter.

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Indagare Tour: Hiking in the Rainforest

Bahia Beach may be on the coast, but it also sits at the base of the U.S. National Forest System's sole tropical rain forest, El Yunque. The semi-athletic La Mina trail leads through thriving, verdant vegetation, wild orchids, tropical hardwood trees and finally to breathtaking waterfalls. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a guided tour.

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Indagare Tour: Horseback Riding in the Foothills of Carabali Rainforest

In the Carabali Rainforest Park, guests can take guided horseback trail rides following the crystal clear waters of the Mameyes River into the foothills of El Yunque. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a horseback riding tour.

Indagare Tour: Sunset Cruise

Depart the San Juan Marina at in time to see the pastel-colored sky change hues behind the familiar sights of Puerto Rico’s capital while enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvres from the boat deck. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a sunset cruise.

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Indagare Tours: Bioluminescent Bay

Filled with glowing plankton, Mosquito Bay is the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world, and a must-see attraction during a stay on Vieques. The best way to see them up close is to book a guided tour with one of the local touring companies that is licensed to access the bay. Options range from clear bottom kayaks to electrically powered boats that will take you straight through to this otherworldly site during a nighttime excursion. Indagare members can contact the Bookings Team to arrange a tour.

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Aerial View - Indagare Tours: Horseback Riding,Vieques, Caribbean

Indagare Tours: Horseback Riding

Vieques is home to wild horses that roam throughout the island, and guests can choose to go on horseback riding beach excursions (on trained horses.) Native Paso Fino horses will take you along nature trails, sandy beaches and hilltops with panoramic views. Indagare members can contact the Bookings Team to arrange an excursion.

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Indagare Tours: Sailing Charters

Indagare members can contact the Bookings Team to arrange full- and half--day sails that include swimming and guided snorkeling tours. A full-day tour could take you over to nearby island Culebra to visit famed Flamenco Beach, one of the top 10 beaches in the world. Both private charters and group tours are available.

Indagare Tours: Snorkeling and Scuba Diving

A guided snorkeling or scuba tour will take guests to see the island’s coral reefs. Alternatively, intrepid travelers can rent snorkel equipment through their hotel and venture out on their own. Most beaches have calm clear waters, so you can jump in at your leisure to explore the marine life. Indagare members can contact the Bookings Team to arrange an excursion.

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Indagare Tours: Walking Old San Juan

A walking tour of Old San Juan will begin at the former jail, Paseo la Princesa, and include historic sites like El Convento, San Juan Cathedra Casa Blanca, Capilla de Cristo, Plaza San Jose and El Morro Fort. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange a tour.

La Marquesa Canopy Tour

Located an hour from Dorado and Bahia Beach in La Marquesa Forest Reserve, this park offers zip-lining between eight traverses and 14 platforms on cables up to 70 feet above the tropical forest floor.

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Mar Azul Surf Shop

Experienced surfers can rent equipment from this place and head to the locally preferred beaches around the Rincón lighthouse; namely Domes, Maria's, Pools and Tres Palmas.

Rincón Beaches

Familiar in some circles for its great waves, this sleepy but increasingly well-known town, on the western coast, has everything from the super trendy (read: craft beer brewery) to the ultra traditional. The best family-friendly swimming beaches are Playa Marina (on the Marina), Playa Córcega and Playa Almirante. Good surfing beaches include Domes, Maria's, Pools and Tres Palmas.

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Rincón Surf School

Visitors seeking lessons should check this spot for availability, as they have the best instructors.

Tree - Siddhia Hutchinson’s,Vieques, Caribbean - Courtesy Glen Wielgus

Siddhia Hutchinson’s

Vieques has a vibrant art community, and the town of Isabela has numerous art galleries and studios to peruse. Most works are inspired by the island surroundings. Siddhia Hutchinson’s gallery features Caribbean inspired artwork across numerous mediums. Original paintings, sculpture, ceramics, photographs and prints are among the treasures you will find here.

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Toro Verde Adventure Park

This adventure park boasts the most popular zip-line in Puerto Rico featuring eight two-line wires. Fly in a special horizontal harness on one of the world’s longest zip-lines reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour.

Beach At - Vieques National Wildlife Refuge,Vieques,Vieques, Caribbean

Vieques National Wildlife Refuge

With 3,000 pristine acres of flora and fauna, the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge is also a nesting ground for an array of species including manatees and sea turtles, as well as 170 bird species.

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