Weekend Trip to Southwest Puerto Rico Visit Puerto Rico’s stunning southwest! Relax at Copamarina Beach Resort, hike the Ballena Trail in Guánica Dry Forest, marvel at Cabo Rojo’s pink salt flats, unwind on Buyé Beach, and kayak in La Parguera’s glowing Bioluminescent Bay. Three days, endless adventure—Puerto Rico awaits!Authorsjakerosmarin
DestinationsPuerto RicoItinerary

Friday: Guánica

Copamarina Beach Resort & Spa
After a 2hr drive through the beautiful mountains of Puerto Rico you will arrive at the Copamarina Beach Resort & Spa in Guánica. Set on 20 lush acres, this upscale resort offers direct access to a private beach, tropical gardens, and calm Caribbean waters. It features spacious accommodations, a full-service spa, outdoor pools, and two restaurants serving Puerto Rican and international cuisine. Guests can enjoy activities like kayaking, snorkeling, and exploring nearby attractions
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Los Congres Beach
Just a 3 min drive from Copamarina, this beach is definitely a hidden gem. We were able to watch the sunset from the small beach and rock coastline as well as admire the beautiful mangroves.
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Las Palmas Restaurant at Copamarina
The food at the Las Palmas Restaurant was phenomenal. I would definitely start with the tuna tartare and try the mofongo, a traditional Puerto Rican dish with plantains as the main ingredient, for your main dish!
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Saturday: Cabo Rojo

Guánica State Forest
The Guanica Dry Forest is a must visit and definitely underrated as we ran into few people during our visit. I would definitely hike the Ballena Trail if you want something relaxing, the way up is moderate if it’s hot out so take it slow and bring lot of water. And definitely have bug spray handy as well! Parking is super easy here, they have a parking lot when you get to the end of the road in the park.
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Punta Ballena
This trail is an out and back trail and only 2.4miles. If you have time you can hike through the beautiful Dry Forest to reach this secret beach that you will most likely have all to yourself. If you are short on time you can also park on PR-333 and have a shorter walk to the beach.
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Caños Pizza
When stopping by Caños pizza you definitely have to try the tostones - the fried plantain slices. Also I probably ate some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had there! It’s a great place to grab a quick lunch. It’s also great that they have parking right across the street.
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Centro Interpretativo Las Salinas
Yes, the Pink Salt Flats are actually Pink!! I was actually surprised with how pink they were, I thought they might have not been as bright in person, but they were! I would stop by the visitor center first so you can go up to the tower for a view of the Cabo Rojo Wildlife Refuge and Pink Salt Flats from above. After that, drive a little further up the road and pull off the side to walk around the salt flats themselves!
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Buyé Beach
Buyé Beach was beautiful and you could tell it was definitely a popular local beach, the water was stunning. There is also a cute restaurant you can grab a drink at while you’re enjoying the views.
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Playa El Combate Beach
This is a great spot to watch the sunset if you are planning on getting dinner at Annie’s Place. If you walk out a bit you’ll get a piece of beach to yourself and be able to enjoy the sunset and the peaceful sound of the waves.
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Annie's Place
The food at Annie’s place was great, we got the chicken tacos and they were so delicious. The views of the beach right from the restaurant are amazing, it’s really nice to have dinner with a view. Also if you are visiting during the winter holiday season you should definitely try their Coquito. It’s definitely a popular restaurant so if you get there on the earlier side it’ll be easier for parking and getting a table.
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La Parguera Glowing Bioluminescent Bay Boat Tour from San Juan
Visiting a Bioluminescent Bay was always a bucket list item of mine and it definitely did not disappoint. It is late, so getting some caffeine in before you go can be helpful. Parking is a little difficult but there is a parking lot that you could lucky out with a spot, otherwise you’ll see you can just park along the road that leads to La Parguera. The crew on the boat is super helpful, and if you have a newer smartphone they will show you how you can photograph the bioluminescence!
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Sunday: Departure

Carajillo Coffee House
I’m a big coffee drinker and I love a cute coffee shop, and this was definitely one of the cutest coffee shops I’ve ever been to. Their iced vanilla late was one of the best I’ve had and they also serve delicious breakfast, a great way to refuel on the way back to San Juan. Plus , it’s not out of the way on the drive back which is great!
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Luis Munoz Marin International Airport
The SJU Airport is super nice! There were many souvenir shops for last minute shopping and also plenty of sit down restaurants to relax and eat if you arrive to the airport early. We enjoyed a meal at the Margaritaville at the airport before heading to our gate.
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Bonus Tours to Help Explore

Southwest Beach Hopping Day Trip
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Full Day West Coast Adventure in Puerto Rico
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La Parguera Bio Bay Boat Ride and Swimming w/ San Juan Transport
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