La Esperanza Beach

Location: Manatí

Getting there: From San Juan, drive 45 minutes west to Manatí. Park here and walk about 15 minutes to get to the sand. The dirt road will lead you to the beach.

Things to do: Relax in the natural pool – This natural pool is calm because of the rocks that line the shore. The water is very shallow and the bottom is mostly sandy. Snorkeling – It’s possible to swim out past the shallow section and see a decent variety of tropical fish swimming through the rocky seascape. No one is going to call it world-class snorkeling, but if you have a mask and fins in the car, I’d say it’s worth throwing them in the beach bag.

Heads up: This nature reserve is managed by some government body, it might be Para La Naturaleza. The reserve has hours and does close. It is generally open from sunrise to sunset (6:00 am – 6:00 pm). Keep in mind that the water here can get gross, possibly if the water is not circulating enough. I have seen it once where the water was pretty murky and brown in these conditions.