Springs
Several accessible freshwater springs on the island are worth visiting. Four are relatively small pools of cool, fresh water located close together. One is a waterfall, and the other is a developed hot spring facility. These locations often fly under the radar of visitors to the island. I’ve listed the springs from my most to least favorite. Check out my Waterfalls & Rivers page for more freshwater destinations.
These springs located in the southern city of Coamo are the only hot springs on the island. An employee will greet you and check you in at the entrance. They’ll direct you to the shop to pay the entrance fee – five dollars per person ($3.50 for residents). The property is well-landscaped and located next to a small stream. Decorative trees, bushes, and flowers surround the two pools. One pool is around 95º and the other 105º. When I first visited in April, everything seemed to be in bloom, butterflies and hummingbirds flew from flower to flower. Hidden speakers play calming spa music like chimes and ambient noise. They encourage guests to speak softly. It’s a genuinely relaxing experience. Despite pavilions providing shade for both pools, I would skip this spot in the heat of the day and instead visit in the morning or evening.
This waterfall is fed by a natural spring in the mountains of San Sebastian. The cold water fills a shallow pool and runs under a bridge before dropping off in a much taller waterfall into a deeper pool below. I’m not sure if the lower pool is accessible. You can park right on the bridge and walk down to the base of the falls. What makes this spot unique is the impressive buildup of calcium carbonate under the falls and downriver. Where you would expect to find a stream bed filled with river rocks, instead you find a smooth surface that looks more like a paved road with an inch or two of water running over the tan rock.
A freshwater spring down a rocky dirt road in Vega Baja, not far from the other freshwater springs. The clear, cool water pumps out of a hole in the rock to fill a pretty large spring. It looks like a short, circular wall was constructed to trap the water before it runs into the rest of the pond where it quickly gets murky. You can see tropical fish swimming around, it seems like they prefer to stick close to the mouth of the spring. After 20 or 30 min of lounging in the spring by myself, I turned around to see a caiman cruising through the water behind me. Stay alert and enjoy!
This spring is located the furthest west, in the municipality of Arecibo. It is fairly large, second only to Ojo de Agua spring. When we went, it was fairly busy and someone had gone to the trouble of dragging a massive stereo to blast reggaeton. Still, the water was clear and refreshing. The hike to get there was around 15 minutes. The water from the spring runs into a nearby lagoon.
A freshwater spring flows from the ground in Manatí that fills a crystal clear pool. It is not deep – around 7 feet deep at the deepest spot (pictured). The hike to it is short and the spring is easy to miss as the sign marking it was removed. Look for it on the right of the trail. If you arrive at some caves you have gone too far. If you walk for over 15 min you have likely gone too far. The parking is a little tricky, there is a city ordinance making it illegal to park in all the closest spots. We parked on a side road a short walk from the trailhead.
This spring is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Vega Baja. While not the typical nature experience, this spring is worth a visit. There are several food stands nearby and lights strung up for after dark. This is the largest of the springs. For some reason, someone rents out kayaks – the spring isn’t that big. You’ll likely find this spot very crowded with a lot of families. Go earlier in the day to dodge the crowd. The rocks are a little sharp on the bottom so you’ll be happy to have sandals on in the water.
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