From the rainforest to the beach in PR

Our first full day in Puerto Rico started with a visit to El Yunque National Forest. As the US National Forest Service puts it, 

“Located in Puerto Rico’s Northeast Region, El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rainforest in the [US] national forest system. At nearly 29,000 acres, it is one of the smallest in size, yet one of the most biologically diverse. Come experience the breathtaking scenery, clear mountain rivers, and outdoor recreation opportunities year round.”

After a quick breakfast, we headed out early. The early start might have hurt a little; all Ella said when the alarm went off was “No!” but it was worth it. We had time alone to hike and swim in the river, and we weren’t stuck in the line of cars trying to access the park later in the day. 

The forest, or at least the infrastructure for visiting, is still being rebuilt following Hurricane Maria (and  Irma) in 2017. The forest is so lush that it’s not hard to imagine sections having been completely retaken by nature in the intervening years. 

As we drove further into the park – it seemed very odd to reach a point in a national forest where you weren’t allowed to walk but had to drive –  the clouds rolled in, and we started to see some rain. While it rained on us in the observation tower, we could still see beaches in the sun down below. 

Beaches of Fajardo

From the forest, we went down to the beaches in Fajardo. Starting with Seven Seas Beach and then walking through some tree-covered trails to reach Playa Escondida, which Kolt mentioned tended to be more popular with locals as it’s not obvious if you don’t know what you’re looking for. 

Dinner at La Estación

After a great afternoon at the beach, we settled in at our Airbnb and cleaned up before making our way to dinner at La Estación. The food was very good, though Ella was more interested in the cats that wandered by. Kolt and I had the BBQ platter described as being for a family. Needless to say, we left full and ready for sleep before another early morning catching the ferry to Culebra.