Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL
You don't have to run to the hills to get away from it all. In fact, some of San Juan's
greatest escapes can be found only a mile or two from the city center.
The
Corporación Piñones Se Integra (COPI; 787-253-9707;
www.copipr.com
)
is a community-based nonprofit organization that is involved in
improving the facilities in Puerto Rico's poorer barrios, particularly Loíza. Concur-
rently, it is working hard to keep the island's traditional Afro-Caribbean culture alive.
Headquartered in the
Centro Cultural Ecoturístico de Piñones (Rte 187, Boca de
Cangrejos, Loíza)
, situated to the right of Rte 187 immediately after you cross the
bridge at Boca de Cangrejos, the organization promotes some of Puerto Rico's best
bomba y plena
(Afro-Caribbean drum music) performances one Friday a month. Call
for schedule.
Sitting on land that was recently saved from the developer's bulldozers via direct
community action, COPI has also pledged to protect the region's priceless but pre-
carious ecology. To discover it for yourself, you can hire kayaks at the cultural center
to explore the adjacent lagoon.
Beaches
Piñones' wild beaches contrast sharply with the well-raked expanses of Isla Verde not two
miles to the west - and this is part of their attraction. You can find a choice spot almost any
place where Rte 187 parallels the coast. The most picturesque and deserted beaches start at
around Km 9. For swimming, avoid the corals at the western end of the strand of beaches.
Unfortunately, this is where most of the food stands are, and it's where the bus from San
Juan ends its route. Nonetheless the walk east is a pleasant ramble along a dedicated hik-
ing/biking path.
Activities
To see a patch of the rarely viewed coastal wilderness, you can rent a kayak ($10 per person
per hour) from COPI and explore the
LagunalaTorrecilla
, which features fish, birds and
the occasional manatee.
If the surfing is good at Piñones, you will see rows of cars with board racks parked by a
good break. Or you can check ahead with one of the San Juan surf shops before you go.
