Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(mains $14-26; 8am-7pm Mon-Thu, 8am-7pm Fri-Sun)
Across from El Makito,
Vinny does a bang-up lunch for $5.50 and the best
empanadillas
on the island.
Getting There & Away
Público vans in Playa Naguabo park near the promenade. For a few dollars, they go to
Naguabo or Humacao, from where you can move on to the greener pastures of Fajardo,
Ponce or San Juan.
The Palmas del Mar resort can arrange for a minivan to haul you to and from LMM airport
in San Juan - about a 45-minute trip in normal traffic. During peak season, it charges $90
to $100. For reservations call
787-285-4323.
Yabucoa & Around
POP 37,900
Surrounded by hills on three sides and ocean on the other, Yabucoa sits on a tract of well-
watered fertile land that once played host to Puerto Rico's all- encompassing sugar in-
dustry. Unless you have a penchant for poking around the ruins of old sugar mills, the town
holds little for modern-day travelers. Out on the periphery, it's a different story. Yabucoa
is the starting point for two dramatic drives: the famed Ruta Panorámica and the less her-
alded, but no less spectacular, Hwy 901 that tracks the coast between Playa Lucía and the
Punta Tuna lighthouse. On this road you'll find accommodations, restaurants and two of
the island's most isolated surfing spots.
If you are traveling south to Yabucoa from the Humacao area, take the Hwy 53 toll road
to avoid the traffic on Hwy 3. This lightly traveled section of road bisects miles of sugar-
cane fields and estuary where three mountain rivers meet.
Sights & Activities
The balneario at
PlayaLucía
, near the intersection of Hwy 901 and Hwy 9911 in Yabucoa,
has great shade under its coconut trees and several little beach bar-restaurants just off its
premises.
El Cocal
is one of the few good surfing spots in the area (ask for directions at
the balneario). Further southwest toward Maunabo is Sharkey's, another decent surf break
where you're likely to have the waves to yourself.
Off Hwy 901 along the coast, you can ponder the ruins of
HaciendadeSantaLucía
, an
old sugar plantation a mile north of Playa Lucía. Don't expect a haunted mansion; there's
