Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ical garden with fruit trees, including the popular
guanábana
(soursop). There's a cafeteria
open seasonally.
All visits include a
tour
, which takes about an hour and includes a movie and a visit to
the museum, holding Indian ceremonial objects, pottery and jewelry. Sometimes the tour
gets full, so you should make reservations in advance.
Tibes lies about 2 miles north of Ponce at Km 2.2 on Hwy 503. If you're driving this
route, the best way to not get lost is to follow the brown signs leading to Tibes: pick these
out on Hwy 14 (Calle Fagot) on the northeast side of Ponce. It's also easy to get there on
a úblico from Ponce (
Click here
), which costs about $6, but getting back can be tricky as
públicos don't frequently pass the site.
Hacienda Buena Vista
HISTORICAL PLANTATION
( 787-284-7020; Rte 123 Km 16.8; adult/child $8/5; Wed-Sun by reservation)
The overgrown coffee fields and lovely, rusting historic buildings of Hacienda Buena Vista
make up one of the best-preserved 19th-century coffee plantations in Puerto Rico. Wander-
ing its grounds while listening to the song of the coquí frogs makes a tranquil historical day
trip. Now, as in its heyday, the ingenuity of the irrigation and growing techniques are im-
pressive, captured in the network of diverted waterway from the nearby Río Canas that still
slowly turns the enormous water wheel and the industrial-era kitchen. Spontaneous travel-
ers may miss out - you absolutely must call in advance to book a reservation. There are
several tours daily, including one in English, and a small gift shop where you can purchase
locally grown beans. The plantation is marked on many area maps and with some road
signs near the center of Ponce, though the winding route through the countryside takes the
better part of an hour.
Hacienda Buena Vista is 5km from the city center on Rte 10. There are some signs from
the main roads, but getting here requires asking some directions. Conversely, top hotels
from Ponce and San Juan can arrange taxi service to the site and tours.
