Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Arecibo & Around
POP 101,000
As you approach Arecibo in the crawl of traffic, it's hard to imagine that this sprawling
modern municipality of nearly 101,000 people is Puerto Rico's third-oldest city, after San
Juan and San Germán. Founded in 1556, the original town was named after an esteemed
cacique (Taíno chief) and gained notoriety in 1702 when Spanish captain Antonio Cor-
rea thwarted a full-scale British invasion off the coast. Little of historical note remains in
the present-day city, save a restored cathedral and Spanish-colonial lighthouse in a campy
amusement park. Veer further inland and the view gets a lot more interesting.
Arecibo's greatest claim to fame is the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope,
the Observatorio de Arecibo, several miles up the hills to the south, in the heart of karst
country. Harboring a fascinating museum and a view worthy of a futuristic James Bond
film set, the observatory is open for public viewing and reigns as one of the island's most
rewarding must-sees. Back on the coast you can pass a short afternoon at the lighthouse
and its surrounding historical park or saunter off in search of ancient Taíno petroglyphs in
one of the north coast's many karstic caves.
The popular Hatillo Mask Festival, held on December 28, is one of Puerto Rico's most
symbolic ceremonies whose innovative masks and costumes adorn the front of numerous
books, postcards and tourist literature.
Sights & Activities
Observatorio de Arecibo RADIO TELESCOPE
( 878-2612; www.naic.edu ; adult/child/senior $6/4/4; 9am-4pm Dec 15-Jan 15
& Jun 1-Jul 31, 9am-4pm Wed-Sun off season) The Puerto Ricans reverently refer to it
as 'El Radar.' To everyone else it is simply the largest radio telescope in the world. Resem-
bling an extraterrestrial spaceship grounded in the middle of karst country, the Arecibo Ob-
servatory looks like something out of a James Bond movie - probably because it is (007
aficionados will recognize the saucer-shaped dish and craning antennae from the 1995 film
Goldeneye ).
The 20-acre dish, operated in conjunction with Cornell University, is set in a sinkhole
among clusters of haystack-shaped mogotes, like earth's ear into outer space. Supported by
50-story cables weighing more than 600 tons, the telescope is involved in the SETI (Search
 
 
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