Cabo Rojo

I headed to the southwest corner of the island today to Cabo Rojo. This is where the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea meet and the views were absolutely spectacular.

The drive took over 3 hours and when I arrived I was ready to be out of the car. I stopped at a little house on the way and ate a local treat; a huge fried plantain with garlic oil. It was pretty tasty but what really caught my attention at this stop was the iguanas. I saw two huge ones roaming the beach. They both were a good two feet long and it was fun to watch them run. Although I did not try to make friends I was able to get close enough for some great pictures for the kids.

After my plantains and iguana hunting I headed off the the Los Morrilos Lighthouse. The walk up to the lighthouse was full of the brightest orange and white butterflies I have ever seen fluttering along the path. When I reached the top about a half mile later, I met the light house and then made a beeline for the cliffs and the view. I realized at that moment I wished I lived in that lighthouse. The views of the red cliffs (Cabo Rojo) and the ocean were breathtaking. I don't think the pictures I took can do it justice.

I headed into the lighthouse and toured the 7 rooms on the bottom. There walls were lined with book pages and then they had been painted over. I later discovered the book pages were Homer's Odyssey. I am not sure why that book but each room I entered had copies readily available for visitors to sit and read if they'd like. I made it to the observation level and took in some more spectacular views including the beach that was next on my agenda.

Dirty Beach was actually quiet beautiful. It gets its name from the road you have to travel to get there; bumpy and muddy. I spent about two hours at the beach people watching, looking at the fish in the water, and sun bathing with my SPF70. It was a nice way to unwind and mentally prepare for the trek back.

Although the trip is long, I would definitely recommend folks visit Cabo Rojo if they have an extended stay in Puerto Rico. It's off the beaten path and well worth the drive for views, the beach, and the lighthouse.