The town of Rincon in Puerto Rico is a small surf haven with some of the best beaches in Puerto Rico. The balmy temperature, abundant sunshine year long and soft white sand make the beaches of Rincon the best places to chill at. Not only this, Rincon beaches are famous for their surf break. So famous in fact that the 1968 world surf championship took place at Domes beach in Rincon. The pristine coastline has not yet been devastated by any construction and remains home to thriving sea life including reef sharks, turtles and fish of all types. If you are visiting Rincon, the beaches are probably the first place you will visit. So read on for a full guide to all the Rincon beaches.
North Rincon Beaches
Antonios
The first beach considered part of Rincon beaches is Antonio’s beach at the northernmost tip of Rincon. This is a quiet beach away from the hustle and bustle of the main beaches. There are usually very few people here.
Antonios is around the east corner of Sandy Beach which is very popular but Antonios is a well hidden gem that most people don’t walk far enough to. If you are staying near here then I recommend coming to Antonio’s over Sandy Beach.
Sandy Beach
Sandy Beach is the most popular beach in Rincon. The best is gorgeous, with palm trees lining up the coast and lots of soft sand stretching on both sides. This is also the best beach for surf lessons so you will see some beginner surfers learning in the water.
The beach has lots of bars, hotels, and restaurants close by. We went to a taco place one block away from Sandy Beach and found the best tacos in Rincon at Kahuna Burger.
Sandy Beach is also known for sea glass that tends to wash up on its shore. I know a couple who went to Sandy Beach specifically to hunt for sea glass. Sea glass is rare these days so there is a lot of excitement when collectors find some.
Pools
Around the corner from Sandy Beach, you will find Pools beach which is a little more secluded. This beach has a protected area for swimming so families prefer this for their kids. The swimming and snorkeling here is definitely better because of the calmer water.
If you are looking for some quiet relaxation in a calm area then head over to Pools Beach from Sandy Beach because not many people know about it. Just walk to the end of Sandy Beach down the road and then turn and climb down a small incline.
Spanish Wall
This beach can only be found if you walk to the west of Domes Beach through a secret path. It lies north of the Rincon lighthouse and cannot be reached in any other way due to the cliff on its other side.
The beach still has remains of the wall built by the Spanish that ran along the west coast of Rincon. If Domes Beach gets too crowded because of the surfers then make your way to this jungle beach with a vibe like none other in Rincon.
Best Puerto Rico Tours
Adventure Tours
Puerto Rico has some really cool adventure tours that take you around the island. If you are into hiking then visit the El Yunque Rainforest with insane waterfalls and hikes. Another really fun day trip is a Catamaran Cruise to Culebra island where you get to party and relax on the sea. And finally, come swim with turtles in San Juan Bay.
Culture Tours
For some awesome cultural tours try the tour to Casa Bacardi Distillery. If you prefer something more active then a salsa dancing class or a walking tour of the old town is the perfect way to end the day!!
West Rincon Beaches
Domes
Named after the huge defunct nuclear reactor right next to it, Domes is one of the premier surfing spots in Puerto Rico. Because of this the beach tends to get a little crowded during good surf days where both surfers, their partners and surf photographers all congregate here. On smaller days, the beach is great for beginners to try to advance their skills.
You will also find people horse riding on this beach often. The beach is long and picturesque so lots of horse riders are around. It has more than enough space for everyone to sit and enjoy the sun. The beach also has a cute swing which I loved to sit on and swing!
Indicators
The El Faro park which includes the lighthouse is on top of a cliff that overlooks Domes beach to the east. It has a birds eye view of all the surfers and the coastline. People come here early in the morning during January and February to see if they can spot whales that migrate through the channel in front of the cliff.
Indicators Beach is located at the bottom of the southern cliff of the lighthouse. To get to the beach you have to walk down the dirt trail on the south side of the lighthouse parking lot. You can park your car in the free parking for the lighthouse park.
Since most people don’t want the hassle of going up and down the incline, you can be sure that you will have the beach all to yourself. The best part about this beach is the right hander peeling wave that is awesome for advanced surfers.
Marias
Marias is another famous surf break in Rincon. The famous 1968 world surf championship took place at Marias. The beach is long and you get a birds eye view of all the surfers out there. The beach gets very crowded during high tide with good surf.
But on smaller days when the tide is low, the beach is heaven. There are a couple really trendy cafes next to the beach and a cute pink moving food truck. The beach also has surf rentals and this is a really good place to practice surf skills for beginner surfers.
I loved this beach because I love to watch advanced surfers do cool tricks and catch some crazy cool waves. Beware though that you will get no signal on this beach.
South Rincon Beaches
Tres Palmas Marine Reserve / Steps Beach
This beach has the best snorkeling out of any other Rincon beaches. This is because of the reef that lies in the marine reserve. The reef has brilliant coral, abundant fish like the Dory fish (I was most excited for this) and turtles! Yes you can actually see turtles just 10 meters out from this beach.
The best time to snorkel is at low tide when you can see where you are stepping on the reef while getting in because some of those nooks can hide painful urchins. The reef then drops off to about 2 meters of water which is the best place to start snorkeling. The shallow water makes it perfect so that kids can snorkel by themselves (which I saw all the time).
At low tide, the reef also acts as a barrier and creates lots of really shallow clear pools. I have seen babies playing in these pools and couples enjoying beer right in the water as they tan. This is my favorite beach out of all beaches in Rincon and it is pretty clear why!
Be careful at high tide because the sea comes right up to the jungle and it is impossible to get in and out of the water because the waves get a little bit bigger. If you see the wind picking up then this is your clue to get out of the water.
Little Malibu / The Marina
The beach right in front of the town of Rincon is Little Malibu or the Marina Beach. This is usually frequented by tourists coming from out of Puerto Rico and locals tend to avoid this beach. There are restaurants right at the beach and sun beds and umbrellas for hire. There is also a washroom inside the restaurant.
There are locals who offer massages priced at per hour. A surf rental shop rents surfboards for those looking to catch super tiny waves coming around the corner. A tiny turtle pond is right next to the beach which was pretty fun to stare at for a few minus.
Balneario de Rincon
This is the beach to the south of Little Malibu which only locals come to. In front of the beach is a park with facilities for picnics and I saw lots of families here every weekend having big cookouts. There are washroom and shower facilities in the park as well.
There is a Puerto Rican restaurant in the park which everyone was ordering empanadas from so we did the same. The empanadas were delicious!
The steps from the park lead down to the beach. During weekends you can see the beach lined up with colorful umbrellas from one end to the other. The beach is very nice and has a very friendly vibe to it.
Playa Dona Lala
Since we stayed close to Stella, this was the beach we frequented the most during our time in Rincon. The beach is right past Villa Cofresi and pretty secluded considering most of the property on the beach is private and almost no one ever comes down to swim except a few guests. We even saw a proposal and a wedding happen next to this beach!
The beach has a sand bottom and is very fun to bodyboard. The waves break right on the beach and you can body surf your way to the sand.
It’s also at the top of my list because it’s secluded from the town of Rincon. If you want to get drunk, you just have to climb up the stairs of Villa Cofresi and you find yourself in the best place in Rincon to witness the sunset.
Adventure Tours in Puerto Rico
The craziest and most adrenaline filled tours to get your heart pumping. These tours combine the best of the natural wonders the island has to offer with great activities.
Stella (Town on the south outskirts of Rincon)
Playa Corcega
If you keep walking further south from Playa Dona Lala at one point you will end up in Playa Corcega. It’s the same beach but changes its name. There are no beach front resorts here so this beach is even more secluded.
We used to go to this beach and eat our mini Puerto Rican pastelillos and and shakes from Mr. Donuts. Mr. Donuts is the best sweet shop in Rincon. They have the most delicious fruit shakes and sweet cheese pastillos. We used to take these to go and watch the sunset!
Technically this is the last proper beach that is near Rincon but the beach continues down the coast all the way around Puerto Rico so you should definitely explore as far as you want to go!
FAQs
Does Rincon have nice beaches?
Rincon has some of the best beaches in Puerto Rico. Beaches like Tres Palmas have lots of options for snorkeling. Marias and Domes beach have world class surf breaks. Pools Beach and Antonios are more suited for families with kids.
Can you swim at the beaches in Rincon?
Yes you can swim at all beaches in Rincon. Tres Palmas Beach at low tide is the best for swimming because of the marine life and the small pools it forms.
Is Rincon worth visiting?
Definitely! Rincon has so many things to do including the beaches. It has waterfalls, mountain biking, surfing, beaches and other fun activities.
What is the cleanest beach in Puerto Rico?
The cleanest beach in Puerto Rico has to be Tres Palmas Beach in Rincon because it is a protected marine reserve beach.
Checkout Other Puerto Rico Posts
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