Puerto Rico is filled with amazing sights; places you think only exist in travel commercials and movies! The minute you step out of the San Juan metro area, the island transforms into a magical place of retro time travel, friendly faces and a laid-back attitude. Time slows down and you can drive around the island in a day, but you won’t because there are so many places to see as you travel along the road you won’t want to be in the car for very long.
The Taino Indian Cave, or in Spanish: “La Cueva del Indio”, in the northern Arecibo coast, is one such retro travel amazing place that if you ever come to PR you should definitely include in your to-do list. They call it indian cave because it is filled with indian petroglyphs. In my life I had never seen so many in one single place!
Traveling along road #681 in Arecibo, there is a small wooden bar called El Coayuco. Behind it, there are remnants of a movie set: an old fort like castle from a pirate movie. The owner of the land charges $2.00 to park your car there and off you go. Follow the path to the left.
The grey jagged rocks of the ocean cliff are filled with holes large enough to fit a person so be careful!
As you pass this hole, the path makes a u turn and the rocks lead you downwards where there is a bigger hole with an old homemade wooden ladder. Yes it will hold, so don’t be a pooper and climb down! It’s where the Taínos used to gather. Their energy is still there, along with the petroglyphs, the bees, and the bats!
The first room of the cave is filled with the indian petroglyphs and has a dry sandy floor, however, there is a path to the left that leads to another room with a sea water pool. This is where the bees are. Huge honeycombs on the ceiling of the cave! You can go in the water, but be careful! The pool is filled by a hole in the bottom directly from the sea. As the waves crash against the rocks it creates a current and the pull-back from the wave can suck you in. Again, swim at your own risk, but if you like adrenaline I recommend it.
Back near the car, there is another path to explore. The right hand path leads to spectacular views of crisp Caribbean blue waters and nature made “positas” or pools. The high tides and waves bring in water that accumulates between the rocks creating natural pools that stay warm with the sun. Personal private (or semi-private) natural sea water pool. Priceless!
As you explore, watch out for the holes! There are plenty. The drop is pretty high.
The pools are filled with little fish and crabs and all sorts of sea life, like Mr. Crab over here:
Great places to see the guide speak spanish, and people may miss the hidden beaches and trail to right. Side heading up the cave.
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More on this spot later…