Rincón Lighthouse

Rincón is Puerto Rico's most internationally recognised surf town and one of the island's most famous sunset destinations. The lighthouse at Punta Higüero sits on the westernmost tip of the main island, where the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea meet in a convergence that produces the extraordinary colour shows the town is famous for. Every evening, visitors and locals gather on the rocks and beaches below the lighthouse to watch the sun drop into the water in an explosion of orange, pink and purple that reflects back across the sea.

The lighthouse was built in 1922 and automated in 1928, replacing an earlier structure. Today the lighthouse grounds are open to visitors and there is a small museum inside. The lighthouse keeper's house has been converted into a small hotel next door. The lighthouse is on a promontory that is fully exposed to the wind and waves from both oceans, which makes it an exhilarating place to stand when a swell is running.

The same exposed position that makes the sunsets extraordinary also makes Rincón one of the premier surf destinations in the Caribbean. The point breaks and beach breaks along this coast work at different tide and swell combinations, attracting everyone from beginners to world-class surfers. Steps Beach, Pools Beach and María's Beach each offer different conditions, and the surf culture here has a depth and history that goes far beyond tourism.

Rincón has grown from a quiet fishing village into a year-round destination, but it retains a laid-back character that distinguishes it from the resort areas around San Juan. The town has a core of surf shops, small hotels and restaurants that have been part of the community for decades. The sunsets that made Rincón famous are available every evening and cost nothing to enjoy, which is part of why the town has a loyal following among visitors who return year after year.

The lighthouse at Punta Higüero is at the heart of the sunset ritual, but the views from the promontory in the other directions are equally compelling on a clear day: to the north, the coastline sweeps away toward Aguadilla in a series of headlands and bays, and to the south the dry hills of the western interior glow amber in the afternoon light. The convergence of ecosystems — Atlantic and Caribbean water, dry scrubland and coastal forest — gives the area a visual richness that extends well beyond the sunset.

The town of Rincn itself, a few kilometres inland from the lighthouse, is a working Puerto Rican community with a busy market atmosphere that mixes the remnants of its fishing economy with the infrastructure of tourism. A handful of long-established family restaurants serve fresh-caught seafood and authentic Puerto Rican cuisine at prices that remain more reasonable than the tourist areas near the beach. The town has resisted the pressure to transform entirely into a resort, and its residents maintain a practical pride in the community that visitors who take the time to explore invariably appreciate.

The convergence of the Atlantic and Caribbean at Punta Higüero produces some of the most dramatic and reliably beautiful sunsets in the Caribbean.

World-class surf breaks suitable for all levels, with a deep-rooted surf culture and community that predates the tourism boom.

The lighthouse grounds offer panoramic views of both oceans and the surrounding coastline in a dramatic wind-swept setting.