6 Amazing Days In Puerto Rico With The Manini Experience: Part 2
For those of you who haven’t read Part 1 of my 6 amazing days in Puerto Rico with The Manini Experience, you will definitely want to click here to learn all about the first 3 days of the trip!
I shared all about our fun exploring Old San Juan, volunteering with puppies at Save A Sato, night kayaking a bioluminescent bay, and more!
The adventure continues in this post, where I am talking all about the final 3 days of the trip enjoying the amazing rainforest waterfalls, mangroves, beautiful beaches, and caves of Puerto Rico!
Note: All of the photos in this post were taken by Erica, and are included in The Manini Experience. It was such a nice vacation for me-it usually feels like I spent 1/2 of my time traveling snapping away!
Day 4: Exploring El Yunque Rainforest + Caracoles Mangroves
Unforgettable El Yunque
One of the most beautiful places to visit in Puerto Rico is the El Yunque Rainforest, and it is filled with hiking trails, waterfalls, and is the only tropical forest managed by the US Forest System. We headed out for an incredible hidden spot within the forest, and only saw 1 or 2 people the whole time we were there, which was totally awesome! Talk about off-the-beaten-path.
The spot we headed to had an amazing waterfall. We climbed over a bunch of boulders to get there, and though the water was cold, swimming in a pool so close to a waterfall is truly an unforgettable experience. We then crossed a bridge and explored the area below the falls, where water rushes down a rocky ravine. There, we discovered a totally epic (and not to mention Instagram-worthy) swing which had me feeling like I was on top of the world! The view was alright too 😉 .
This hidden spot took all of our breath away, and was such a great way to get a taste of El Yunque.
Caracoles Mangroves
After a picnic lunch, we headed out of the rainforest and to the amazing mangroves of Caracoles. I am so glad we stopped here to see the mangroves during the day. While I loved kayaking them at night, I think they are even more beautiful during the day (when you can actually see them). We hopped on a water taxi of sorts and toured through the island-like mangroves, seeing iguanas and adorable beach houses along the way.
I had a moment when we pulled over between two mangroves to swim that was pure bliss-the view of the shore in the distance, coupled with the incredibly clear water and vibrant green of the mangroves was simply stunning. I wish I could have taken my camera in to show you! It truly was an unforgettable travel moment for me.
Day 5: Cabo Rojo and Playa Sucia
Cabo Rojo
I don’t know about you, but I love seeing unique colors of water in nature (and heading to an awesome Instagram location). Cabo Rojo did not disappoint. These salt flats give the water within them a pinkish color-one could even call it “Millenial Pink” and it is a great stop to make if you are as Instagram obsessed as I am!
Playa Sucia
While there is little to do at the flats themselves (besides taking a million photos) the beach right next door is amazing. While the beach is named “Playa Sucia”, or dirty beach, the beach here is anything but!
With soft sand, a lovely shady area to keep your stuff while splash around, and stunning cliffs perfect for exploring, the beach is the perfect spot to head to after seeing the pink waters of Cabo Rojo.
We had an excellent and relaxing afternoon splashing around, hiking around the cliffs, and checking out the nearby lighthouse before enjoying a sunset at Crashboat Beach and turning in for the night.
Day 6: Cave Repelling and Tubing The Tanamá River, Cueva Del Indio, Salsa Dancing and Farewells
Day 6 was, sadly, the final day of our Manini experience. Fortunately, there was no time to be sad because we still had adventures in store! After rising early, we drove to Utuado for a morning of cave repelling, and tubing through the cave and underground Tanamá River with Tanamá River Adventures.
The first stop of the tour was repelling down a cave, and this was so much fun! Our guide Fernando was simply the best, and he explained all of the safety equipment and made everyone feel comfortable before repelling down. I had a blast repelling, and so did everyone else, but little did I know the best was yet to come.
As we strolled through the forest to our next stop, Fernando told of the indigenous people of Puerto Rico, and how committed he is to learning about and preserving this native culture. He also pointed out the local plants around us, explaining their medicinal properties. Fernando was so knowledgeable and passionate about everything he talked about, which really made the tour a 5 star experience! Once we arrived at the Tanamá River, we each donned life vests and helmets complete with headlamps before hopping on tubes to explore the cave and underground portion on the river.
This was TOTALLY AWESOME! The river winds through a long cave, and the helmets allow you to see the cave formations as well as a few bats that live within. As we retreated further within the cave, we relied totally on the headlamps to see. It truly was a one of a kind and surreal experience. When we reached the other side, we tried natural spring water (delicious) and slathered real clay all over ourselves for an outdoor DIY spa experience! We then headed back through the cave before jumping off a few rocks into the refreshing water, and returning to the Tanamá River Adventures facility for a locally grown lunch. I totally loved the whole experience, and highly recommend signing up for a tour with Tanamá River Adventures!
Cueva Del Indio
The next stop of the day was to the amazing Cueva del Indio. This area costs $5 to enter, but let me tell you the views of the caves and cliffs are totally worth it!
The area is pretty hard to walk on, so I’d suggest wearing proper shoes, but I managed to do just fine in flip flops. The terrain honestly looked like something from out of this world, and we had a blast checking out the tide pools (although you must watch out for sea urchins!).
Farewell Dinner + Salsa Dancing in Old San Juan
Returning to Old San Juan meant that our trip was coming to an end, but how can one be upset about returning to such a beautiful and charming city? We spent our final evening as a group enjoying an amazing meal in Old San Juan before heading out for a bit of salsa dancing!
It really was the perfect end to an incredible trip. While we were all sad knowing it was our last day on The Manini Experience, I am pretty sure we all fell asleep the second our heads hit the pillow after a busy and adventure-filled day!
Overall Thoughts
I had an amazing time exploring Puerto Rico with The Manini Experience, and would highly recommend traveling with Sam and Erica to anyone who is looking for a fun, adventure-filled, off-the-beaten-path trip (and who wants great photos along the way!).
The itinerary for Puerto Rico was truly one-of-a-kind, and definitely isn’t something I would have been able to put together for myself as a first timer. I also loved how The Manini Experience is committed to doing good, and the beach cleanup, volunteering at Save a Sato, and staying in eco friendly accommodations made me feel great about traveling responsibly.
My favorite trip highlights were:
- Exploring Old San Juan
- Kayaking the Bioluminescent Bay + swimming in the mangroves (Part 1)
- Discovering hidden waterfalls in El Yunque rainforest
- Cave repelling + tubing the Tanamá River
But if I am being honest, every day was filled with its own epic adventures, and it felt like each day of the trip just got better and better!
The Manini Experience
For more information on The Manini Experience and upcoming trips, be sure to check out The Manini Experience website, or follow Sam and Erica on Instagram @themaniniexperience for some seriously gorgeous travel photography! Rumor has it Puerto Rico, Lesotho & South Africa, and Peru are the next awesome locations that The Manini Experience will be heading to!
Disclaimer: This post is part of a collaboration with The Manini Experience. As always, my opinions are 100% my own!
Have you been to Puerto Rico or are you planning a trip? What experiences are a must on your itinerary? Let me know in the comments!
You might also like:
- 6 Amazing Days In Puerto Rico With The Manini Experience
- Getting Philanthropic in Puerto Rico: Volunteering At Save A Sato With The Manini Experience
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