Today we decided to visit the Caba Rojo Lighthouse. It was only 20 miles but the map said it was a 40 minute drive. The lighthouse is on the south west corner of Puerto Rico. The area has some rolling hills and there were a few small towns we passed through on the way. The weather was great (as usual) and we set out early.
When we got to the park entrance the gates were down and there was a park official and a line of about 3 or 4 cars. People were standing outside their cars talking. We were told the park was closed and could not enter because there were 4 wild dogs. They were trying to round up the dogs because they felt it would be dangerous for people to enter. We were initially told that we should not wait, that it might take a few hours but then they changed their minds and said it would be 15 minutes. In actuality it took about 45 minutes but everyone enjoyed talking with the others in line while we waited.
Caba Rojo is located on top of 200-foot limestone cliffs overlooking the Caribbean Sea and is literally the south-west tip of Puerto Rico. This view was definitely worth the wait!
Unfortunately when we got there the lighthouse not open so we could not go inside. I understand it was built in 1881 and is still operational. It’s function is to help ships navigate safely through the Mona Passage from the Caribbean to the Atlantic Ocean. The Mona Passage is the body of water between Hispaniola [Dominican Republic) and Puerto Rico.The main attractions here are the incredible views from the limestone cliffs the lighthouse is built upon. We walked outside the fence of the lighthouse and I was amazed at the beauty! Just be careful not to walk too close to the edge, since there is no guard rail and you can see where pieces of the cliff have broken off over time.
We spent a lot of time here, just taking a million pictures from all the angles as we walked along the bluff. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
The other great thing about visiting this lighthouse is that you can see (and easily get to) a beautiful coved beach called La Playuela. A few hours on that beach was like a dream – the water there was warm, calm and it is just beautiful.
Leaving Caba Rojo , we needed a restroom stop and were delighted to find a bakery paradise!
It was sublime!