Breathtaking Views at the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse
1/12 The Cabo Rojo Lighthouse itself is currently closed for renovations. But you can still walk around the outside. On a happy note, the road has recently been regraded, so it is not so bumpy.
Located on top of 200-foot limestone cliffs overlooking the Caribbean Sea, the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse marks the south-west tip of Puerto Rico. Built in 1881 by the Spanish government, the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse (Faro Los Morrillos de Cabo Rojo and know locally as El Faro) uses the same building design as the Fajardo and Arecibo lighthouses. We have visited both of those other lighthouses, and it was kind of interesting to see how similar they all look.
The Cabo Rojo Lighthouse has been renovated/restored over the years. It is still operational and helps ships navigate safely through the Mona Passage from the Caribbean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.
Unless you are really "into" lighthouses, I think you will be less than impressed with the lighthouse. In itself, it is small in scale. There is a permanent "art" exhibit plastered all over the inside of it that is less than appealing. You can walk up the spiral staircase that leads to the observation deck on the roof of the building, and there are some nice panoramic views of the surrounding area. There are "park rangers" there to welcome you and answer your questions.
More Than a Lighthouse
Though the lighthouse is interesting, the big attractions here are the incredible views from the limestone cliffs this lighthouse is built upon. We walked outside the fence of the lighthouse and there 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.
Getting to this lighthouse is part of the fun. You have to drive past the salt flats on Route 301, at which point the road changes from asphalt to packed dirt. It is about 7/10 of a mile of potholes and (at times) mud.
We parked at the first "parking-lot-looking" area and walked up the cement driveway to the lighthouse. There are other paths that eventually lead up to the lighthouse, if you are in the mood to do some walking/hiking on rock in the full sun. The parking is a considerable distance from the lighthouse — maybe ¼ mile. So wear a hat, bring water and mosquito repellent.
Details
Admission to the lighthouse is free.
The lighthouse is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00am to 3:30pm. Update 8/11- I hear it is best to call first during summer weekends and holidays. It seems they have a maximum allowable daily visitors and will close once the quota is reached.
You should allow an hour to see the lighthouse and walk around the grounds. Allow more time in the area if you want to visit nearby attractions like La Playuela Beach or the Salt Flats.
You can call 787-255-1560 for more information.
To get there, take Route 301 in the Cabo Rojo area all the way to the end.
Use this map to locate places mentioned in this article. You can click on a placemark to view the GPS coordinates for that place.
Last time I went to Puerto Rico I visited El Faro de Cabo Rojo for the first time, and thought it was absolutely fabulous. The last time I was so dramatically impressed with a new discovery in PR, was when I visited Las Cavernas de Camuy for the first time. It immediately made it to my list of favorite things in Puerto Rico. As Gwenn wrote in the article, it was “breathtakingly beautiful.” Make sure you have a camera, because you will want to capture the spectacular views.
Guard rails would add to the safety, but would detract from the natural beauty of the place, so I’m glad they are not present. But be very conscious of your footing, because if you are careless and get too close to the edge, I believe it’s a matter of life and death. This isn’t the Grand Canyon, but getting close to the edge causes a similar reaction of awe, where you feel it in your chest and gut. It really does take your breath away.
When I went we got hung up getting there, so we arrived later than I intended. We arrived with an hour or two of daylight left, so we didn’t get to enjoy the beach, asided from taking a few pictures. The lighthouse was closed, too, which was no big deal. The beach is calm, pretty, and very tranquil waters, just like my wife likes it. Great even for small kids. My visit was very comfortable as far as the heat/sun, but if you go during the day, be prepared to deal with the sun. Considering the walk to and from, and your time there, it can get uncomfortably hot. Even more reason to incorporate the beach into your visit. It really is a spectacular place, and I would recommend everybody work it while in PR.
Comment by Josh on April 12th, 2011 at 12:28 amI have been to this lighthouse 3 times. The first time (2005), It took my breath away!!! It was so beautiful and the beach was just awesome. I recently went there and was so sad to see that the place is not being taken care of. The views are still breath taking and worth the rocky drive (scared your rental will get caught in a hole and the path has not been paved). I hope that next time I go, there is improvements in the maintance of the lighthouse and grass. The beach was still awesome! Took some beautiful pictures near the rocks along the beach to the lighthouse:)
Comment by LMO on May 11th, 2011 at 3:51 pm