Puerto Rico has thousands of miles beautiful beaches and tons of aquatic life. If you want to get close to nature and learn something about what Puerto Rico has to offer, go on an eco-friendly kayak trip. We recently had the pleasure of joining Kayaking Puerto Rico on a kayak/snorkel tour in the north-eastern-most corner of the island. A kayak trip is a great way to get some exercise and see and learn about the natural aquatic beauty in this part of Puerto Rico.

There are a few different options for snorkel tours in the northeast past of the island. There are the catamaran "booze cruises" and this kayaking trip. Both types of trips are fun, but they are totally different. Each type fills its rightful niche. If you are active, don’t want to be part of a crowd, want to experience and learn about nature, and/or want to explore somewhere a little less traveled, then this kayak trip is the way to go.

Kayaking Puerto Rico offers a few different daytime kayak/snorkel trips that leave out of Fajardo, near Seven Seas Beach. I think they should make a bigger deal about how much you will learn while on this trip. The guides are loaded with information about Puerto Rico and its history, from the original inhabitants (the Taino Indians) to the flora and fauna of the island, sky, and water. They show you things and then talk about it. It is obvious how proud they are of their island and how sincere they are about keeping it clean and preserved for future generations. They picked up trash while we were walking on the beach and they even collected trash from the reefs underwater while were were snorkeling.

Reservations, Getting There & Getting Started

We made our reservations with them (very easy and on-line!) and set the date. Due to bad ocean conditions our original trip date was canceled. Though it may mess up your vacation plans, you have to be flexible when you’re planning an outdoor activity like this. I was happy they canceled it. If the conditions aren’t right to enjoy the day kayaking or snorkeling, I don’t want to waste my time nor money going. We were able to reschedule with them once the marine conditions improved.

So our day arrives. We were scheduled to meet them at 9:30am at the Seven Seas Malecon (pier) in Fajardo (just between Seven Seas Beach and Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve). Parking is across the street along the edge of the road. When we arrived , were greeted by Percy and Dalberto (the owners of KPR), and Julio (our front guide).

Like all other "active" trips, the first thing you have to do is sign a liability waiver. Oh … and you have to pay, too. As it turned out, a family of four would be taking the tour with us. They were from Chicago and had never kayaked before. It was a husband & wife and their two daughters, ages about 8 and 10. Everyone was there early, and the guides had everything all set up, so we were ready to get started.

First, they make sure you are well hydrated, so water is handed out all around. Second, they make sure everyone is wearing sunscreen.

Next, we get the basic “how to kayak” course. It is a quick lesson. If you’ve never kayaked before you don’t have to worry, you really learn by doing and trial & error in the water. They kayaks the sit-upon ocean kayaks are are very stable, so it’s almost impossible to tip them over.

After the quick kayaking lesson, they fitted everyone for fins, masks/snorkels and life vests, assigned everyone to a kayak. Now we are ready to go. These guys help you with everything - getting in/out of the kayak, donning your snorkel gear, life vests, etc. They are very professional and organized!

And Off We Go

The guides for our trip were Julio and Percy. Dalberto stayed behind at the dock to watch any things that shouldn’t get wet - like car keys! They usually go to a few different spots to snorkel. It all depends on the wind/ocean conditions. They wanted to go to Playa Colora (Red Beach), but after sending a guide out to check it, they decided it wasn’t going to be good, so we headed off to a different spot. We were kayaking in a protected area, so there were no waves - just very calm water. Along the way, Julio explained about the 7 different eco-systems that we were/would be encountering in the Seven Seas Beach area. We kayaked right along the shores of Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve. The water was clear and the beaches were empty. We were lucky enough to have a beautiful sunny day. What more could you want!

Julio was keeping an eye on the family - they were doing really well. After an initial rough start with steering and getting into a rhythm of paddling, they got the feel for it. Of course, Mom and Dad were doing most of the work, but the girls are doing their part! We stopped half way to our destination for a "talk" about the area, but I bet it was to give us a break!. Julio told us about the lighthouse to our right and El Yunque behind us. You get a great view of both from out on the water!

Land Ho!

After a little more paddling, we arrived at our goal - Playa Escondida (Hidden Beach), which is located on the edge of Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve. After another water break and sunscreen check, we went on a guided nature walk along the beach and shoreline.

The two guides both had loads of knowledge to impart to us. We got to touch sea cucumbers, see an octopus, fire worms, termite nests, lots of shells, etc. Both Percy and Julio were very good with the kids, patiently answering the many questions and keeping them entertained. They showed us rocks that the Tainos used to make paints and even did some creative body painting for the kids! It was all very interesting and not the usual nature lesson.

After our walk up and down the beach, it was snack & juice time. They offered a nice variety of snacks, so we would have energy to snorkel.

Into the Water

Now, the snorkeling begins. We waded out from the beach into waist-deep water so that everyone can try snorkeling in a safe area while we got accustomed to the snorkel gear. In this area, there’s mostly sea grass but it’s a good spot for beginners so they can get the hang of snorkeling. The usual mask leaks happened, but after a while, and some equipment adjustments, everyone caught on and was comfortable in the water.

Once we all felt comfortable with snorkeling, we kayaked out to deeper water. Percy had his kayak anchored and we all tied our kayaks onto his. Then we jumped in. Each guide took a few people out, so it was not crowded at all. The reef is in good condition. There were some very nice corals and lots of colorful fans. Much of the coral was healthy. There were not a ton of fish, but there were many different varieties around. It was very pretty.

After about 30 minutes of snorkeling around the coral heads, we have to head back to shore. The breeze had picked up, so it was a little harder on the way in. Toward the end, the mother/daughter team was pretty tired, so Julio offered to tow them in. But in a final burst of energy, the daughter paddled them in on her own show of "girl-power"!

Back at the dock, they offered more snacks and drinks, and we all talked about the trip. It was a really enjoyable half day. We all talked about the Fajardo biobay kayak tours that they offer. I am happy to say that since the start of the "No-Swimming" policy in the Fajardo biobay, they report that the biobay is recovering well and is really glowing brightly. It has been a while since we did that biobay trip, so we will be going out with them some time this summer. I highly recommend one of the biobay tours as a must do for everyone visiting Puerto Rico.

Don’t Forget Sunscreen

For this half day kayak/snorkel trip you are best wearing a T-shirt the whole day, even when you are snorkeling. Put on a lot of sunscreen, and reapply after going in the water. Don’t forget the fronts and backs of your legs. We missed those … ouch! When you are snorkeling your entire back and backs of your legs are just at or below the surface of the water. You will get sunburned! With the breeze and being wet, you don’t realize how quickly you are burning. Believe me, sun protection can’t be emphasized enough! And wear sunglasses and water shoes (or Crocs).

The Details

Kayaking Puerto Rico offers two snorkel/kayaks trips. The Aquafari 2.5 trip is a shorter trip designed for people with little snorkel/kayak experience, or with smaller children. For more experienced people, or families with older kids, they offer a longer trip called Aquafari 3.5. The longer trip includes a light lunch.

Aquafari 2.5

• Cost: $55.00 per person, minimum of 6 guests on a trip
• Duration: 2.5 hours
• One beach stop and one snorkeling session.
• Skill level: Appropriate for everyone, including first-time snorkelers & children 6+ years.
• Individual, Light Snacks, water and refreshments served.
• Morning excursion - trip departs at 10:00am and finishes at 12:30pm
• Afternoon excursion - trips departs at 1:30pm and finishes at 4:00pm

Aquafari 3.5

• Cost: $69.00 per person, minimum of 6 guests on a trip
• Duration: 3.5 hours
• One beach stop, two snorkeling sessions.
• Skill level: Intermediate level snorkelers. Guests must be in good physical condition; kids ages 12 or older.
• Tropical picnic lunch, water and refreshments served.
• Morning excursion - trip departs at 10:00am and finishes at 1:30pm

Normally, when we review an attraction that is not free to the public, we pay the admission price out of our own pockets. However, we just want you to know that the guys at Kayaking Puerto Rico were kind enough to offer us our tour for free. While we don’t feel that this free ride influenced our review one way or the other, we felt that we should tell you, just as a matter of fact.

You can call them at 787.435.1665 or 787.564-5629 for more information.

You can visit their website for more information.

The meeting place for this trip is about 90 minutes from the San Juan area. Round trip transportation is available. Contact Kayaking Puerto Rico for rates (which may vary by hotel location).

You can locate the Seven Seas Malecon on our Interactive Island Map