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Puerto Rico > Magazine Articles > West

Los Piñales, Lajas /Efra

West August-2004, By:Travel and Sports Staff
Go Porta del Sol
Lajas, Lajas: La Parguera, San German

When you take a trip out west to the area known as Porta del Sol, make sure you discover its major attractions. Isabela, Aguadilla, Rincón (with its lighthouse park) and Añasco offer some of the world’s great surfing areas and beaches. The small towns of Moca, Aguada and Hormigueros are known for their beautiful handicrafts. San Sebastian, Las Marías and Maricao represent fascinating examples of the mountainous towns dedicated to agriculture. In the port city of Mayagüez, you can enjoy a first-rate zoo, historic theater and beautiful city plaza. The Cabo Rojo area (Joyuda, Boquerón, El Combate and Mona) entices visitors with its beautiful beaches, excellent seafood and the Boquerón Wildlife refuge, a paradise for bird-watchers. Unique architecture helps to define San German; its neighbor Sabana Grande is considered the gateway to the Luis Muñoz Marín Panoramic Route. La Parguera attracts divers and water sports fans. And Guánica offers nature trails in the Guánica Dry Forest (a World Biosphere Reserve) and the clear waters of Gilligan’s Island. Throughout the area, you will find a good supply of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company’s approved small inns and restaurants—the Paradores and Mesones Gastronómicos. This issue on the Porta del Sol features the areas of: Lajas, La Parguera, and San Germán.

Lajas

The Lajas valley is famous for its major local crop, the big juicy-headed pineapple, the “Piña Cabezona.” If you see a pineapple stand, you might want to get some of your own. It is also known as “The Bishop City,” since the former bishop of the Catholic Church in Puerto Rico was born and raised in Lajas.

Current Event
Feria Agrícola de la Reserva del Valle, Early-Sep

Attractions & Sights
Galería de Arte y Museo, This gallery displays paintings, hammered copper ware, and antique equipment, such as cameras and typewriters. 2 Concordia St. Mon-Fri 9am-1pm.
Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, The construction of this church started in 1884. Plaza Juan Ramírez.

Lajas: La Parguera

This small village has some of Puerto Rico’s premier attractions: world-class diving, the nature reserve and a bioluminescent bay. If that is not enough, you can go kayaking in the Boquerón Forest mangroves west of town, join in one of the nature tours, try bird-watching, go deep-sea fishing, suit up and snorkel or just hang out at one of the small islands south and east of the village that the locals favor on the weekends.

Attractions & Sights
Bioluminescent Bay, Great for a trip on a moonless night. Take one of the many local boats to Bahía La Parguera for a little dinoflagellate watching. Due to their delicate ecology, bioluminescent bays are rare. Boats leave from La Parguera dock.
La Pared, A 20-mile long coral reef wall that runs parallel to the coast from Cabo Rojo to Guánica. A perfect spot for divers.

Beaches
Playas de La Parguera, Boat rides from La Parguera are available to go east of town to the Mata La Gata, Caracoles and El Laurel beaches. Other local beaches include Playa Rosada and Cayo Enrique. Along Rt 124.

Forests
Parguera Nature Reserve, One of the greatest coastal mangrove systems in Puerto Rico, great for bird-watching, snorkeling and small boat trips. Picnic area. Home to the Bioluminescent Bay in La Parguera. Rt 304, east of La Parguera. Daily 9am-5pm.

San German

Founded in 1510, San Germán is known as “Fundadora de Pueblos” (Founder of towns). It is the second oldest town in Puerto Rico. San Germán has a low-key ambiance and a significant architectural heritage. The town features an unusual two-plaza layout with a church on the east plaza and another church (the Porta Coeli) on the west plaza. The Porta Coeli Church, founded in 1606, is one of the oldest churches in the western hemisphere.

Current Event
Lola Rodríguez de Tió Festival, Mid-Sep.

Attractions & Sights
Museo Santo Domingo de Porta Coeli, Originally it was the church of the Convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Inside you will find valuable examples of religious art from the XVI to the XIX centuries. This collection includes: paintings, images, sculptures and religious objects donated from various churches around the Island. Dr. Veve St. at Ramas St. Wed-Sun 8:30am-noon, 1pm-4:15pm.
San Germán de Auxerre, A beautiful church on the east plaza. Pasada de los Augustinos Nº2. Open daily during mass.

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West Article Archive
2007-04 Explore the West, Porta del Sol
2005-08 Lajas: La Parguera, Rincón, San Germán
2005-06 San Sebastián, Moca, Mayagüez
2005-04 Isabela, Aguadilla, Hormigueros
2005-02 Cabo Rojo, Las Marías, Maricao, Mona
2004-12 Rincón, Sabana Grande, Lajas
2004-10 Añasco, Guánica
2004-08 Lajas, Lajas: La Parguera, San German
2004-06 Moca, San Sebastian, Rincón, Desecheo, Mayagüez
2004-04 Aguadilla, Hormigueros, Isabela
2004-02 Mayagüez, Maricao, Las Marías, Cabo Rojo, Joyuda
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