Rincon Lighthouse

With 16 lighthouses to visit and explore, Puerto Rico is a dream location for lighthouse enthusiasts. Some of our lighthouses are very old and very beautiful. The Rincon lighthouse (El Faro de Punta Higuero, in Spanish) isn’t particularly either of those. However, what it really has going for it is it’s location.
Situated on bluff surrounded by a lovely park, the Rincon lighthouse offers a setting where you can relax and have great views of surfers, Desecheo Island, the sunset, and even whales (in season). So, even if you are not "into" lighthouses, you should plan a visit to the Rincon lighthouse park just to enjoy the views.

A Brief History

A lighthouse has been standing at the same location since 1892. The original lighthouse, which was one of the many lighthouses built to help ships navigate the dangerous sea passage along the western coast, was damaged during an earthquake in 1918. From old photos that I have seen, it was beautiful — made of brick with nice details and included a house for the lighthouse keeper’s family. Due to the damage caused by the earthquake, it had to be demolished, and the current 70-foot tall cylindrical tower was built in 1922.

Surfing – The beaches around the Rincon lighthouse are very popular with surfers. There are decent-sized waves year-round, but in the winter the waves are HUGE! A real surfers’ dream! Domes Beach (to the right of the lighthouse) seems to be one of the most popular spot for surfers. Another surfing beach, Indicators Beach, is to the left of the light house.
Sunsets – They happen everyday, they’re free, and they require no special skills nor equipment to enjoy. They are of the daily blessings we have and should enjoy whenever possible. It is so pretty watching the sun paint colors in the sky as it sets, slowly dipping below the horizon.
Whale Watching – Whale watchers also converge on the lighthouse for the yearly migration of the humpback whales that travel through the Mona Passage between January and March. Of course (with my luck), we didn’t see any the day in February we went, but you may have better luck.
The park around the lighthouse provides a great view of Desecheo Island, which makes a great backdrop for your own photos. One evening, as we waited for the sun to set, we watched dolphins happily swimming in the distance, and occasionally jumping up and out of the water. It is really just a pretty location to see some natural beauty .

 

More Info

• I have read that there is a small museum in the base of the lighthouse. I don’t know if this is true or not since the doors have been locked every time we have visited the lighthouse. The door to the lighthouse didn’t have any indication that the lighthouse was ever open to the public — so I won’t count on getting into the lighthouse.
• The park is being refurbished. It used to have a snack bar and gift shop, but these have been taken down. I am unsure if they plan on opening another when the work is completed
• The park has public restrooms, but we have never seen those to be open/operational.
• The park is wheelchair accessible, with ramps and paved walkways.As a point of interest — To the right and just behind the lighthouse is a large green dome, which is where Domes Beach gets its name. The dome is a decommissioned BONUS Nuclear Reactor. It’s closed now, but it remains as an oddity near the beach.

Details

There is no charge to visit the Rincon lighthouse park. There is lots of free parking, too.

The park is officially open every day until 6:00pm, though we stayed later to watch the sunset and the park gates were still open.

The Rincon lighthouse park is located on Route 4413, just off of Route 413.

History of Rincon

History

Rincón traces its history to the 16th century and a few low-key sugarcane plantations. And while many people believe it gets its name from the Spanish word rincón (corner) because of its shape, the municipality is actually named after one of the area’s original planters, Don Gonzalo Rincón. For most of its history, the town survived on cane farming and cattle raising.
Things changed when the World Surfing Championships arrived in 1968. Glossy images of Rincón were plastered all over international magazines and TV – and the word was out. Every year since then has seen successive generations of wave riders make the pilgrimage. And while they pursued an endless summer, they began to invest in the community, building their own restaurants, guesthouses and bars.
As the baby-boomer generation of ­surfers got older, they continued to ­harbor ­romantic images of Rincón. But when they traveled with their own children, they demanded better accommodations, slicker restaurants and a broader variety of activities – and the town responded. Today, you can rent distinctive vacation homes or stay in luxurious hotels. While the old-style bunkhouses are all but gone, imaginative and moderately priced guesthouses remain a staple in Rincón.

Rincon Attraction Puerto Rico: Things To Do

Rincon Attraction Puerto Rico: Things To Do: Traveler recommended attractions and Things to Do in the West Coast of Puerto Rico Fishing Fly ...

Rincón, Puerto Rico

Rincón (Spanish pronunciation: [riŋˈkon]) is a municipality of Puerto Rico founded in 1771 by Don Luis de Añasco (Founder of Añasco in 1733). It is located in the Western Coastal Valley, west of Añasco and Aguada. Rincón is spread over 8 wards and Rincón Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Rincón has a population of about 17,000 and is the third richest municipality only after Carolina and San Juan. It is home to many of the best surfing beaches in Puerto Rico, including Domes, Marias, Tres Palmas, Sandy Beach, Pools Beach, and Rincon Town Beach Plaza. It is also home to many calm, clear Caribbean beaches including Corcega Beach.
The word "Rincón" means corner. Rincón is on the North Western Part of Puerto Rico

Location of Rincón in Puerto Rico
Coordinates: 18°20′25″N 67°15′06″W / 18.34028°N 67.25167°W / 18.34028; -67.25167Coordinates: 18°20′25″N 67°15′06″W / 18.34028°N 67.25167°W / 18.34028; -67.25167
Country	United States
Territory	Puerto Rico
Founded	1771
Government
• Mayor	Hon. Carlos López (PPD)
• Senatorial dist.	4 Mayagüez
• Representative dist.	18
Area
• Total	29.4 sq mi (76.12 km2)
• Land	13.9 sq mi (36 km2)
• Water	15.5 sq mi (40.12 km2)
Population (2010)
• Total	15,200
• Density	517.0/sq mi (199.7/km2)
	Rinconeños
Time zone	AST (UTC-4)
zip	00677
Flag Created and Designed by Mr. Evaristo Cardona Moreno and Art performed by Jose Luis Cardona Martinez (his eldest son). The central white star represents the urban zone. The surrounding nine stars represent the nine wards of the municipality. The red and orange colors symbolize the vigor and the vitality of the city. The yellow represents Christianity. The green represents vegetation and the hope of the progress of the municipality. Finally, the white represents purity and the unity between the wards and the urban zone.  Coat of arms Created and designed by Mr. Angel L. Cardona Moreno.The shield consists of a green and orange Spanish blazon, with a yellow band inclined left to right. To the right and on a green background a cross, symbol of Christendom. To the left and on an orange background a Spanish ship, symbol of the discovery of Puerto Rico, in the coasts of Rincón (this is greatly disputed, as the towns of Aguada, Rincón, and Añasco all claim entry-point status).  Geography Gorges: Caflo García, Grande de Calvache (longest), Los Ramos, Piletas, Punta Ensenada. River: Río Grande  Economy Punta Higüeras Lighthouse The 1968 World Surfing Championship was held at Domes Beach in Rincon. Since then, surfers from around the world have been visiting Rincon in search of the perfect wave. Now Rincon has a thriving tourism economy which also boasts world class scuba diving , snorkeling, and beautiful sunsets. Rincon has also been a favorite area for Internet based companies to set up shop. In 2007, Rincon hosted the ISA World Masters where local surfer Juan Ashton won 1st place in the Masters division. Surfing Rincon is well-known as a place to surf. What put it on the map was the 1968 World Surfing Championship held at Domes and Maria's Beaches. If you are learning to surf definitely try getting an instructor, these will show you where the best places are for your level of surfing. The winter surf along Rincón's coast is some of the best in the region. Most generally regarded as one of the best surf spots across the globe, Rincón draws surfers from around the world. Rincón is the center of the island surf scene. Dubbed the "Caribbean's Hawaii," winter waves here can approach 25-30 feet (6.7m) in height, sometimes equaling the force of the surf on Oahu's north shore. Famed surfing beaches in town include Tres Palmas, Maria's, Domes, Pools, Sandy Beach and Antonio's. The best time to surf is from November through March, but summer storms can also kick up the surf during the late summer. Agriculture Fruit and sugar cane. Cattle ranching. Industry In Rincón the major industry is tourism. There is much to do in Rincón such as surfing, snorkeling, horse back riding and Going to the beach. This is why most of the stores cater to tourism. You'll find that many people speak English in Rincón. Rincón was the site of a nuclear reactor plant in the 1960s, that was subsequently closed and claimed clean. In the 1980s, the U.S. government reportedly performed more cleaning, and there are now plans to open it to the public as a museum. It was Puerto Rico's only nuclear reactor. Landmarks and places of interest A beach scene in Rincón Domes Beach María's Beach Steps Beach Macor by the Sea Balneario de Rincón Punta Higüeras Light was built by the Spaniards in the early 1890s and rebuilt after an earthquake in 1921. This working lighthouse uses an unmanned 26,000-candlepower rotating beacon. Rincón Pottery: Working studio and gallery in Cruces, Rincón. Offers "Hands on Clay" workshops. Bonus Nuclear Plant Tres Palmas Coral Reef Reserve Surf Town The Spanish Wall Rincon Skate Park (indoor SK8 street course) Festivals and events Whale Festival - March Rincón International Film Festival 2011: April 12- 16 Coconut Festival - May Feast of the Patron Saint, Santa Rosa de Lima - August Triatlon and Triatlon Caribbean Cup Numerous Surfing Championships Local Band (Reggae and Latin Rock)