The fishermen begin gathering shortly after dawn. Working together they push a brightly painted boat through the waves before jumping in and rowing out into the turquoise waters, dropping a net to catch fish for the morning market. This is the rhythm of life in Rincon, perched on the western-most tip of Puerto Rico, 100 miles from San Juan.

It doesn’t take long for the net to be deployed and for the fishermen to start rowing back towards shore, dragging it to where it can be hauled onto the beach. There is a buzz of activity, fishermen encouraging each other to pull harder while flocks of brown pelicans officiously patrol the sands waiting to grab the odd fish that flops out of the net. You can buy a fish straight out of the net for your lunch. Life is slow and easy.

In this corner of the island (Rincon means ‘corner’ in Spanish), the rough Atlantic Ocean is jumbled with the gentler Caribbean Sea, creating some of the most perfect surfing waves in the Caribbean at over 20 different spots, especially from October to April. It is an excellent place to learn how to surf or to be challenged if you are an experienced surfer. The water is so warm you can spend hours in the waves.

The beaches are surrounded by coconut palms and tropical plants including bougainvillea in a riot of colors. Tiny hummingbirds flit between the flowers that surround the lighthouse — formally known as the Punta Higuero Light, informally as “El Faro.” It is the tallest structure around, no high-rise, large resorts in sight.

If you want to do more than sit on the beach or surf, the Arecibo Radio Telescope, the world’s largest radar-radio telescope is a mere 35 miles away. In the final scenes of the film ‘Golden Eye”, James Bond battles evil across the dish and the antennae suspended above it. A climb to the observation deck with views across the rainforest is an experience not to be missed. A few miles south of Rincon is the Guarnico Dry Forest, a 10,000-acre Biosphere Reserve with hundreds of species of trees and bushes and over 150 species of birds and amphibians including the coquí, the diminutive brownish green frog that is Puerto Rico’s national emblem. If you are feeling particularly energetic and want panoramic views of the bay, hike the 3 miles to the ruins of Fort Capron built by the Spanish to keep an eye out for pirates and corsairs. Be sure to take plenty of water.

End the day sitting on the beach, a glass of local brew in hand as the sun begins its journey to the ends of the earth in a dazzling display of light and shadows. Life is slow and easy.

IF YOU GO
Most US carriers fly to San Juan from where it is a two-hour drive to Rincon. Some carriers also fly to Aguadilla, north of Rincon.

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