On our last visit to Puerto Rico, we stayed in Fajardo, intending to visit a few of Puerto Rico’s islands, Icacos, Culebra, and Vieques. As I have previously written in 47 Fabulous Things to Do in Puerto Rico, visiting these islands has been on my Puerto Rico bucket list.
My friend recommended Icacos as an easy day trip from Fajardo, and our visit ended up being a highlight of our Puerto Rico trip. However, because we traveled during the high season and did not book ahead, we did not get to visit Vieques or Culebra, so we have another excuse to return. A few weeks later, my nephew visited Culebra and recommends flying rather than taking the ferry.
What is Cayo Icacos (Icacos Island)?
Icacos is a key (small island) 1.5 miles off Puerto Rico’s coast at Fajardo. It is an uninhabited key with stunning beaches, a view of Puerto Rico and St. John, and clear water. It is named after a fruit found in its jungle.
Cayo Icacos’ History
Starting in the 1930s, Icacos was used as a limestone quarry, and a few people lived on the island to take care of that operation. It is now part of the Reserva Natural Cayos de la Cordillera, a National Park consisting of the little islands off Fajardo. It has lagoons made by pirates, who found Icacos a great place to hide.
Why Visit Icacos Island
Icacos has a flat, soft, white-sand beach with the jungle as its backdrop. It is made of limestone, so many creatures call its shore and reef home. Because of its location, the surf is minimal, and it gets much less rain than the mainland.
Our Day on Cayo Icacos
There are three ways to get to Icacos- a private boat, a larger boat tour, or a water taxi.
We used East Coast Water Taxi to get over to Icacos, but you can also do catamaran snorkeling tours if you want more of a party, but you won’t have a guided hike.
The water taxi was perfect for us because we wanted an unstructured experience and quiet time on the beach.
We chose the 12:30 tour to see the sunset from the island at the end of our day. I cannot recommend more planning your visit based on when the sun sets. You will be on the island for about five hours. The taxi company was very accommodating and flexible.
We were dropped off at the Croabas Docks to meet our water taxi. The water taxi only takes six people, so we had private rides both ways. The ride took around 15 minutes. The water was a little rough, but the ride was so quick that it was fine.
When we arrived on Icacos, our guide had chairs, a tent, and a cooler full of drinks ready for us. We then had about two hours to chill.
We had two opportunities after that, and we chose to do both.
They provided snorkeling equipment and took us snorkeling. As a SCUBA diver, I always regret snorkeling with a group and without my own equipment, although our guide was excellent. If I revisit Icacos, I will do some snorkeling on my own.
After snorkeling, I explored the tide pools on that side of the beach. They are filled with crabs, fish, and even a baby shark. Because of the limestone, wearing water shoes is a good idea.
A little later, a guided hike through the interior was offered. I highly recommend doing this easy hike. During the hike, we saw termite mounds in trees, abandoned housing and mining buildings, cliffs containing bats, and stunning views of the island and surrounding islands. We also saw wreckage from old ships and got to jump off a pier.
Since we booked the late tour to the island, eventually, we were almost alone on the beach. We could sit in the calm, warm water and enjoy seeing the sunset over mainland Puerto Rico, making it a spectacular way to end a fabulous day.
Have you visited Puerto Rico’s Islands? Which is your favorite?
