4 Best Sights in The North Coast and the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico

This exceptional strand is known for surfing, but adventurous swimmers also enjoy the waves. The beach itself is crescent-shape, and its light golden sands are a popular backdrop for local photo shoots. Amenities: none. Best for: surfing.

The 2,500-foot-long beach, one of Puerto Rico's government-administered balnearios, is a crescent-shape stretch of groomed sand lined with cliffs. It's very popular and can get crowded on weekends. Take care if you intend to scramble around on the rocks; currents here are strong, and it's not uncommon for crashing waves to wash over the rocks unexpectedly. This beach also has a large camping area and some facilities, including food kiosks that tend to be open only on busy days. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: walking.

This beach is popular for both swimming and surfing, but take care with the strong current. There's a summer festival with live music and water-sports competitions here, normally the first week of July. Lots of local scuba instructors hold classes and do dive certifications here as well. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; surfing; swimming.

This Dorado beach—not to be confused with a beach by the same name in the northwestern town of Isabela—is suitable for swimming and has shade trees, changing rooms, and restrooms, although it's certainly not top-of-class among North Coast beaches. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.