By Vincent Runyon
Founded in the early 19th century, Lajas is one of the top tourist destinations on the island of Puerto Rico for quite a few reasons. Its natural beauty is second to none, as the area consists of incredible
beaches, bays and lagoons, along with rolling hills throughout. Beyond that, there are the
resort towns that line the
beach, perfectly straddling the line between being tourist magnets and sleepy beach towns--having the amenities for tourism but maintaining their cultural authenticity. Beyond that, there are islands traced by caves and accessible by boat a few miles offshore as well. While Lajas is a great place to relax, there is also plenty to do here.
La Parguera
This fishing town has become a tourism magnet due to its proximity to one of the great natural wonders of Puerto Rico: The phosphorescent bay. This bay, also called La Parguera, is a must-see or any traveler coming through the area. Here, luminescent dinoflagellates (a type of plankton, more or less) light up and cause the sea to change colors at night as it moves and the tide rolls in and out. The effect is both eerie and beautiful. This can only occur in tropical regions, and La Parguera is one of two bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico.
Cartegena Lagoon
This is the place to be in order to experience the diversity of wildlife existing in Puerto Rico. The Cartegena Lagoon Wildlife Reserve makes for a perfect day trip to the country side. The lagoon, which has diminished in size due to the grazing of cattle and the proliferation of outside plant species, is still one of the largest on the island and its area is inhabited by half of the known bird species in Puerto Rico. Beyond that, there are also 15 species of fish, 5 species of amphibians, 9 species of reptiles and 7 species of mammals that live in the reserve. It's an ideal place to get away from it all while taking a trip to Lajas.
Islets
Some of the best places to explore in Lajas are the verdant islets that lay off the coast of places such as La Parguera. These include Isla de Magueyes, which was the former home of the local zoo in the area until upkeep became too costly. The iguanas that roam the island are a reminder of that old zoo. There is also Isla de la Cueva (Cave Island), aka "Isla de los Monos" (Monkey Island), off the coast. This island, which is traced through by caves, makes for a great daytime adventure in Lajas. It's called Monkey Island due to a colony of monkeys that were released by a scientific expedition there; these little guys thrived and became commonplace. It's possible to hike the island and walk through the caves, or to swim into the natural nooks lining the sides of the island.
About the Author:
Vincent Runyon is a writer working out of Portland, Ore. His work has been featured in "The Oregon Voice" and "Portland Monthly." Runyon received two bachelor's degrees from the University of Oregon. His greatest passions are traveling to new and different places and enjoying a good basketball game. Usually the two are mutually exclusive.
