Anyone who has been to Puerto Rico has heard of Palomino Island, which is the El Conquistador Resort‘s private island, a stone’s throw from the main property and easily accessible via a ten minute ferry ride. The area is on the Eastern part of Puerto Rico, roughly an hour’s drive from the main airport. On the island itself, there’s an enclave of water sports, recreational activities and sheer serenity along white sandy beaches. And oh yes, large iguanas who are eager to eat off your plate if you dine at the island’s only restaurant, Iguana’s Cafe.
To get to Palomino Island, there’s a bit of a process but an easy one once you know the system. Cable cars leave regularly from the El Conquistador Resort and are a boat load of fun to take. Below is a shot I took while declining from the top part of the resort, which is set up on a 300 foot bluff overlooking the ocean below.
Once you get to the bottom, you’re faced with more resort goodies, such as a water park (tons of photos and details in our main El Conquistador write-up), an outside bar, restaurant, infinity pool with stunning views, and of course ferries to get across to the island.
Close to the dock is the main beach which has tons of lounge chairs but is fairly busy so it’s best to venture to the right and walk down the coast to where there’s less people.
The view as the ferry arrives at the dock….
The view looking out towards the ocean from the boat as we docked….
Happy feet that we have indeed….arrived!
The main drag has thatched umbrellas you can sit under and a swimming area — this is a great place to bring kids as it’s family friendly and there’s plenty of water activities.
If you want a little more privacy, go for a walk and while the island isn’t that big (a half an hour or so to the other side), you don’t need to travel far to get a whole lotta serenity and peace and quiet. We found areas where there were no people at all (by foot) and there were plenty of lounge chairs facing the ocean. Go on a beautiful stroll with me along the beach on a sunny afternoon in May!!
I also managed to have some fun inside the shallow waters as well as on the oh so stunning palm trees.
Ahhh yes, bliss!
And, after you’re done with the island’s serenity, if you want to follow one of the amusing iguanas around, there’s plenty to be found. Did I mention there’s chickens on the island as well?
Palomino in the region of Camuy is a town in Puerto Rico, some 50 miles west of San Juan, the country’s capital city and as I mentioned above, an hour’s drive from the airport and then a ten minute’s ferry ride from the resort to the island. Think of it as a 100-acre tropical island paradise where you can get jet ski, kayak, swim, snorkel, windsurf, go hiking, horseback riding and more.
Be sure to check out my other blog posts on Puerto Rico:
- Wellness Alert: Puerto Rico’s El Conquistador’s Spa Makes a Healthy Getaway
- Waldorf Astoria’s El Conquistador Resort in Puerto Rico
- Foodie Delights Along the Puerto Rican Coast
- Jockey, Great Stylish Activewear For Any Getaway Trip
- Hiking La Mina Trail in Puerto Rico’s El Yunque Rainforest
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
