Recommended Restaurants and Shopping
Below is a quick guide to recommended restaurants, grocery stores and shopping. All of these locations are within a 10 minute drive of Campomar Villas and are easily found on Google Maps.
Restaurants
Ola Lola's Tiki Bar- walking distance, bar food, casual.
Eclipse Restaurant- walking distance, beach front, fusion cuisine, upscale.
Ocean Front Bar and Restaurant and Aqua Sushi Bar - Jobos beach, ocean view, Puerto Rican and seafood.
Kai- Jobos Beach, ocean view, Puerto Rican and bar food, nightlife.
Sonido del Mar- Jobos Beach, ocean view, Puerto Rican food, nightlife.
Uma's- Jobos Beach, ocean front, Eurasian and seafood.
Palmas Cafe- Road 110, home cooking.
Tuluum- Road 110, Mexican and margaritas.
The Reef- Road 110, seafood and burgers.
Harina Bakery- Road 110, Puerto Rican style bakery.
Yaret Pizza- Road 110
Levain Bakery- Road 110, European style bakery.
Jet Blast Bar and Grill- near the airport, bar food and nightlife.
Shopping
Econo- Road 110 in Aguadilla. Good selection of items, steaks, organic vegetables, vegan selection.
Maleza Pharmacy- Road 110, locally owned.
Walgreen's Pharmacy- Road 107 in Aguadilla
Verde Azul- Road 110, surf shop and tours.
Aquatica- Road 110, surf shop and tours.
Surfzone- near Aguadilla airport, surf shop, clothing, supplies.
Wave Riding Vehicles- Jobos Beach, surf shop, clothing.
Shack’s Beach
This beach is also known as Blue Hole beach. Here you will find some of the best snorkeling around. This beach is protected by a line of reef that protrudes from the surface of the water. It is a great beach for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. Shack's is also famous for kite boarding and surfing in the winter months. The surf break is located just to the west of the main swimming area.
Jobos Beach
Jobos is one of the most popular local beaches. It is famous for its consistent surf break and is suitable for all skill levels of surfers, depending on ocean conditions. Larger waves break on the outside of the protective rock outcropping, while smaller waves break on a sandbar closer to the beach (a perfect spot for first time surfers). This beach is mostly sandy bottom and the water is usually calm and clear close to the beach. Be aware that there is known to be a rip current here even on calmer days. There are several bars and restaurants along this beach, as well as a surf shop. There is almost always someone there to give surf lessons or to rent surfboards and beach equipment. If you are looking for a party beach or a place for people watching, this is the place to go. This beach gets very crowded on weekends.
Middles Beach
Best known for surfing, and the location of many surfing competitions throughout the year. Not suitable for swimming, although there are several beautiful tide pools along theses beaches that are great for soaking in, and it is great for beach combing.
Borinquen Beach, The Ruins, Wilderness Beach
Borinquen Beach is located just past the Aguadilla airport, below the golf course. It is a long, sandy beach and is good for swimming depending on conditions. It is best in the summer as the waves can be large in the winter. On very calm days it is good for snorkeling along the cliff. There are large rock formations and you will also see old airplane engines overgrown with coral that were pushed off the cliff many years ago.
The Ruins are just past Borinquen beach, right after the paved road turns to dirt. The old Spanish lighthouse was built in 1889 and destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami in 1918. Today, it is still a sight to see and is a popular place for sunset pictures and photo shoots.
Wilderness is one of the area's best known surf breaks. To get there, continue down the dirt road from the light house. Use caution, especially if in a small car. The road is very rough, sometimes muddy, and has deep potholes.There are also hiking and mountain bike trails throughout this area, which formerly belonged to the U.S. military.
Crashboat Beach
Crashboat is ranked as one of the most beautiful beaches in Puerto Rico. It is a sandy beach and is almost always calm enough for swimming, which makes it a good choice for small children or during the winter on rougher days. There is an old pier that you can walk out onto and jump into the water. The snorkeling is very good underneath the pier as coral has grown up the legs and there are schools of colorful fish everywhere. There are also vendors of food and drinks, rentals of beach toys, paddleboards, and umbrellas. This beach gets very crowded on weekends, but is more low key during week days.
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Shack's Beach is one of the best places around for snorkeling. Other good places to snorkel are Crashboat Beach (good for beginners or when the waves are rough at other beaches), Borinquen Beach (very calm days only) and Steps Beach in Rincon (about a 40 minute drive from Campomar Villas). For scuba diving, go with a knowledgable local dive operator such as Aquatica Dive and Surf, located nearby in Aguadilla. Your guide will take you to an appropriate dive site for the ocean conditions and your experience level. They also offer a beginning scuba diving class that does not require any previous experience. There are some fanastic local beach dives with great visibility and lots of sealife and coral reefs to view. For dive trips out to Desecheo Island by boat, try Taino Divers in Rincon.
www.TainoDivers.com
www.AquaticaPR.com
Tips for snorkeling in Puerto Rico:
Always remember that conditions can vary- use caution and observe the waves and currents. Notice what other swimmers are doing to help you get a feel for the conditions. Learn how to identify and escape from a rip current. It is recommended to snorkel in the mornings before the wind becomes stronger.
If you use our snorkel gear, please be sure to rinse it off with fresh water when you return to the house. Salt water left un-rinsed will ruin the equipment over time. Please also rinse the sand off your feet before showering in the house.
DO NOT STAND ON THE REEF! This is very important to preserve our coral reefs. You may think it looks like a rock, but it is likely covered with small organisms that are killed when you step on them. Also, coral can be very sharp and contains organisms that can cause infection or an itchy rash. Only stand in sand areas. The black spiny things are sea urchins, you will find them in most any rocky area. The spines are sharp and poisonous and will break off in your foot if you step on one.
Horseback Riding
Tropical Trail Rides provides a 2 hour horseback riding tour suitable for all experience levels. The ride goes to Survival beach and back. Rides at 9 am and at 3:30 pm, with private rides available also. For more information go to their website at www.TropicalTrailRides.com
Stand Up Paddle Board Tour
Take a paddle board tour up the Guajataca River in Isabela. Paddle through a clear river and view beautiful mountain scenery. Verde Azul and Aquatica Dive and Surf both offer these tours.
www.VerdeAzulPR.com
www.AquaticaPR.com
Bike Riding or Walking on the Paseo Lineal
The Paseo Lineal trail runs from Jobos Beach to Villa Pesquera, about 5 miles. It runs along the coast and on a boardwalk over the dunes and mangrove trees. It is paved and well used by bikers, joggers, and walkers. The trail begins at Jobos beach, near Pozo de Jacinto. There is also a large parking area near Middles Beach, approximately midway on the trail. This trail is very scenic and flat, so it is easy to traverse and is a safe place to go jogging away from traffic. You can rent bicycles or take a guided tour with Pedalea, located in Villa Pesquera.
http://pedaleaisabela.com/
Fishing Charters
Charter a fishing boat and have an experienced local guide take you to the best fishing spots. Mahi mahi, tuna, wahoo and red snapper are a few commonly caught fish in our area.
www.BestChartersPR.com
Play Golf in Isabela or Aguadilla
We have two scenic local golf courses. In Aguadilla is the Punta Borinquen golf course, which was formerly part of the Ramey Air Force Base and is one of the very first golf courses built in Puerto Rico. President Eisenhower is said to have played golf here. For a more upscale and more challenging golf experience, check out the recently completed and world class Royal Isabela.
www.PuntaBorinquenGolfClub.org
www.RoyalIsabela.com
San Sebastian- Waterfalls and a Farmer's Market
For a half day trip, try going to see the beautiful Gozalandia waterfalls in San Sebastian (about 40 minutes from Campomar Villas). Afterwards, head to the farmer's market which is held every Friday morning. The market has everything from locally grown fruit and plants, arts and crafts, souvenirs, odds and ends, junk sellers and food vendors. This is a great local experience. The waterfalls are marked on Google maps. It costs a few dollars to park and then there is a short and easy hike to the first waterfall. Another waterfall is a little further down a paved path. Its recommended to go in the morning as the waterfalls can get crowded. The farmer's market is marked on Google maps as San Sebastian's Agricultural Center and Flea Market.
Beach Combing or Walking
From Campomar Villas you can walk to Shack’s beach and then head west to explore several miles of undeveloped beaches. The beach ends at Survival beach (shown in the picture) about a 1 hour walk. Be sure to take water with you if you decide to take this walk. Or, you can head east from Shack’s beach and arrive at Jobos beach, about 1.5 miles away (these beaches are slightly more populated, this is the recommended option if you are going alone).
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