Porta Caribe

Porta Caribe, Porta del Sol

For centuries, southern Puerto Rico was a world apart from the north, a port for trade with the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles and an agricultural region ded­icated to sugarcane and coffee. Today it is known for picturesque coastlines and bird-rich mangrove forests. Nicknamed Porta Caribe, it attracts visitors with its off-the-beaten-track charm.
The southern coastline along Route 3 connecting the towns of Patillas and Arroyo has a yesteryear beauty about it, with overgrown coconut palms, mod­est homes and semi-arid greenery. This is one of the least-traveled seascapes in Puerto Rico, wonderfully out-of-the-way. To reach the region from San Juan (an hour and a half drive), take Expressway 52 to Caguas, Highway 30 to Humacao, and Expressway 53 to Yabucoa. Drive around the coast on Road 901 and continue south on Route 3 to Patillas and Arroyo. Arroyo, found at the end of Road 753, was once a major trade partner with the then-Danish islands to the southeast. Its picturesque flag-decked seaside prome­nade has been restored (along with a nearby lighthouse), and old buildings fan out from the waterfront. Nearby is the station for Tren del Sur, the Southern Train, a former sugarcane train. Currently, the train is closed while the tracks are being repaired. For centuries, Arroyo was the port and Guayama, to the west on Route 3. small  towns  soon  give  way  to Ponce, a stately, historic city surrounded by several major attractions.

Beyond, the coastline is rimmed with mangroves and bordered by low-lying hills draped in scrub forest. A large bay, a beach, a river and a nearby town all share the same name, Guayanilla, of Taino Indian origin. Sugarcane produc­tion extended to here in centuries past, and old plantations and chimneys remain from those days. There is also a modern petroleum refinery, partially in use. Local fishermen make their living as their ances­tors did, and a park in town commemo­rates fishermen lost at sea. West of Guayanilla is the town of Yauco. In this region Tainos and Spaniards signed a treaty of friendship in the early 1500s. In the 19th century, Yauco was renowned as a bustling coffee town. Beans from farms in the central moun­ tains were transported here to be processed and shipped to European cities. Every February the town celebrates the end of the coffee harvest with its National Coffee Festival. Two historic homes near the central plaza house small museums — the Franceschi Art Center and the Amaury Veni) House of Music. In the hills to the north, the Rio Loco passes through rest, where there are campsites and recreational areas in aigged forest ter­ rain. Nearby, the Lake    reser­voir is the site of a wildlife refuge.