Island Venture is the one and only ferry that takes the public to and from Caja de Muertos. Only…read moreone ferry sets sail each day. The only other way to get there is by private boat. Launching from La Guancha, the dock was easy to get to and there was plenty of parking. For $28 roundtrip (as of 12/16), it was a value excursion! On this uninhabited island, there are no stores or vendors. Bring your own food, drinks, and beach comfort items. The ferry does sell drinks, some alcoholic beverages, snacks, and food (hot dogs and kebabs). You have to preorder the food in the morning and they'll cook it up fresh while you go play on the island, serving lunch at noon. For $60, you get roundtrip transportation and twelve meal and drink tickets (two tickets for food items, one ticket for snacks and drinks, including beer). The prices onboard are actually quite reasonable, so the meal tickets really aren't that much of a deal, in my opinion. You can also rent beach chairs and snorkeling gear from Island Ventures at very affordable prices. On this gorgeous island, we wanted to do it all! We wanted to hike to the lighthouse, explore the caves, play at the beach...everything! But we somehow couldn't get away from the water. We played at the beach, snorkeled, and then beached again. Snorkeling gear was only ten bucks to rent (as of 12/16), but because I can't swim and needed a life vest, I paid another two bucks for the whole shebang. While we were close to coral along the shore, it wasn't the best snorkeling environment. Not a lot of wildlife around all those human types that lined the shores. There were many fish under the dock, so we carefully explored that area. The water is a brilliant turquoise, but not very clear (it wasn't dirty, it just wasn't crystal clear), so it was often times difficult to see, even from a short distance away. Ferry leaves La Guancha at 8:30 AM on the dot, so get there early to check in and grab a seat. The forty-five minute ride each way is pretty smooth. Ferry leaves the island at 3:30 PM. That's almost six hours on the island! For us, it was just right. A perfect day on a gorgeous island with an attentive ferry staff.

We had an AMAZING day at Isla Caja de Muertos aka Coffin Island (which annoys me because it's not a…read moreword for word translation and Box of the Dead Island sounds way better). The Island itself is 5 + stars, but one of the only ways to get there (Island Ventures) knocks it down a star. Island Venture Ferry Basics -- $25 per person which includes two drink tickets (can be claimed for Medalla Light, Coors Light, or soda). You can also upgrade your ticket for $10 and get 15 drink tickets (!) --Boat leaves from La Guancha at 8:30am (but you must arrive by 7:40am) and from the island at 3:30 (boards at 3). Ride takes about 45 minutes and has a lower level with shade. --They also sell hot dogs and kebabs and rent umbrellas on the ship and the ship stays docked there so you can continue to purchase drinks/food while you're on the island. Caveats: --The company holds weird hours and are hard to get a hold of, especially if you don't speak Spanish. --Their online booking system can be glitchy, my friend's reservation got mixed up for the wrong day. --Spots book up fast, book early! --They charge a fee for coolers (although we had soft/bag style coolers and were not charged). --We shared the boat with a school trip...so yea, there's that. ISLAND --AWESOME. --Walk up (down? into?) the cave. --Walk up to the lighthouse for some AMAZING views (30 minutes, bring water, we did it in flip flops but prob shouldn't have). --Love life on the beach. Watch out for jellyfish though! --Snorkel! (Not the best I've seen, but still cool). --Admire cacti and wildlife (hermit crabs and lizards everywhere!) During some seasons there are apparently sea turtles nesting! --Pack a picnic and enjoy it on the picnic tables! They also have compost "bathrooms." They smell and don't have soap, but there's TP! --Avoid the small beach to the left of the dock (if you're facing the island)-loaded with bugs! --Perfect day trip and one of my favorite activities from our Puerto Rico trip! ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND. Must go!

Since we booked this last minute, we didn't have much time to check reviews. Having done several…read moreexcursions across the Caribbean, this one felt the least hospitable. The crew was quiet, offering little to no information about the mangroves or surrounding islands, we had to keep asking questions just to learn anything. The boat itself was in need of maintenance, with exposed, cracked cushions showing wear from the sea and sun. To our surprise, snorkeling gear came at an extra charge upon check-in, despite the website advertising it as part of the price. To top it off, there was no music on the boat, making the experience feel dull and uninspired. As for the snorkeling, the spot we were dropped at had barely any coral reefs or fish. When we asked about it, we were told that if we swam further, we'd find artificial reefs, not exactly what we were looking for. Overall, it was a disappointing experience that didn't live up to expectations.

We booked with Hook'd on Adventure Parguera for the sunset and bioluminescence tour…read more The location is perfect with restaurants, music, public restrooms and convenient parking. We were warmly greeted and walked through the evening plans. Our captain was attentive and very knowledgeable of the area, sharing information about the fish and land around us. We were docked in a sand bar and allowed to get out and swim with tarpon fish! That was incredible. Our family snorkeled and swam and watched the sun set beautifully on the west coast. As we traveled to the bay after the darkness fell, we were offered life jackets and pool noodles to float in the dark bay. Our captain explained what we were seeing and why it happens there. Our best view was under the hull of the boat. Having adult children they were very impressed by this phenomenon. I highly recommend bringing extra towels and dry clothes, especially if you are eating post boat ride.

This was an unforgettable experience! Let me start by saying that this was in no way easy. The hike…read morehas challenging parts where you are also carrying the tube with you sometimes, so you must be fully capable to do that. The crew is incredible! They are very nice and make sure everyone is doing okay through the entire journey. They take you on a hike to where you will zip line. After the zip line is where you take your tube up river with you. Once you get to the top of the river is where you do the smaller, but mandatory, cliff jump. From there you grab a tube and enjoy floating down the river! At the end of the river there is an optional jump that is from very high up, definitely good for adrenaline junkies! From there was in my opinion the toughest part of the whole adventure: the hike back. It was rough but well worth it. The dogs that hike with you are also a nice bonus! I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for an adventure!

I recently did the Cave Tubing adventure with West Side Adventures. Even though I used to live in…read morePuerto Rico, this experience made me feel like a tourist discovering my own island, which I truly appreciated. The adventure itself was a lot of fun, and the scenery was beautiful. That said, I do think the tour is overpriced compared to similar adventure experiences I've done in other countries. Since participants have to meet at the former Arecibo Observatory, which is quite remote, I was surprised that no bottled water or even a small protein bar or snack was provided after such a physically demanding activity. That would have been a thoughtful touch and would have enhanced the overall experience. I also felt the guides could have been more professional. While they were generally helpful, it didn't seem like there was much organization within the group. It would have been safer and more enjoyable to have guides positioned at the front, middle, and back of the group to better assist hikers with different fitness levels. In addition, the frequent use of profanity among the guides was disappointing and came across as unprofessional. Although most of us understood Spanish, the tour was conducted in English, and I expected a higher level of professionalism. For anyone considering this adventure, I recommend being in at least moderate physical condition. Some sections of the hike can be challenging, so this isn't the best choice for someone who isn't comfortable walking on uneven, rocky terrain. Also, wear shoes that you don't mind getting muddy, wet, and dirty--you'll definitely need them! Overall, I had a great time and I'm glad I experienced it. The cave tubing itself was memorable and a lot of fun. With a few improvements in customer service, organization, and professionalism, this could easily become a five-star experience.

Ismael es excelente guía porque tiene 50 años estudiando la bahía de la Parguera. Nos inspiró…read morebastante con sus teorías y resultados de muchos estudios que el a investigado científico. Además es perfectamente bilingüe en Español y en Inglés. también nos hizo reír mucho. Ismael is an excellent guide, as he has been studying the Bay of La Palguera for 50 years and safely conducting tours and excursions To happy, curious visitors like us. His theories and results of his investigations make for a fun evening of fun exploration and fascinating conversation. Ismael is full bilingual in Spanish and English and is also very funny.

We had a wonderful time last night on the tour with Captain Ismael. He is so knowledgeable and…read moreknows the water, history and science around the area extraordinarily well. Highly recommend!

Drove over an hour and half to get here--wasn't able to enter or even purchase coffee to-go. Since…read morethen they have updated their website with specific information on visiting hours and their tours. Wish they would have done so before our travel guide made our itinerary but onward.... Roads are beyond narrow here--be sure to rent a smaller vehicle or over the side you go!

Great history of coffee plantations in Puerto Rico. Tasted their delicious coffee and toured this…read moreplantation. Beautiful. Highly recommend.

We rented through Torres based on recommendations, and they did not disappoint! There were some…read moreclerical issues with our reservation, but they got us on a boat right away and were very kind about it! We loved our day rental! We were a little nervous to captain our own boat at first, but they gave us instructions and got used to it quickly! I was definitely expecting something a little smaller and more rickety, but it was a nice little boat with a shade that came in clutch! I definitely recommend Torres!!

From the minute I reached out to Torres Boat Service they were helpful, quick to reply to my…read morequestions, and made me feel very accommodated. I didn't pre-book, and when I arrived, they walked me through the process which was very straight forward, explained how the motor works, which was very simple, and explained where we could go to check out the local sights. I had a great day on the boat and there was very little I would say they needed to improve. The only suggestion I would make would be to have ice available on site, and maybe jugs of water to purchase, just because not everyone arrives in a car with their own supplies. Overall, a great experience.

Awesome experience! We spent $10 per person to go to Guilligan's island. The captain was extremely…read morefriendly and helpful.

Excellent boat trip. Host were very accommodating, friendly and highly experienced. Would highly…read morerecommend this trip. Todd

One of the most memorable, special experiences of my life. I arrived a few minutes late with my…read morefriend for the bioluminescent bay tour, and the guides were very accommodating, ensuring we had all the information we needed. I felt very safe. The stars were incredible- almost as breathtaking as the glowing water! Paddling the boat was easy and fun! The guides were wonderful with children, making sure the kid in our group felt safe and had a joyful experience. They gave clear instructions on how to sit in the boat and kick your legs in the water to see it light up. They shared so much information with us about the nature & history of the area. We learned that this is one of the only eco-friendly tours of the bioluminescent bays, since swimming has been prohibited in these waters in an effort to keep it clean, protecting the natural wonder. When we returned, my friend and I realized that we had locked our key in our rental car, including all our belongings! The guides were so kind and generous; they let us borrow their phone to call our rental company, they helped explain the situation and provide directions to the tow truck, they sat with us for about 2 hours and waited for the situation to be resolved, and they even gave us tips for the best route to take home, considering we were two women driving at night -- and they were happy to do it. After all this, they even sent us pictures they took during the tour to capture the bioluminescence. They refused a tip, so I am expressing my gratitude here to the best of my ability. The owners of this company are some of the most selfless people I have ever had the privilege of meeting. Thank you so much for an unforgettable experience. If I return to Puerto Rico for another trip, I will definitely go on another tour with you all - and next time, I will not lock myself out of my car! :)