Caribbean Breaks
Rincón, Puerto Rico
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| Palm-lined Rincon Beach (PhotoDisc) |
With some of the biggest swells in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico's northwest coast is like Oahu's North Shore—only smaller. If you've brought your own board—and know how to wield it—hit the break at Tres Palmas, just north of the town of Rincón, where February swells can bring faces up to 30 feet. The beaches south of town tend to see smaller waves year-round. Whether you're just getting wet or you're a longtime surfer, Rincón Surf School (787-823-0610, www.rinconsurfschool.com) offers one-to-five-day courses with seasoned coaches. Most students stay at the nearby Rincón Surf and Board Guesthouse (from $20; 787-823-0610, www.surfandboard.com), a sprawling hilltop spread with suites, private rooms, and dormitory-style bunks—plus a poolside tiki bar that serves a tasty breakfast of fresh pastries and local fruit. Or splash out at the posh Horned Dorset Primavera resort (doubles from $490, including two meals; 800-633-1857, www.horneddorset.com), where the yoga classes, massage therapists, and seafood—blackfin tuna with hibiscus sauce or grilled mahi-mahi with pesto coulis—will have you rested and ready for the next day's lesson.
