Last Updated on June 6, 2019 by PowersToTravel
Is it Rojo Cabo or Cabo Rojo? It means red cape. Cabo Rojo appears to be the town and Rojo Cabo appears to be the cape. Regardless, we headed towards the cape, the home to the Los Morrillos Lighthouse, in the southwest corner of the island, about as far away from San Juan as one can get. We had driven from Guánica, and through, but not stopping in Parguera, along Rt 303. The countryside was beautiful, with rolling hills, and unexpected cattle ranches. Through much of the rest of Puerto Rico we had been well aware we were in the United States – the Burger Kings, the Walgreens and Walmarts attacked us at every intersection. However out here we felt free and in a beautiful remote place. We reached the west coast, and drove south towards Rojo Cabo.
On the way, we passed by an observation tower, and a sign for a nature reserve. Ah! A bathroom break! We climbed to the top of the tower, of course not expecting the bathroom here, then strolled across the street to the small museum. Bathroom here, for a donation which I was happy to give.
This small nature reserve turned out to be quite interesting. It’s named “Cabo Rojo Salt Flats.” We had seen the statue of Ponce De Leon at Guánica earlier in the day; apparently the southwest corner of Puerto Rico was his first landing spot. But as we gazed at the large salt flats from the tower, we learned that it was here that the first industry was created in New World by the Europeans – salt mining made possible by enslaving the indigenous people.
We continued on and found where all the people went on Sunday afternoons. Luckily we were able to find a place to park along the road, and decided to take the walk up the rocky road to the lighthouse. It was a pleasant open walk, with fresh breezes. Definitely up-hill and in the heat of the sun. The lighthouse looked like many others we had seen and would see in Puerto Rico, but the views were extraordinary. Extraordinary also were the heights from which one could fall if one walked too closely to the edge. I chose to sit and quietly take my pictures. My husband chose to be the object of my efforts.
After I finally got him back to safety, we settled in on top of the cliff, in the lea of the wind, to watch two iguanas fight it out for territory and the female. We watched the swimmers at the beautiful beach below us, and I wished there were more hours in the day, and more energy in my body, to be able to see and do it all.
Diabetic Travel Tip
There is a vending machine in the lighthouse.
