Porta Caribe is a
tourism region
A tourism region is a geographical region that has been designated by a governmental organization or tourism bureau as having common cultural or environmental characteristics. These regions are often named after historical or current administrati ...
in southern
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
. It was established in 2003 by the
Puerto Rico Tourism Company
The Puerto Rico Tourism Company ( es, Compañía de Turismo de Puerto Rico, or simply ''Turismo'') is the government-owned corporation in charge of tourism matters and regulations in Puerto Rico. The company was created during Governor Luis A. F ...
, an agency of the
Government of Puerto Rico
The government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government with separation of powers, subject to the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United States.[Adjuntas
Adjuntas (, ) is a small mountainside town and municipality in Puerto Rico located central midwestern portion of the island on the Cordillera Central, north of Yauco, Guayanilla, and Peñuelas; southeast of Utuado; east of Lares and Yauco; a ...]
,
Arroyo,
Coamo
Coamo (, ) is a town and municipality founded in 1579 in the south-central region of Puerto Rico, located north of Santa Isabel; south of Orocovis and Barranquitas; east of Villalba and Juana Díaz; and west of Aibonito and Salinas. Coamo ...
,
Guayama
Guayama (, ), officially the Autonomous Municipality of Guayama ( es, Municipio Autónomo de Guayama) is a city and municipality on the Caribbean coast of Puerto Rico. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 36,614. It is the c ...
,
Guayanilla
Guayanilla (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Adjuntas, east of Yauco; and west of Peñuelas and about west of Ponce. Guayanilla is spread over 16 ...
,
Jayuya
Jayuya (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the mountainous center region of the island, north of Ponce; east of Utuado; and west of Ciales. Jayuya is spread over 10 barrios and Jayuya Pueblo (the downtown and administra ...
,
Juana Diaz
Juana is a Spanish female first name. It is the feminine form of Juan (English John), and thus corresponds to the English names Jane, Janet, Jean, Joan, and Joanna. Juanita is a common variant. The name Juana may refer to:
People
* Juana I ...
,
Patillas,
Peñuelas,
Ponce,
Salinas,
Santa Isabel,
Villaba,
Yauco
Yauco () is a town and municipality in southern Puerto Rico. Although the downtown is inland, the municipality stretches to a southern coast facing the Caribbean Sea. Yauco is located south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana Grande ...
). With the creation of the neighboring
Porta Cordillera zone in July 2012, the municipalities of Adjuntas and Jayuya were transferred to the newly created Porta Cordillera zone and Porta Caribe became a 12-municipality tourism region. The name ''Porta Caribe'' translates to "Doorway to the Caribbean." Its executive director is Maritza W. Ruiz Cabán.
History
The southern region of Puerto Rico had traditionally been considered to consist of 16 municipalities. The establishment of the Porta Caribe region dates to the late 1990s when two bills to the effect were brought before the
Puerto Rico Legislature, but failing to garnish the necessary number of votes in both occasions. The region was finally established by
Executive Order
In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of th ...
of Governor
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
Aníbal Salvador Acevedo Vilá (born 13 February 1962) is a Puerto Rican politician and lawyer. He served as the governor of Puerto Rico from 2005 to 2009. He is a Harvard University alumnus (LL.M. 1987) and a graduate of the University of Puer ...
in May, 2006. Initially the region consisted of 15 municipalities, but
Guanica was subsequently officially moved to join the
Porta del Sol
Porta del Sol is a tourism region in western Puerto Rico. It consists of 17 municipalities in the western area: Quebradillas, Isabela, San Sebastián, Moca, Aguadilla, Aguada, Rincón, Añasco, Mayagüez, Las Marías, Maricao, Hormigueros, San Ge ...
. A budget of $1 million
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
was initially assigned to promote tourism for the Porta Caribe region. The director of the Government of Puerto Rico's Puerto Rico Tourism Company called Porta Caribe "Puerto Rico's second tourist destination."
[''Luz verde al programa Porta Caribe.''](_blank)
31 May 2006. El Nuevo Dia. Sandra Caquías Cruz. Accessed 18 February 2011.
Inventory
![La Guancha](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/La_Guancha.jpg)
In 2006, the region already provided the following facilities to launch it as a tourist destination:
* An international airport,
Mercedita Airport
Mercedita International Airport (AIM, ''Aeropuerto Internacional Mercedita'') is a public use international airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The airport cover ...
, that saw a traffic of 124,774 passengers in 2005
* A cruise ship pier,
Port of the Americas
* 1,100 hotel rooms (increasing to 1,691 by 2008)
In addition, the ''Oficina del Plan de Usos de Terrenos'' (Office of Land Use Planning) of the Government of Puerto Rico lists 24 officially recognized beaches in the southern region of Puerto Rico. Though by necessity it includes coastal municipalities only, they are all part of the Porta Caribe region.
[''Plan de Uso de Terrenos de Puerto Rico: Perfil Regional - Region Sur.''](_blank)
Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Junta de Planificacion. Oficina del Plan de Uso de Terrenos. Borrador Preliminar. February 2006. Page 15. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
As of 17 October 2012, the Porta Caribe zone boasted 61
lodging
Lodging refers to the use of a short-term dwelling, usually by renting the living space or sometimes through some other arrangement. People who travel and stay away from home for more than a day need lodging for sleep, rest, food, safety, shel ...
facilities, 292
restaurant
A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
s and 328
tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement.
Types
Places of natural b ...
s.
Attractions
Top attractions
This is a list of the top attractions in Porta Caribe, according to the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
* "Charco Azul" - Carite State Forest, Coamo
*
Caja de Muertos Island, Ponce
*
Casa Cautiño Museum, Guayama
*
La Cruceta del Vigía & Japanese Garden, Ponce
*
La Guancha Boardwalk
Paseo Tablado La Guancha (English: ''La Guancha Boardwalk'') is a boardwalk in the La Guancha sector of the Playa barrio in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, facing the Caribbean Sea. It was built under the mayoral administration of Rafael Cord ...
, Ponce
*
Hacienda Buena Vista
Hacienda Buena Vista, also known as Hacienda Vives (or Buena Vista Plantation in English language, English), was a coffee plantation located in Barrio Magueyes, Ponce, Puerto Rico. The original plantation dates from the 19th century. The planta ...
, Ponce
*
Historic Firehouse, Ponce
*
Castillo Serrallés, Ponce
*
Tibes - Native Indian Museum, Ponce
Other attractions
*
Arroyo
**
Faro Punta de las Figuras
**
Tren del Sur
*
Coamo
Coamo (, ) is a town and municipality founded in 1579 in the south-central region of Puerto Rico, located north of Santa Isabel; south of Orocovis and Barranquitas; east of Villalba and Juana Díaz; and west of Aibonito and Salinas. Coamo ...
**
Los Baños de Coamo (Coamo Thermal Baths)
**
Church San Blas de Illescas of Coamo
The Iglesia San Blas de Illescas ( en, Church of Saint Blaise of Illescas) is a Catholic parish church located on the center plaza of Coamo, Puerto Rico. Construction on the church began in 1661; it has since been judged "one of the most importan ...
![ChurchCoamo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/ChurchCoamo.JPG)
*
Guayama
Guayama (, ), officially the Autonomous Municipality of Guayama ( es, Municipio Autónomo de Guayama) is a city and municipality on the Caribbean coast of Puerto Rico. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 36,614. It is the c ...
**Hacienda Azucarera Vives
**Carite Dam
*
Guayanilla
Guayanilla (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Adjuntas, east of Yauco; and west of Peñuelas and about west of Ponce. Guayanilla is spread over 16 ...
**
Mario Mercado Castle
**La Ventana Beach
*
Juana Diaz
Juana is a Spanish female first name. It is the feminine form of Juan (English John), and thus corresponds to the English names Jane, Janet, Jean, Joan, and Joanna. Juanita is a common variant. The name Juana may refer to:
People
* Juana I ...
**Three Kings Festival
**Efraín Daleccio Caves
*
Patillas
**Parador Caribbean Paradise
**Villa Pesquera Beach
*
Peñuelas
**Guilarte Forest
**Unknown Soldier Monument
*
Ponce
**
Ponce Grand Prix
The Ponce Grand Prix de Atletismo is a track and field competition held yearly in Ponce, Puerto Rico at the Francisco Montaner Stadium. The event started in 2007, after the successful hosting of the 2006 Ibero-American Championships.Robinson, J ...
**
Ponce Carnival
The Carnaval de Ponce (English: Ponce Carnival), officially Carnaval Ponceño, is an annual celebration held in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The celebration lasts one week and it ends on the day before Ash Wednesday. Thus, it is generally held in Februar ...
*
Salinas
**
Albergue Olímpico
The Albergue Olímpico German Rieckehoff Sampayo or ''Olympic Hostel'' is an athletic training and recreational center located in Salinas, Puerto Rico. It is the most complete sports center in Puerto Rico used by professional athletes and by the ...
**Antigua Central Aguirre (Sugar Cane Mill)
*
Santa Isabel
**Jauca Beach
**Patron Celebrations
*
Villaba
**
Toro Negro Forest Reserve
**Areyto Festival
*
Yauco
Yauco () is a town and municipality in southern Puerto Rico. Although the downtown is inland, the municipality stretches to a southern coast facing the Caribbean Sea. Yauco is located south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana Grande ...
** Lake Luchetti
** National Coffee Festival (Festival Nacional del Café) - February
Southern Ecological Tourist Zone
In July 2016, Governor
Alejandro García Padilla
Alejandro Javier García Padilla (; born August 3, 1971) is a Puerto Rican politician and attorney who served as the governor of Puerto Rico from 2013 to 2017.
Prior to this position, García Padilla held various roles in the political la ...
signed into law Puerto Rico House Bill 2834 creating the ''Zona Turística Ecológica del Sur'' (English: Southern Ecological Tourist Zone) composed of a four municipalities in the Porta Caribe tourist region, Peñuelas, Guayanilla, Yauco and Guánica, to highlight the high ecological value of that area, and their contributions in the areas of dry forests, caves, diversity of water forms and coffee
hacienda
An ''hacienda'' ( or ; or ) is an estate (or ''finca''), similar to a Roman ''latifundium'', in Spain and the former Spanish Empire. With origins in Andalusia, ''haciendas'' were variously plantations (perhaps including animals or orchards), ...
s.
Similar groupings
In October 2011, Governor Luis Fortuno created what he called "Ruta del Sur" (English: Southern Route) in a political move to show support for the infrastructural development of the municipalities in southern Puerto Rico. Ruta del Sur included the nine municipalities of Guánica, Yauco, Ponce, Guayanilla, Peñuelas, Arroyo, Salinas, Juana Díaz y Santa Isabel. One of its goals is the development of ecotourism.
DISUR, which stands for "Desarrollo Integral del Sur" (English: Southern Integral Development) is a private organization created in 2006 that seeks to "promote and maximize the competitiveness of the municipalities that make up the southern region of Puerto Rico." It consists of 15 southern municipalities as follows: Adjuntas, Arroyo, Coamo, Guánica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Jayuya, Juana Díaz, Patillas, Peñuelas, Ponce, Salinas, Santa Isabel, Villalba y Yauco. The organization seeks to make strides in the area of tourism by promoting conventions as well as the Centro Oceanografico de Ponce.
The College of Surveyors of Puerto Rico created the "Ruta Agrícola" (English: Agricultural Route) which runs from Salinas, through Santa Isabel and Juana Diaz, and ending in Ponce. Its purpose is "to create a new magnet for tourism".
''La Ruta Agrícola: Impulsará el turismo rural en zona Sur.''
Jason Rodríguez Grafal. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
The ''Oficina del Plan de Usos de Terrenos'' (Office of Land Use Planning) of the Government of Puerto Rico defines the ''Southern Region'' as including the 10 municipalities of Arroyo, Coamo, Guayama, Guayanilla, Juana Díaz, Peñuelas, Ponce, Salinas, Santa Isabel and Yauco.
See also
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Porta Caribe
* Beaches of Porta Caribe
References
External links
*
''Porta Caribe Official Website.''
{{Porta Caribe
Tourism in Puerto Rico
Tourism regions