rrodriguez

Puerto Rico’s Road of Enchantment

 

Everywhere you go will be somewhere you’ve never been before. From Sabana Grande, head north on Route 120, the Panoramic Route, each mile marker an invitation to enrich every minute of your life.

Follow this path, absorbing the natural beauty. Stop and see the coast from above, where Guánica Bay shimmers, its aqua-blue waters merging with celestial-blue skies. Look beyond the Caribbean Sea stretching endlessly, miles of sand leading to butter-gold beaches near the mangrove swamp, where buried roots grasp waterlogged mud in silent resilience.

Further along, pause again, look beyond, and look west. There, the Lajas Valley unfolds before you, rolling emerald fields spilling into La Parguera, sunlight shimmering on rippled, barren expanses, while breezes bend wild grasses in a silent dance.
Moving eastward, Route 116 carves an indelible scar through sun-drenched stretches, leading to Guánica, where pineapple cultivation thrives, especially the cabezona—each golden crown a quiet testament to the land’s enduring fertility.

In Guánica, history takes a fateful turn. The American army arrives, and with each measured step, an Anglo infusion begins to take shape, quietly reshaping the island\'s character.

As you drive along, don’t bypass Charco Pilón, a lagoon-blue sanctuary filled by silvering cascades. On the rock, in the cavernous chamber where crystalline streams flow, you can swim or simply be mesmerized by spraying water plinking like delicate notes, a melody composed by nature.

And still, the enchantment continues. When you reach Maricao, the journey deepens—a town of legend and romance, its name born from an ancient tale. The legend tells of the beautiful Taíno princess, María, who fell in love with a valiant Spanish conquistador. For her betrayal, she was subjected to a cruel fate, the sacrifice that gave the town its Taíno name, \"El sacrificio de María\"—Mari-Coo