Puerto Rico: Cueva Ventana, Indian Cave & Waterfall Day Trip

4.89

(597 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

You know that feeling when you step into a cave and the air suddenly shifts—cooler, almost damp, like you’re crossing some invisible line? That’s how it started at Cueva Ventana. Our guide, Jorge, flicked on his headlamp and grinned at us before leading the way down the trail. The limestone underfoot was slick in spots (I was glad I wore sneakers), and there was this faint earthy smell—like wet leaves mixed with stone. He stopped halfway to point out a tiny coquí frog clinging to a vine. I tried to snap a photo but it jumped before I could focus. Guess that’s nature for you.

Afterwards, we drove further into the hills for the waterfall part of the day trip from San Juan. The van ride was quiet—everyone just staring out at all that green. When we finally reached the river, Jorge handed out life jackets and helmets (“safety first!” he joked). The water was cold enough to make me gasp but after a minute it felt kind of perfect. We waded through chest-deep pools between these weirdly sculpted rocks—some looked like melted candles—and then suddenly there it was: the waterfall roaring so loud you had to shout to be heard. A couple people did cliff jumps (not me, maybe next time), but I just floated on my back for a bit watching sunlight flicker through the trees above. Honestly, I still think about that view.

Cueva del Indio came last—the wind up there is no joke, salty and wild off the Atlantic. We hiked along these sandstone arches (watch your step) until Jorge pointed out petroglyphs scratched into the rock by Taino people centuries ago. He told us stories about their beliefs—something about spirits living in caves—which made me look at those carvings differently. Li laughed when I tried to pronounce “areyto” in Spanish; probably butchered it, but she said it sounded close enough. The sea crashed below us while we stood there tracing old lines with our eyes.