Luquillo

Luquillo is a municipality in northeastern Puerto Rico situated between El Yunque National Forest and the Atlantic Ocean. The area spans six distinct barrios with mountainous terrain, coastal areas, and public beaches offering basic facilities.

Spanish colonial authorities established the settlement in 1797, naming it after an indigenous leader who resisted European expansion more than two centuries before. This heritage continues to shape the identity and place names found throughout the region.

The area celebrates annual festivals such as the Coconut Festival in September and the patron saint festivities in March, featuring local food and processions. These gatherings bring together residents and visitors to share traditional creole traditions and customs.

The PR-3 highway and municipal roads connect the area to neighboring locations and make getting around easy. Public beaches have showers, parking spaces, and small restaurants for food and drinks.

The area contains a tropical rainforest unlike any other in the United States National Forest System, home to hundreds of tree species within protected land. Visitors encounter a botanical environment completely different from any other American national forest.