Charco Azul, Hidden Caves, Waterfalls, Beach, Free Adult Drinks

Words cannot describe how amazing this experience is. It’s a must do! Will do it again in future vacation trips.

My boyfriend picked this hike after spending a few days trying to choose the right excursion and I’m so glad he did. We had a great time even though it was the slow season and just us on the trip. Derrick was the best. He was very experienced and gave us great tips while we were hiking and swimming in the caves and took lots of pictures for us. The hike is somewhat difficult so I wouldn’t recommend for small children or older adults but we had no issues and weren’t even sore the next day. The hike itself was beautiful and the beach was my favorite we’ve been to all week. The cliff jumps were great (only 1 small 7 foot jump needed and others optional — the biggest was 30ft). Also remember to bring cash to buy snacks/drinks from vendors on the beach!

Derrick was an amazing tour guide (and owner)! It was so much fun! I highly recommend!!

I could not recommend this tour more. The guide Derrick was AMAZING. The tour itself, was such an experience. If you’re afraid of getting dirty, have injuries, or are afraid of a challenge then this is not for you so don’t blame the agency read the print. We jumped cliffs, swam through caves, played in waterfalls. Tour guide even helped push a whole car up a hill for tourists who were struggling. Definitely recommend! I came out of this searching for my next hike or higher jump. The beach after was beautiful. Not too crowded tons of food truck options, perfect way to relax after. 100/10 experience. I would do it again the next time I’m here!

This by far was probably my favorite excursion out of everything my boyfriend and I did in Puerto Rico. Nothing prepares you for how beautiful the caves are. They will say the water is cold but highkey they’re lying it was so nice! We even went with some people that didn’t know how to swim but they even had a great time, our guide Derek was super chill and was a great guide for us! They provide life jackets as well. After the caves you go to a beach called Mar Chiquita and the beach is very rocky so bring water shoes 100%

Dereck was great, very knowledgeable about the area, made me feel safe at all times. Very respectful of everyone’s time

We love our tour guide Kayon. We was caring and knowledgeable. We love this place. Felt very connected with nature, breathtaking views.

Super great experience. Great guide very nice, informative, so much fun. Quite the workout!

Excellent experience for kids older than 10 pretty rigorous and honestly a little more on the dangerous side jumping into pool from 20 feet with no helmet . Chaco Azul was amazing though our guide was good tour just too much for our 6y/o my wife and her sat to the side

We had a great time! Very fun day for our family that included swimming, hiking through caves and some time on the beach. Make sure you bring water shoes and leave your phone in the van. Our guide took lots of photos of us so we would have the memories without risking our phones. I highly recommend this tour!

If you're looking for a true Puerto Rico adventure, this is the one! From start to finish, you'll experience parts of nature you probably never knew existed. The views are absolutely breathtaking, and every twist and turn feels like something out of a movie. Just know this isn't a leisurely stroll through the rainforest—it's a full-on adventure! Be prepared to hike, climb, swim, and even jump into the water. Some sections require it, so there's no way around getting wet... and I mean SOAKED. When the guides say everything you bring will get wet, believe them! At one point, you'll jump into the water and go completely underwater—with all of your gear—to continue exploring the incredible caves. Water shoes are an absolute must. Flip-flops and sandals won't cut it. If you're up for an unforgettable adventure that pushes you a little outside your comfort zone, the reward is beyond worth it. The scenery is unlike anything I've ever experienced, and it's an excursion I'll never forget! Also, the guide will take pics for you so you don't have to worry about your phone getting wet.

This was fun but something that could be done without a tour guide. Overall enjoyable.

This was such a hidden gem experience. Derrick was a fantastic guide, and charco azul was so beautiful. I had no idea I’d have such a great time. The hardest part of the day (besides the walk back up the hill to the van), was having to go home at the end of the day! The beach you end up at is so beautiful.

Everything was well organized and we enjoyed our time

This is absolutely a must do excursion. It does require moderate climbing ability but is a fantastic way to spend the day.

An amazing excursion on my first trip to a Puerto Rico! A beautiful cave system complete with cliff jumping and a trip to a gorgeous local beach. Our guide, Isail, is a very talented and motivated young man with a bright future ahead of him. Highly recommended!

Derrick was awesome and patient with us, guided perfectly through difficult sections of the hike, had a blast, definitely recommended

Best experience ever 10/10 recommend . Everyone was so nice and saw lots of cool things ! Tour guide was amazing!

Great experience. The tour guide was extremely helpful and patient. Great views and memories it was alot of hiking, exploring, swimming, ans we ended with relaxation.

This was an incredible experience! The cave swimming and cliff jumping was so much fun and our guide Izzy was a great host and took great care of us. Make sure to bring water shoes or old sneakers because there is some rock scrambling required and if you don’t have the right footwear you will have a hard time. Water and rum pouches after the hike were a nice little addition. The beach at the end was also very beautiful and refreshing. Recommend bringing cash for the food trucks; some took Cash App/ Zelle/ Venmo.

Our tour guy Izzy was amazing!! We loved the experience. Charco Azul was so fun! 10/10 would do it again

This adventure was amazing! The tour guide was very patient, helpful and kind to my 7 year old child. We all had a lot of fun. We would definitely recommend this adventure to any and all!

The tour experience was fantastic! The hike was challenging but definitely manageable and the views throughout made up for any difficulty it took to get to the end location. The caves were a neat experience (prepare to get wet), but I loved seeing the lush greenery and waterfall views. Our tour guide Derrick was great, very knowledgeable and friendly. We did have some van trouble which delayed things a bit but luckily we didn’t have other plans so it wasn’t an issue. My only advice would be to perhaps have a more solid backup plan (the guide) in case of an emergency or delay of that nature. Overall, despite the slight bump in the road, it was a great experience.

great trip, the time was well managed. Thr tour guide was very flexible with my 9 year old.

No puedo expresar con palabras lo increíble y fenomenal que fue esta excursión. Los recuerdos por sí solos ya valen la pena. La aventura, la naturaleza salvaje y, sobre todo, tener un guía que conocía la historia, sabía dónde ir como un lugareño y era súper amable. Parecía que lo conocíamos de toda la vida. ¡La recomiendo muchísimo! No podemos dejar de hablar de toda la experiencia. I cannot even begin to put into words how amazing, phenomenal this excursion was. The memories alone are worth the experience. The adventure, the ruggedness and most importantly, having a guide that know the history, where to go like a local and super friendly. It felt like we knew him for a very long time. I highly recommend it! We cannot stop talking about the entire experience.

Best experience ever. Izzy was good a tour guide. He was very friendly. Definitely appreciate it because my partner was scared and he made sure she was cool. Highly recommend!!!

Tony was awesome. My son and I had a blast hiking, swimming through caves and jumping off cliffs. Tony made sure we were safe and was very interactive. Best part of our trip.

We did this on our honeymoon. It truly was the highlight of our honeymoon. If you come to Puerto Rico I couldn’t recommend doing this more!!!!

We didn’t get the trip we booked because conditions at Charco Azul were unsafe, we found that out after getting there. It rained torrentially overnight and San Juan had flash flood warnings but the tour guide surmised it was isolated to San Juan area, so we all went out there but to no avail. I just don’t understand how there is not a better local source of information. Also, description mentioned drinks and snacks but it’s only drinks, no snacks. We did go somewhere else and ended up having a pleasant day but I wouldn’t have paid this price to go there. The alternative actually charged an entrance fee which we had to cover but I think the tour company should have absorbed given the circumstances

Derek was great. Super strong and able to lift you up if you were not long legged enough to climb some of the rocks to get up to the cliff jump regions. I did a 6-ft jump and also a 12-ft jump but decided to opt out of the largest 30 ft drop. Everybody else in my group besides my friend and I did all three jumps and they were amazing and a lot of us were apprehensive about jumping off of the rocks, but once we did it we did not regret it! We had a small group of maybe eight or nine and everybody got along wonderfully and encouraged one another the oldest two in our group were 48 and 52 and we were both able to complete the two and a half hour physical journey of the trip without passing out for wishing we had not been on the trip in the first place. It was definitely strenuous and it definitely worked your entire body. You will be actively swimming for a good portion of this adventure. We got out of the van at 1:00 p.m. and we did not return to the van until 3:30 and we were actively actively Physically Active I am warning you the entire two and a half hours. Once we got back in the van we drove about 20 minutes to the Lagoon beach Chiquita. Be careful when you go out here, as the beach does have very smooth rocks with moss or seagrass or something very soft and wet growing on it and it can be quite dangerous if you get too cocky with yourself. The waves at this location can be quite strong and Derek even warns you that the waves will go up a bunch of large rocks that are close to the shore. We saw quite a few people get knocked down and get drug into the currents but they all took it in fun and we're laughing but it can be a serious situation quick if you are not a good swimmer. There does warn you to be a good swimmer or to not go out and Venture very far from the shoreline. My friend and I both got knocked down and scratched just slightly but we were definitely bleeding and laughing at the whole experience. You get an hour at the Lagoon beach after you were active for the last two and a half hours after your 20 minute ride to the beach. By 5:00, we were on our way back to the drop off point. We definitely did encounter some traffic on the way home and Derek took it in stride. There was food at the Lagoon Chiquita Beach and a few of our members of the tour said it was amazing and the best food they had eaten while out on their Puerto Rican vacation. Back in s a t u r c e, I found some really good pina coladas for $9, $7 without alcohol at a little place called a pie. Overall yes do book this excursion, just be prepared that you will be physically active for a good solid straight through portion of this trip once you get t o. CH a r c o. Azul! I just want to make it known that you will not just be simply relaxing and enjoying the scenery on this excursion you will be physically active and encouraged to do things to get yourself where you need to go through the currents of the cave Waters jumping over logs sliding over logs walking over some rusty farm equipment that has been deposited into the caverns. Just before one this is a workout before you think it is more of a simple trek into the rainforest. I in no way regret looking this adventure, but had no idea how sore I would be and how tired I would be when I completed this excursion. It was a great feeling though when I did complete it all with my friend and the other 52-year-old woman that was in my group that I just met that day that was there with her two -20 something children.

Absolutely an amazing experience and a highlight of our time in Puerto Rico. Isail was an excellent guide. Highly recommend.

Our tour was amazing, we had so much fun and the experience was incredible! Easy was our guide, and he was helpful, fun, and very patient. If you do this tour, you need to ask for Easy.

This excursion is exactly what I was hoping for when visiting PR go the 1st time. It's a great combination of hiking the rain forest, jumps into the water(~8, 13 & 35 foot jumps), wading/swimming thru the caves, waterfall & visiting the beach. Beach was beautiful and the food was delicious. Derrick was great. He is very helpful, patient & knowledgeable.

Our guide Easy (idk his real name) was awesome!! He made sure we were all safe and comfortable with where we were going. Some of the hike was tough so I don't recommend it for kids or older adults. He also took some great photos that he later shared for free. There was only one adult drink and one water provided per person. So, I recommend bringing more for the beach afterwards.

Super fun and challenging. Saw so many beautiful caves and the water was rewarding after the hike. Everyone left happy.

The event was pretty great! We met up at starting location & picked us up. They Initially took us towards a small hike & then bam! They said jump into the water. I cannot swim so it was unexpected for me but to be fair, the listing said you have to be an adequate swimmer to really enjoy it. I jumped & it was really exhilarating! Luckily, the weren't a lot of deep parts of water, maybe 35% of the tour. The hardest part of the tour is the jumping. But it was worth the jump! Beautiful caves & excellent tour guide! Some small feedback, the coordination between the teams wasn't the best, we booked for 2pm, they cancelled on us, rescheduled for 8am, then they said 11am. Luckily we didn't have any plans that day.

Amazing experience definitely not for the elderly or ill. Very physically demanding but the beauty is definitely worth it

Really cool experience, definitely worth seeing while in Puerto Rico! We drove out to the caves, and then were given life jackets to wear. You could keep clothes on or just wear your swim suit under but anything you wear will get wet. Your shoes will also get wet and you’ll have to walk through the river at points so wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that you don’t mind getting submerged in water. If you have a waterproof pouch for your phone you can bring it but otherwise you can’t bring anything on the hike that can’t get wet. The guide did take photos for us on his phone and will airdrop them to you if you leave your phone in the car though. The hike included a steep driveway walk down to the river/caves before starting as well as climbing over rocks/trees/obstacles in the river to get to the caves. Some of the walk through the caves you can bypass and go a slightly easier route but all routes will include at least some rock climbing. You can also skip the cliff jumps if you don’t want to do them. It was so awesome getting to walk through the caves and see the inside, walk out the other sides of them and just swim and see everything! We also got to go to super beautiful beach at the end with about 1.5 hours to relax and there were also food trucks to get food or drinks at. My husband and I (29 years old) did this with his parents (61 year olds) and they needed to skip some of the more intense parts and just waited on the side. The easiest routes were still a bit of a stretch for them in terms of their ability to do it though so keep that in mind. The ground is unstable, rocky, and climbing/big steps over things is necessary. My father-in-law paid $5 for a car that will take you up the steep driveway at the end but the rest of the hiking was still somewhat difficult for him. There were other groups there but it wasn’t too crowded at all. The whole trip took 5-6 hours from pick up to drop off.

We had an amazing experience at Charco Azul, and a huge part of that was Derek, our guide. He was absolutely fantastic. He has the patience of a saint, was incredibly knowledgeable about the area, and was genuinely kind and encouraging throughout the entire trip. We would absolutely recommend this tour because of him. That said, it is very important to read and honestly assess the physical requirements before booking. My husband and I are in our late 50s and in average shape but do a lot of hiking, and while it was definitely a workout, we were prepared. There was also a child in our group who did very well. This tour involves steep terrain, uneven surfaces, and sections that require pulling your own body weight up using rocks. Unfortunately, one participant was unable to complete the climbing portions without significant assistance, which caused extremely long delays. Because of the time lost, the rest of the group ultimately chose to skip the cliff jumps so we would not spend the remainder of the day waiting. This is not a criticism of the guide or the tour itself. The tour was exactly as described. The takeaway is simple: read the physical requirements and be honest with yourself so everyone can fully enjoy the experience.

Awesome experience and bring water proof back pack or case for camera. Derrick was very nice and I had full trust in him to guide us as he was a big guy.

We had a great time with our guide, Derrick. Very communicative and responsive and helpful during the hike. People need to understand you are walking in a river or river bank the entire time so water shoes are a must. We had people in the group with anxiety because they didn’t know how to swim and a couple didn’t have water shoes and went barefoot. Done recommend that as it would be quite painful. Thanks Derrick for pictures and a fantastic n time.

Excellent experience. Our guide was fantastic with good energy and looked out for each of us to ensure that we were enjoying ourselves while looking out for our safety at all times. Surpassed my expectations for an adventure. Highly recommend!

Nice tour of the country side to get away from the hotel area. This wasn’t really an “informative” tour where there is dialogue regarding the area, or what part of the island we were on, etc, so ask questions if you are curious. We were glad to be hiking on/down/up a trail, in and out of the water..where the locals go. You don’t have to jump the second/third cliffs, only the first jump into the water, which was about 7 feet. No big deal and everyone cheered each other on and loved it. Derek was a kind but quiet guide and followed good safety practices and good driving skills. THINGS TO BRING: 1) Waterproof case for your phone for pictures, but you really don’t need to because they take individual and group photos. 2) Snacks. No snacks were provided. Food trucks on the beach consisted of liquid products, booze, but nothing else. Some vendor came by to sell us seafood salads in cooler bags, but we declined. Needless to say, we were starving by the time we got back to the hotel. 3) Water sandals, but some wore sneakers.

Derrick was an amazing tour guide. He truly cared about us having a good time and also getting through the tour safely. Be warned some of my group was a little scared crawling down slippery rocks and swimming through the dark cave, but Derrick kept a good eye on the group to help anyone who needed it. It was a nice smaller group (10 people) and there weren’t many other people touring the caves. Definitely wear water shoes with some tread and whatever you’re comfortable swimming in. I just wore a bathing suit and crocs but wish I had water shoes.

Was nice, everybody including my son enjoyed this experience. Not exactly snorkeling but you get to experience going through water filled caves, jumping and overall sightseeing. Esy our guide was awesome. In conclusion 10/10 must do.

Great time, convenient from our hotel in San Juan. Beautiful beach area, nice to have knowledgeable guides. It would have been difficult for us to find it on our own.

A little chaotic finding the pickup spot but the tour guide was amazing and the experience was very niche. Not something you’d find if you didn’t know a local. The best part of our trip by far!

This was an amazing experience and Derek was an amazing guide!! Previous reviews don’t do it justice!!! You can bring a bag and leave it in the car. Def recommend waterproof phone case You start meeting your guide Derek. Then it’s about a 35-40 minute drive to Charco Azul. The water was a little murky due to rain yesterday. But it cleared up as we continued through the day! Your start by walking down a paved hill, which you’ll do 2x one time down and one time back up. Then your first hike through the forrest, your met with a small Cliff which has to be done to get to the caves. After the first jump, you make your way swimming through some caves. After the caves you make it to a waterfall. A lot of moments to take photos. After the caves your guided to another hiking trail, where you can choose to do the Cliff Jumps. There are three different heights you can do or you can just hang in the water and cheer on others! After your cliff jumps, we took another break to take more photos and chat. After the hiking and swimming we made our way to the beach. The beach is another 15 min drive from Charco Azul. The beach was so gorgeous and had a few food trucks and beach bars to try. The excursion ends with a drive back to your meet up point where we were able to get the photos and videos Derek took of us throughout the day!

We were a family of middle aged parents and two teenaged kids. Everyone had an amazing time on this trip. You do need a reasonable level of fitness and sense of adventure to enjoy this trip. Once you reach the parking area near the river, there's a fairly steep walk down to the river (which you'll also have to walk up at the end of the day). Water shoes with secure straps are the best footwear choice if you have them. My kids didn't and just got their sneakers wet/sandy. Anything you bring to the river will get wet, so leave anything in the van that you don't want to get wet. We didn't have a dry bag for phones so we left them. Our guide took lots of great photos and videos for us. At the river, we took a short hike to the first jump. You jump off the approximately 6-foot edge into the water below where you're looking into an amazing cave. Our guide, Isail, was great and talked us through how to do the jumps. Even my afraid of heights husband managed all but the highest jump. I think there is a way to avoid the jump off you really don't want to jump (we saw another tour climbing down to the water), but the jump is really a fun part of the trip. We explored the cave, a waterfall that you could go under and behind and the river area. Then we had the chance for the higher cliff jumps - 10-foot and 35-foot. The jumps were awesome. We then went back to the car to drive to a beautiful beach where we had a nice lunch from a food truck (bring cash!) and a chance to hang out at the beach. The communication from the tour company was excellent even though we booked very last minute.