Mar Chiquita

When you're on vacation, the whole tourist scene can get a little overwhelming-- why not unwind with a trip to a romantic, secluded beach, like Puerto Rico's Mar Chiquita? A rocky wall with a narrow opening separates the cove from the Atlantic Ocean, forming an enchanting hidden beach. Its name means, of course, "the little sea"-- pretty appropriate, given the scenery! It's located about 25 miles away from the city of San Juan, and it's definitely more of a local gem than tourist trap. Instead of overpriced snack bars, you'll find food trucks serving up authentic Puerto Rican delicacies, and instead of hoardes of sweaty vacationers, you'll usually find families from nearby enjoying a picnic. The sand is warm, and there are tons of natural caves along the edges of the cove which make for some awesome exploring. The waters can be a little rough (imagine the waves rushing in and meeting the backlash of even more waves at their breaking point- it can get a little crazy), and there might be a strong undercurrent, so it's best to visit in the summer, when the water is calmer. The volcanic rocks in the mesmerizingly turquoise waters make for some rad snorkeling and scuba diving.  -Roadtrippers Mar Chiquita, or Little Sea, is a small beach in a protected cove near the eastern end of a long rocky wall exposed on the coast of Manatí in northern Puerto Rico, about 40 kilometers west of San Juan. The oval shaped beach lies behind the rocky wall in a small cove protected from the rough Atlantic. The wall was breached by the action of waves to form a 25 meter opening where the tide entered and formed a bay in the shape of the English alphabet U. The waves inside the cove is of considerable height as the result of the backwash meeting the incoming waves at their breaking point, building up the size of the waves.