Orocovis, Puerto Rico is located in the Cordillera Central (Central Mountain Range), and is the geographical center of the island. Orocovis nickname is “The Heart of Puerto Rico.” The highest peak of the town is Cerro Mogote. Most of the high peaks are in the southern region of Orocovis.
Orocovis is known for the folk art tradition of wood-carved saints. One of the notable artist of wood-carves saints, Celestino Avilés, founded the Museo de la Familia Avilés, where visitors can see his signature works.
Many Puerto Rican performers were either born or raised in Orocovis, and that is why Orocovis is sometimes called "The Musical Capital of Puerto Rico." Some of these musicians are: Bobby Valentín, merengue singer Manny Manue, Emma and Edwin Colón-Zayas, and folk singer Andrés Jiménez.
These are the Orocovis festivals: Orocovis Fiestas Patronales are held in June. the Infant Theater Festival in April; the Festival del Camarón in July; the Arts Craft Fair in September; and the National Festival of the Puerto Rican Pastel in November.
A two hours drive from San Juan, Puerto Rico, will take you to Orocovis Tourist attractions. These are the places to see: “El Chorro de Doña Juana” (Doña Juana Waterfalls), Toro Verde Nature Adventure Park, Toro Negro Forest Reserve, and Mirador Orocovis-Villalba, where, from a lookout tower 2000 feet above sea level, you can enjoy a great view of the mountains and both the Atlantic Ocean on the North and the Caribbean Sea on the South.
Take a look at this video of Doña Juana Waterfalls in Orocovis:
Showing posts with label Toro Verde Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toro Verde Park. Show all posts
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Top Eco Parks And Tours In Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a great place to enjoy nature! You can enjoy ziplining, rappelling, hiking, and river trekking eco-tours in Puerto Rico. There are many tour operators in Puerto Rico that offer these adventures with nature, here are the top eco parks and tours:
1) Toro Verde Nature Adventure Park
Toro Verde is the largest park in the western hemisphere. It is located about an hour outside of San Juan, in Orocovis, Puerto Rico. Get ready for an adventure geared to adults as well as children. Toro Verde is a place where you can enjoy both, extreme sports and the beautiful landscapes. You will be able to zipline, climb a mountain and go mountain-biking on routes with various difficulty levels. The park has 15 ziplines, monkey bridges and the opportunity to do some rappelling. La Bestia is Toro Verde main attraction, a face-down zipline that glides you across a 4,745-feet-long, and a 853-feet-high line, above a rainforest valley. If you like the adrenaline rush, Toro Verde is the place for you. Expansion of the park is in the works. Plans include the addition of a hotel and The Oroverde Eco-Resort and Adventure Park.
2) Rocaliza Adventure Tours
Rocaliza Adventure Tours offers numerous tours that combine ziplining, waterfall rock climbing, river trekking, hiking and rappelling. The tours take you to a rainforest near Caguas and the Julio Enrrique Monagas Park in Bayamón. Rocaliza offers tours where you can learn about the local ecology. Guides will escort you on a personal or group adventure.
3) Batey Zipline Adventures
Batey Zipline Adventures is located in Utuado, Puerto Rico, near the Tanamá River. The tours take place on 30 acres inside a tropical forest. Eco-friendly living and tourism is their specialty. Visits to the Tanamá River, as well as, caves and caverns, rappelling, zipline, and long walks, are part of the tours. The locations are rustic and steep requiring good physical condition.
4) Acampa Nature Adventures
Acampa Nature Adventures has ziplines in the Toro Negro rainforest, near Ciales, Puerto Rico, as well as camping, rappelling, guided eco-tours of El Yunque rainforest, and excursions to Mona Island.
Comfortable, light or sports clothing, and tennis shoes is recommended. Do not forget your camera, any snacks, sunscreen, and a bottle of water. Have fun with nature in Puerto Rico!
Take a look at a video of Toro Verde Adventure Park:
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Ecotourism In Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is quickly becoming a big destination for ecotourism. With lush vegetation and wildlife, great beaches, and many outdoor activities, ecotourism has become one of the main attractions in Puerto Rico. There is so much to see and do for the ecotourist visiting Puerto Rico.
The following are some of the major ecotourist attractions in Puerto Rico:
El Yunque
El Yunque National Forest, is the only tropical rain forest in the United States, and is well-known for its incredible biodiversity. The 28,000 acres includes four forest types and has 240 species of trees, more than 50 kinds of orchids, 150 different ferns, and hundreds of small animal and bird species call it home. El Yunque is home to the endangered Puerto Rican parrot. El Yunque has many hiking trails, and picnic facilities. El Yunque National Forest is located 45 minutes east of San Juan.
Guánica State Forest
The Guánica State Forest is a subtropical dry forest located in southwest Puerto Rico, between Mayaguez and Ponce, and one of the best examples of a tropical dry coastal forest in the world. An official UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve, the Guánica State Forest spreads over a large coastal area and has a number of mangrove cays. The forest contains 1000 insect species,700 plant species and 40 bird species. The Guánica forest is the best location for bird-watching in Puerto Rico, and has twelve major trails that range from easy to rugged.
Rio Camuy Cave Park
The Camuy River Cave Park is one of the most popular natural attractions in Puerto Rico. The Camuy Caves is one of the largest cave systems in the world. The caverns are part of a group of limestone caves and underground waterways shaped by The Camuy River, the third-largest underground river in the world. The 268-acre park built around the cave system features tours of some of the caves and sinkholes. The Camuy Caves, are located between the towns of Camuy, Hatillo and Lares, in northwestern Puerto Rico.
Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park
Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park was built by Taino Indians 800 years ago for recreation, worship, and astronomical observations, and is one of the most important archeological sites in the West Indies. The Caguana park is located in the town of Utuado, Puerto Rico. There are 30 ball courts (Bateyes) that have been restored, and Monoliths and rock engravings carved by the Taínos can be seen among the rocks and stones. The park also includes a small museum containing Taíno artifacts, archaeological exhibits and a botanical garden.
Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve
Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve is located on the northeast corner of Puerto Rico, and the reserve shelters seven different ecological systems, including beaches, lagoons, dry forest, coral reefs and mangroves. Endangered species of birds and turtles live in this 316 acres reserve. You can also find Las Cabezas de San Juan Light House, one of the oldest lighthouses in Puerto Rico.
Bioluminescent Bay
Fajardo, Puerto Rico, is home to one of the few Bioluminescent Bays in the world. A one of a kind attraction, a bio bay is a body of water, that contains millions of micro-organisms, called "dinoflagellates", that glow in the dark when agitated. It is a rare, natural wonder, that you can easily experience while visiting Puerto Rico. It is best seen on a dark night, or moonless night. But even on a less than ideal night, the bioluminescence will be visible. The best way to see it, is to take a kayak tour of the bay with a local company. The island of Vieques, off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, has another Bioluminescent Bay, Mosquito Bay or The Bio Bay, and is considered the world's largest and brightest.
Toro Verde Adventure Park
Toro Verde is the largest aerial park in the western hemisphere and owns the longest cable in the Americas. Children and adults can enjoy extreme sports and beautiful landscapes at Toro Verde Park. If you like adventure, this is the place for you. The park has 15 zip lines, including The Beast, a 4,745ft long zip line which is about 900 ft. above the forest floor, monkey bridges, and you can go mountain-biking on routes with various difficulty levels.
There are many attractions to see and to explore as an eco-traveler in Puerto Rico. Take time to visit beyond San Juan. Take a look at this video from El Yunque National Forest:
Puerto Rico Is The Place by puertoricoistheplace
Create unique personalized photo postcards at zazzle.com
The following are some of the major ecotourist attractions in Puerto Rico:
El Yunque
El Yunque National Forest, is the only tropical rain forest in the United States, and is well-known for its incredible biodiversity. The 28,000 acres includes four forest types and has 240 species of trees, more than 50 kinds of orchids, 150 different ferns, and hundreds of small animal and bird species call it home. El Yunque is home to the endangered Puerto Rican parrot. El Yunque has many hiking trails, and picnic facilities. El Yunque National Forest is located 45 minutes east of San Juan.
Guánica State Forest
The Guánica State Forest is a subtropical dry forest located in southwest Puerto Rico, between Mayaguez and Ponce, and one of the best examples of a tropical dry coastal forest in the world. An official UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve, the Guánica State Forest spreads over a large coastal area and has a number of mangrove cays. The forest contains 1000 insect species,700 plant species and 40 bird species. The Guánica forest is the best location for bird-watching in Puerto Rico, and has twelve major trails that range from easy to rugged.
Rio Camuy Cave Park
The Camuy River Cave Park is one of the most popular natural attractions in Puerto Rico. The Camuy Caves is one of the largest cave systems in the world. The caverns are part of a group of limestone caves and underground waterways shaped by The Camuy River, the third-largest underground river in the world. The 268-acre park built around the cave system features tours of some of the caves and sinkholes. The Camuy Caves, are located between the towns of Camuy, Hatillo and Lares, in northwestern Puerto Rico.
Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park
Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park was built by Taino Indians 800 years ago for recreation, worship, and astronomical observations, and is one of the most important archeological sites in the West Indies. The Caguana park is located in the town of Utuado, Puerto Rico. There are 30 ball courts (Bateyes) that have been restored, and Monoliths and rock engravings carved by the Taínos can be seen among the rocks and stones. The park also includes a small museum containing Taíno artifacts, archaeological exhibits and a botanical garden.
Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve
Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve is located on the northeast corner of Puerto Rico, and the reserve shelters seven different ecological systems, including beaches, lagoons, dry forest, coral reefs and mangroves. Endangered species of birds and turtles live in this 316 acres reserve. You can also find Las Cabezas de San Juan Light House, one of the oldest lighthouses in Puerto Rico.
Bioluminescent Bay
Fajardo, Puerto Rico, is home to one of the few Bioluminescent Bays in the world. A one of a kind attraction, a bio bay is a body of water, that contains millions of micro-organisms, called "dinoflagellates", that glow in the dark when agitated. It is a rare, natural wonder, that you can easily experience while visiting Puerto Rico. It is best seen on a dark night, or moonless night. But even on a less than ideal night, the bioluminescence will be visible. The best way to see it, is to take a kayak tour of the bay with a local company. The island of Vieques, off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, has another Bioluminescent Bay, Mosquito Bay or The Bio Bay, and is considered the world's largest and brightest.
Toro Verde Adventure Park
Toro Verde is the largest aerial park in the western hemisphere and owns the longest cable in the Americas. Children and adults can enjoy extreme sports and beautiful landscapes at Toro Verde Park. If you like adventure, this is the place for you. The park has 15 zip lines, including The Beast, a 4,745ft long zip line which is about 900 ft. above the forest floor, monkey bridges, and you can go mountain-biking on routes with various difficulty levels.
There are many attractions to see and to explore as an eco-traveler in Puerto Rico. Take time to visit beyond San Juan. Take a look at this video from El Yunque National Forest:
Puerto Rico Is The Place by puertoricoistheplace
Create unique personalized photo postcards at zazzle.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)