On busy weekends, authorities will sometimes rope off the entrance to Bahía Sucia, which is located at the end of Route 301 in Cabo Rojo, along Puerto Rico's Southwest Coast. If they do so, you'll have to park a good half-mile away and walk in the blistering sun along some pretty unattractive terrain, as I did one Saturday morning.
It was totally worth it. Framed by a picturesque lighthouse, this beach is a deep, golden crescent of sand facing warm, shallow waters of variegated blue. The rugged coastline stretches out like loving arms, protecting against the rougher waves and creating a calm and absolutely beautiful inlet. And it is big enough for plenty of people to enjoy it. Bahía Sucia is one of the jewels of the Southwest Coast, if not all of Puerto Rico.
