Not only is Rincón, Puerto Rico a great place for watching surfers, sunsets, and soaking up the natural beauty of the Caribbean, but during the winter months, Rincon is also a prime location for spotting whales!
Between the months of January and March, Humpback Whales can be spotted off of the Rincón coast as they make their annual long-distance migration – the longest migration of any mammal for that matter – from the nutrient-rich feeding grounds of the North Atlantic to the warm, tropical breeding grounds of the Caribbean. The annual return trip between feeding and breeding areas can exceed 15,000 km – or over 9,000 miles!
Atlantic Humpback Whales in Puerto Rico
According to this article from the MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, the Humpbacks typically feed off of the coast of Maine from March to November, nourishing themselves for the long journey, then travel south from December to April to breed and give birth. February is the month associated with peak whale sightings across Puerto Rico. It’s also known that Humpbacks show “high site fidelity,” which means they often return to the same feeding areas, like Cape Cod, and breeding areas, like Puerto Rico, annually. Mothers and calves can often be spotted traveling together as the young learn the route.
Even from a distance you can see how massive these animals are! According to this record from NAMMCO, the maximum recorded length of a Humpback whale is around 17m (56 feet!) and the maximum weight is about 36 tons, although the average size is smaller than this. Females grow to a slightly larger size than males and calves are about 6m (20 feet) and 1.8 tons at birth!
The Best Spots (& Tips) for Whale Watching in Rincon
Our favorite spot for whale watching in Rincon, other than our backyard at Maria’s Luxury Villa of course, is the Punta Higuera Lighthouse (El Faro) just a short walk from the Villa through the community forest, Bosque Armonia. Being up high at the lighthouse park provides a beautiful, panoramic view of the ocean, making it easier to potentially spot whales as they pass by! Another great option is to book a sail on the Katarina – you’re guaranteed to have a good time and you might even get lucky and see whales!
A few tips for spotting whales: Number one, have patience. The more patience you have, the more likely you are to spot a whale! Number two, look for their “blow” or a “spout” when they come up to breathe. For being such a big animal, sometimes they are sneaky! You’re much more likely to see whales passing by than you are to see a breach. Occasionally you might spot a fin or a tail, and if you get lucky enough to see whales breaching – what a show! We often get lucky here at Maria’s
When you’re ready to stay with us, booking is done through Twin Palms, Maria’s rental, and onsite management. Please visit our booking page on this website to view the availability of Maria’s and fill out our convenient contact form. If you have any additional questions regarding Maria’s, you may call Elizabeth at 787-685-6648 (español: Cristina at 787-449-3673).
My husband and I had our wedding and reception at Maria’s. We rented the property for three days/nights. We wanted to make our destination wedding as accessible as possible for our family and friends. Maria’s was the perfect place. Twelve of our closest friends and family shared the house. I was so impressed that Maria’s had everything we needed, even little things like laundry detergent.