Booking choice: The Double Dip power catamaran, 4 hours. Book this Tour details
People ask whether there is anything on Icacos. Not much that anyone built. The cay is part of La Cordillera Reef Nature Reserve, managed by Puerto Rico's Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DRNA), and visits are day trips only.
That is the appeal. You swim, snorkel, walk, eat what you brought and go home. Below is what there is to do, what to bring, and the rules worth knowing.
The quick answer
Swim and float off the beach, snorkel the reef patches or a reef stop on a tour boat, walk to the old limestone quarry remains, and watch for seabirds and fish. Bring water, food, shade and reef-safe sunscreen. There are no facilities and no lifeguards, so stay close to shore.
Is there anything on Icacos?
Sand, sea and some ruins. Discover Puerto Rico lists no bathrooms, food vendors, chair rentals, stores or permanent shade.
Icacos is about a quarter of a square mile, the largest uninhabited cay in its small chain, according to Wikipedia. There is no dock for the tour boats (the Double Dip listing says you wade in) and no kiosk.
Everything you need comes with you or stays on the boat. That is the difference between the trips: a catamaran is your restroom and kitchen, a water taxi is a ride. The tours side by side shows which gives you what.
Where can you snorkel at Icacos?
From the beach over the reef patches, or at a reef stop from a tour boat. Discover Puerto Rico mentions corals, reef fish and rays.
Discover Puerto Rico does not name snorkel spots, so we will not either. Tour boats pick a reef for the conditions on the day: the Double Dip and the relax trip both stop at a reef before the beach, and the full-day catamaran lists 1 to 2 hours of swimming and snorkeling over a reef. Gear is included on all three.
From the beach, the water taxi package includes a mask and snorkel and an optional snorkel session with a local guide. Snorkel with a buddy, wear a vest or float if you are unsure, and do not stand on coral.
A reef stop first, then the beach: four hours with gear, floats, lunch and a restroom on board.
Book thisCan you just float in the shallows?
Yes. Swimming and floating off the beach is what most people do. Stay where you can stand: there are no lifeguards.
The water off the beach is clear and turquoise. Bring a float or a noodle if you want to lie in it for an hour; nobody rents them on the island. Read, nap under an umbrella, walk the sand. A quiet day here is not wasted.
What is left of the old quarry?
Stone and concrete remains of the pier. A limestone quarry once worked the south of the island, with a short railroad to the pier.
Wikipedia records the limestone quarry on the southern part of Icacos and a short railroad that carried stone to the pier. Wikipedia gives no more detail. Look, photograph, do not climb.
The water taxi beach day lists an optional 45-minute historic hike with a local guide, the easiest way to see the island beyond the beach.
Most of five hours on the island, with an optional historic hike and snorkel session led by a local guide.
Book this Tour detailsWhat wildlife can you see?
Seabirds, small lizards, reef fish and rays, per Discover Puerto Rico. The wider reserve also has green sea turtles, and humpback whales pass in winter.
La Cordillera Reef Nature Reserve lists green sea turtles, West Indian manatees in the seagrass, more than 83 fish species, spiny lobster and queen conch. Birds include brown boobies, laughing gulls and several terns, among them the roseate tern. Humpback whales are common from December to February; our winter post has more.
The water taxi listing asks you not to touch marine life or plants. Good rule everywhere in the reserve.
What should you bring to Icacos?
Water, food, shade, reef-safe sunscreen, water shoes and a waterproof bag. Tour boats cover food and drinks; check what they ban.
- On a water taxi: everything. Water, food, an umbrella, sunscreen, a hat, towels, snorkel gear and a trash bag, per Discover Puerto Rico.
- On a tour boat: sunscreen, a towel, a hat, a cover-up and some cash. The Double Dip also asks for ID.
- Leave behind: what your boat bans. The Double Dip lists no outside food, drinks, coolers, umbrellas or large bags; the full-day catamaran lists no coolers, speakers, pets or smoking.
No car, no kit? The San Juan day brings the tent, chairs and a barbecue to the beach.
Book thisWhat are the rules in the reserve?
Take all trash back, respect the corals and marine life, use reef-safe sunscreen, and leave by the end of the day.
Discover Puerto Rico calls Icacos a protected natural area and asks visitors to take every bit of trash back to the boat. Weekends bring crowds and, with them, litter and noise. Do not be part of it.
No overnight stays: Icacos is for day visits. Do not touch, stand on or collect coral, shells with animals in them, or plants. Use reef-safe sunscreen, as Discover Puerto Rico recommends.
Is it safe to swim at Icacos?
Yes, with care. There are no lifeguards, currents can surprise visitors, and the sun is strong.
Swim near shore where you can stand, as local swimmers do. Snorkel in pairs. Keep children within arm's reach in the water. Follow the crew's instructions on a tour boat; they know the spot and the conditions that day.
Drink water through the day and take shade at midday. If the weather turns, the boats return early. That is a reason to book with free cancellation, which most trips here offer up to 24 hours before.
A crew, a barbecue lunch and a reef swim, with a beach stop on the cay. Six hours from Puerto del Rey.
Book this Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
Are there bathrooms on Icacos?
No. Discover Puerto Rico lists no bathrooms, food vendors, chair rentals, stores or permanent shade. Tour boats such as the Double Dip have a restroom on board.
Can you camp on Icacos?
No. Discover Puerto Rico describes visits as day trips only.
Is snorkeling good at Icacos?
Discover Puerto Rico mentions clear water, corals, reef fish and rays. Tour boats add a separate reef stop, which is usually the better snorkel.
Are there lifeguards on Icacos?
No. Swim near the shore and follow your crew's instructions.
Ready to book
Choose your boat
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option listed here.
Double Dip Power Catamaran
- Buffet lunch, fruit and soft drinks
- Beer and gratuities listed as included
- Snorkel gear and floats
Water Taxi & Beach Day Package
- Round-trip water taxi, about 15 minutes each way
- Beach umbrellas and a cooler with drinks
- Mask and snorkel, optional guided snorkel
Icacos Full-Day Catamaran Trip
- About 45 minutes of sailing each way
- BBQ buffet lunch on board
- Sodas, local beer, water and rum drinks
