Fajardo, Puerto Rico: The Boating Capital of the Island
Drive one hour east of San Juan and you'll start seeing masts. Fajardo, Puerto Rico, is where the island goes boating: it has 8 marinas and, adding up what each marina reports, more than 3,000 slips and dry-stack spaces for boats. It's also home to the largest marina in the Caribbean.
That's why almost every catamaran, snorkel trip and island-hopping day on Puerto Rico's east coast starts here. Here's a local's guide to Fajardo's marinas: which ones matter to visitors, where the boats leave from, and where to eat by the water.
Safe Harbor Puerto del Rey: the largest marina in the Caribbean
Puerto del Rey, on PR-3 south of town, calls itself "the Caribbean's largest marina," with more than 900 wet slips. Even if you don't own a boat, it's worth a visit: there's a waterside restaurant (La Cueva del Mar), a bistro and market (Alacena), a coffee shop (Cinco Onzas Café), a ship's store, and free parking.
Several charter companies operate from here, including East Island Excursions for catamaran trips to the cays.
4900 PR-3 Km 51.4 · 787-860-1000 · Website · Directions
Villa Marina: where most catamarans leave from
If you've booked a catamaran day to Icacos Cay or Culebra, there's a good chance you'll board at Renaissance Villa Marina on PR-987. Most of Fajardo's catamaran companies leave from here. Always check the meeting point in your booking, since a few operators use other marinas.
Arrive early to park and check in. While you wait, Don Fausto Pizza & Grill, inside the marina, has tables by the pier.
Puerto Chico and the restaurant strip on PR-987
Villa Marina, Puerto Chico, The Reserve (formerly Sea Lovers Marina) and their neighbors are part of Grand Caribbean Marinas, which runs six facilities around Fajardo (website, 787-863-0834). Along this stretch of PR-987 you'll find some of the town's best restaurants with marina views: Sábalos Marina Grill & Rooftop at Puerto Chico, plus El Cayo and El Yate a short drive away. Bio bay kayak tours and snorkel trips also leave from this area.
Isleta Marina: the marina on an island
Here's a fun one. Isleta Marina sits on a small island just off the Fajardo coast. There's no road to it: residents and boaters get there on the marina's own water taxi or by private boat. You'll see it from the shore as you drive along PR-987.
SunBay Marina
SunBay Marina has 282 wet slips plus dry-stack storage, with 24/7 security. It's mainly for boat owners and visiting yachts.
La Marina at El Conquistador (private)
El Conquistador Resort has its own small marina, with 22 slips for boats up to 50 feet. It's for registered resort guests and members only, and so are Palomino Island and Coquí Water Park. Marina reservations: 787-863-1000, ext. 7006 · Website. If you're not staying at the resort, plan your boat day from Villa Marina or Puerto del Rey instead.
Boat storage
The other Grand Caribbean facilities, Marina Sardinera and Blue Coast Boat Park, are mainly dry storage for local boat owners, not places to visit.
Arriving by boat?
Call ahead to reserve a transient slip, especially from December to April.
Puerto del Rey monitors VHF channel 71 and sells diesel and gasoline at its fuel dock (daily, 8 AM to 5 PM).
El Conquistador's marina is for resort members and guests only and doesn't sell fuel.
Why Fajardo is Puerto Rico's boating capital
Fajardo looks out at a chain of small islands and cays, with Icacos, Culebra and the Virgin Islands within reach. Its bays are sheltered, which is why so many boaters keep their boats here year-round. Grand Caribbean Marinas alone reports about $50 million invested in rebuilding and upgrades since the 2017 hurricanes, according to News is My Business (October 2026).
For visitors, that means more boats, more tours and more choices than anywhere else on the island.
Plan your day on the water
Catamaran to Icacos or Culebra: Catamaran trips from Fajardo
On a budget? Read Water Taxi vs. Catamaran
Bio bay at night: Kayak the bioluminescent bay
Use reef-safe sunscreen, don't touch coral or turtles, and take your trash back with you.
Enjoy Fajardo, Puerto Rico, from the water!
Booking through our links supports Enjoy Fajardo at no extra cost to you. Every dollar goes back into promoting Fajardo.
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