Casa del Sol

Casa del Sol Map of Isabela
Maps and links shows locations of: Casa del Sol, Punta Sardina bay, and the LMM airport, plus popular beaches, snorkeling reefs,beach and surfing spots, and restaurants. Airline information for Isabela is on the map.

Water Activities
Isabela is famous for its uncrowded white sand beaches , scuba, snorkeling, surfing and windsurf. Many beaches and sea bottoms are sandy; perfect for sunbathing and body surfing. The most popular beaches for Casa del Sol guests are Jobos, Montones, Blue Hole, La Sardinera and La Princesa; see Google interactive map in addition to Maps and links.

• Jobos Beach and Montones Beach are a 10-minute ride in from Casa del Sol
• Blue Hole is a 20-ride from Casa del Sol
• La Sardinera is a 6 minute walk from Casa del Sol
• La Princesa is a 10-minute walk from Casa del Sol

Surfing and Snorkeling is excellent on Isabela. There are shallow coral reefs and ponds at many of the beaches, easily accessible by walking along the beach shore, or driving through the coastal Panoramic Road 4466. The Poza Azul, near Shacks Beach reefs are favorites of visiting snorkelers. Snorkeling gear can be rented or bought at dive and diving shops.

Scuba in Isabela is world-class. The best Dive shop in the area is Aquatica. Kayaks and Surfboards are available to rent.

A special feature of Isabela is that we have it all within a 15 miles radius: miles and miles of sandy beaches, mountains, rain forests and lakes, historical sites and nature trails, These are popular for exploring, swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing.

Isabela is in the Northwestern coast of Puerto Rico, just 80 miles West of San Juan.

The people in Isabela are friendly, a delightful mixture of people from all over the world.

The climate is tropical, Temperatures in the high 70’s to low 90’s.

The coast of Isabela is relatively flat, and the mountain region is hilly and rainforest– there are miles of roads and trails for biking and hiking along the coastal area, and the mountain region.

A portion of the interioir of Isabela is a National Reserve park, (El Guajataca Natural Reserve) and the coastal areas are not overdeveloped. There are many varieties of birds, mamals, fish, and turtles.

Isabela boasts two golf courses at a 20 minutes drive from Casa del sol: Royal Isabela ( a world class golf course) , and Punta Borinquen Golf Course, the first public golf course in Puerto Rico. Punta Borinquen golf course was a favorite of President Eisenhower, built around 1940. Set atop a cliff side promontory, this par 72 course offers a sweeping view of the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea.

Services and stores on Isabela include restaurants, bars, grocery stores, gift shops, dive and surfl shops, supermarkets and malls. These services and stores are within easy walking distance or a short ride of Casa del Sol.

There are many local restaurants near Casa del Sol. On the high end are Eclipse Restaurant and Royal Isabela. There are other numerous high quality, but less pricey restaurants such as Ocean Front or the small restaurants at the Fishermen's Village (Villa Pesquera), just across the street fron Casa del Sol.

For transportation, cars is the rule.

Snooky says....

Snooky wants to give you a basic background information to Isabela, Puerto Rico as well as suggestions to places to go so you can enjoy your residency.

The time in Puerto Rico is Eastern Standard Time (EST) without daylight saving.

Electricity supply is 110 volts throughout Puerto Rico with 2 pin wall sockets, same as in the USA.

Although not required by law, it is recommended for some sort of identification be carried with you at all times. This may be a copy of you passport or driving license.

The "dress code" in Isabela is casual. Jeans and Polo style shirts are normal attire during weekdays and you will be able to enter practically all but some places on Friday and Saturday with casual wear. The only exception are "Sleeveless T' shirts" which you will not be looked upon welcomed in most indoors bars, clubs or formal restaurants, except on the beach. Being barefooted is not allowed in many restaurants and hotels .

The cost of living is low, relative to the USA, Europe, China, Australia, or Japan. Isabela uses the US Dollars as its currency, as does the rest of Puerto Rico. No other currency is accepted. Most credit cards are accepted everywhere.

You can drink tap water safely, but some people may be very succeptible to variations in the water treatment ingredients and may prefer to have bottled water. Bottled, treated or spring water can be purchased very cheaply from local stores and supermarkets ($1.25/gallon)

Isabela is a coastal city with several beautiful beaches, and a wide array of local shops, restaurants and businnesses. Altough it is visited by many local tourists as well as those seeking some sun and fun from the United States and other North American European and Asian countries, the city has maintained a fairly casual approach as it relates to tourists and visitors.

Crime rate is very low, but that does not mean that you should not be aware of your surroundings and trust everyone. The Municipal and State Police are very professional and most Officers are bilingual. In general, people are friendly, courteous and very helpful..Communication is not a problem; English and Spanish is spoken widely.

In general, people in Isabela is very proud of their history, culture, traditions and family ties. Politics plays a day to day role in society, and it tends to be very polarizing. So as a rule of etiquette and courtesy try and avoid talking politics and respect the traditions.

Public transportation in the West Coast is practically non-existing, therefore it is recommended to rent or own a vehicle. There are some good deals around...