Playa De Joyuda

Introducing Playa De Joyuda

Acting as a kind of alternative Boquerón, Joyuda is famous for its cheap seafood restaurants and known island-wide as the Milla de Oro del Buen Comer (Gourmet Golden Mile). More than 35 family-owned eating establishments specializing in oysters, crab and shrimp have popped up in recent decades along a 3-mile stretch of Hwy 102. They abut a scrubby shoreline of sand and dirt that has suffered after years of coastal erosion. Problems with erosion in 2006 led to the island’s temporary closure while local biologists replanted the coastal areas with Mangle rojo (red mangrove).

While Joyuda isn’t a standard beach haven, there are plenty of accommodation options in this sprawling west-coast outpost, and with a couple of decent sailing/dive operators and a nearby nature reserve, there’s enough outdoor adventures to work up an appetite for an evening of shellfish-­restaurant-hopping. Just offshore, the tiny Isla de Ratones has a white sandy beach and is great for snorkeling.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009