A Secret SUP Escape In The Heart of San Juan

SUPing in the City

San Juan, the vibrant, busy capital of tropical Puerto Rico has a variety of experiences. If you are looking for the perfect respite from the bustle and congestion of the city, consider a stand-up paddle board excursion on Condado Lagoon. This gem of a lagoon is located right in the middle of San Juan and is home to many different species of aquatic life including manatees. To protect the manatees motorized watercraft of any kind are forbidden, and only quiet activities are allowed so it is a great place to SUP or kayak.

Condado Plaza is near Condado Lagoon, and this is where I stumbled upon the Iguana Watersports kiosk. Most days they are set up directly on the lagoon beach, but if not, you can go into the Condado Plaza to find them.

In preparation for SUPing lather up with sunscreen, wear your bathing suit, hat, and consider a UV shirt. If you wear sunglasses that you care about, make sure to use Croakies. Leave your valuables at home; you will only need twenty-five dollars.  If you would like to snap photos make sure your phone or camera is waterproof and a bring a pouch to wear it around your waist like this one. I left my shoes and shorts in Iguana’s locker on shore.

Manuel Guzman with Iguana Watersports set me up with a SUP and paddle appropriate for my size. Iguana also rents kayaks and other equipment. The current and wind were strong that day, so we discussed the best strategy to manage these factors. Paddling under the bridge to the inner lagoon is allowed, although Manuel advised that I stay close to the shore so that the high-rise condos would block the wind. When given a choice I always like paddling into the wind so that I have an easier return and Manuel agreed with me. He also said he’d swim alongside me for the first stretch to make sure I was all set. Turns out Manuel competed in two summer Olympics in swimming which explained why he could effortlessly butterfly stroke alongside me.

Passing under the bridge to the inner lagoon is fun; once inside I turned into the wind, staying close to shore. I paddled all the way to the end of the lagoon getting a nice work out. There were a few other paddlers on the lagoon enjoying the sunny day. One couple had an enormous float/paddle with a cooler and two lounge chairs – not a bad option. I spotted lots of giant starfish and many different types of fish, but I didn’t encounter any manatees unfortunately. 

I barely had to paddle on the way back as I effortlessly let the current and wind guide me up the lagoon, under the bridge and back to the little beach in the outer lagoon. After returning my equipment and thanking Manuel I took a swim in the turquoise water to cool off before walking back through the city to my hotel.

If you’d like more posts about active city adventures check out my article on active adventures in Austin, Texas. Make sure to click the subscribe button in the upper right-hand corner so you don’t miss any of my posts.

Helpful Info:

• Condado Plaza – where Iguana Watersports is located
• Carve Designs – great rash guards
• La Concha Renaissance – another hotel within walking distance of Condado Lagoon with a casino