After a friend returned from a trip to Lago Dos Bocas (Lake Dos Bocas) in Utuado,
Puerto Rico, and told us how much she enjoyed it, we decided to make the trip ourselves.
From the
San Juan area we took Route 22 (Autopista /Expressway) West to exit 75B, onto Route 10 South. At KM 69.7, on Route 10, we turned left onto Road 621 toward Road 123, following the signs for Dos Bocas. After approximately 10 minutes, we passed a Texaco gas station on our left. Five minutes ahead we saw a sign to
Lago Dos Bocas on our right. We turned right onto Road 123, and continued until we made a left at the Embarcadero Sign (Wharf). Be aware that, Road 123 is a small and winding road.
Once you park, you will be greeted by personnel of the different restaurants offering you their menu, and hoping that you choose their restaurant. We had heard of the restaurant,"El Fogon de Abuela", a long time ago, so we asked for them and we were shown to the owner of the restaurant, who happened to be doing the greeting. You have to take a motorboat to cross the lake, that is where all the restaurants are located. Each restaurant has their own motorboat, and the government also provides free service. It is a very enjoyable 10 or 15 minute ride and the view is breathtaking.
I ordered the "Asopao de Camarones" while on the boat and the owner phoned it in, as this dish takes a bit of time to prepare. Once we arrived at the restaurant, we had a glass of the house red wine, which was excellent. My friend ordered "
Mofongo" and we also had "
Sorullitos". For desert we shared a "Flan de Coco" which was the perfect end to the meal. Everything was well presented and extremely tasty. The food is typical Puerto Rican cuisine, served on a covered terrace, where you can enjoy vistas of the lake and mountains. It was a wonderful experience and so different from dining in San Juan.
"El Fogon de Abuela" is family owned and run, and they live up to the standards of "Abuela", who is now retired. Her granddaughter is now the chef. The service was a bit slow, but we were enjoying the wine and the view, so we did not mind. We had more time to enjoy the surroundings and breathe in the fresh air.
Route 22 passes by an Outlet Mall In Barceloneta, so if you want to, you can stop and shop. Just make sure you leave early, because the restaurants are only open until 6:00 PM. The restaurants are only open on the weekend and certain holidays.
If you wish to extend your togetherness with nature experience, stay the night at Casa Grande Mountain Retreat, which was named Green Inn of the year by the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association. It is a short drive away on mountain roads. Cabins have no television, radios, or air conditioning, so you can enjoy nature and the sound of the
Coqui, the little frog native only to Puerto Rico, as well as birds and a owl or two.
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| Lago Dos Bocas, Puerto Rico |
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| Lago Dos Bocas, Utuado, Puerto Rico |
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| Lago Dos Bocas, Utuado, Puerto Rico |
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| Lago Dos Bocas, Utuado, Puerto Rico |
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| Lago Dos Bocas, Utuado, Puerto Rico |
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| El Fogon De Abuela Restaurant Lago Dos Bocas, Puerto Rico |
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| El Fogon De Abuela, Restaurant, Lago Dos Bocas, Puerto Rico |
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| Sorullitos, El Fogon De Abuela, Lago Dos Bocas, Puerto Rico |
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| Mofongo, El Fogon De Abuela, Lago Dos Bocas, Puerto Rico |
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| Asopao de Camarones, Lago Dos Bocas, Puerto Rico |
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| Lago Dos Bocas, Puerto Rico |
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| Flan De Coco, El Fogon De Abuela, Lago Dos Bocas, Puerto Rico |
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| Lago Dos Bocas, Utuado, Puerto Rico |
From there you can visit The Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park,
The Arecibo Observatory, or take in some ziplining at Batey Zipline Adventures. Give Lago Dos Bocas a try and reconnect with nature!
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ReplyDeleteExcellent! Glad you had a great trip!
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