Maricao is essentially an agricultural community. Its distance from major cities has prevented the development or population growth experimented by many of the towns in Puerto Rico throughout the last two decades. Despite bad roads and few parking facilities, Maricao attracts tourists from all over the island, especially for its festivals.

Festival de las Indieras is undoubtedly one of the most important annual cultural events in Puerto Rico. It is celebrated in Maricao each April to honor a group of people whose blood and ancestry is mainly from Taino Indians. Festival de las Indieras has been celebrated since 1995. It attracts more tourist interest each year mainly from visitors who recite excitedly the festival's main activities, which include one of the best planned artisan shows with artisans from all over the island exhibiting their creations. Activities also include exhibitions of Taino artifacts and talks about Taino history.

Maricao is known for its coffee plantations. Maricao, which claims the title of Coffee Capital of Puerto Rico, celebrates each February Festival del Acabe del Café. It is a town festival celebrating the end of the coffee harvest. Tens of thousands of tourists from around the island crowd into the town's narrow streets and limited parking facilities for the festival. Activities consist of popular Puerto Rican music by some of the most reputed musical groups on the island, artisan shows and a Catholic religious service.

A fish hatchery, usually referred to as el Vivero de Maricao, located in the outskirts of town is one of the main attractions for visitors. Fishes are hatched and raised here to populate lakes and ponds throughout Puerto Rico.

The patron saint for Maricao is "San Juan Bautista", celebrated on June 24.

Places to stay
Hacienda Juanita - - (787) 838-2250
21 rooms and swimming pool, tennis court and game room. Rates range from $89 - $95 per night for a single and $120 - $125 for a double.

Centro Vacacional de Maricao, telephone (787) 873-5632 or (787) 873-5652i s located high up in the mountains of Maricao, at PR Road #120, Km. 13.2, Maricao, Puerto Rico. Centro Vacacional de Maricao is surrounded by forest vegetation and nature very much alive with bird chirps, coquis, and night temperatures dropping to the fifties, Chimneys are provided in each room, although I personally doubt that many people would actually light them when temperatures are actually refreshingly cool.

There are 24 cottages, each with one bedroom furnished with a double bed and another room with two double-decker bunker beds in another. All cottages are furnished with refrigerator, stove and water heater.

Amenities include basketball and volleyball courts, pool and game room with video games and pool tables.

NOTE: For reservations at any of these places, please call the telephone numbers indicated. You cannot make reservations from this webpage as we have no relationship with any of the facilities listed above.