HOME       CONTENTS      SEARCH      RECIPES      IMAGES      CONTACT US      TELL YOUR FRIENDS    Vega Baja, Puerto Rico Vega Baja is a city of 61,900 inhabitants (2000 census), located about thirty minutes west of San Juan on PR Road # 22, the de Diego Expressway. Many centuries before Spanish settlers first set foot on what is now Vega Baja, the area had been populated by as many as four different indian civilizations from different ages in history. Relics of tribal civilizations from the vicinities of Vega Baja are considered among the most archaelogically important in the area. The Vega Baja municipal limits flow from high mountain ridges to the south to coastal plains bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. Beaches in the area are favorites among beach crowds all around. Vega Baja's population has increased rapidly as people move away from metropolitan centers to suburban refuges. Laguna Tortuguero, an old-time favorite for picnicking, boating and fishing, has been developed into an important recreational area. The lake, however, is now habitat to caimans and its use for water sports has consequently diminished. The patron saint for Vega Baja is "Nuestra Señora del Rosario", celebrated on October 7th.