East region · Puerto Rico
Yabucoa
~32 mi from San JuanCoastal
Yabucoa is a coastal town in Puerto Rico’s East region, about 32 miles from San Juan. It sits north of Maunabo, south of San Lorenzo, Las Piedras and Humacao, and east of Patillas. The town is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Founded in 1793, Yabucoa has 29,400 residents (Census estimate, 2020–2024). It covers 55 square miles, the 20th largest land area among the island’s 78 towns, spread over 9 barrios and Yabucoa Pueblo. Its shoreline includes Playa Icacos and Playa Guayanés, and Yabucoa Harbor offers on-water access. Nightlife options include El Tivoli.
- Playa Icacos
- Playa Guayanés
- Yabucoa Harbor
- Large land area (20th of 78 towns)
For visitors
Visitors can go for the beaches at Playa Icacos and Playa Guayanés, time on the water at Yabucoa Harbor, and nightlife at spots like El Tivoli.
- Hiking
- Beaches and water
- Nightlife
- Fiestas patronales
For living hereResidents live in a coastal town of about 29,000 people on the east side of the island, roughly 32 miles from San Juan and within the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo metro area.Living in Yabucoa: rent, commute, schools & safety
At a glance
- Region
- East
- Setting
- Coastal
- Distance
- ~32 mi from San Juan
- Population
- 29,400 (Census estimate, 2020–2024)
- Founded
- 1793
- Median rent
- $489/mo
- Median income
- $22,944/yr
- Area
- 55.2 sq mi (143.0 km²)
- Fiestas patronales
- Guardian Angels · October 2
- Guide spots
- 5
- Stories, last 30 days
- 5
- Water & power
- Water by sector · Power outages
- Living here
- Rent, commute, schools & safety
Right now in Yabucoa
Road closures in Yabucoa
No closures reported in Yabucoa as of 1:08 PM AST on Thu, Nov 12.
Water rationing in Yabucoa
No rationing plan names Yabucoa. None of the plans the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) has published includes the town, as of Nov 12. Repairs and breaks cut service sector by sector: search your sector
Power outages in Yabucoa
Not among the 7 towns with the most interruptions on LUMA’s morning reading of Nov 12, when 0.5% of customers island-wide were without power. Yabucoa was on that list on none of the last 7 mornings. Outages right now, town by town
Beach water
Within limits: Playa Guayanés. Last tested Nov 3.
Beach water qualityNews from Yabucoa
Latest stories
Puerto Rico Police Seek Person of Interest in Yabucoa Shooting Death of Woman
LUMA Completes Interconnection Work for New 32-Megawatt Solar Plant in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
Police Identify Woman Shot Dead in Yabucoa; Femicide Protocol Activated
Woman Shot Dead in Yabucoa as Puerto Rico Killings Reach Seven in Three Days
Beloved 'Mami' Dies at 107
Our analysis
- Weekend Watch · EarlierPuerto Rico This Weekend: Two Patron-Saint Fiestas and Dive at Mayagüez
- Fiesta Calendar · Last month7 Patron-Saint Fiestas and 8 Events in October
- Fiesta Calendar · Earlier8 Patron-Saint Fiestas and 10 Events in September
Things to do in Yabucoa
Beaches & Chill
Playa Icacos
Natural beach
Playa Icacos is an undeveloped natural beach on Yabucoa's coast in eastern Puerto Rico, away from the resort-style balnearios found elsewhere on the island. With no listed facilities or amenities, it draws visitors mainly for its unspoiled shoreline and open coastal views rather than organized beach services.
Playa Guayanés
Natural beach
Playa Guayanés, also called Guayanes Beach, is a natural beach in Yabucoa on Puerto Rico's east coast. It remains largely undeveloped, without the amenities of a managed balneario, offering a quieter stretch of coastline for those exploring the Yabucoa area away from the island's more built-up beach destinations.
On the Water
Yabucoa Harbor
Yabucoa Harbor is a diving and boating access point on Puerto Rico's southeast corner, where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean. Small boat ramps are the way onto the water, leading to dive sites offshore. The harbor is open to the southeast, so conditions depend on what comes in from that direction. Diving is possible year-round, but water is clearest from June through September, when visibility runs about 40 to 60 feet.
Nightlife & Music
Outdoors and sports
On the water in Yabucoa
All conditionsOn the water near Yabucoa
Marinas, surf breaks, dive sites, wind spots and paddling in Yabucoa or within 12 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- Sailing
- The ShipyardBoatyard · 6 mi away
- Palmas del MarMarina · 6 mi away
- Diving
- Palmas del Mar reefsDive site, 28–120+ ft · 7 mi away
Trails in and near Yabucoa
No trail we list starts in Yabucoa. The nearest four are within 16 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- In Humacao, 7 mi awayCamino hacia el Morro de HumacaoEasy 0.7 mi each way, 35 to 55 minPath to El Morro de HumacaoNot confirmed: ask firstCommunity-mapped
- Reserva Natural de Humacao, Humacao, 10 mi awayCaminata El MorrilloEasy 0.7 mi each way, 35 to 50 minEl Morrillo walkWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
- El Yunque, Río Grande, 16 mi awayEl Toro TrailHard 2.5 mi each way, 2 h 40 min to 4 hVereda El ToroWalk in, no bookingListed openEl Toro Peak
- In Naguabo, 16 mi awayRío Sabana TrailHard 2.5 mi each way, 2 h 40 min to 4 hWalk inListed by USDA Forest Service
Bills and recovery money
Bills about Yabucoa
- RC 703Investigation into road safety and infrastructure of PR-3 in YabucoaPassed a chamber, Sep 24
Recovery money in Yabucoa
$349 million committed by FEMA to 423 projects filed under Yabucoa since 2001: $11,870 per resident, 7th of 78 towns.
Every project located in Yabucoa, the island-wide agencies’ included
27% paid out: Puerto Rico's Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), which pays out the federal disaster recovery money, has paid $96.8 million of the $353 million committed.
27%24.5% paid out on the town government’s own rebuilding: $72.1 million of $294 million, the projects it runs itself, as of Oct 14, 2026. Our FEMA story charts this figure for every town.
24.5%- Baseball Park Félix MillánParks and other$28.6 million
- Yabucoa Municipality project with work completed documentation IRoads and bridges$14.2 million
- Permanent WorkPublic buildings$9.4 million
The town government’s largest projects in implementation, and what has been paid
- Debris Alternative Procedures$7.2M of $7.2M100%
- Road PR-902 (Interior)$1.4M of $5.6M25%
- Road PR-182 Km. 10.8, Camino Los Reyes$1.5M of $4.4M33%
Every town and the island-wide agencies
FEMA Public Assistance data, as of Nov 11, 2026. Obligated by FEMA: committed to the project and drawn as the work is done. Paid out: COR3’s transparency portal, as of Nov 4, 2026.
Living in Yabucoa
Crime in Yabucoa
34 violent crimes and 2 homicides reported to the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPD) in Yabucoa, January 1 – September 30, 2026; in 2025, 22.8 violent crimes per 10,000 people, in the second-highest fifth of towns.
- Homicides
- 2 YTD
- Violent crimes
- 34 YTD
- All serious crimes
- 86 YTD
- Violent crimes per 10,000 people (2025)
- 22.8
Flood zones in Yabucoa
FEMA’s flood map sets who must carry flood insurance, street by street. Check an address in Yabucoa
Phone alerts for Yabucoa
Our weekly reads: Daily Water Watch · Grid Watch · Safety Watch
Get the daily email: news, water and power, free once a day.