Aventura Cueva Ventana set to welcome visitors again in Arecibo

By Mivette Vega

May 3, 2024

In 2021, Aventura Cueva Ventana was forced to close operations due to lack of the required permits, since then, the park has undergone significant improvements and renovations.

After a three year closure due to permit issues, Aventura Cueva Ventana, a popular ecotourism park in Arecibo, is set to reopen its doors on May 20. The park’s owner, Froilán Oliveras Tejeiro, president of Salomé Ecoturismo, announced the news, highlighting the ongoing efforts to revitalize the attraction.

The reopening comes after the park obtained the necessary permits from the Permits Management Office (OGPe) in mid-April.

RELATED: 5 Fun Day Trips From San Juan, Puerto Rico

In 2021, Aventura Cueva Ventana was forced to close operations due to lack of the required permits, issued by the Junta de planificación (JP). Since then, the park has undergone significant improvements and renovations.

“We are working on all the improvements that are constantly made when the business is open. Maintenance of the wood, handrails, and steps. We are replacing them intensively,” Oliveras Tejeiro told El Nuevo Día.

Workers are restoring areas such as the park’s trails, green spaces, and the ticket booth.

In the cave area, efforts are focused on removing garbage and conducting inspections to ensure the site has not been vandalized. Oliveras Tejeiro had previously reported that individuals had jumped the park’s entrance fence and accessed the cave without permission.

The park’s reopening is expected to revitalize the local economy, as it once attracted over 100,000 visitors annually. To encourage local tourism, residents of the island can purchase a special ticket for $15, while the regular entrance fee is $29.

In its new phase, Cueva Ventana will introduce new offerings, such as an off-road vehicle tour.

“It will be a 4×4 car, where we can take them, [and] we do the whole educational and ecological talk, but at the end of the tour (visitors) have to get off and walk. The return would also be transported,” the businessman said.

Oliveras Tejeiro recently participated in Seatrade Cruise Global 2024, a major cruise industry event held in Miami. The aim was to market the facilities to companies like Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruises.

RELATED: 5 Must-Visit Small Towns in Puerto Rico

Aventura Cueva Ventana will initially open partially, as its other tourist attraction, Cueva León, is not yet ready to receive visitors.

The reopening of Aventura Cueva Ventana marks a significant step in revitalizing tourism in Arecibo and the northern region of Puerto Rico. The area was hit hard when the Arecibo Observatory collapsed in December 2021. With its commitment to environmental sustainability and new offerings, the park is poised to attract both local residents and international visitors.

Author

Mivette Vega

Mivette Vega is a seasoned journalist and multimedia reporter whose stories center the Latino community. She is passionate about justice, equality, environmental matters, and animals. She is a Salvadorrican—Salvadorian that grew up in Puerto Rico—that has lived in San Juan, Venice, Italy, and Miami.

View all posts

CATEGORIES: THINGS TO DO

Support Our Cause

Thank you for taking the time to read our work. Before you go, we hope you'll consider supporting our values-driven journalism, which has always strived to make clear what's really at stake for Floridians and our future.

Since day one, our goal here at Floricua has always been to empower people across the state with fact-based news and information. We believe that when people are armed with knowledge about what's happening in their local, state, and federal governments—including who is working on their behalf and who is actively trying to block efforts aimed at improving the daily lives of Florida families—they will be inspired to become civically engaged.