Puerto Rico has launched its newest cultural experience: La Ruta Taína at the Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park in Utuado.
The new tourist attraction offers visitors the opportunity to embark on a cultural experience to learn about Puerto Rico’s heritage and indigenous traditions through multiple tours across Modelo Forest in Puerto Rico.
“We are thrilled to launch La Ruta Taína because it invites the world to take an in-depth look at our roots,” said Ingrid Rivera Rocafort, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “This new addition highlights our commitment to develop niche markets as we continue to diversify our tourist offerings for the enjoyment of visitors to the Island.”
La Ruta Taína will run north to south, from Arecibo to Ponce, passing through the towns of Utuado, Jayuya and Adjuntas.
Travelers will discover the oldest ceremonial centers in the Caribbean, indigenous petroglyphs, villages, tombs, museums and legends, as well as caves, beaches and natural reserves.
Through educational tours, they’ll learn the cultural and ancestral identity of the Island while tasting Puerto Rican dishes and enjoying the scenery.
Destinations include Cueva del Indio and Cueva Ventana Indio in Arecibo; Centro Ceremonial Indígena Caguana and Cacique Don Alonso monument in Utuado; Piedra Escrita de Jayuya and Museo del Cemí in Jayuya; and Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes in Ponce.
The route was created in collaboration with archaeologists Osvaldo Garcia Goyco, Norma Medina and Reniel Rodriguez, the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and conservation groups focused on Puerto Rico’s indigenous traditions.
— Dana Niland, CJ Contributor