Cayo Aurora

Known to everyone as Gilligan's Island, Cayo Aurora is a small mangrove cay a few hundred metres off the Guánica coast, and its appeal is specific: shallow channels of clear water run between the mangrove stands, waist to chest deep and calm, so people float in them for hours with the roots on either side. There are picnic tables, a handful of shaded spots and nothing else. A small ferry shuttles across every hour or so from a jetty next to the old sugar port. The surrounding water is part of the Guánica biosphere reserve, and the dry forest on the mainland behind is one of the best preserved subtropical dry forests anywhere.

The landscape

• The mangrove channels - shallow clear water to float in between the roots.
• The reef edge - snorkelling off the seaward side of the cay.
• The dry forest behind - Guánica's biosphere reserve on the mainland.
• The ferry - a five-minute crossing from the old sugar port.

When to go

December to April is the dry season, though this coast is the driest part of the island year-round. Weekdays are quiet; weekends and holidays fill the cay completely and the ferry queues. The island closes on Mondays.

Practical notes

It is tiny and gets genuinely crowded at weekends, with music and coolers, which is not the tranquil picture the name suggests. Shade is limited and there is no shop, so bring water and food. The ferry stops running mid-afternoon and people misjudge the last crossing.

Nearby

Guánica dry forest is on the mainland; La Parguera is half an hour west.