Loíza

Loíza was settled by free and enslaved Africans from the sixteenth century and remains the heart of Afro-Puerto Rican culture on the island: bomba, the drum and dance form in which the dancer leads and the drummer follows, was developed here, and workshops still make the vejigante masks from coconut shell that the town is known for. The Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol in late July are the biggest celebration, with masked processions along the coast road.

What you actually see

• The bomba tradition - drumming and dance where the dancer leads the drummer.
• The vejigante masks - horned masks carved from coconut shell by local makers.
• The Santiago festival - masked processions and drumming in late July.
• The church of Espíritu Santo - a sixteenth-century foundation, among the island's oldest.

When to go

Late July is the Santiago festival and the town's biggest week. Bomba workshops and performances run year round but should be arranged. Weekends bring music at the beach kiosks.

Honest expectations

Outside festival time there is no scheduled programme and performances must be arranged. Photography of participants during the festival should be done with care and respect. Facilities for visitors are limited.

Nearby

Piñones is west along the coast, and San Juan is beyond it.