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Las Marías.- Hacienda El Porvenir is situated between Río Guacio and Río Arenas, at the Maravillas 1 neighborhood of Las Marías. A 66-acre farm once dedicated to sugarcane cultivation now combines agricultural activities, hiking, and a spacious camping area, where visitors can also enjoy peace and natural beauty.

Evelyn Ríos Valentín and Ramón Neftalí Morales Ruiz, owners of the Hacienda, acquired the land in 2010 with the intention of cultivating it, without realizing that the beauty and attributes of the place would make it ideal for outdoor activities.

“My dad raised us in agriculture, and I always liked farms. I started by buying a three-acre farm, then I bought one that was 11-acres. I planted it completely, from end to end, and by the time I reached the second farm, there was nowhere else to plant, so we decided to buy this one,” narrated Morales Ruiz.

That is how they began cultivating coffee, plantains, oranges, culantro, lemons, and taro. However, it was only after Hurricane Maria that the land started being used for camping after a chance encounter.

“A young man from Yauco, a guy named ‘Chepo,’ came to do some soil tests for me, and when I took him up to the hill, he said: ‘Ramón, this is beautiful.’ And he says to me: ‘Will you let me camp here?’ So, we brought a tractor in and cleared the area. He contacted a friend of his from Dorado, Hiram, and the man came to see the land and loved it. And I said: Let’s do it,’ and they came up and enjoyed themselves because this place got full,” Morales Ruiz explained.

Ríos Valentín explained that the activity, which started informally, turned out to be quite popular, as both ‘Chepo’ and Hiram are part of a club whose members enjoy camping in different places across the island. This happened in 2021, then again in 2022, and, at the request of the more than 50 campers who gathered at the site, the couple decided to establish the camping area.

At the time, the property lacked facilities for visitors. Today, campers have access to water, full bathrooms, a gazebo with stove and sink, and an area for grilling and campfires for $30 per tent per night. In addition to camping, visitors can engage in outdoor activities and games, fish in the waters of Río Guacio or take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of Río Arenas, hike along the farm’s trails, or simply bring a hammock to relax in.

For more information, call 787-215-2850 or email riose9898@gmail.com.