About the project
Puerto Rico, on one map
787Map brings Puerto Rico’s beaches, nature and sights together in one place, rates them with public criteria and puts them on a map so everyone can find what they are looking for. It is an independent project: it sells nothing and promotes no one.
- Beaches
- 103
- Nature
- 54
- Sights
- 61
- Nature areas
- 40
- Islands and cays
- 11
01 · Why it exists
The information is scattered
Planning a snorkeling day, a hike to a waterfall or just an afternoon at the beach in Puerto Rico means jumping from one site to another: forum and Reddit threads, Google Maps reviews written with very different yardsticks, travel blogs and paid tour websites that, understandably, highlight what they sell.
Each source answers part of the question and none of them lets you compare. Which beach has the best snorkeling from the shore? Which one is calmest for kids? Do you need a ferry or can you drive?
787Map was born to bring all of that together in a single place: a map where every place has its own card, scores built on the same criteria for all, and the practical information to get there.
- Forums and Reddit
- Google Maps reviews
- Travel blogs
- Tour websites
comes together in
787Map
One map, one yardstick
Comparable cards, explained scores and the way to get there.
The same criteria
Every place in a category is rated with the same rules, public and explained on this page, so they can really be compared.
Everything on one map
Beaches, nature, protected areas and heritage together, with filters to keep only what you care about.
Fitted to your plan
Pick a profile (snorkeling, relaxing, family, hiking…) and the ranking and colors are recalculated for that plan.
02 · Independence
Independent and non-profit
787Map is a personal, independent project, conceived as open research into the island’s places. It has no financial interests and no one influences what appears or how it is rated.
No advertising
No ads, sponsored content or affiliate links. The project earns nothing when you visit a place.
No business promotion
No restaurants, hotels or operators are recommended. Sights are only public or non-profit places open to everyone; private boats and tours are mentioned generically, without names.
No one pays to appear
No place can pay to be on the map or to rank higher: the order comes from the scores alone.
No accounts, no tracking
There is nothing to sign up for. The only measurement is an aggregate, cookie-free count of visits to the site.
03 · How scores work
How each place is rated
Scores are not a passing opinion: they follow a fixed, public method, the same for every place in a category. Here is how it works, step by step.
1
Gather the data
It starts from OpenStreetMap (location, name and outline of protected areas) and is completed with public sources: official agencies, guides and published experiences.
2
Each aspect, from 1 to 5
Each category has its attributes (for a beach: access, snorkeling, marine life, water clarity…). Each is rated from 1 to 5 with a rubric that says what a 1, a 3 and a 5 mean.
3
Each profile, its priorities
A profile is a plan: snorkeling, relaxing, family, hiking… It gives more weight to the attributes that matter for that plan and leaves out the rest.
4
A score from 0 to 100
Those weights produce an average from 0 to 100. That score orders the ranking and colors the place on the map.
The formula, in plain words
First, each 1–5 rating is turned into a 0–100 scale: a 1 is worth 0 points, a 2 is 25, a 3 is 50, a 4 is 75 and a 5 is 100.
Then a weighted average is taken: each attribute counts as many times as its weight in the profile. An attribute with weight 3 has three times the influence of one with weight 1, and those not in the profile do not count.
If a place is missing a rating, that attribute is left out: it neither adds nor subtracts, and the average uses the others.
- 10
- 225
- 350
- 475
- 5100
| Attribute | Rating | Points | Weight | Points × weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access | 5 | 100 | × 1 | 100 |
| Snorkel | 3 | 50 | × 3 | 150 |
| Marine life | 3 | 50 | × 3 | 150 |
| Water clarity | 4 | 75 | × 2 | 150 |
| Calm waters | 4 | 75 | × 2 | 150 |
| Beach comfort | 3 | 50 | – | not part of this profile |
| Tranquility | 2 | 25 | – | not part of this profile |
700 ÷ 11 (sum of weights) = 64
64/100
Calculated from the place’s current ratings; if they change, so does this example.
From number to color
Scores are grouped into five bands. Each band has a color, the same on the map, in the ranking and on the cards, chosen so that neighbouring bands are easy to tell apart. The number is always shown next to it: color is never the only clue.
- Band 1: 0–19
- Band 2: 20–39
- Band 3: 40–59
- Band 4: 60–79
- Band 5: 80–100
Not scored
Explore has no scores
The Explore view shows every place at once, colored by category and without scores: a beach and a museum are rated on different things, so their scores cannot be compared.
Nature areas have no score of their own
A forest or a reserve is an area that contains places. Its card shows the score of its best place for the chosen profile.
Scores can change
When new information arrives or a place is visited, its scores are corrected. Every card shows the date of its last review.
Attributes and profiles of each category
This is how each kind of place is rated. The list comes from the same definitions the map uses, so it is always up to date.
Beaches
7 attributes · 3 profiles
Attributes and rubric
Access· How easy it is to get there.
- 1Boat only or a long/difficult hike
- 3Dirt road or a 10–20 min walk
- 5Paved parking next to the sand
Snorkel· Quality of snorkeling from the shore.
- 1Sandy bottom, nothing to see
- 3Rocks or reef patches nearby
- 5Extensive reef within swimming distance
Marine life· Amount and variety of marine life.
- 1Scarce
- 3Common reef fish
- 5Abundant; turtles or rays are frequent
Water clarity· Typical underwater visibility.
- 1Under 2 m
- 35–10 m
- 5Over 15 m, crystal clear
Calm waters· Waves and currents — higher is safer.
- 1Frequent strong waves and currents
- 3Moderate, with seasonal swell
- 5Sheltered and calm most of the year
Beach comfort· How pleasant it is to stay.
- 1Rocky or no room
- 3Decent sand, limited space
- 5Fine sand, wide and comfortable
Tranquility· Higher means fewer people.
- 1Packed
- 3Busy on weekends
- 5Almost deserted
Profiles and weights
The longer the bar, the more the attribute weighs in the profile.
Snorkel
Reefs, marine life and clear water.
- Snorkel
- ×3
- Marine life
- ×3
- Water clarity
- ×2
- Calm waters
- ×2
- Access
- ×1
Relax
Comfortable, quiet beaches to unwind.
- Beach comfort
- ×3
- Tranquility
- ×2
- Access
- ×1
- Water clarity
- ×1
- Calm waters
- ×1
Family
Easy access and calm, safe water.
- Access
- ×3
- Calm waters
- ×3
- Beach comfort
- ×2
- Water clarity
- ×1
Nature
8 attributes · 4 profiles
Attributes and rubric
Access· Getting to the starting point by car.
- 14x4, very rough road or by permit only
- 3Passable dirt road
- 5Paved road and parking at the start
Ease· Physical effort from the car — higher is easier.
- 1Strenuous: over 8 km, steep, scrambling or river crossings
- 3Moderate: 2–5 km or some slopes
- 5Short, flat walk, fine for anyone
Scenery· How beautiful the place is.
- 1Unremarkable
- 3Pretty
- 5Spectacular or iconic
Wildlife· Biodiversity, wildlife and natural phenomena.
- 1Altered surroundings, little wildlife
- 3Secondary forest, common birds
- 5Pristine; endemic species or phenomena (parrots, manatees, bioluminescence)
Swimming· Swimming in pools, rivers or the sea.
- 1No water, or not swimmable
- 3Shallow or seasonal pools
- 5Deep, clean pool for swimming
History & culture· Historic, archaeological or cultural interest.
- 1Nothing notable
- 3Some heritage (ruins, petroglyph, lighthouse)
- 5A top historic or cultural site
Tranquility· Higher means fewer people.
- 1Packed
- 3Busy on weekends
- 5Almost deserted
Safety· Natural hazards — higher is safer.
- 1Real hazards: flash floods, cliffs, unmarked
- 3Needs care (slippery rocks, mud)
- 5Safe even with children
Profiles and weights
The longer the bar, the more the attribute weighs in the profile.
Hiking
Scenery, nature and quiet trails.
- Scenery
- ×3
- Wildlife
- ×2
- Tranquility
- ×2
- History & culture
- ×1
Swimming
Waterfalls and pools to swim in.
- Swimming
- ×3
- Scenery
- ×2
- Access
- ×1
- Safety
- ×1
Family
Easy, safe outings for everyone.
- Ease
- ×3
- Safety
- ×3
- Access
- ×2
- Swimming
- ×1
- History & culture
- ×1
Wildlife
Rich ecosystems and quiet places.
- Wildlife
- ×3
- Tranquility
- ×2
- Scenery
- ×1
Sights
6 attributes · 4 profiles
Attributes and rubric
Access· Getting there and parking.
- 1Rough road, long walk or by excursion only
- 3Parking is tricky or a walk is needed
- 5Parking or public transport at the door
Significance· Historic or cultural importance.
- 1Local curiosity
- 3Important for the region
- 5An icon of Puerto Rico (World Heritage, national landmark)
Appeal· Architecture, setting and views.
- 1Plain
- 3Pretty
- 5Spectacular, very photogenic
Learning· How much you learn there.
- 1Seen from outside only
- 3Panels or a leaflet
- 5Museum, exhibition or a quality guided tour
Comfort· Effort and conditions of the visit — higher is easier.
- 1Slopes or stairs in full sun
- 3Some walking or heat
- 5Flat, shaded or indoors
Tranquility· Higher means fewer people.
- 1Packed
- 3Busy on weekends
- 5Almost deserted
Profiles and weights
The longer the bar, the more the attribute weighs in the profile.
Must-see
The most important and striking places.
- Significance
- ×3
- Appeal
- ×2
- Access
- ×1
History
Heritage you can learn from.
- Significance
- ×3
- Learning
- ×3
- Tranquility
- ×1
Photos
Beautiful, quiet places to photograph.
- Appeal
- ×3
- Tranquility
- ×2
- Access
- ×1
Family
Easy, comfortable visits for everyone.
- Comfort
- ×3
- Access
- ×2
- Learning
- ×2
04 · Data and verification
Where the data comes from
The base of every place comes from OpenStreetMap, the free, collaborative map. Scores, texts and tips are written separately, place by place, from public sources: official agency websites, guides, articles and published experiences. Every card lists its sources at the end.
To cover the whole island, drafts are prepared with the help of artificial intelligence from those sources. A person then reviews them and, after visiting the place and checking the scores on the ground, marks it as verified.
Someone from 787Map has been there and checked the scores and details. It is a guarantee: it is only granted after a visit.
Scores estimated from public sources, with the help of AI, pending an in-person check. They are a guide and may change.
5 of 218 places verified so far
What makes it onto the map
- Beaches and nature
- Places open to the public, with enough information to rate them with the rubric.
- Sights
- Heritage, museums, lighthouses and viewpoints run by public bodies or non-profits and open to everyone. Never businesses, private concessions or street art.
- Islands and cays
- How to get there is explained (ferry, small plane, boat). Only public operators are named, and schedules and prices are never given: they change often and are best checked at the official source.
05 · Using the map
Using the map
Everything starts on the map. These are its main pieces.
Explore
The starting view: every place at once, colored by category. Handy to see what is near where you are going.
Open on the map →Category tabs
Beaches, Nature and Sights: each with its own ranking, filters and scores.
Open on the map →Profiles
Tell the map what you have in mind: colors and ranking are recalculated for that profile.
Open on the map →Filters
By part of the island, amenities (parking, restrooms, lifeguard…), a minimum rating on an attribute, free entry, verified places or islands and cays.
Ranking
The list orders places from best to worst score for the chosen profile, and updates with every filter.
Cards
Tap a place to open its card: summary, ratings, amenities, best season, tips and sources, plus a full page to read at leisure.
Open on the map →Satellite
Switch the base map to satellite imagery to see the reef, the sand or the forest.
Ferries and flights
Draws on the map how to cross to Vieques, Culebra, Mona and the cays.
Directions
Opens the route to the place in Google Maps, from wherever you are.
Sharing
The page address keeps the view, the filters and the open place: copy it to share exactly what you see.
Language and theme
English or Spanish, and light or dark mode, with the buttons at the top right.
06 · Roadmap
What has been done and what is next
Done
Beaches
Beaches all around the island, rated for snorkeling, relaxing and a family day, with their amenities and the best time to go.
Nature and protected areas
Waterfalls, swimming holes, trails, caves and viewpoints, inside the forests and reserves, with their outline on the map.
Sights
Forts, historic churches, museums, lighthouses and ruins, with practical information for the visit.
Explore view
The whole island at a glance, with places colored by category.
Islands and cays
How to get to Vieques, Culebra, Mona and the cays, with the crossings drawn on the map.
Coming up
More verified places
Visit more places in person to confirm their scores.
Photos
Original or freely licensed images on every card.
Route planner
Chain several places into a road trip and take it to Google Maps or a GPS.
More categories
New kinds of places, each with its own criteria.
Open collaboration
A channel for anyone to suggest corrections, places and photos.
07 · Get involved
A collaborative project
787Map wants to grow with the people who know the island. Anyone who has been to a beach, walked a trail or knows that an access has changed can help make the scores more accurate.
In the meantime, every card cites its sources and explains its scores so anyone can check them.
There is no open channel for contributions yet. It is coming soon and will be announced on this page.
08 · Credits
Credits
- Base map
- OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Satellite imagery
- Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
- Typefaces
- Source Serif 4 and Inter, freely licensed (SIL Open Font License).