DISCLOSURE: If I link to relevant products or helpful info it may be an affiliate link, meaning I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate & other affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you. The views & opinions are my own. Please see the disclaimer and privacy policy.
Last Updated on April 16, 2024
Finding Las Paylas, a Puerto Rico Natural Water Slide!
After spending the day in El Yunque National Forest, we went on a hunt for secret waterfalls in Puerto Rico. Las Paylas is hidden behind some residential property, so it is sometimes difficult to find (and it is often spelled Las Pailas Puerto Rico so make sure to use both spellings). The payoff is big though as the El Yunque National Forest water slide is super fun for everyone. We spent almost 2 hours playing, climbing over the rocks, enjoying the water, and going down the Puerto Rico natural water slide. We definitely discovered that Puerto Rico has no shortage of fun sites to explore!
What is Las Paylas water slide / What is Las Pailas?
Las Paylas is a hidden natural water slide, Puerto Rico’s secret gem, tucked away on the outskirts of the El Yunque National Forest. The waterfall runs through the rocks making natural pathways for visitors to follow in its route, ending up in a rewarding warm pond at the bottom.
Nature is the celebrity here and she is featured in the beautiful scenery and running waterfalls all around. Make plans to spend some time here just admiring all that surrounds you! The El Yunque natural water slide will not disappoint you!!
Need a Tour? Compare these Top El Yunque Tours – Some with a fun Natural Waterslide!!!
| Tour | Hours | Pickup? | Price | Activities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Yunque Walking Tour: San Juan Hotel Pick Up | 5 | San Juan Hotels | $$$$ | Hiking | BOOK NOW |
| Water Slides, Authentic Puerto Rican Finger Food & Beach Time | 5 | Meet in San Juan | $$ | Waterslide | BOOK NOW |
| Small Group Waterslide Tour: Many Pick-Up Sites | 4 | San Juan, Carolina, Rio Grande, or Luquillo | $$ | Rope Swing | BOOK NOW |
| Half Day Waterslide Tour: fruit, snacks & own vehicle | 4 | XX: Must have own car | $$$ | Waterslide, Rope Swing & Cliff Jump | BOOK NOW |
| Budget Half-day Waterslide Tour | 3 | XX: Must have own car | $ | Waterslide, Rope Swing & Cliff Jump | BOOK NOW |
| Full-Day Large Group Waterslide Tour | 7 | Meet in San Juan | $$ | Waterslide & Cliff Jump | BOOK NOW |
| Full-Day Waterslide Tour | 7 | San Juan Hotels | $$ | Waterslide, Rope Swing | BOOK NOW |
| Full-Day Super Safe Waterslide Tour | 8 | Within touristic San Juan | $$$ | Waterslide, Rope Swing | BOOK NOW |
Where is Las Paylas Puerto Rico?
Las Paylas is located about an hour from San Juan (use Las Pailas spelling for Google Maps). It is a great day-trip after you have spent some time touring San Juan Puerto Rico. You can take a road trip to the Rainforest if you have a rental car in Puerto Rico or —-
Sign up for a tour with a guide through El Yunque Rainforest who will take you here and other hidden waterfalls in Puerto Rico.
Google maps was able to locate Las Pailas so it wasn’t difficult to find the area. (We spelled it Las Pailas Puerto Rico for Google Maps) It is on Road 983 and not far from El Yunque National Forest. If you are coming from the Rainforest, Road 191, then take Road 988 and then left on 983. You can also reach it from the north on Route 3.
Once Google Maps indicates that you have arrived, look for a gated house. There is a pathway to the waterslide there within the gated parking lot. If it is closed, there is another pathway further down. For either of the paths, there will be a parking / private residence fee of $5 – $6. The only way to reach the natural waterslide is through private property. You can also park on the road for 50 cents, but the road is narrow, so I really don’t recommend that. There will usually be a resident there to collect the fees during daylight hours.
How to get to the Natural Water Slide in Puerto Rico
Once you arrive at Las Paylas and have your car parked, be prepared for a short, muddy hike. The path we took was steep and slippery. There was a rope there for us to use as we climbed down into the valley where the natural water slide started its wild ride.
From the exit of the muddy trail, we headed to the left for the large slide. The smaller slide is to the right. There were a lot of big boulders to climb down, so we took the easier route to the larger slide.
After you arrive at the Puerto Rico waterfall slide
We surveyed the rushing water for a while and then decided to give it a go. There was no one else at Las Paylas when we arrived, so we had to figure it out ourselves. We started going down a small portion of the slide to get experience.
After half an hour on the small section of the natural slide, a guide showed up with his tour group. He tried to talk them into going up to the top of the slide. No luck! They certainly didn’t want to be the first!! We were game though! He showed us where to climb up to the top on the left of the slide. He gave instructions on how to maneuver through the twists and turns in order to reach the bottom in one piece. Once we had all conquered the large slide, his tour group deemed it safe enough and started to follow.
Here are some Las Paylas Tours and other El Yunque Rainforest tours that you might enjoy!
Do you have more time in Puerto Rico? Here are even more adventures for your itinerary!
How to enjoy the Rainforest Natural Water Slide
It was scary at first. We wore clothing over our bathing suits for protection against the rocks, but they really didn’t bang us up too bad. It was nice to have that extra cushion anyway.
It was really difficult to climb back up the rocks for a second ride down the slide once they got slippery! We had water shoes that gave us a little bit of traction. The water shoes also gave us some protection at the exit of the slide with all the little rocks at the bottom under our feet.
Make sure that you have water protection for your phone too! I was afraid to go anywhere near the waterslide because I didn’t have a waterproof case for it. COME PREPARED for everything to get wet and muddy! Or do what we did and record all the videos with a waterproof GoPro!
There are lots of potential Puerto Rico Instagram reels at the Natural Slide!!!
L-RUN Womens Water Shoes fo...Shop on Amazon
Hiearcool Waterproof Phone ...Shop on Amazon
GoPro HERO7 Black + 2 Extra...Shop on AmazonLeaving Las Paylas
It was an afternoon well-spent. We were happy, exhilarated, wet, and muddy. Such a fantastic combination! The Las Paylas resident let us hose off all the mud on our shoes before we had to get back into our rental car.
Use our tips to easily get your own rental car in Puerto Rico to get to the Natural water slide:
We took home many memories. Our whole family loved this day-trip and always talks about our trip to Puerto Rico including our exciting time taming the waterfall and going down the Puerto Rico Natural Water Slide!
Taking a Trip to Puerto Rico?
Need more info & things to do in Puerto Rico?
- Ultimate Guide to Puerto Rico: one week in Puerto Rico
- Guide to Puerto Rico: 3 days in Puerto Rico
- Guide to San Juan
- Where to stay in San Juan
- Guide to the Island of Culebra
- Guide to the Island of Vieques
- Guide to El Yunque National Forest
- Tours in El Yunque
- Finding the Las Paylas Natural Water Slide
- Pinones Kiosks
- Best Instagram Spots in Puerto Rico
- Adventure Guide to Puerto Rico
- Scuba Diving in Puerto Rico
Getting around Puerto Rico
Pin this guide for later!
Oh this water slide seems so fun!! I love natural rock pools like this. But I often find the water a bit too cold and that’s what makes me scream, not the slide itself! It’s so good to know that it exists, thanks for sharing the secret 🙂
I am a freeze baby too, but the day was really hot, so it felt refreshing to me!
I am not a terribly adventurous person around water. Not my favorite thing, but my girls and husband would absolutely love this adventure.
This looks like so much fun. I love that the residence allowed you to clean up before heading out. Will definitely read more about your time in Puerto Rico as it is a place that we are starting to think about.
This looks like so much fun! I’m always scared that I’ll hurt myself on the uneven rocks on these types of slides – but I’d still try it!
That is why we wore a layer of clothes, but it really wasn’t even at all. The rapid waterfall has smoothed it out!
Oh my gosh! I’ve never seen anything like this – how fun! I would definitely be worried about getting hurt on the rocks, so I’m glad to hear it wasn’t too bad using a little extra clothing as padding. Thanks so much for sharing! Xx Sara