Hacienda La Esperanza - Para La Naturaleza — Attraction in Manatí

We arrived at Hacienda La Esperanza around 10:30 a.m. (according to their website, they are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) this past Tuesday, February 12, and we were greeted by a guard, who informed us that they could not let us in since there were not enough staff. He immediately suggested we come back another day. I explained that we drove a bit over two hours to get there and that it was extremely disappointing that due to staffing issues we were not allowed in after such a long trip. I asked: will there be enough staff in the future? and his response was “I couldn't be sure of that.” We were very excited to visit the old hacienda and their lack of staff/consideration ruined our day. I hope that in the future they will be considerate and maintain their facilities with adequate staff in order to be able to serve all visitors. I also suggest that if they are having staffing issues, they inform them on their website and/or social media so that everyone who is considering visiting them has this in mind. Otherwise they shouldn’t bother opening...

This reserve was part of the "bucket list." We had the opportunity to visit this place years ago at an open house, but we arrived a bit late to take a guided tour. Finally we went and it was a wonderful experience. Our guide, Maria Fernanda, stayed our group more time than expected due to the many questions and comments. We had a couple visiting from Illinois, and the whole group was trying to make their experience something unique. We share with them a lot of history and stories about our culture and island. The highlight of the day, the sugar cane mill was working using water vapor from the original furnace. This machine is the only one still in working conditions. Sounds like an old locomotive. It's a worthy visit to our past as sugar...

The beaches accessible through the Hacienda are some of our favorites on the island for snorkeling and communing with nature. They are only open on the weekends (Fri-Sun), accessible through a gate and bumpy road at the end of the paved road winding through the Hacienda and a small neighborhood. These beaches are kept very clean and patrols will kindly ask you to leave before sunset. There are also walking and biking paths that cover the Hacienda and so it is one of the best places for riding a bicycle without having to be on a road or mountain side. This is an amazing facility overall and a gem on the north coast of...