Arroyo is a town and municipality located along the southern coast of Puerto Rico and bordered by the Caribbean Sea, east of the municipality of Guayama and northwest of the municipality of Patillas. Arroyo is spread over 5 barrios and Arroyo barrio-pueblo (the downtown area and administrative center). It is part of the Guayama Metropolitan Statistical Area.
It is believed that the name of Arroyo (which means "creek" or "brook" in English) is derived from a small water stream where travelers stopped to freshen up before continuing on their way.
According to legend, one the town's first nicknames, Pueblo Ingrato ("Ungrateful Town"), comes from the locals in the 19th century who either burned or drowned a resident who contracted either Cholera or the Bubonic plague, even if he was renown for his generosity. In the last century, however, there has been a push to change the nickname to Pueblo Grato ("Grateful Town") in order to clean the town's modern laidback and friendly reputation.
Residents of Arroyo are often referred to as Bucaneros ("Buccaneers"), a reference to the region's historic pirate and buccaneer activities. The main sports teams of the municipality, most notably its volleyball team, are also called Los Bucaneros.
