The most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico is large enough to fulfill all your Caribbean travel needs. From beautiful beaches, tropical rain forests and historic museums to exciting nightlife and casinos, this 3,500-square-mile United States territory is a one-stop island paradise.
As the smallest and most eastern of the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola are the others), Puerto Rico, located 1000 miles southeast of Florida, comprises 79 cities and towns, each unique in its style and presentation.
There’s so much to do here!
Skyscrapers next to slums, markets by mega malls: Puerto Rico is a country of contrasts. Somehow the island manages to successfully blend both US and Spanish/Caribbean influences, making it a unique place to backpack around. Wander through smuggler ports, hike through lush rainforest or simply sit back on Playa Flamenco, one of the world’s best beaches.
Perfect for the golfer, Puerto Rico has several championship courses. More than 250 miles of sun-drenched beaches spell delight for those who simply want to relax and sun-worship. An abundance of coral reefs will also enchant snorkelers and scuba divers.
For those who love to learn about history there is Old San Juan, a National Historic Zone, a seven-square-mile district of museums, churches, forts and other historic sites. San Juan, the capital city with a population of 1.5 million, has narrow cobblestone streets, public squares, and even two fortresses at either end of the city built to protect against European invaders.
Ponce, the island’s second largest city, is known as the intellectual gathering center of the island, and has attracted several poets, painters and politicians thoughout history. Here you will find the Ponce Art Museum which has an incredible collection of late-Renaissance and Baroque works from more than 1,000 painters and 400 sculptures as well as a pre-Columbian Indian burial ground.
If you love nature, you must visit a real rainforest. In Puerto Rico the El Yunque is the U.S.’s only Tropical Rain Forest National Park, filled with four forest types, 240 species of tropical trees, flowers and wildlife. And visit the Rio Camuy Cave Park, a series of limestone sinkholes connected by the Camuy River that form some of the largest caves in the western world.
Puerto Rico Travel Resources
These are my favourite companies to use when I travel.
• Search cheap flights with Skyscanner.
• Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
Tours
Book city sightseeing tours & attraction tickets on GetYourGuide or Viator.
Quick Facts
• Capital City: San Juan
• Currency: US Dollar, USD
• Language: Spanish and English
• Time Zone: -4 GMT
• Dialling Code: +1787
• Religions Practised: Catholic
• Total Area: 9,104 square kilometres
• Population Size: 3,725,789
Practical Information
Voltage and Plug Info:
120 V. America style plug with flat blades above a round pin.
Safety:
Puerto Rico has a reputation of being a crime hot spot but as a tourist you’re unlikely to encounter any danger. The usual common sense rules apply – don’t walk alone at night, keep your valuables out of sight and don’t leave your bags unattended while taking a dip in the sea.
Vaccinations and Health:
Luckily, Puerto Rico is free of a lot of the tropical diseases that affect its Caribbean neighbours. Avoid swimming in freshwater lakes as they are often polluted. If in doubt do what the follow the locals’ lead; if they’re swimming, it’s probably safe. The weather is hot so don’t forget to slap on the sun screen and drink plenty of water.
History
When Ponce de Leon and Christopher Columbus found Puerto Rico in 1493, Ponce named the island for his patron saint, San Juan. After the Spaniards realized there was no gold in Caparra, the island’s first settlement, Ponce moved the city to the peninsula where he named it Puerto Rico for “rich port.”
Eventually the city and island switched names and San Juan became a stronghold against European invaders. Massive walls, two forts, a cathedral, convent and homes were built to settle the city in hopes of prosperity. After the Spanish-American War in the late 19th century, Puerto Rico became property of the U.S. due to the Treaty of Paris in 1899.
Until 1952 when Puerto Rico was made a free associated state under the U.S. flag with its own constitution and government, the island remained a U.S. commonwealth. Today the people of Puerto Rico are working to restore the historic significance of the island and its heritage.
Where to Stay
Radisson Ambassador Hotel & Casino – Condado – 146 rooms and 87 suites with A/C, TV, phone, fitness and health club, beauty salon, rooftop swimming, jacuzzi, business center.
San Juan Marriott Resort – Conado – 512 rooms and 13 suites with A/C, minibar, TV, phone, casino, 2 pools, health club.
Sands Hotel & Casino Beach Resort – Isla Verde – 397 rooms and 17 suites with A/C, TV, phone, large pool with waterfalls, rockscapes and swim-up bar, business center and scuba diving.
Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Hotel & Tropical Casino – Isla Verde – 254 rooms and 22 suites with A/C, TV, phone, swimming pool with swim-up bar, located on the beach, car-rental facilities, tour desk, children’s game room, fitness center, sports club and water sports club.
Hyatt Dorado Beach Hotel – Dorado – 298 rooms and 17 casitas with A/C, minibar, TV, phone, two 18-hole golf courses, 7 tennis courts, 2 pools, children’s camp, private airfield, windsurfing school.
Hyatt Regency Cerromar Beach Hotel – Dorado – 504 rooms and 43 suites with A/C, minibar, TV, phone, world’s longest swimming pool with a river-like current, five connected free-form pools, 14 waterfalls, subterranean jacuzzi, water slides, walks, bridges and a children’s pool, full-service spa, health club, 21 tennis courts and a children’s day camp.
Horned Dorset Primavera Hotel – Rincon – 22 rooms and 8 suites with A/C; library, pool, secluded beach, deep-sea fishing, tennis courts, golf and scuba diving.
Holiday Inn – Mayaguez – 147 rooms, 5 suites with A/C, TV, phone, motel style rooms as well as a restaurant, bar and pool.
Ponce Hilton & Casino – Ponce – 148 rooms and 8 suites with A/C, minibar, TV, phone, pool surrounded by gardens, business center, fitness center, video arcade, bike rentals, playground, water sports.
El Conquistador Resort & Country Club – Las Croabas – 802 rooms and 122 suites with A/C, minibar, TV, phone. This hotel owns Palomino Island which is filled with caverns, nature trails and water sports, a marina where you can rent boats, 6 pools, Jacuzzis, conference facilities, tennis courts and an 18-hole championship golf course.
Puerto Rico Travel Tips
Best Time to Visit?
Mid-December to late-April is the best time to visit when the weather is sunny and hurricane-free. June to November is Caribbean hurricane season so best avoided unless you want to spend your time in doors. Puerto Ricans love to party so try and arrange your tip around one of their many festivals.
Getting There and Away
Most international flights go via the US, Miami in particular, but Air Canada has a direct service from Toronto and Montreal and you can also fly with British Airways from London, Iberia from Madrid and Condor from Frankfurt. To fly between the Caribbean isles there are a range of flights but if travelling from neighbouring Dominican Republic why not hop onto a sea ferry?
Getting Around
Public transport in Puerto is not the greatest it has to be said, especially outside the larger towns. Hiring a car is the most popular way to get around but if your budget won’t stretch opt for a public (shared taxi service). Simply turn up and hop on or ask your hostel to book one for you.
Destinations Guides
• San Juan
Best Things to Do in Puerto Rico
Don’t leave Puerto Rico without…
Limin’ in Boquerón
This dinky little fishing village has got chilling (that’s limin’ to the locals) down to a fine art. In the evening, the waterfront is the place to go for eating, drinking and people-watching, a few days of which are officially more relaxing than a week’s worth of yoga.
Praising the piña colada
Said to have been invented in the 1950s by a barman in San Juan, the piña colada was made Puerto Rico’s national drink in 1978, so there’s no better place to savour this seriously tasty rum, pineapple and coconut cocktail.
Becoming a dude in Rincón
This is the board-short capital of Puerto Rico, where floppy blonde hair and languid handshakes rule. If you’re not riding the waves, you should be sipping a beer on the beach – doing anything else is probably illegal.
Going to San Juan’s old town
Meander down charming narrow streets paved with beautiful blue adoquines (bricks baked in 19th-century Spain), take a peek at the kaleidoscopically colourful buildings and shop for santos de palo – wooden carvings of saints.
Pigging out at a lechónera
These roadside eateries specialise in lechón – succulent, slow-roasted pork that will leave you with fat dripping down your chin but also very satisfied. Find the best lechóneras in Guavate, 30 minutes outside San Juan.
Baseball
From October to mid-April, you can find games playing in several stadiums: San Jaun, Mayaguez, Ponce, Arecibo, Caguas and Santurce.
Shopping
You won’t pay a duty on anything bought in Puerto Rico, but the island is not a duty-free port, so the prices are not extraordinary. Here are a few of the many stores worth visiting:
• Galeria Botello – Plaza Las Americas – Latin American artist’s gallery.
• Gillies & Woodward – sells cigars which are made from the island’s tobacco.
• Ole – Calle Fortaleza – great place to find crafts like gourd masks and watercolors.
• Spicy Caribbee – Calle Cristo – variety of Caribbean spices, Puerto Rican coffee and cookbooks of local cuisine.
• Butterfly People – Calle Fortaleza – beautiful arrangements of preserved butterflies that range from $20 to several thousand dollars.
• Puerto Rican Arts & Crafts – Calle Fortaleza – local crafts that feature authentic papier-mache carnival masks and sterling-silver jewelry that features ancient petroglyphs.
Food and Restaurants
You’ll find everything from international cuisine to Puerto Rican cuisine which is prepared somewhat like Mexican and Spanish meals. Here are a few of the favourites:
• Augusto’s – Miramar – continental dishes prepared using local ingredients.
• Ramiro’s – Condado – serving creole and Spanish cuisine.
• Su Casa – Dorado – set in a plantation mansion on the beach; international menu.
• La Zaragozana – Old San Juan – romantic setting for dining on Spanish, Cuban and Puerto Rican cuisine.
• Los Naborias – Vega Alta – serves traditional Puerto Rican dishes at a reasonable price.
• La Tasca del Callejon – Old San Juan – specializes in Spanish dishes served in a restored colonial home.
• Che’s – Santurce – large portions of Argentine cuisine.
• Il Perugino – Old San Juan – set in a 200-year-old town house and offers excellent Italian cuisine.
Golf
• El Conquistador – Las Croabas – 18-hole, 6,700-yard, par 72 championship course designed by Robert Von Hagge, restricted to guests of the El Conquistador Hotel.
• Hyatt Dorado Beach – Dorado – two 18-hole courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr.
• Palmas del Mar – Humacao – 18-hole, 6,600-yard, par 72 course designed by Gary Player; golf packages available at either of Palmas del Mar’s hotels.
• Punta Borinquen – Aquadilla (18-hole).
• Bahia Beach – Rio Grande.
• Club Riomar – Rio Grande.
• Berwind Country Club – Rio Grande.
Parks and Forests:
El Yunque: This 28,000-acre U.S. National Park is filled with four forest types, 240 species of tropical trees, flowers and wildlife.
Carite Forest Reserve: Covers 6,000 acres which includes a Catholic spiritual meditation center and a lignum vitae tree over 1,000 years old.
Rio Abajo Forest Preserve: Home to 223 plant and 175 wildlife species in its 5,780 acres, this forest allows visitors to walk along any of the 70 trails.
Rio Camuy Cave Park: A series of limestone sinkholes connected by the Camuy River, these caves are one of the largest in the western world.