Porto Rico

This Caribbean island has a lot to offer. Being an unincorporated territory of the United States, the island is under the influence of certain United States jurisdictions, but does not receive the necessary assistance to recover from the numerous hurricanes that have rocked Puerto Rico. Despite the damage caused by Hurricane Maria which hit the island in 2017, its rich history and culture can be felt everywhere. Puerto Rico is also one of the birthplaces of Latin music and dance such as merengue and reggaeton. There were born among others: Luis Fonsi, Dandy Yanke and Ricky Martin.

With an area of ​​approximately 9000 km2, the island offers several types of landscapes, passing from the magnificent beaches of San Juan to the tropical forest del Yunque, Puerto Rico is surprising.

I advise you to visit the island in four steps. You will therefore have time to visit the four corners in depth. Discover the cities of San Juan, Rincon, Guanica and Fajardo in order to make the complete tour of this Caribbean island.

San Juan 3 days

San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico and it is said that one in 6 people live there. It is therefore the most populated city. Especially popular for its bars, nightclubs and casinos, San Juan welcomes many tourists every year.

You will find many luxury hotels there, but for budget travelers, or anyone else interested in this type of accommodation, I advise you to stay at the Hostel Nomada Urban Beach. Apart from its giant hammock where you can relax, the hostel is very well maintained and the staff is very welcoming. In addition, Ocean Park Beach, ranked among the 10 most beautiful beaches in Puerto Rico according to several Internet users, is a 10-minute walk away.

The price is around $45/night, which is an average price for hostels in San Juan.

You can reserve here : https://hostelworld.prf.hn/click/camref:1100lri2H

You cannot go through San Juan without discovering the Old San Juan district. Filled with colorful houses, you will walk through the city to the rhythm of music that is heard everywhere. Take the time to visit the castles of San Juan, starting with San Cristobal, then go through the La Perla district to get to the San Felipe del Morro castle. Access to the 2 castles costs $10.

https://www.nps.gov/saju/index.htm

In the evening, go to the placita to eat, drink and dance in the streets.

For your other days, enjoy the many beaches like Condado or Ocean Park.

For fans of Rum, a visit to the Bacardi factory is essential, I recommend the tour with rum tasting at a cost of $75. You will be introduced to the site and the history of Bacardi will be told to you by your guide, to finally taste some rum.

Rincon 3 days

To continue your stay, I recommend that you rent a car, if you haven't already, in order to fully visit the island. It is possible to travel by public bus, but timetables are unreliable. In my opinion, the car is essential for this trip.

First, stop on the road from San Juan to Rincon for a swim at Mar Chiquita which is located in Manati, 45 minutes drive from the capital. This natural swimming pool, formed by sea water flowing through large rocks, is breathtaking. Spend the morning there and take the road to your accommodation in Rincon, I advise you to spend 3 days there.

I strongly recommend : JV Beachfront : https://fr.airbnb.ca/rooms/27087050?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=9ee61ed7-215d-4c25-8e30-34af00a99ce1

This accommodation with its patio directly on the sea will offer you a magnificent view of the sunrise and sunset. You also have direct access to the beach. The accommodation is small, but it will undoubtedly suit your needs.

Swim at the Dôme beach, you can surf there and if you are lucky, you can see turtles and many Iguanas. Know that in Puerto Rico, there are Iguanas everywhere, literally.

As a day trip, venture to San Sebastian in order to go to Godzilla Fall. You can take short hikes and swim at the foot of the falls.

Other things to see nearby: Cueva Ventana, Isabella Beach and Aguadilla.

Guanica 4 days

It's now time to get back on the road, this time, head for the Salinas de Cabo Rojo to visit the salt lagoon site. It is also a place for birdwatching since they are actively working on the conservation of local birds. You can also visit the lighthouse of Morrillos which is a little further and a playaita. Then go to your accommodation in Guanica and spend the end of the day at playa Santa. I recommend you to stay there for 3-4 days.

You must visit the neighborhood of Yauco and Ponce. Yauco is a very artistic neighborhood with its painted houses that form a mural. Stopping in this area is a must.

Other things to see nearby: Parguera Mid-Sea Pool, Bioluminescent Bay, Utadi Cannon, Playa Buye and Rosada, Dry Forest and Toro Negro Forest.

Fajardo 2 days +

The town of Fajardo is one hour from San Juan. Whether to visit the city itself or to transit to the island of Vieques, the stop is certainly worth it. You can spend at least 2 days there.

I recommend this accommodation: https://abnb.me/oLi9BT8nftb, which is near the ferry. This is my favorite place of the trip. You will have access to a magnificent rooftop and the host was of immense help to us during our stay.

In the corner of Fajardo, you can, among other things, venture into the Tropical Forest del Yunque and take one of the many paths to admire its flora. Being a tropical forest, the rains are not rare there, so plan a raincoat and your swimsuit to swim at the foot of the falls.

You can also relax on many beaches such as Luquillo, which was my favorite beach of the trip. For extreme sports enthusiasts, you can go kite-surfing there.

Unfortunately, I don't have any recommendations for the island of Vieques since I couldn't go there. During my stay, Puerto Rico was shaken by numerous earthquakes which led to a high risk of tsunami. So I preferred not to venture out to sea, but according to what the locals told us, earthquakes of this kind are very rare in Puerto Rico, so don't be afraid. Also, the island of Vieques would be a must. If you had the chance to go there, do not hesitate to come and talk about it in the comments.

My trip to Puerto Rico didn't go as planned due to earthquakes up to 6.6 on the Richter scale, but I still loved my trip. The island offers a wide range of activities to please everyone and the landscapes are magnificent.

Have a nice trip 🙂

Kelly On The Map 🌎