Search the World - enter sentence or part of word
[wpdreams_ajaxsearchlite]
Puerto Rico Travel Wiki
[tp_search_shortcodes slug=”4f02989d” origin=”” destination=”SJU” hotel_city=”San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1189, 6787, city, Puerto Rico” type=”avia_hotel” subid=”cacgb”]
Travel to Puerto Rico
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is officially an unincorporated territory of the United States. It is part of the Greater Antilles and enjoys a warm Caribbean climate. Several smaller islands are included in the territory designation, including Vieques, which has an extensive wildlife refuge that was once a bombing range for the U.S. Navy.
Blue Beach, Red Beach, and Green Beach on Vieques are often listed as some of the best beaches in the entire Caribbean.
Visiting El Yunque is an excellent trekking adventure. This beautiful waterfall is accessed through a wooded trail that is well marked. Many visitors try to access “forbidden” trails to see the waterfall, but fines are levied against those who don’t use the marked path. Although many have gotten lost while visiting El Yunque, a little planning can make all the difference in the world.
Puerto Rico is also an island of color. The homes that line the beaches are beautiful and vibrant, as are the fishing boats that are left on the beaches, waiting for the next opportunity to bring in the catch of the day.
As part of your stay, be sure to visit the Old Town of San Juan. Its historic ramparts merge with narrow cobblestone streets and colorful homes to create stunning vistas that one must see to believe.
Puerto Rico is an island that is brimming with energy. Catch a baseball game during your stay, have some barbecue at the beach, and explore the history of this island to have a one-of-a-kind adventure.
Best of Puerto Rico
If you’re longing for a getaway that combines fun and sun with fascinating cultural and historic attractions, a Puerto Rico vacation is a sure bet. Even though Puerto Rico, with its gorgeous tropical weather, seems like a world away, it’s easy to get to and simple to navigate. Start your vacation in San Juan, the island’s capital and cultural center. Charming Old San Juan is a walled city with fascinating 16th century buildings and bustling plazas. Puerto Rico’s west coast is famed for the island’s best beaches, surfing and dramatic scenery. The east coast is home to the island’s rainforest, El Yunque, one of the island’s most famous attractions. For a real escape, take a ferry to Culebra or Vieques, two small quiet island hideaways.
Puerto Rico is a vacationer’s paradise, with a broad range of accommodations at all price points. In San Juan there are many resorts, several with attached casinos and direct beach access. If you’re looking for a historic hotel with a more individualized touch, Old San Juan is for you. Leaving the city doesn’t mean giving up hotel choices: the northeast coast, near El Yunque tropical rainforest, has many lodging options including resorts, smaller hotels, and paradores, which are well-priced, smaller hotels approved by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. Ricon and the Porta del Sol area have large resorts and smaller inns by the coastline. On the quiet islands of Culebra and Vieques, you’ll find a charming blend of low-key inns and cottages.
Puerto Rico is full of attractions—both natural and manmade—and activities to please any type of vacationer. Start your visit in San Juan, Puerto Rico’s capital and cultural center; Old San Juan is a walled city with cobblestone streets, colonial Spanish architecture, fortresses and charming plazas. Don’t miss Fuerte San Felipe del Morro, with its impressive views and labyrinthine layout. For chic shopping and dining, explore the Condado neighborhood. The best of San Juan’s beaches include Balneario de Carolina, a beautiful palm-tree lined spot, and Balneario de Escambron, a favorite of families. When you’re tired of the sun, try your luck at one of San Juan’s casinos—they’re located in many of the larger hotels.
Puerto Rico’s east coast is quieter, and a favorite spot for nature lovers. The area’s most famous spot is El Yunque, a tropical rainforest that’s the only such forest in U.S. National Forest system, and is home to parrots, tree frogs, and lush vegetation. Opt to drive though the forest, hike on trails that range from easy and short to more challenging, or take a ranger-guided walk. For a different kind of natural wonder, don’t miss Laguna Grande, where you can take a guided nighttime paddle though bioluminescent waters. This is one of the few bodies of water in the world that’s home to tiny organisms that glow green at night, and transform the bay into a magical sight.
Heading toward the west coast, the Camuy Caves complex is one of the largest groups of caves on earth. Trams and walking tours allow visitors to gasp at a huge 180-foot-high cave, and spy creatures like crabs and bats.
The island’s west coast is famous for beaches, surfing and sunsets. Rincon’s well-known beaches include Maria’s, a popular surf spot, and Balneario de Rincon, which has gentler waves. Further south, Cabo Rojo has soaring cliffs and spectacular views, and a hike out to Cabo Rojo Lighthouse is a must-do in the southwest peninsula town of El Combate.
To truly escape the everyday, visit the Culebra or Vieques, just a few miles off the coast of Puerto Rico and accessible by ferry. These small, tranquil, Caribbean idylls boast unspoiled beaches and a peaceful feel.
Las Cuevas de Camuy National Park
This national Park features on of the largest cave systems in the world. visitors will walk into parts of the caves and explore a small part of the system. The surrounding areas feature some nature settings that make for very good views.
La Parguera, Bioluminescence Bay
Another very unique place to visit on the island. this bay has micro organisms on the water that when disturbed they “light up” and produce a beautiful display on the water. this phenomenon happens on various places around the world, but in Puerto Rico is the only place that is guaranteed for it to happen every night.
Arecibo radar observatory
In the north par of Puerto Rico you can visit the famous radio telescope, the largest of this kind of the world. Its large receptor plate it’s larger than 12 football fields, used to spot signals from planets and in the SETI research for extraterestrial life. Inside the Observatory there are science related exibitions of different subjects to watch.
Mayaguez Zoo
Mayaguez is home to the only public zoo in the island. The zoo 2 main animal selections are the African Forest and the African Savannah. Also it features a Beautiful bird sanctuary.
Ponce Art Museum
The Ponce Art Museum has the largest art collection of the Caribbean between pictures and sculptures. Its collection have many European works such as works by Velasquez, Rubens and Rodin, and others.
Travel resources
Below you can find usefull travel resources for your visit to the country
Weather Online
Official holidays
When are holidays and no working days in the country ?
Date | English | Spanish | |
---|---|---|---|
January 1 | New Year's Day | Día de Año Nuevo | |
January 6 | Epiphany | Dia de Reyes | |
Variable | Birthday of Eugenio María de Hostos | Natalicio de Eugenio María de Hostos | Second Monday in January |
Variable | Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Natalicio de Martin Luther King, Jr. | Third Monday in January |
Variable | Presidents' Day, Washington's Birthday | Día de los Presidentes | Third Monday in February |
February 18 | Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín | Natalicio de Luis Muñoz Marín | |
March 2 | American Citizenship Day | Día de la Ciudadanía Americana | |
March 22 | Emancipation Day | Día de la Abolición de Esclavitud | |
Variable | Good Friday | Viernes Santo | |
April 16 | Birthday of José de Diego | Natalicio de José de Diego | |
Variable | Memorial Day | Recordación de los Muertos de la Guerra | Last Monday of May |
July 4 | Independence Day | Día de la Independencia de los Estados Unidos | |
Variable | Birthday of Don Luis Muñoz Rivera | Natalicio de Don Luis Muñoz Rivera | Third Monday of July |
July 25 | Puerto Rico Constitution Day | Constitución de Puerto Rico | |
July 27 | Birthday of Dr. José Celso Barbosa | Natalicio de Dr. José Celso Barbosa | |
Variable | Labor Day | Día del Trabajo | First Monday in September |
Variable | Columbus Day | Dia de la Raza | Second Monday in October |
.November 11 | Veterans Day | Dia del Veterano | |
.November 19 | Discovery of Puerto Rico | Día del Descubrimiento de Puerto Rico | |
Variable | Thanksgiving Day | Acción de Gracias | Fourth Thursday in November |
December 24 | Christmas Eve | Noche Buena | |
December 25 | Christmas Day | Día de Navidad |