On a whim after seeing flights from Miami for just over 100$ return we decided to visit Puerto Rico. This was our first time here and as a US territory it is simple to get to. Miami had literally a dozen direct flights daily and the short 2.5-hour flight was a breeze. We enjoyed seeing the aqua blue beaches off the Bahamas from our plane window. One day we’re going to take a little excursion there as well.
Arriving in San Juan was easy and some of our first impressions were how nice the roads were and how modern the facilities and infrastructure was. For us, it had a nice mix of modern conveniences with an island vibe. All the little food stands on the side of the road with the Latin music playing made us think of the Dominican Republic, Cuba and other islands. There were pockets of graffiti filled tin roofed structures that would certainly be best avoided, but in general we felt just as safe as we would in any US city. The people were all really friendly and our attempts at broken Spanish were appreciated even when most people were fluent in English.
One of the things that attracted us to Puerto Rico was the rich history. San Juan is the second oldest European founded city in the Americas next to Santo Domingo. Columbus discovered it and it was a welcome port for the Spaniards crossing the Atlantic to the New World. Its two principle forts date from the 1500s and 1600s. Construction of Castillo San Felipe del Moro and of Castillo de San Cristóbal started, respectively, in 1540 and 1634. Much of the old city is well preserved and/or restored and very easy to visit. At the Castillo San Felipe del Moro, they even fire off their vintage muskets and a cannon every hour. (Block your ears. It’s loud!)
We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott near the airport. It was one of the nicest Courtyards we had experienced with great restaurants, beach facilities, and views on the ocean.
We were told that the ocean was particularly rough due to a recent hurricane but we suspect the open coastal shores are typically rough and wavy. We did manage to find a few protected coves, Luquillo Beach and Escambrón Marine Park in San Juan which were much more gentle.
We very much recommend renting a car. Tours are expensive and the roads are as good or better than any US city’s expressways. We were happy to have our car and got to explore at our own pace and stop where we wanted.
One of our first day trips started with a visit to the El Yunque Rainforest. About an hour drive from the airport this visit was well worth a few hours. Starting with the visitor center there was a good video and helpful guides or naturalists to explain and show some of the local vegetation and indigenous customs.
After this, much of the park can be explored by car with some of the nicer parts requiring a short hike. Even here the trails are well done and our ½-hour hike to the Mina falls was all on a concrete surface and easy to navigate. Just like you’d expect in a US National Park. We definitely recommend doing the hike and stopping along the road at the various scenic points, Coca Falls and the Yokahu lookout tower. Do climb the tower for a great view. Look for the birds, little lizards, and more.
After hiking through the very humid environment of the rainforest we were ready for a dip in the ocean. One of the nicest beaches, Luquillo Beach is just down interstate 3 via the 191. We stopped at this park; lockers are available with changing rooms (was 1$). This protected cove was a pleasure to swim in.
Not far away is another natural wonder of Puerto Rico, the Bioluminescent Bay. There is actually more than one but this location is popular and many companies offer boat or Kayak trips into the bay to see the bioluminescent critters. Plan this part of your trip with the phase of the moon. Unfortunately for us our few days coincided with the full (and even super) moon so many of the tours did not go out due to there being too much light to see the organisms. We were told that some tour operators would sometimes put a tarp over your head reaching down to the water to block out all the light and stir up the water with a stick to see the bioluminescent creatures.
We had to try some authentic Puerto Rican food of course. One of the local delicacies was something called moffongo. This was a baked bread bowl-like creation made of spiced mashed plantains filled with a choice of meats and covered with a sauce. Other things we tried were the deep fried turnover-like pastelitos filled with octopus, crab and other things like conch, etc. Of course, dulce de leche cake and more.
On the West side of the island we discovered a number of cave sights. The most famous (Camuy Caverns) was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays so unfortunately we missed it but we did get to climb into the window cave (Aventura Cueva Ventana) and listen to a guided informative tour. We even saw a few bat species and fortunately none of the boas that are known to hide in the ceiling waiting for the unsuspecting birds and bats.
Many secluded beaches can be found along Puerto Rico’s northern coastline – the power of the ocean in action…
Old San Juan was probably one of the nicest parts of our visit. This charming little area made up of colorful homes lining the steep streets reminded us of Europe with a Caribbean vibe.
We got to visit both fortresses, watch the canon firing, and walk along the city walls and the harbor to the cruise port. San Juan is home to many (18) cruise liners and about 500 cruise ships.
Getting lost in Old San Juan is the best way to stumble upon charming little restaurants as well as street vendors in a flea market-like setting along the Paseo de la Princesa. This area is lovely at sundown and quite animated in the evening.
We were also lucky enough to hook up with a San Juan dive operator that took us for a shore dive just off the beach near the Hilton hotel in San Juan’s El Escambrón area. While visibility was poor we did manage to see some nice sea life including rays, starfish, puffers and lots of hungry fish looking for the bread the dive master brought with him. This protected area is easy to park at and a great beach for snorkeling, swimming or shore dives.
Back at our hotel we also made memories just hanging out at the beach by the hotel and jumping in the waves. These waves were probably too strong for young kids to play in and we could feel ourselves being sucked out with the undertow. We were careful not to get too far out and admired the surfers from a distance.
Friendly people, cultural sights to visit, beaches and other natural wonders make San Juan a wonderful place to visit… we are glad we did!
Thank You Puerto Rico 🙂
Latin America & The Caribbeans