Hola Puerto Rico!!!!

Puerto Rico! a beautiful island, east of Caribbean sea, famously known for it’s refreshing Pina Colada and Bacardi’s largest factory, is a gem of an island and probably the only place with a warm and beautiful tropical climate within the US territory!!

Why Puerto Rico

Perfect getaway from the hectic schedule to relax and enjoy the scintillating beauty of the Caribbean Islands
Ideal for travelers who are looking to explore Caribbean islands but want a mix of beaches, rainforest, culture and delicious Puerto Rican cuisine and old city vibes
Beautiful beach resorts to stay away from city life and enjoy time with family and friends
Run away from cold Atlantic weather or if you are tired of wearing warm coats!!!!

One of the reasons why one would chose Puerto Rico among the list of all the Caribbean islands is the variety of options you have to visit on this island. From the historical streets of 500 years old San Juan to a scientific marvel, Alecibo Observatory. The beautiful Flamenco beach in the island of Culebra to the scintillating beauty of the Bioluminiscent bay tours in Mosquito Bay. Not to forget, the only Tropical forest in US, the El Yunque National forest.

Peurto Rico has something for every kind of traveller.

Living in New Jersey, PR was a perfect get away to avoid the cold weather and make the best use of the Christmas holiday season!

See our post – 30 photos that will make you visit Puerto Rico to see some incredible images of Puerto Rico from our visit.

Best Time to visit PR

While you can travel to Puerto Rico almost any time of the year, there are few caveats you should keep in mind

Winter, Dec to Mar, is the most popular season to visit Puerto Rico (mostly due to the crowd heading to Caribbean to avoid winters). The average low temperature is in the early 70s (°F) and average maximum is in early 80s. However, you might be spending a bit more on accommodation and travel cost.
Summer, Apr-June, probably the best time to visit since the prices would have come down and the place will be less crowded. Avoid June, if you don’t want to land in the hottest month. Check for various summer events in San Juan while planning!
Try to avoid the Atlantic hurricane season, July to September, but if you are willing to take the risk, you might get the best deals on prices
Fall might be ideal if you are looking for decent warm weather and want to avoid winter crowds

Governor House in San Juan

Travel Tip– We visited during Christmas and New Year’s eve and due to high demand, it was very hard to find the car rentals and Bioluminescence bay tours unless you plan early. So make sure that you plan everything atleast a month in advance if you are visiting between Dec 20th to Jan 1st week

Visa Requirements and Language

If you are a US citizen or are on a VISA which allows you to stay in US, you don’t need a separate VISA. Puerto Rico is within US territory. Most of the population speaks English and Spanish.

Trip Duration

We visited Puerto Rico between Dec 20th to Dec 29th and were able to cover most of the major tourist destinations comfortably. However, depending on how much time you have or what kind of places you are interested in, you can customize your plan accordingly.

If you ask us, a week would be ideal for your first trip to Pueto Rico if you want to explore San Juan and nearby islands which are one of the most beautiful in world (Vieques and Culebra islands). For people, visiting on a short 3-4 day trip, we would recommend covering Old San Juan and Vieques/Culebra islands, including Bioluminiscent bay tours at one of these islands.

Things to remember before you travel

Plan your trip in advance, as soon as you can, if you are visiting different regions in Puerto Rico. Things like mode of travel, adventure tour packages like bioluminescence bay tours and places in Arebica(see link) need detailed planning to maximize the experience.

Travel to Puerto Rico

San Juan airport is the biggest and probably the only international airport in Puerto Rico.

It’s easy to find flights from US as most major airports have direct flights to San Juan. We flew in on a red-eye flight with Frontier Airlines from Philadelphia as we got a great deal, with a round trip ticket costing us $300 per person.

For most of the international travelers, you might have to take a flight via one of the major cities in US.

Where to stay in Puerto Rico

We stayed in old San Juan for 3 days and Fajardo region for next 3 days as we wanted to explore El Yunque, Culebra and Vieques islands as well. Our plan was to take a ferry from Fajardo to visit Culebra and Vieques islands. However, we would recommend staying in old San Juan for most part to explore the old street, architecture, cafes and restaurants and take direct flights for Culebra and Vieques islands. You can also get ferries for other nearby islands from old San Juan itself.

We also stayed at ‘The Resort at Coco Beach’ for a night and it was incredible. We definitely suggest this place in case you want to stay outside San Juan and relax.

How to Travel in PR

Coming from US, we have become used to getting a car rental wherever we go in US. However, in Puerto Rico, the need for a car really depends on your itinerary and where you stay. If you staying in Old San Juan, you don’t want to drive as the Old city is best explored on foot and all the streets are single lane with no parking available for visitors.
Places or beaches in and around San Juan can easily be explored using Rideshare taxis which are cheap and easily available.

Visiting El Yunque Rainforest– if you are visiting El Yunque, it’s best to get a car rental since Rideshare cabs are scarce and booking a cab while returning is difficult due to network connectivity in the forest region.

Visiting Culebra and Vieques Islands- You can travel to these islands from San Juan through chartered flights or small airplanes or get a ferry from Ceiba in Fajardo region. If you want to explore Vieques island for the full day, it’s recommended to book a car rental on the island. There are many local rental agencies which offer you Jeep, Golf Carts, Scooters or Bikes.

However, make sure to book these in advance. For North, West and South region in Puerto Rico, you might want to get a car rental.

Places to Visit

1. San Juan
2. Alecibo Observatory
3. Mar Chiquita in Manati
4. Cueva Ventana
5. Bacardi Tour
6. El Moro
7. Coco Beach Resort
8. Viques Island
9. Mosquito Bay
10. Culebra Island
11. El Yunque Rainforest

What to eat in Puerto Rico

Both of us are vegetarians so usually the options we get when we travel are limited. However, most of the restaurants here have vegan or vegetarian options and we had a great time when it comes to food. See our blog post – Taste of San Juan, to know more about the vegetarian food options and cafes we explored in Puerto Rico.