Puerto Rico Travel Tips

It's true, San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico, and statistically the largest city of the state, but does it have the most to offer; is it the hub of nightlife and preeminent hotels in the region? Well, that's debatable and varies between who you ask.

There are other towns to Puerto Rico, most of which harbor their own unique traits that draw in varying streams of tourists throughout the year.

• Staring the tour is Rio Grande, a city about 20 minutes West of Fajardo (discussed below) and a scant Southeastern jaunt from San Juan. Rio Grande is known for meshing the commotion and diversity of the capital city with the sedated attitude of a smaller and more elusive beach town. Luxury resorts, the encompassing El Yunge rainforest, and the stretch of Coco Beach are precise examples of the fusion.



• Fajardo is another largish town with such natural attraction as Bioluminesence Bay, El Conquistador Hotel, and Cabezas de San Juan Natural Reserve.


• Humacao is the largest city in East Puerto Rico. Its beaches aren't all that fetching and it inhabnits that classic drowsy beach town lifestyle, but what it does offer is the area's largest hotel, Palmas del Mar.


• Esperanza is characterized by the Malicon, housing several small restaurants, guesthouses, a museum, and two dive shops. The neighborhood is a specifically residential area and there is also an adjacent park only blocks away.


• Isabel Segunda II is considered the "city" of Vieques Island II.

A town hidden from the luxury resorts of Puerto Rico; simple, charming and antiquated, Old San Juan is a historic landmark for the country, a cluttered jut of white and crème buildings, palm trees, and dilapidated walls that trace an outline of the town.

San Juan offers all the quaint, old-world Spanish elements one would expect from a Caribbean town prefixed with "Old". In the summer months, the temperature and humidity are raging, but the city retains its perpetual beauty. The brave tourists, those not to be thwarted by heat, discover what was the scene for many famous movies, the infamous Cathedral of San Juan, San Cristobal Fort, a field of marble graves and statues, and much more striking scenery.

What visitors are initially taken by are the narrow cobblestone streets and passageways that circulate throughout; curvaceous and erratic, they mount and sink with the town's inconsistent elevation. Tiendas are scattered throughout the town, but what dignifies Old San Juan are the extravagant cultural and governmental structures and vestiges of a civilization that no longer exists.

Venturing to Old San Juan is a trip suggested for the early and later months of the year. As the weather is at its coolest and breeziest state, the potential for experiencing the town and not leaving with your clothes plastered to your body is greatest.

Renting a car or commuting the town by taxi is an option but, because of the confining nature of the streets, is an option that is commonly nixed for walking. If not for the history, the culture, a change of pace to compliment the beautiful hotels in Puerto Rico, visit Old San Juan for the lush scenery and the vivid memories.

What many will consider the most striking beaches of Puerto Rico-with the exception of Coco Beach-are not actually part of its mainland. Instead, they can be found on islands off the coast. What is often the case with these beaches is that instead of overcrowding and gimmicky tourism ploy, what you get, instead, is a scarcely populated beach that paints a traditional, tropical paradise.

Topping the list is a beach unlike any other in Puerto Rico. It's ecosystem is seemingly unrivaled, and there are no hotels to spoil your line of sight.

• Mona Island is often referred to as the Galapagos Island of the Caribbean, and like the Galapagos, some of the more bizarre species of animals call it home, roaming its land and waters, openly. As a result, the island is closed to tourists during hunting season (January - April).
  
  To add to exclusivity, tours to the island are only offered from May through November and to visit the island, you'll need permits from the Natural Resources and Environmental Department.


• Coco Beach is not quite as elusive as Mona Island, but it does share some similar qualities. It offers lingering stretches of virginal beach and colorful contrast between greenery, sand, and vibrant blue ocean. On the beach, however, are as casual scatter of chic resorts.


• Shacks Beach, also known as Bajuras, of Isabela Island is known for spectacular waters that facilitate the best snorkeling, surfing, and windsurfing in Puerto Rico. What many notice are the sleepy coconut palms that line the beach and offer ideal conditions for napping or relaxing.


• Northeast Corridor of Luquillo- The island is not as exclusive as Mona and still offers an impressive amount of exotic wildlife and lush vegetation.

What is particularly appealing about the beaches of Puerto Rico is that, save a few of the overdeveloped areas, most of them are incredibly secluded. They project a sensation of unaware onto their visitors. It is a feeling of isolation that is strangely comforting and familiar.