My wife and I want to visit Puerto Rico this summer, probably in a car rental with a cheap hotel/apartment as a base camp. Has anyone ever visited
this island before? I want to visit the backcountry just like my Baja Grande event - stopping at all the great places that may or may not be
populated, and soaking up the culture.
My first item on the agenda will be to buy a Lonely Planet guidebook.
Another big pull for visiting Puerto Rico is the music...Reggaeton in the barrios of San Juan and we're hoping to visit some night spots that play the local flavor.
"El Telefono" - Hector "The Father" w/Wisin y Yandel
Hola, the wife and i were there for just a short visit and stayed at the hilton in the month of february, well ahead of the hurricane season. very
good restaurants, lots of shopping at the duty free bazaars but i didn't have good luck fishing. went to the old san juan area for more shopping and
found unbelievable bargains, but you really need to know your prices. don't know about now though.
unfortunately, we met friends there and didn't take the time to explore and didn't know too much about the island. we will always sign onto the tours
now so we can see and learn a lot more and get a more extensive overview of wherever we visit.
i was warned in st. thomas...always watch where you are walking in or on the beaches because a sea urchin can ruin your whole trip !
you can always take short hops on what they called a " goose ", ( back then ) about a twenty passenger prop plane, and go and visit the other islands
like they do in hawaii, except hawaii uses jets. st. thomas, bermuda, etc.
you must be careful where you go as you would in cabo or los angeles. no dark alleys, don't flash money or jewelry, etc.
Been there many times and on the last trip I rented a car, with GPS, so I wouldn't miss all the great places and beaches. You both will have a great
time! A lot to see and do.
I think many folks who visit Puerto Rico really only encounter San Juan inasmuch as that's where the major airport is, as well as the fact that cruise
ships either visit there or depart from there. San Juan is a very densely populated area. Traffic is heavy. There are close to 1 1/2 million people
living in the greater San Juan area. Rat is correct about Old San Juan. Shouldn't miss it. some really great restaurants to compliment the shopping.
Fortunately, you can literally drive completely around the island by virtue of a network of roads. While you will be able to visit some beautiful
pristine areas, don't expect to find the wide, open and uninhabited lands that you find in Baja.
Thanks for your input. I don't like getting shaken down at the tourist traps, and a good guidebook - just like the ones I have bought for Baja,
should do the trick when it comes to exploring.
Since my wife is from the barrios of N.Colombia, she knows about not flashing cash, pulling out cell phones in taxi cabs, use of ATMs, drive by
hold-ups/purse snatchers on motorcycle, etc.
It's always good to keep a low profile and blend in as much as possible.
I lived in Puerto Rico for two years. Rented a house on Dorado Del Mar about 20 miles west of SJ and lived amongst the locals. Even qualified &
played on the PR Golf Team. The PR people are fun loving, warm and "give-the-shirt-off-their-backs" kind of people. Still have close friends today
from that wonderful experience. The farther you get away from SJ the more you will experience the true PR. I suggest you rent a car and move your
lodging as you vist different quadrants of the country. That way you can see all of the island and only have a short trip back to your room instead
of always back tracking. It's a long drive back from Fajardo back to SJ. Local fishing can be ok at the right time. I'd suggest tarpon fishing in
the lagoons by SJ's airport. I use to blue claw crabbing at the end of the Dorado River in Dorado. Yum. Make sure you visit the hilly part of the
island's central interior. The hand picked coffee is the best ever. Sorry Starbucks you're way down the list. Also make sure you stop at EVERY
roadside stand, cart or small store that has food displayed is glass cases with heat lamps. Even if you do not know what it is ask for a sample of
these bite-sized morsels. There will be roots, saugages, pork, bread fruit, chicken, and fish. All incrediably wonder to the taste buds. Especially
the whole roast pig (lechon) they slice off. I loved the fresh fried chicharone(?) con carne; thick flaky fried pig skin with hugh pieces of meat
sandwiched between a piece of pan de leche (bread made of milk). Make sure you buy a bag of kenepes (look live green grapes) from the venders that
sell them in the street when you are stopped at a light. Just whole up your hand and they will come running. Almost forgot. On the way to the rain
forest east of SJ ask where you can get "Pio No Nos"; riped plantains, stuffed with seasoned meat, topped with cheese and baked until the cheese
melts. It was invented in honor of the Pope's visit back in the 70s
The beaches are beautiful but are littered in the tourist areas. We would usually go the the beachs off the normal tourist trail and they would be
spacious, clean and empty. That's why it would be nice to move your lodging as you see all of PR.
Have a wonderful stay and make an effort to meet the people and try conversing in their language to start your conversations. They know english but
perfer not to speak it. So at least know the basic words.
Lobsterman, my idea was to explore around the Miami area, but this seems more like we will be in for a much more culturally-rich experience than
hitting I-95 in the Miami area.
The Zona Cafetera that you mention sounds like a blast. On Craigslist, people have their apartments listed for rent, so we plan to take this
route - staying as close to the coast as possible. It should be an incredible experience.
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
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