Nicknamed Isla del Encanto (the Island of Enchantment), Puerto Rico is a Caribbean destination brimming with culture, history and natural beauty. The island delights visitors at every turn, from the cloud-covered mountain peaks to the depths of the ocean floor and everywhere in between.
Traveling to Puerto Rico is easy and convenient. The island has two international airports: Luis Munoz Marin (SJU) in the west and Rafael Hernandez (BQN) in the east. Since Puerto Rico is a United States territory, there’s no need to show a passport if you fly in from anywhere in the USA. A well-developed highway system and several regional airports make traversing the island easy by air or by car, and San Juan, Puerto Rico’s capital city, is a popular port for cruise ships.
San Juan offers a variety of ways to enjoy your time. Luxury resorts, fine-dining restaurants and casinos in Isla Verde and Condado cater to travelers seeking high-end relaxation and nightlife, while the cobblestone streets and historic churches of Old San Juan transport visitors back in time. Old San Juan also features a great deal of 16th-, 17th– and 18th-century Spanish architecture that is well maintained and painted in bright, eye-catching colors.
Puerto Rico’s beaches are vast and varied, which means that beachgoers of all kinds can enjoy the coastline. The offshore islands of Culebra and Vieques are home to some of the most pristine sandy white stretches in the Caribbean. Scuba divers from all over come to explore La Pared near La Parguera, and surfers are stoked to hit the west-coast town of Rincon looking for big swells.
One of the most popular spots for ecotourism is the majestic 20,000-acre Puerto Rico Rainforest or El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the entire US National Forest system. This one-of-a-kind attraction brims with towering trees, trails for hikers of all experience levels, natural waterfalls and hundreds of animal species indigenous to the area.
Whether you’re at a beachside kiosk in Luquillo or enjoying fine-dining Caribbean cuisine in Old San Juan, your taste buds will thank you for traveling to Puerto Rico. Food here is fresh, flavorful and authentic. Many traditional dishes highlight local ingredients like plantains, peppers and avocados, accompanied by freshly caught seafood, succulent pork and other island-raised meats. If you’ve had your fill of Puerto Rican dishes, the island also offers outstanding international cuisine ranging from Italian to Thai to Chinese.
Puerto Rico recently garnered attention on the international stage thanks to Rio Olympics gold medal winner Monica Puig, who served up a win in women’s tennis. The victory marks Puerto Rico’s first-ever Olympic gold medal and became an instant source of pride for Puerto Ricans living on the island and around the world.
Want to know more? Explore our website to learn about traveling to this Island of Enchantment.