Puerto Rico may be my best work travel experience I and fellow co-workers became fast friends with a few other adventures in the office and we went to a bioluminescent bay and to Gillian's island on a weekend. It may be a U.S. territory but there's no sense you are in the U.S.
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The video that started it all - this was the first travel highlight / video scrapbook I prepared and I still consider it my finest work. It's informative and has a great soundtrack featuring the Buena Vista Social Club.
I made a second trip to Puerto Rico the following year and returned to many of the same places. I continue to follow the co-worker on Facebook and everytime he posts a beach or fishing photo I begin to think now would be a good time to return again. |
INTRODUCTION
This is dated - it’s been over five years since I was last in Puerto Rico but I spent over a month here for work so I was able to gain a pretty thorough understanding of the area and enjoy the time I spent here. While it is part of the US, traveling here definitely feels like you’ve landed in a different country.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Your either in San Juan or opt for an all-inclusive resort outside the city. If you’re in San Juan the two primary places are Condado and Isla Verde. Old San Juan has a few hotel options but Condado and Isla Verde have a higher concentration of restaurants, bars, night life, etc. Whether you are in Condado or Isla Verde comes down to what sort of deal you can get at the hotels in the area. Everything is within walking distance in these areas but if you go between “zones” - Old San Juan (West), Condado (Central), and Isla Verde (East) - you’ll want to take a cab.
FOOD
Five weeks and I can’t recall a single bad meal. I’ve been here so long that Puerto Rican food grew old and ventured out for Sushi, Italian, etc. - still never a bad meal.
The two main Puerto Rican dishes are mofongo and asopao. Plantain and yucca chips/fries/whatever are another common addition to every meal.
SITES, ATTRACTIONS, ADVENTURES
Islands always seem to pack a lot in a little area and San Juan is a prime example - natural wonders, strange animals, good beaches.
IN COUNTRY TRAVEL
I always had a car - Aventuras PR has a pickup point you can take a taxi to; Old San Juan, Condado, and Isla Verde have set taxi fares; El Yunque, Fajardo, Isla Culebra, and Gillgian’s Island you’ll need a car to reach. The airport is on the eastern side of San Juan and once you’re out of town driving is pretty straight forward.
CONCLUSION
I need to head back...soon, go to every place I’ve just mentioned, and see if it’s still as awesome as I remember. Don’t expect too much from the San Juan hotel beaches but otherwise Puerto Rico lives up to the island time lifestyle. It’s a short flight from the east coast, but a Friday night through Monday/Tuesday night/morning here will feel like a much longer vacation.
This is dated - it’s been over five years since I was last in Puerto Rico but I spent over a month here for work so I was able to gain a pretty thorough understanding of the area and enjoy the time I spent here. While it is part of the US, traveling here definitely feels like you’ve landed in a different country.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Your either in San Juan or opt for an all-inclusive resort outside the city. If you’re in San Juan the two primary places are Condado and Isla Verde. Old San Juan has a few hotel options but Condado and Isla Verde have a higher concentration of restaurants, bars, night life, etc. Whether you are in Condado or Isla Verde comes down to what sort of deal you can get at the hotels in the area. Everything is within walking distance in these areas but if you go between “zones” - Old San Juan (West), Condado (Central), and Isla Verde (East) - you’ll want to take a cab.
- New / remodeled hotels are always under construction but the El San Juan Hotel is a San Juan classic. If it’s out of the price range for a night’s stay, you at least want to come here for a meal, drinks, dancing, and people watching.
FOOD
Five weeks and I can’t recall a single bad meal. I’ve been here so long that Puerto Rican food grew old and ventured out for Sushi, Italian, etc. - still never a bad meal.
The two main Puerto Rican dishes are mofongo and asopao. Plantain and yucca chips/fries/whatever are another common addition to every meal.
- Oof Restaurants are the “Stephen Starr” of Puerto Rico - a series of one off restaurants, each with a separate “theme” but same management team so there’s a consistent quality across meals and restaurants. The original restaurant under this groups management is The Parrot Club in Old San Juan - there mofongo is/was excellent - http://www.oofrestaurants.com/
SITES, ATTRACTIONS, ADVENTURES
Islands always seem to pack a lot in a little area and San Juan is a prime example - natural wonders, strange animals, good beaches.
- Caving - this was one of my first adventure activities - caving in the Rio Camuy Caverns - I’ve used many tour companies but the lead guide I had on this tour was and still is the best ever. Your experience may vary but the activities involved are amazing on their own. There’s a zipline across a canyon, rappel into the cave entrance, wade through mud, hike through underground rivers, blind jump into underground pools, and lots of other adventures through four hours of cave darkness. Here’s the link: http://aventuraspr.com/
- Old San Juan, El Morro, and San Cristobal - you’ll want to take a taxi here but once in the area it’s all walkable. El Morro has a huge field and if you have young kids you’ll want to bring a kite.
- El Yunque and Luquillo Beach - rainforest hike to Puerto Rico’s highest point and a nearby beach to hangout and snack on fried food afterwards
- Fajardo and Las Cabezas de San Juan - one of five (?) locations in the world with water fireflies - it’s pretty cool; dip your hand in the water, raise your hand, and watch lightning bugs slide down your arm; smack the paddle against the water surface and watch fish scatter triggering lights in their aftermath; paddle fast and light up the pond - unfortunately you can’t jump in
- Isla de Culebra - supposedly this is a great island but due to island time issues I’ve never been able to catch the ferry
- Gilligan’s Island - two hour drive south of San Juan, rent a kayak and paddle out with a cooler of beer and food - put the beach chair in the shallow water, swim around the island, jump off mangrove trees...this is as local as it gets
IN COUNTRY TRAVEL
I always had a car - Aventuras PR has a pickup point you can take a taxi to; Old San Juan, Condado, and Isla Verde have set taxi fares; El Yunque, Fajardo, Isla Culebra, and Gillgian’s Island you’ll need a car to reach. The airport is on the eastern side of San Juan and once you’re out of town driving is pretty straight forward.
CONCLUSION
I need to head back...soon, go to every place I’ve just mentioned, and see if it’s still as awesome as I remember. Don’t expect too much from the San Juan hotel beaches but otherwise Puerto Rico lives up to the island time lifestyle. It’s a short flight from the east coast, but a Friday night through Monday/Tuesday night/morning here will feel like a much longer vacation.