Puerto Rico, a charming island paradise

From the breathtaking diversity of El Yunque National Forest to one of the world’s brightest bioluminescent bays, Puerto Rico is a diverse destination that has everything to offer. Visiting it is as simple as taking a drive through any U.S. state.

Pack your bags and travel to discover the island’s crystal-clear beaches, explore the caves, hike the trails and immerse yourself in the island’s laid-back local culture.

Its many tropical beaches, nature reserves, state forests and wildlife refuges are part of the diversity offered by this Caribbean treasure whose yearround temperatures range from 21 to 27 degrees Celsius.

But if you want to activate your energy even more, in this unique destination you can find activities such as zip-lining, climbing, rappelling, snorkeling, diving and much more.

Puerto Rico is a former colony of Spain, now a U.S. commonwealth. The archipelago’s Spanish heritage continues to influence many aspects, from architecture to food, music and language, although English is widely spoken and the U.S. dollar is used throughout the island.

It’s full of authentic and little-known experiences, from local markets to art museums to performances by local musicians. If you have the pleasure of being on the island, be sure to see everything from the colonial city of Old San Juan to the mountains and pristine islands, such as Vieques and Culebra.

With a coastline of nearly 300 beaches to mazelike caves, it is home to three of the world’s five bioluminescent bays: Laguna Grande in Fajardo, Mosquito Bay in Vieques and La Parguera in Lajas. These bays are a true spectacle at night, filled with millions of unicellular organisms that illuminate the water like glowing stars.

The island has several caves, including the famous Tanama Canyon in Utuado, where visitors can explore a network of caverns, canyons and tunnels between limestone cliffs.

Adventures in PR: Currently called “Isla Aventura” as an internal tourism campaign for residents, it has gone a little further and is being used by visitors who want to get to know Puerto Rico even more from the inside.

Whether on land or at sea, there’s plenty to keep visitors busy in Puerto Rico. Hike through the U.S. National Forest System’s only rainforest, El Yunque, to observe a wide variety of plant and animal species (some of which are found only on this island). This forest is located to the northeast, has several hiking trails and is also home to ancient petroglyphs.

Architecture lovers will find it fascinating and will want to explore some of the centuries-old buildings, including forts and museums of great historical significance. At the end of the tour, you can cool off in the water by swimming, surfing, rafting, tubing or kayaking in the ocean or rivers. Also great fishing.

Gastronomic: Locals often make authentic preparations, regional specialties that include fried green plantains known as tostones, fried dough stuffed with beef, called pastelillos, and mashed green plantains, known as mofongo.

For thirst, they offer certain specialties such as a creamy, tropical piña colada cocktail (the official drink of Puerto Rico), a Medalla, the popular local beer, or with one of the numerous cocktails made with locally produced rum, such as Bacardi, Don Q and others.

On the island there are elegant restaurants and urban food; options for any palate and occasion.

Shopping: Plaza Las Américas, The Mall of San Juan, are the main shopping centers where you can find well-known national and international brands, as well as world-class luxury labels.

Did you know? For those of you who have ever been curious about why Puerto Ricans call themselves “Boricuas”, this refers to the indigenous name “Boriken”, which translates as “land of the brave lord”.

www.prtourism.com