Popular Destination
A trip to Puerto Rico would give you a lot exciting places to visit due to its diverse geography. Upon arrival at Puerto Rico, your stay would usually be in San Juan. This capital city is a major port and tourist hub of the area.
There is a lot of interesting tourist spots in this area that I would name a few notable ones. One of these is La Fortaleza, built in 1533 as a fortress; it now serves as the official residence of the islands governor. The building unites 16th century military architecture with 20th century refinements. A free tour to this building, that is often dubbed the oldest executive residence in continuous use in the western hemisphere, is given everyday.
El Morro is also a popular Spanish fort to visit. Built during 1591 to defend the entrance of San Juan harbor, it has lots of secret tunnels and dungeons. This massive fortress is six levels high, with 18-foot thick walls and comprises a total area of 74 acres. It is the largest fortification in the Caribbean. Tours are available daily with a minimum admission fee.
For tourists who want to shop, you will surely love San Juan since the Plaza Las Americas Shopping Center is located here. It is the largest shopping center in the Caribbean. Aside from JC Penny, Sears and Macy, which are located in the mall, more than 200 specialty shops are also present.
If you have time, why not visit the Bacardi Rum Distillery? Guided tours are available daily. You get to know the history of Bacardi and the rum making process. After the tour, a free sample of this famous rum is given out.
Interested in astronomy? Just west of San Juan is located the worlds largest radio telescope. This is the Arecibo Observatory. Students and enthusiasts from all over the world gather in this observatory. Visitors are accepted on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays at a limited time only so it is better to contact your local tour operator or the observatory itself for more information.
Also located west of San Juan, around 90 minutes drive by car, is the Camuy Caverns. These natural caverns would definitely be a good place to visit if you are into caving. Located in these caverns is the world’s third largest subterranean river, a must place to visit.
Heading east of San Juan is the El Yunque Rain forest. It is located in the Sierra de Luquillo region; around 60 minutes drive away from San Juan. The forest contains 240 species of trees and plants, and rare wildlife that includes 10 of the rarest species of birds in the world. With a total area of more than 11 thousand hectares, it truly is a huge place to explore with climate conditions ranging from desert to rainforest. I advised you to bring with you your rain gear if you want to visit this area.
What is a trip to Puerto Rico without a visit to the beaches? In the northeast coast of Puerto Rico is a beach town called Luquillo. In here the beaches rank as one of the most beautiful in the world. Luquillo beach is one of these beautiful beaches. Just pay a minimal fee to enter the area with your car and enjoy the beautiful sands and ocean waves.
For those interested in diving and the underwater ecosystem then a trip to Mona Island would definitely suit you. Located just 42 miles from the western coast of Puerto Rico, its land area is 13,000 acres. The island itself is dry with a sub-tropical climate. Snorkeling is best done in this area since the waters are so clear that you could see as far as 150 feet under the sea. Lots of corals could be found here and during the winter months, dolphins and humpback whales are visible from the shoreline. The island is accessible from the coastal towns of Mayaguez and Cabo Rojo. From there, a chartered boat going to Mona would take you around 6 hours, so it is advisable to make plans to stay for two days at Mona to truly enjoy what the island has to offer.