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Puerto Rico: It’s not just for beaches…
Puerto Rico has 365 beaches, one for each day of the year, some of the hottest surfing spots in the Caribbean and perfect weather that swings between 70 and 80 degrees year-round. It is also an Eco system paradise: from protected coral reefs with seagrass beds to mangrove forests, PR offers something for everyone. Whether you’re traveling with toddlers, taking a honeymoon or going solo, we came up with even more good reasons to go.
Passport: Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States so US citizens do not need passports to visit the island and there are no duties to pay. However, there are laws against bringing fruits and vegetables back into the US.
Language: Both Spanish and English are the island's official languages but English is spoken widely, especially in San Juan.
Currency: No exchange rate to worry about -- it’s the U.S. dollar!
Travel: San Juan is not as far as you’d think. For example, it’s under four hours on a direct flight from New York.
 The Rain Forest: Eco nut or not, a visit to the El Yunque rainforest is a list topper. One minute you look up to lush green peaks surrounded by perfectly shaped clouds, the next you’ll be pummeled by rain. The 28,000 acre preserve is also the only tropical rainforest in the US. Located 45 minutes from San Juan, El Yunque has 24 miles of hiking trails complete with waterfalls, wild birds and parrots and 150 and 240 species of ferns and trees respectively.
Gambling is legal in Puerto Rico. Casinos are regulated by the government and are only permitted in hotels, which as a result, means they are situated in secure locations. Another upside is that there is always plenty of entertainment 24/7. By the way, dress is casual during the day but lose the cut-offs, t-shirts or shorts at night. Locals tend to dress up for the kill!
Bioluminescent Bays might look like something cooked up by Disney but they’re real. Puerto Rico has two such bays. One at La Parguera on the southwest coast and the other on Vieques, an island off the northeastern shore. Their phosphorescence is generated by microscopic organisms in the water. Scientists believe the tiny organisms light up so their predators can see more desirable prey – and leave them alone. To view the glorious luminescence we paddled kayaks in the dark through narrow mangrove lagoons to an open bay where the organisms live. Run your hands or paddles through the water and puddles illuminate with fairy dust like magic sparkles. Enchanting!
Adventure in Paradise: Puerto Rico is only about 100 miles long and 35 miles wide, so even the most distant points are only a three-hour drive apart. The landscape varies from tropical rainforests to caverns and canyons and rocky hills with rivers. For the explorer there’s hiking, rock climbing, spelunking, kayaking and camping on deserted islands. If you want something tamer, there’s snorkeling, scuba diving, horseback riding on the beach and zip lines through the rain forest.
And There’s History: Construction on the fort Castillo San Felipe del Morro began in 1539. The original tower and fortress were part of a large defense system built by the Spaniards in Old San Juan. The Spanish Empire spent over 250 years fortifying this location so that Spain could control access and commerce in and out of the New World while protecting the port from enemy ships. These days visitors can climb through towers and descend stone steps to the sea when visiting this momentous structure. Another point of historical interest, the Capital Building of Puerto Rico, established in 1929, is just outside the walls of Old San Juan, facing the Atlantic Ocean. The three-story building, complete with pink marble columns and staircases, has ceiling frescoes, Venetian mosaics and large historical paintings by Puerto Rican artists. Displayed on the first floor of the domed rotunda is the original draft of the constitution of Puerto Rico with signatures of the Constitutional Convention of 1951-52.
Culture: San Juan’s Museo de Arte was created by the transformation of a 1920s hospital to a modern neoclassical structure. It encompasses works by Puerto Rican artists, contemporary architecture, a 400-seat theater for performances, a five-acre garden and the restaurant Pikayo. Antique hunters should check out El Alcazar in Old San Juan, the Caribbean’s largest emporium of silver, art and other treasures.
 THE DIGS: The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is located five miles from the airport on Condado Beach. It’s set apart from the crowd of beachfront hotels which is rather nice. The newly- renovated resort has indulgences for everyone including two pools, three restaurants, a 24-hour casino, a fitness center and spa. The lobby lounge, a favorite with the locals, has live entertainment, dancing and a lively bar seven nights a week. 800 464-5005; www.marriott.com
For more information: Contact the Puerto Rico Tourism Company: 800 866-7827; www.gotopuertorico.com.
Side Bar: Surrounded by San Juan Bay on one side, the Atlantic Ocean on the other, Old San Juan, is one of the oldest cities in the Caribbean. The walled city of seven blocks has narrow cobblestone streets. Bounded by four fortresses from the Spanish Colonial Empire, Old San Juan is a lovely little city with courtyards, fountains and chapels dating from the 17th and 18th centuries side by side with trendy shops, bistros, night clubs and funky restaurants. You can tuck into a local place for beans and rice or check out some of the hipper dining venues like the Parrot Club for Latin fusion dishes and good martinis, Aqua Viva for “Nuevo Latino” food, the rooftop bar, Wet, for sushi or dessert or Dragonfly for Caribbean/Asian fusion cuisine.
Nights are long in Old San Juan. There’s Brava in the LXR El San Juan Hotel and Casino- a salsa nightclub with all-night gambling in the lobby, Tantra, for an exotic, Latino Hindu atmosphere and Fratelli for international rhythms, Latin pop and salsa. Or you can kick-back with some Brazilian or blues at Café Bohemio at the historic Hotel El Convento.
And yes, there’s shopping. In Old San Juan you’ll find everything from art and jewelry to local crafts. There is high-end couture like Louis Vuitton and Cartier plus outdoor markets. Chic boutiques in Old San Juan include: Stella Nolasco and Nono Maldonado, two of Puerto Rico’s haute couture designers; the Piada boutique in San Juan across from the Marriott, and Luis Antonio in Miramar who has designed clothes for Jennifer Lopez, among others. Look for traditional crafts like santos - small, wooden figures of saints and religious scenes; mundillo lace - intricate, handmade bobbin lace; and vejigantes - carnival masks made of coconut that ward off evil spirits. Check out Galeria de Arte at 250 San Jose Street Old San Juan for native and mystical art. The owner painted the walls and ceilings of her charming boutique with drawings of magical mermaids.
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