1. San Juan
Established in 1521, San Juan is the second-oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas and the oldest under US jurisdiction. Shoehorned onto a tiny islet that guards the entrance to San Juan harbor, the old town was inaugurated almost a century before the Mayflower laid anchor in present-day Massachusetts, and it is now a historic wonderland that juxtaposes historical authenticity with pulsating modern energy. Beyond its timeworn 15ft-thick walls, San Juan is far more than a collection of well-polished colonial-era artifacts – it’s also a mosaic of ever-evolving neighborhoods such as Santurce, which has a raw vitality fueled by street art, superb restaurants and a bar scene that takes over the streets at night. And then there's the beaches. Silky ribbons of sand line San Juan's northern edge from swanky Condado to resort-filled Isla Verde. You can land at the airport and be splashing in the azure waters an hour later.
El Morro
The star of Old San Juan, El Morro juts aggressively over bold headlands, glowering across the Atlantic at would-be conquerors. The 140ft walls (some up to 15ft thick) date back to 1539 and El Morro is said to be the oldest Spanish fort in the New World. Displays document the construction of the fort, which took almost 200 years, as well as El Morro’s role in rebuffing attacks on the island by the British, the Dutch and, later, the US military.
Fuerte San Cristóbal
San Juan’s second major fort is Fuerte San Cristóbal, one of the largest military installations the Spanish built in the Americas. In its prime, San Cristóbal covered 27 acres with a maze of six interconnected forts protecting a central core with 150ft walls, moats, booby-trapped bridges and tunnels. The fort has a fascinating museum, a store, military archives, a reproduction of military barracks, and stunning Atlantic and city views.
Condado
If you’ve come to Puerto Rico for the beach, it’s entirely possible that you’ll never get any farther than Condado. Located in the middle of some unbelievable high rise towers and resort, Condado is the place for beach bars and any water sport you can think of. This is a beach in the heart of the city so it’s lively and something is always happening there. Waiters will cater to your every cocktail whim and its close proximity to so many hotels makes it easy to spend a day in the sun and then head out into the city at night.
2. Vieques
Measuring 21 miles long by 5 miles wide, Vieques is substantially bigger than Culebra and distinctly different in ambience. Though still a million metaphorical miles from the bright lights of the Puerto Rican mainland, the larger population here has meant more choice of accommodations, swankier restaurants and generally more buzz. It's renowned for its gorgeous beaches, semi-wild horses and unforgettable bioluminescent bay. Since the official withdrawal of the US Navy in 2003, Vieques has regularly been touted as the Caribbean’s next ‘big thing,’ with pristine beaches and a coastline ripe for the developer’s bulldozer. Fortunately, environmental authorities swept in quickly after the handover and promptly declared all of the former military land (70% of the island’s total area) a US Fish & Wildlife Refuge. The measure has meant that the bulk of the island remains virgin territory to be explored and enjoyed by all. Development elsewhere has been slow and low-key. Understandably, Vieques’ residents – many of whom are US expats – are fiercely protective of their Caribbean nirvana.
3. Culebra
Long feted for its diamond-dust beaches and world-class diving reefs, sleepy Culebra is probably more famous for what it hasn’t got than for what it actually possesses. There are no big hotels here, no golf courses, no casinos, no fast-food chains, no rush-hour traffic and, best of all, no stress. Situated 27km off mainland Puerto Rico, but inhabiting an entirely different planet culturally speaking, the island’s slow pace can sometimes take a bit of getting used to. It’s home to rat-race dropouts, earnest idealists, solitude seekers, myriad eccentrics and anyone else who’s forsaken the hassles and manic intricacies of modern life. It's also home to a range of gorgeous natural areas, bays, snorkeling sites, hiking trails and all manner of fine beaches. Come, join the local vibe and explore one of Puerto Rico's most gorgeous destinations.
4. Cavernas de las Río Camuy
The beguiling network of stalagmite-ornamented caves at Río Camuy is the third-largest network of its kind in the world, formed by the soft karstic limestone that shapes the hills on this remarkable part of the island. This park is big – it's spread over 10 miles and has multiple entrances. A visit here can be an unearthly, slightly creepy diversion from the typically sunny shore, if you have the time and patience to put up with the terrible crowds. Over the years, the caves have been shelters for indigenous people, home to millions of bats that help keep the island’s insect population under control, and a source of fertilizer. But no modern explorers went to the trouble of making a thorough investigation of the caves until 1958. In 1986 the attraction opened as a tourist facility.
5. El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque National Forest is one of Puerto Rico’s crown jewels. It boasts nearly 29,000 acres of lush mountainous terrain, with waterfalls dotting the landscape, rushing rivers and gurgling brooks, bromeliads clinging to towering trees, and bamboo groves opening to spectacular ocean views. The only rainforest in the US National Forest System, El Yunque (named after the Taíno god, Yúcahu) has 37km of trails, some short and paved, others long, steep and barely there. Almost all gain some elevation; one of the toughest is to El Yunque's peak, El Toro, almost 1100m above sea level. Both casual and experienced hikers are sure to find rewarding trails.
6. Ponce
Ponce es Ponce (Ponce is Ponce), runs a simple yet telling Puerto Rican saying: the explanation given as to why the nation's haughty second city does things, well, uniquely – and in defiance of the capital. Native son and author Abelardo Díaz Alfaro went further, calling Ponce a baluarte irreductible de puertorriqueñidad – a bastion of the irreducible essence of Puerto Rico. Strolling around the sparkling fountains and narrow architecturally ornamented streets of the historic center certainly evokes Puerto Rico’s stately past. Unfortunately, the neighborhoods that surround the central square exhibit woeful characteristics of Puerto Rico’s present: irreducible snarls of congested traffic, economic stagnation and cookie-cutter urban sprawl. But stick central amid the outstanding colonial-era architecture and the city's dozen or so museums (many ranking among the island's best), or 5km south at the seashore-hugging restaurant-lined boardwalk of La Guancha Paseo Tablado, and it's only Ponce's elegant side that you need experience.
7. Guánica
Not much happens in underwhelming Guánica itself, but international travelers are enticed by some of the south coast's most idyllic accommodation options southeast of town, an astounding swathe of bays and beaches, and the wilderness that links the whole region together, the stunning Bosque Estatal de Guánica, perched in hills above the sea.
8. Isla Mona
Few wilderness adventures in the Caribbean can compare with a trip to Isla Mona, a wild, deserted speck in the ocean some 80km to the west of the main island. And although few people ever visit, the 14,000-acre island looms large in the imagination. It’s a place where the dramatic beauty of limestone caves and turquoise water coexists with the dangers of a rugged, isolated environment. Then there’s the island’s long, romantic history, told in Taíno petroglyphs and swashbuckling stories about sunken galleons, treasures of gold and skeletons of 18th-century pirates.
Source: Lonely Planet; The Crazy Tourist
Sponsorship
Comments
Post a Comment