Introduction
A bustling island whose shiny consumerism rubs up against an unspoiled interior. Puerto Rico is where four centuries of Spanish Caribbean culture comes face to face with the American convenience store. This leads to some strange juxtapositions - parking lots and plazas, freeways and fountains, skyscrapers and shanties - but it's all apiece with the Caribbean's hybrid history.
Travellers who venture into the island's mountainous interior or explore its undeveloped coasts come across stately hill towns where the locals in the plaza seem to have been feeding the same pigeons for decades, and reefs where divers can see 30 species of fish in as many seconds.
Geography:
Puerto Rico is rectangular, sandwiched between the bulk of Hispaniola (shared by Dominican Republic and Haiti) and the tiny archipelagos of the US Virgin Islands. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The mainland measures 100mi by 35mi (175km by 56km) , about the size of Corsica, and is roughly bisected by the rugged Cordillera Central, whose high point is the 4400ft (1340m ) Cerro la Punta. The hills drain into Puerto Rico's lush northern coast and the drier southern region. The small islands of Vieques and Culebra (to the east) and Mona (to the west) are also Puerto Rican territory.
Destination Facts
Capital: San Juan
Governor: Luis Fortu ñ o
Government: commonwealth of the United States
Time zone: GMT -4
Area: 9060
Population: 3915798
People: Hispanic 88.5%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%
Languages: Roman Catholic (85%), Protestant
Currency: US Dollar (US$)
Major industries: pharmaceuticals, clothing, food products, electronics, tourism
Major Trading Partners: USA, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad & Tobago
Country Dialing Code: 787
Getting There
The peak tourist season is between December and April, but this has more to do with the climate in North America than anything else. During these months the island is swamped by visitors, prices are highest and accommodation can be hard to find. Obviously it's much less crowded during the official hurricane season (May through November). Although hurricanes are rare, they're able to do more than merely put a dampener on your holiday. Definitely keep an eye on weather reports if you're in Puerto Rico at this time, especially in August, September and October. If you intend to travel inland bring a sweater for the evenings regardless of when you visit - it's much cooler in them thar hills.
Getting there and away
Puerto Rico is the most accessible island in the Caribbean. San Juan is a major hub for American Airlines, so there's easy access to its US domestic network. A number of other North American carriers fly between Puerto Rico and a score of mainland cities; Miami has the most frequent flights. Air Canada has direct service from Toronto and Montreal. British Airways has services from London, Iberia from Madrid and Condor from Frankfurt.San Juan's Luis Mu ñ oz Mar í n International Airport is on the eastern fringe of the city. There are car rental agencies at the airport and plenty of taxis and buses for the short jaunt into San Juan. There's a baggage check in Terminal C, which is handy if you're island hopping and want to travel light. There are excellent air connections to many Caribbean islands, including BWIA flights to Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad, and Air France connections to Guadeloupe and Martinique. American Airlines and American Eagle have short-hop flights to the popular day-trip destination of St Thomas and St Croix in the US Virgin Islands, and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. There are also flights to South and Central American destinations. There's a 14.10 airport departure tax when leaving San Juan, usually included in your airline ticket price.There are weekend ferries from Fajardo to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
Getting around
Renting a car is the best way to see the island. International car rental agencies are well represented and there are plenty of local operators. Your home driving license is valid. Note that local driving habits are erratic (to be kind) though relatively aggression-free (to be fair). Also watch out for the speed limit signs, which are in miles per hour, even though distances are in kilometres. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road. If driving doesn't appeal, you can stock up on patience and take public transport. Minivans known as p ú blicos link all decent-sized towns on the island. They have no set schedule and usually operate in short hops, so be prepared for several changes if you're travelling a long distance and it's not between two major cities. P ú blicos are cheap, sociable and recognizable by the 'P' or 'PD' on their license plate. You can flag one down anywhere. Metered taxis are plentiful in San Juan and other major tourist centres. Cheap government-operated ferries do the run from Fajardo to the islands of Culebra and Vieques. At least four ferries a day ply either route and the journey to either island is around one hour. It's possible to take a car, including rental cars, on the ferry to Culebra but it's necessary to book well in advance.
Visa:
US & Canadian citizens do not require visas or passports but must have valid ID. Citizens of many western European countries, Australia, New Zealand and Japan can take advantage of a US reciprocal visa waiver program if they intend to stay less than 90 days. Citizens of all other countries require a US visa.
Weather
Puerto Rico is balmy year round, with daily highs averaging between 27-30 ° C (80-86 ° F). Hurricane season is between May and November, especially intense in the months of August, September and October. Otherwise rain is fairly regular throughout the year, with February and March being slightly drier than other months.
Places of Interest
Puerto Rico is where four centuries of Spanish Caribbean culture comes face to face with the American convenience store. This leads to some strange juxtapositions - parking lots and plazas, freeways and fountains, skyscrapers and shanties - but it's all apiece with the Caribbean's hybrid history.
Travellers who venture into the island's mountainous interior or explore its undeveloped coasts come across stately hill towns where the locals in the plaza seem to have been feeding the same pigeons for decades, and reefs where divers can see 30 species of fish in as many seconds.
A bustling island whose shiny consumerism rubs up against an unspoiled interior. Puerto Rico is where four centuries of Spanish Caribbean culture comes face to face with the American convenience store. This leads to some strange juxtapositions - parking lots and plazas, freeways and fountains, skyscrapers and shanties - but it's all apiece with the Caribbean's hybrid history.
Travellers who venture into the island's mountainous interior or explore its undeveloped coasts come across stately hill towns where the locals in the plaza seem to have been feeding the same pigeons for decades, and reefs where divers can see 30 species of fish in as many seconds.
Geography:
Puerto Rico is rectangular, sandwiched between the bulk of Hispaniola (shared by Dominican Republic and Haiti) and the tiny archipelagos of the US Virgin Islands. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The mainland measures 100mi by 35mi (175km by 56km) , about the size of Corsica, and is roughly bisected by the rugged Cordillera Central, whose high point is the 4400ft (1340m ) Cerro la Punta. The hills drain into Puerto Rico's lush northern coast and the drier southern region. The small islands of Vieques and Culebra (to the east) and Mona (to the west) are also Puerto Rican territory.
Destination Facts
Capital: San Juan
Governor: Luis Fortu ñ o
Government: commonwealth of the United States
Time zone: GMT -4
Area: 9060
Population: 3915798
People: Hispanic 88.5%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%
Languages: Roman Catholic (85%), Protestant
Currency: US Dollar (US$)
Major industries: pharmaceuticals, clothing, food products, electronics, tourism
Major Trading Partners: USA, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad & Tobago
Country Dialing Code: 787
Getting There
The peak tourist season is between December and April, but this has more to do with the climate in North America than anything else. During these months the island is swamped by visitors, prices are highest and accommodation can be hard to find. Obviously it's much less crowded during the official hurricane season (May through November). Although hurricanes are rare, they're able to do more than merely put a dampener on your holiday. Definitely keep an eye on weather reports if you're in Puerto Rico at this time, especially in August, September and October. If you intend to travel inland bring a sweater for the evenings regardless of when you visit - it's much cooler in them thar hills.
Getting there and away
Puerto Rico is the most accessible island in the Caribbean. San Juan is a major hub for American Airlines, so there's easy access to its US domestic network. A number of other North American carriers fly between Puerto Rico and a score of mainland cities; Miami has the most frequent flights. Air Canada has direct service from Toronto and Montreal. British Airways has services from London, Iberia from Madrid and Condor from Frankfurt.San Juan's Luis Mu ñ oz Mar í n International Airport is on the eastern fringe of the city. There are car rental agencies at the airport and plenty of taxis and buses for the short jaunt into San Juan. There's a baggage check in Terminal C, which is handy if you're island hopping and want to travel light. There are excellent air connections to many Caribbean islands, including BWIA flights to Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad, and Air France connections to Guadeloupe and Martinique. American Airlines and American Eagle have short-hop flights to the popular day-trip destination of St Thomas and St Croix in the US Virgin Islands, and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. There are also flights to South and Central American destinations. There's a 14.10 airport departure tax when leaving San Juan, usually included in your airline ticket price.There are weekend ferries from Fajardo to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
Getting around
Renting a car is the best way to see the island. International car rental agencies are well represented and there are plenty of local operators. Your home driving license is valid. Note that local driving habits are erratic (to be kind) though relatively aggression-free (to be fair). Also watch out for the speed limit signs, which are in miles per hour, even though distances are in kilometres. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road. If driving doesn't appeal, you can stock up on patience and take public transport. Minivans known as p ú blicos link all decent-sized towns on the island. They have no set schedule and usually operate in short hops, so be prepared for several changes if you're travelling a long distance and it's not between two major cities. P ú blicos are cheap, sociable and recognizable by the 'P' or 'PD' on their license plate. You can flag one down anywhere. Metered taxis are plentiful in San Juan and other major tourist centres. Cheap government-operated ferries do the run from Fajardo to the islands of Culebra and Vieques. At least four ferries a day ply either route and the journey to either island is around one hour. It's possible to take a car, including rental cars, on the ferry to Culebra but it's necessary to book well in advance.
Visa:
US & Canadian citizens do not require visas or passports but must have valid ID. Citizens of many western European countries, Australia, New Zealand and Japan can take advantage of a US reciprocal visa waiver program if they intend to stay less than 90 days. Citizens of all other countries require a US visa.
Weather
Puerto Rico is balmy year round, with daily highs averaging between 27-30 ° C (80-86 ° F). Hurricane season is between May and November, especially intense in the months of August, September and October. Otherwise rain is fairly regular throughout the year, with February and March being slightly drier than other months.
Places of Interest
Puerto Rico is where four centuries of Spanish Caribbean culture comes face to face with the American convenience store. This leads to some strange juxtapositions - parking lots and plazas, freeways and fountains, skyscrapers and shanties - but it's all apiece with the Caribbean's hybrid history.
Travellers who venture into the island's mountainous interior or explore its undeveloped coasts come across stately hill towns where the locals in the plaza seem to have been feeding the same pigeons for decades, and reefs where divers can see 30 species of fish in as many seconds.
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