Sep 7, 20217 min read

Discover Puerto Rico 🇵🇷🌊☀️🏝

A goal should scare you a little and excite you a LOT!

The travel world has changed so much in the recent past that we can't deny the fear we have in our hearts every time we travel about a what if!

Maybe it will go as per the plan .. maybe it won't. But it will all be okay and the goal is to stay upbeat and excited about life happening!

#TeamTangyNotes is just back from a very exciting trip to Puerto Rico and we are super excited to share the scoop!

Puerto Rico offers an astonishing variety of rain forest, deserts, beaches, waterfalls, caves, oceans, and rivers. It's a dream destination for any adventurer like me.

Geography

Puerto Rico is an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea consisting of the main island, four small islands, and hundreds of cays and islets. The island territory is only 100 miles long and 35 miles wide therefore it is an awesome idea to rent a car if you really want to explore the island all across at your own pace #PlanningTip. We were really happy with the itinerary we created and the chances we took. We also got really lucky to cover most of the main island. PR offers the widest variety of experiences and it is one of the very few places where I can go again and again.

PR is a Caribbean island but unincorporated U.S. territory so you don't need a passport for visiting PR. #PlanningTip.

Getting Ready

We divided our stay between 2 different places, to completely enjoy the Old San Juan experience as well as the rainforest area so I suggest doing the same. #PlanningTip But as our PuertoRican adventure unfolded we ended up adding a third accommodation towards the west coast of PR. Read below ...

The weather is always an important criterion to visit PR since it is located in a busy hurricane area and the unpredictable season lasts from June to November so we went with low expectations but encountered the most beautiful showers and sunshine. We heard from locals that hurricane weather in PR always brings 5-7 mins of strong rains followed by sunshine unless the weatherman is predicting a major one. We had insurance on the trip and that gave us some mental peace #PlanningTip.

Also, quick research of what attractions are open and what is not during these indifferent times should also be helpful #PlannigTIp but for that #TeamTangyNotes is here.

Most importantly, PR is very strict for Covid negative tests (for under 12) and a vaccination card. #PlanningTip The simple requirement is to upload vaccination or negative test on the travel website and acquire a green QR code which will be scanned at the airport. https://www.travelsafe.pr.gov/

However much you plan but colorful Puerto Rico will always bring happy memories so that’s certain :)

Where we started -

Hotel El Convento: https://www.elconvento.com/

In the heart of historic old San Juan and only a few steps away from landmarks and nightlife is where we started.

The perfect jumping-off point for exploring the city. This beautiful hotel had an old-world charm and elegance combined with comfort and luxury. The hotel has meticulously maintained the original character & charm of the hotel - you truly feel as if you've taken a step back in time. The only cons were that the rooms are smaller than we expected but the location compensated with beautiful verandah.

Fun fact - This hotel was a Carmelite convent and is situated in San Juan Cathedral square. It carries an institution with more than 365 years of tradition, making it the oldest member of the Historic Hotels of America. It was also named the premier Small Luxury Hotel in Puerto Rico by the Small Luxury Hotels of the World organization.

What we did -

We took a walk -

One of the best things to do in Old San Juan is simple. Just walk – and enjoy. The cobblestoned streets, lined by colonial churches and historic buildings, are made for walking. I could not stop admiring the blue cobblestones which are called adoquines, are the bocks of ballast (made from the waste of iron smelting) placed in the early ships that sailed over from Spain. When the ships reached San Juan, the ballast was dumped and replaced with gold, which was taken back to Spain.

Delight in the ornate wrought-iron balconies, the profusion of flowers and the lemon, pink, peach, baby blue, mint green, and other splashes of color the buildings sport.

As you walk around the historic district, you’ll come across Fortaleza Street – one of the prettiest streets in Old San Juan synonymously known as the famous Umbrella Street which was replaced with pink kites and now displays the flags.

This beautiful street ends in another eye-catching monument of Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud that has pigeons flying adding more to the beauty of the town.

Alongside came the most rewarding view through San Juan gate aka Puerta de San Juan.

Keep walking and take a peek at the governor’s house (La Fortaleza) and the cute pink house called Casa Rosa. Dont miss the Plazuela de la Rogativa - It is a small corner of the city near the San Juan Gate. In the plaza, a large weathered bronze sculpture overlooking the Bay of San Juan.

More landmarks -

Explore Castillo San Felipe del Morro - Perched on the northwestern tip of Old San Juan, the Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro) was constructed to protect the city against attacks from the sea and is Old San Juan Historic site. We had an amazing time exploring the vast green plains in gorgeous rainy weather with one end ending in the view of Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery. It is a colonial-era cemetery located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is the final resting place of many of Puerto Rico's most prominent natives and residents.

Browse the shops in Old San Juan -

Jewelry, souvenirs, clothing, arts and crafts. You name it. You’ll find it. Needless to say, one of the top things to do in Old San Juan is to browse the many interesting stores.

Pop into the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint John the Baptist. It is the oldest cathedral in the United States built in 1521, is where the Spanish explorer and former governor is buried.

The cathedral is free to visit, so you can walk inside and admire the vaulted ceiling and beautiful stained glass windows.

Castillo de San Cristobal - This imposing fortress was built by the Spanish to guard the city against enemies approaching by land, serving as a counterpart to Castillo San Felipe del Morro. It is built on a hill and gives amazing golden hour views. There are now plenty of bars around this area which makes it a lively place to visit at night

Del Morro is the more famous of the two forts, as it guards the entrance to the harbor, while San Cristóbal was built to defend the city itself.

HEADED TO WEST

After being thoroughly impressed by the old town charm we started ourjourney to explore the rest of the island. All we wanted to do was to drive alog the coastal route and check out the beautiful beaches and we made a stop at

- Aguadilla

- Crashboat beach

- Survival beach

- Rincon

- Rincon lighthouse

- Dome Beach

- Guanica

We made a night stop at Guanica and spent the night at a very calm resort called

Copa Marina Beach Resort: https://www.copamarina.com/

This undiscovered Southwestern coast resort is one of the Island's best-kept secrets. This beautifully landscaped, 20-acre tropical resort is situated on an isolated 3/4 mile crescent of Caribbean beachfront. The resort offers the finest in relaxation, dining, diving, sailing, and eco-tourist wonders to create the perfect vacation experience.

Cabo Rojo Salt Flats - The salt flats at Cabo Rojo are soo worth the trip. This was our reason to drive all the way to the west coast of PR.

La Salina's hypersaline lagoons have a greater concentration of salt and these lagoons are modified for the production of salt. Water from the Sea is controlled, then it’s evaporated for the extraction of salt. Brine shrimp is abundant on the salt flats, they help with the production of salt and they are one of the factors for the reddish color of the flats.

In my opinion, the salt flats look like abstract works of art. The colors of the salt flats are never the same, they vary with the sunlight, the amount of water, salt, and organisms in the water.

Bucket List checked.

Yaucromatic Yucca

The Yaucromatic consists of vibrant 16 murals spread across the public spaces of Yauco. The guiding principle of the project is that “Art is not only for museums, it is for the people” and was to rebuild PR after hurricane Katrina.

Ponce - Another pitstop at Ponce which is a large city on PR’s southern coast and is famous for many beautiful neoclassical buildings and facades.

Grand Finale to Rain Forest

Our next destination was to cover the majestic Rainforest area and witness the beautiful and grand El Yunque for which we spent the next 3 days at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar https://www.wyndhamriomar.com/

This resort is perfectly located and has a private beach and multiple pools for a luxurious vacation feel. Plenty of food options on the property and a stunning beach. We really enjoyed the gorgoues stroll on the beach where we had our after-dinner conversations watching the night sky and black ocean. That's when we completely soaked in the magic of Puerto Rico.