Puerto Rico in 10 Days

_{Taking time after hiking @ Fuerte Capron –}

Being in Puerto Rico adjusted my view of the Caribbean. Who said the Caribbean is all about white sandy beaches along the coast. It is certainly more than that! And Puerto Rico has proven this easily.

_{Pristine Beach @ Reserva Natural de Las Cabezas de San Juan}

_{Mountain view during the ride from the highway}

Puerto Rico doesn’t deserve the reputation it has for a Caribbean destination. Before I was here, there was only a little I knew about this place, for example did you know Puerto Rico is in the US territory & its citizens have US Passports, but aren’t able to vote for US Presidential? Or did you know that the famous Piña Colada was born here, at San Juan, the capital city of Puerto Rico?

_{Barrachina @ Old San Juan is arguably the birthplace of the famous Piña Colada}

Anyway this post is about Puerto Rico and how to enjoy its beauty for at least 10 days.

Where is Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico is located on the Caribbean, an island just beside Haiti & the Dominican Republic. So, the climate here is also tropical. I was here during Christmas time & the weather is totally different than German, which is Summer Christmas 😀

_{Puerto Rico during Christmas time}

What do you need for Puerto Rico travel?

Traveling to Puerto Rico is convenient since you can just apply for the visa the same just like for the USA. And the US Dollar is the currency here, so it is the same just like in the USA. The same goes for your cellular provider. Your US sim card works here as well. So, English is the main spoken language, right? Unfortunately, no! Puerto Rico is a Spanish speaking island. It has been like this since a long long time ago and not everybody speaks English here, so you might want to learn Spanish.

_{On the highway one sees Puerto Rico’s flags followed by the US flags}

Would you need a car for Puerto Rico?

Yes, you do! Puerto Rico has a lot to offer and it would be a shame to just explore one side of the island. So, rent a car. But beware though since people drive fast and not exactly applying the rule, for example not blinking while turning. We found a great deal from check24.com for 26 USD per day for 2 weeks.

_{A healthy and quite modern KIA that accompanied our trip}

How much would you need for Puerto Rico?

Our daily budget was 45 USD for two. And it was enough for gas, activities, a combination of cooking and a combo of sometimes snacking, cheap eats, and decent dining out.

_{A giant bbq meat on stick or pincho costs 4.50 USD with included garlic bread}

_{A portion of full-fulling fish tacos from a restaurant costs approx. 14 USD after tax}

_{A big portion of Chinese Take Out (could be eaten twice) costs 13 USD after tax}

PUERTO RICO IN 10 DAYS

Starting point – Fajardo

We stayed in Fajardo, the most north-eastern part of Puerto Rico for El Yunque National Forest. If you look on the map, Fajardo has a lot of beaches, but it is also the cheapest option in terms of accommodation and distance to El Yunque. But besides El Yunque, there are also things to do in the city.

_{Strolling @ Fajardo Neighborhood}

_{It is uncommon for me, but this is the mailing system in the neighborhood}

We stayed at an AirBnB, Fajardo 360 Apartment for 41 USD per night. For the price, you get a studio with cooking utilities, private bathroom, and parking space.

_{Fajardo 360 Apartment}

Day 1 Fajardo

Reserva Natural de Las Cabezas de San Juan – You can do the lighthouse tour & museum here with approx. 8 USD per person. But, we just hiked around for free and the views were beautiful. So far my most favorite is walking through the mangrove trail above the bioluminescent lakes, which only lighted up at night tho. Do note this night canoeing experience could only be done by booking a tour.

_{View of the lighthouse on the top of the hill}

_{Hiking through the mangrove forest & bioluminescent lake}

_{Back to nature}

Afterwards, you can go to the Seven Seas Beach & enjoy your lunch there. The beach is comfortably located just beside the park.

When things get rainy, you can visit D’Galeria. It is the only art gallery in Fajardo. You need to contact the owner, Jaime Diaz, slash artist first to confirm your arrival. He is a great artist and a great person!

_{Inside of the gallery}

Day 2 El Yunque National Park

This national park is a must! Plus it’s free of admission. Did you know this park has more biodiversity in plants than all states in the USA combined? Hiking in El Yunque was fun because it is suitable for all fitness levels. And it does serve the purpose on how nature should be enjoyed by all. If you are fit enough, you can of course hike the most popular trail, which is El Yunque Trail to go to the peak.

_{The first sightseeing – La Coca Waterfall}

_{The peak of El Yunque}

_{View during the hike @ Yokahu Tower}

Because of hurricane Maria, some parts of the parks are still in reconstruction. Make sure to download the park app to get the latest updates of the trail.

Day 3 El Yunque del Portal

Unlike the park which is there for one to explore individually, del Portal is there mainly to educate its visitors. The visitor center is made interactive, so it won’t be a boring typical museum trip. There is also an educational documentary video to explain the park better. One can also hike two mini trails inside the visitor center. And if you have kids or are adults who want to collect ranger pins, they have the program too.

How much? 8 USD per person with car parking included

How long would you need? Be ready to have at least 4 hours for a full experience here

_{El Yunque del Portal}

_{Trail @ El Yunque del Portal}

_{Junior Ranger Badge – earned after completing a ranger program (it has different requirements for kids & adults)}

Middle Point – Guanica

Guanica is popular as a town with eternal sunshine. And it is a perfect place to stay the night if you want to explore the nearby town as well. We stayed here and it was easy to do day trip to neighboring towns, i.e. Ponce, Yauco, San German, and Boqueron.

_{The memorial of US Battalion in Guanica}

We stayed at an AirBnB, La Casona de Bob, for 41 USD per night. For the price, you get the whole house.

_{La Casona de Bob}

Day 4 Guanica

Having an image as a place of eternal summer, it suits that the largest dry forest in the Caribbean lies here. In Guanica, we hiked to the top of historic Fuerte Capron, which used to be a Spanish fort. The view is just breathtaking. Moreover, we also enjoyed the secluded Playa Los Congres. For a sunset, one can enjoy walking along the Guanica Malecon.

_{View from Fuerte Capron}

_{Playa Los Congres}

_{View from Guanica Malecon}

Day 5 Ponce

We went to Ponce to do sightseeing and museum visits. However, not all of the museums were open. The only museum that opened was The Firefighter Museum or Parque de Bombas for free of charge.

Just across the museum is Plaza Colon, which is surrounded by street food sellers. After that, one can just stroll around. We found cool street arts at Via de Arte during the stroll.

_{Parque de Bombas}

_{Snacking @ Plaza Colon}

_{One of Street Arts @ Via de Arte}

Day 6 Yauco

We started this day by visiting Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Park, which is also free and equipped with a museum. It was nice to learn about the original community of Puerto Rico. After that we went to Yauco, which is surprisingly cool. We went there for coffee (Yauco is one of the coffee towns in Puerto Rico), but stayed for the street arts in a district called Yaucromatic.

_{Ceremonial Ground of Taino indigenous}

_{A learning corner in the museum}

_{The garden is also educational}

_{Entering Yaucromatic}

_{Colorful Yauco}

Day 7 San German

People said if you love history you have to go to San German too, instead only San Juan since the first capital city of Puerto Rico was here. I personally didn’t find a lot of things to see here. But the most stand out one is the church, which is also complemented with a museum.

_{The church}

_{Street food seller}

Day 8 Boqueron

Boqueron is located just on the down western part of Puerto Rico. We went there to Boqueron National Park (free admission) and it was worth it. Never have I ever seen so many iguanas in a spot. And the beach is so pristine and clean.

_{Beach @ Boqueron National Park}

_{One of many iguanas that I’ve seen that day}

Last Point – Old San Juan

In San Juan, we decided not to drive. Since it is the capital city, the traffic is crowded. But, on the bright side, the public transportation is quite well organized and best of all, it is free. It could be challenging to stay in the old town of San Juan on a budget.

_{Buses @ Old San Juan Main Terminal}

We stayed at an AirBnB in the new hype area, which is near Calle Cera. But, since the inn performance was unsatisfactory it wouldn’t be recommended here.

_{@ Nearby Calle Cera – You know when you start seeing Street Art}

Day 9 Old San Juan

Old San Juan imho is the most beautiful city in Puerto Rico. The city sparks colors so much. One sees the traces of history and new trends along the walk. Make sure to get to know the city more by doing a free walking tour (note, this is not free tho, but based on tips instead), which will start at Plaza Colon. After that, don’t miss the Princess Pathway and walk up to Castillo San Felipe del Morro.

_{Posing in front of the narrowest building @ Old San Juan}

_{Colorful Old San Juan}

_{Plaza Colon}

_{The start of Princess Pathway}

_{You will end up @ the field of Castillo San Felipe del Morro}

_{And you got to see the cemetery of important slash nobles of San Juan}

Day 10 Old San Juan

If you are interested in art, this is the day. There are two free admission art museums here and they are worth checking out.

Museo de San Juan exhibits the work of Pablo Picasso.

Casa Museo Felisa Rincon de Gautier has well preserved collections dedicated to the first female mayor of San Juan, who was known for her great work for children.

_{One of the corners of Pablo Picasso’s work}

_{Another exhibition of church’s ornaments}

And if you are looking for something more relatable like street art, you have to go to Calle Cera. There are two pinpoints on Google for them. Go type Santurce Art Walk and Santurce Art en la Calle and just walk through the street. Once you walk, you will notice there are a lot of bars & restaurants nearby. Try them and enjoy the vibe!

_{Lively Calle Cera}

HONEST THOUGHT

I loved my trip to Puerto Rico and definitely would want to go back again in the future. Puerto Rico is a great destination for somebody that searches more than resort experience. Here, one can get it all, from nature, beaches, history, and culture. And gotta love the Puerto Ricans. Their spirits warmed me up during this trip. ¡Gracias, Puerto Rico!