Puerto Rico

© Lonely Planet Publications
324
l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m
P U E R T O R I C O • • H i g h l i g h t s 325
heavier. Skirt the edges of the high season (ie
Puerto Rico
HIGHLIGHTS
Old San Juan (
p329 ) Uncover the city’s
November and May) and you could get lucky
soul where over 500 years of history gets
with both the weather and cut-price rates.
crammed into just seven square blocks
The Caribbean hurricane season runs from
Vieques ( p343 ) Roam through a newly ap-
June to November, with the highest storm
pointed wildlife refuge where the sound
risk in September and October. Every year
of exploding US navy shells has been re-
is different, however, and booking your trip
placed by the somnolence of over a dozen
around the weather can be a bit of a lottery.

Puerto Rico is where the easy-going Caribbean collides with the slick efficiency of modern
deserted beaches
Temperatures – aside from in the Central
America. The result is a colorful, diverse and culturally unique island that is often as confus-
El Yunque ( p343 ) Fall asleep to a chorus
Mountains – rarely fall below 60°F (16°C).
ing as it is cosmopolitan. Hip funky restaurants nestle next to 15th-century Spanish forts;
of frogs and wake up to a mug of locally
Generally it’s 80°F (27°C) and sunny. Rains
sprawling shopping malls encroach upon fecund tropical rainforests; and glitzy casinos lie
grown coffee in El Yunque, Puerto Rico’s
last from June to November and can be heavy
juxtaposed against some of the most stunning beaches in the Caribbean.
dripping tropical rainforest
with wash-outs occurring frequently.
Ponce ( p348 ) Find out why Puerto Ricans
History is another draw card. While the United States struggles to emulate the erstwhile
are aficionados of salsa at an open-air
HISTORY
glories of ‘old world’ Europe, Puerto Rico gets out its killer trump card: beguiling Viejo San
music festival in Plaza Las Delicias in
Indigenous peoples are thought to have ar-
Juan, one of the oldest and best-preserved colonial cities in the Americas. Cocooned in
Puerto Rico’s most colonial city
rived – via a raft from Florida – around the
what was the crucible of Spain’s once-illustrious colonial empire, neighborly pensioners
Parque de las Cavernas del Río Camuy ( p342 )
1st century AD, quickly followed by groups
recline languidly in creaking rocking chairs; bomba drums light up the somnolence of a di-
Head underground among stalagmites
from the Lesser Antilles. The Taínos created
minutive baroque plaza; and the walls of two great military forts rise like wizened sentinels
and stalactites in the island’s cavernous
a sophisticated trading system on the island
above the depths of the untamed Atlantic.
karst country
they named Borinquen and became the reign-
ing culture, although they were constantly
Racing headlong into the 21st century, contemporary Puerto Rico can sometimes present
ITINERARIES
fighting off Carib invaders.

All that changed forever in 1508, when Juan PUERTO
a bewildering picture to culture-seeking visitors. Decades of unchecked American-style de-
Three Days Discover the wonders of Old
San Juan, with its museums, galleries,
Ponce de León came back for a second and
RICO velopment have meant that, despite significant economic advances, the modern world has
stamped its ugly mark on the idyllically named Isla del Encanto (Island of Enchantment). But
monuments and forts. After dark, jump
closer look at the island he had glimpsed from
one of Christopher Columbus’ ships. Driven
purists can take heart. In Puerto Rico what you see isn’t always what you get. Scratch under
back into the 21st century and bar hop
RICO
by a desire for gold, Spanish conquistadores
the surface and the soul of island will serendipitously reveal itself. Hop on a local bus, disap-
along Fortaleza. Take a trip to the rum
PUERTO
enslaved, murdered, starved and raped na-
pear off into the central mountains, or pedal your way around the beautiful island of Vieques;
factory in Cataño and hit the municipal

beaches of Condado and Ocean Park.
tives with impunity. Virtually wiped out by
just be sure to tear up any cast-iron itineraries and let the open road lead you where it will.
One Week Follow the three-day itinerary
war, smallpox and whooping cough, a few re-
and on day four take an ecotour to El
maining Taínos took to the mountains. Soon
Yunque for hiking and river swimming.
Dutch and French traders became frequent
FAST FACTS
Check out Playa Luquillo, then head west
visitors, dropping off human cargo from West
to the Camuy caves and the Arecibo Ob-
Africa. By 1530 West African slaves – includ-
Area 3500 sq miles
servatory.
ing members of the Mandingo and Yoruba
Capital San Juan
Two Weeks Follow the one-week itiner-
tribes – numbered about half the population
ary, lingering in karst country at the
of 3000 in Puerto Rico.
Country code %787
Casa Grande Mountain Retreat before
And so it went for several generations. The
Departure tax US$14.10 (normally
heading east to Fajardo. Take the ferry to
Spanish-American War of 1898 finally pried
included in the ticket price)
Vieques and visit the bioluminescent bay
Puerto Rico out from under the yoke of the
Famous for Rum, salsa, baseball
before heading over to Culebra. Check
Spanish empire, but it established the small is-
Language Spanish, English
out Playa Flamenco and spend the night
land as a commonwealth of the United States –
at Mamacitas. After a mid-morning ferry
Borinquen was liberated from Spain, but not
Money US dollar (US$); US$1 = €0.65 =
ride back, drive to Ponce and use that as
quite free.
UK£0.51
a base to check out Guánica forest, then
Operation Bootstrap poured money into
Official name Puerto Rico
move up the coast to Rincón.
the island and set up highways, post offices,
supermarkets and a few military posts. Puerto
People Puerto Ricans
CLIMATE & WHEN TO GO
Ricans have accepted the US economic and
Phrase Qué pasa? What’s happening?
The best time to visit Puerto Rico is mid-
military presence on their island, with varying
Esta todo hablado. It’s all understood.
December through late-April. The upside of
degrees of anger, indifference and satisfaction,
Population 3.9 million
visiting at this time is the weather, which is
for more than 100 years now – and the strong
Visa Unnecessary for most countries; see
sunny (but not too hot) and free from the
independentista movement that wanted to cut
p354
threat of hurricanes. The downside is that
all ties with the US in the 1950s has mostly
prices get hiked up and crowds are generally
receded into the background. The biggest

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326 P U E R T O R I C O
l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m
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P U E R T O R I C O • • T h e C u l t u re 327
question for Puerto Ricans – a passionately
del Toro, star of Steven Soderbergh’s recent
Cayo
Norte
Isla
Punta
Este
political people who muster at least a 90%
two-part biopic of Che Guevara.
18º30'N
Dewey
Culebrita
18º00'N
17º45'N
17º30'N
Culebra
20 miles
voter turnout on election days – is whether
While it’s known for world-class art in
30 km
65º15'W
65º15'W
to keep the ‘status quo’ or become, officially,
many mediums, music and dance are espe-
Cayo
America’s 51st state.
cially synonymous with the island.
67º45'W
Luis Peña
In May 2006 a stalemate between Governor
Sonda de Vieques
Isabella
Segunda
Vieques
Bahía
Aníbal Acevedo and the Puerto Rican legis-
Mosquito
ENVIRONMENT
65º30'W
Isla
65º30'W
Mona
lature led to a massive budgetary crisis that
Esperanza
The Land
forced the government to literally ‘shut down’

At 100 miles long and 35 miles wide (161km
Isla
Palominos
n
a
Isla Piñeros
s
u
Cayo Icacos
J
e u
n
68º00'W
after it ran out of funds to pay over 100,000
a
q
S
e
e
x 56km), Puerto Rico is clearly the little sister
d
i
je
sa
V
a
P
18ºN
Punta
public sector employees. The crisis lasted two
e
of the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica and
d
Arenas
0
0
e j
o
weeks before a grudging compromise was
l
a
Hispaniola). With its four principal satel-
l
s
i
a
u
P
reached, but it made a laughing stock out of
Luquillo
q
lite islands and a host of cays hugging its
Fajardo
u L
Naguabo
18º30'N
the Puerto Rican government and drew in-
65º45'W
e
65º45'W
shores, Puerto Rico claims approximately
d
Punta Picúa
Puerto
Humacao
a
tense criticism from business leaders, Puerto
El Yunque
(3496ft)
r
Punta
Candelero
3500 sq miles (9060 sq km) of land, making
r
e
Isla
Desecheo
i
Punta
Puerto Yabucoa
Rican celebrities and the general public. In
Río Grande
El Toro
(3522ft)
S
Miquillo
Punta
Yeguas
67º30'W
the commonwealth slightly larger than the
3
March 2008 Acevedo was indicted by the
Mediterranean island of Corsica or the second-
901
Loíza Aldea
Forest)
US on corruption charges after a two-year
National
30
Cabo
Mala
Pascua
El Yunque
Humacao
smallest state in the USA, Delaware.
(Caribbean
grand jury investigation. He has denied any
Canóvanas
3
Punta
Vacía
Yabucoa
Puerto Rico has more than a dozen well-
Juncos
Talega
182
wrongdoing and faces up to 20 years in prison
Maunabo
developed and protected wilderness areas,
66º00'W
66º00'W
Río Grande
de Loíza
if convicted.
26
Caguas
y e y
7740
a
Patillas
52
C
San Juan
? ??? 52 ???
most of which are considered reservas fore-
stales (forest reserves) or bosques estatales
e d
1
179
THE CULTURE
a
Guayama
Puerto
(state forests). The best known is the 43-sq-

Arroyo
r r
Río de Bayamón
a
e
PUERTO
Juan
i
at

As a predominantly Catholic country (albeit
Old San
15
mile (111-sq-km) Caribbean National Forest,
l
S
P
widely mixed with African and indigenous
RICO
la
generally referred to as El Yunque, which
Cataño
Bayamón
53
888
Guaynabo
de
practices), Puerto Ricans treasure family val-
167
52
Cayos de
Barca
dominates the cloudy yet sun-splashed peaks
Río
3
66º15'W
1
66º15'W
722
ues and family pursuits and often have three
at the east end of the island. Bosque Estatal RICO
(toll)
or more generations living in the same home.
2
de Guánica, on the southwest coast, is home
a
c
14
i
o
uc
? o
m
b
í R
á
Cayo de
Patónes
i
C
r
Salinas
o
52
n
a P
?? ???
PUERTO
But they don’t interpret ‘family-friendly’ as
to a tropical dry forest ecosystem.

being closed-minded. They are fiercely and
National forest campground and reserva-
Punta
Puerto
Nuevo
22
14
justifiably proud of their mixed European,
a
tion information can be obtained by calling
t
Santa Isabel
Coamo
u
l
R
African and indigenous ancestry – in a coun-
Ciales
a
Cayo
Berberia

%800-280-2267.
r
Río Grande de Manatí
t
n
e
66º30'W
del
143
Toro Negro
149
149
C
65º30'W
Puerto
Isla Caja
de Muertos
Manati
a
Reserva Forestal
r
149
Tortuguero
Barcelonata
e
l li
?
try where skin tones range from the darkest
coal to freckled white (sometimes even in the
Wildlife
14
d
same family), it’s no mean feat to have created
Cerro
r
(3953ft)
o
Endangered sea turtles, such as the hawks-
Los Tres
Picachos
Punta
Cabullónes
C
a culture where all are welcome.
22
bill, green and leatherback, nest on Puerto
de Areci bo
de
n
ra
G
(4389ft)
Punta
ío
Río Cañas
Las Tunas
R
l
a ???
Ponce
Playa
Rican beaches, particularly on the island
Ponce
18ºN
Utuado
á
Adjuntas
r
t
m
T
Arecibo
123
Cerro de Punta
a
n
n
a
Vieques
66º45'W
518
e
Culebra
Observatory
65º45'W
Puerto
Arecibo
Arecibo
o
C
í
Casa Grande
Bahía de
Tallaboa
129
R
a
?
ARTS
of Culebra. Puerto Rico’s vast coral reefs

Abundant creative energy hangs in the air all
are the nurseries and feeding grounds for
over Puerto Rico (maybe it has something to
hundreds of species of tropical fish. It of-
131
r
el
y
l
Guayanilla
do with the Bermuda Triangle) and its effects
u
Mountain Retreat
525
Río Cam
i
fers some of the best places in the world for
s
d
66ºW
a
r
ñ
o
co
u
can be seen in the island’s tremendous output
Hatillo
a
x
a
divers to come face-to-face with large bar-
A T L A N T I C O C E A N
t
e
Y
n
135
C
u
n
o
io
Cavernas
Lares
í
o
r
R
Bosque
of artistic achievement. Puerto Rico has pro-
M
a
Guánica
racudas, manta rays, octopuses, moray eels
u
ataca
del Río Camuy
Estatal de
G
j
a
365
Río Loco Yauco
u
Punta Brea
G
C A R I B B E A N S E A
duced renowned poets, novelists, playwrights,
and nurse sharks.
Camuy
o
í
a
124
R
o
n
c
i
o
a
366
a
c
y
2
J
s
o
Maricao
R I C O
a
a
r
100 km
Sabana Grande
Guánica
60 miles
67º00'W
r
ñ
e
U
s
120
P U E R T O
67º00'W
Isabela
ll
a
A
e
? ?
orators, historians, journalists, painters, com-
posers and sculptors. The island’s two most
i
n
e
Guanica
La
67ºW
d
d
i
HOW MUCH?
Punta
r
d
s
Laguna de
influential artists are considered to be rococo
r
Sardina
112
o
b
e
a
Parguera
C
e
l
d
ñ
116
u
n
a
painter José Campeche and impressionist
t
C
a
r
n
San Juan–Fajardo taxi US$80
o
105
2
o
í
G
M
R
o
Aguadilla
í
Río Yagéz

R
101
San Juan–Fajardo público US$5
San Germán
Sierra
2
Bermeja
?
Francisco Oller. As well as being a ground-
breaking politician, Puerto Rican governor
Isla
100
Isla
Mona
Cabo Rojo
Luís Moñez Marín was also an eloquent poet.
0
0
Liter of gas US$0.85
Desecheo
402
68ºW
Punta
In the world of entertainment, Rita Morena is
Punta
Mayagüez
67º15'W
Gorda
115
Joyuda
67º15'W
Bottle of beer US$2
Borinquen
Laguna de
Cheapest hotel room US$60
Punta
PUERTO RICO
Rincón
18º30'N
Hildago
18º15'N
??
? ??
the only Puerto Rican to have won an Oscar,
a Grammy, a Tony and an Emmy, while the
18º00'N
17º45'N
17º30'N
island’s hottest new film talent is actor Benicio

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