Planning a Trip

This section discusses the where, when, and how of your trip to Puerto Rico-everything required to plan your trip and get it on the road. Here we've concentrated on what you need to do before you go.

Visitor Information

For information before you leave home, visit www.gotopuertorico.com or contact one of the following Puerto Rico Tourism Company offices: 666 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10013 (tel. 800/223-6530 or 212/586-6262); 3575 W. Cahuenga Blvd., Suite 405, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (tel. 800/874-1230 or 213/874-5991); or 901 Ponce de León Blvd., Suite 101, Coral Gables, FL 33134 (tel. 800/815-7391 or 305/445-9112).

In Canada contact the company at 43 Colborne St., Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5G 1E3 (tel. 416/368-2680).

One of the best Caribbean websites is Caribbean-On-Line (www.caribbean-on-line.com), a series of virtual guidebooks full of information on hotels, restaurants, and shopping, along with sights and detailed maps of the islands. The site also includes links to travel agents and cruise lines that are up on the Web.

Other helpful websites include Municipality of Ponce (www.ponceweb.org), Municipality of Rincón (www.Rincon.org), and Puerto Rico Travel Maps (www.travelmaps.com).

You might also want to contact the U.S. State Department for background bulletins, which supply up-to-date information on crime, health concerns, import restrictions, and other travel matters. Write the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 (tel. 202/512-1800).

A good travel agent can be a source of information. Make sure your agent is a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). If you get poor service from an ASTA agent, you can write to the ASTA Consumer Affairs Department, 1101 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314 (tel. 703/739-8739; www.astanet.com).

Entry Requirements

Documents -- Because Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth, U.S. citizens coming from mainland destinations do not need any documents to enter Puerto Rico. It is the same as crossing from Georgia into Florida. They do not need to carry proof of citizenship or to produce documents. However, because of new airport security measures, it is necessary to produce a government-issued photo ID (federal, state, or local) to board a plane; this is most often a driver's license.

Be sure to carry plenty of documentation. You might need to show a government-issued photo ID (federal, state, or local) at various airport checkpoints. Be sure that your ID is up-to-date: an expired driver's license or passport, for example, might keep you from boarding a plane.

For Canadians, proof of citizenship is required to land in Puerto Rico. This could be in the form of a province-issued birth certificate or a Canadian identification card. A valid passport is preferred but not required. In addition, some form of photo ID, usually a driver's license, is also required.

Visitors from other countries need a valid passport to land in Puerto Rico. For those from countries requiring a visa to enter the U.S., the same visa is necessary to enter Puerto Rico, unless these nationals are coming directly from the U.S. mainland and have already cleared U.S. Immigration and Customs there.

Vaccinations -- Vaccinations are not required for entry to Puerto Rico if you're coming from the United States or Canada.

Infectious hepatitis has been reported on other Caribbean islands but less frequently on Puerto Rico. Consult your doctor about the advisability of getting a gamma-globulin shot before you leave home.

Typhoid, poliomyelitis, and tetanus are not common diseases on the island, and inoculations against them are recommended mainly to visitors who plan to rough it in the wilds. If you're staying in a regular Puerto Rican hotel, such preventive measures are generally not needed, but your doctor can advise you based on your destination and travel plans.

Travel Documents--Before leaving home, make two copies of your most valuable documents, including your passport, your driver's license, or any other identity document; your airline ticket; and any hotel vouchers. If you're on medication, you should also make copies of prescriptions. Keep copies of your documentation safe and separate from the originals.