Getting Rained on in El Yunque Rainforest: Forty-five minutes by road east of San Juan in the Luquillo Mountains and protected by the U.S. Forest Service, El Yunque is Puerto Rico's greatest natural attraction. Some 100 billion gallons of rain fall annually on this home to four forest types containing 240 species of tropical trees. Families can walk one of the dozens of trails that wind past waterfalls, dwarf vegetation, and miniature flowers, while the island's colorful parrots fly overhead. You can hear the sound of Puerto Rico's mascot, the coquí, a small frog.
Strolling through the Historic District of Old San Juan: There's nothing like it in the Caribbean. Partially enclosed by old walls dating from the 17th century, Old San Juan was designated a U.S. National Historic Zone in 1950. Some 400 massively restored buildings fill this district, which is chockablock with tree-shaded squares, monuments, and open-air cafes as well as shops, restaurants, and bars. If you're interested in history, there is no better stroll in the West Indies.
Diving off Mona Island: Mona Island, 40 miles (64km) west of the city of Mayagüez in western Puerto Rico, is the Caribbean version of the Galápagos Islands. Surrounded by some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the Caribbean, Mona Island has the most pristine, extensive, and well-developed reefs in Puerto Rican waters. In fact, they have been nominated as a U.S. National Marine Sanctuary. The tropical marine ecosystem around Mona includes patch reefs, black coral, spore and groove systems, underwater caverns, deepwater sponges, fringing reefs, and algal reefs. The lush environment attracts octopuses, lobster, queen conch, rays, barracuda, snapper, jack, grunt, angelfish, trunkfish, filefish, butterfly fish, dolphin, parrotfish, tuna, flying fish, and more. The crystal waters afford exceptional horizontal vision from 150 to 200 feet (46-61m), as well as good views down to the shipwrecks that mark the site -- including some Hispanic galleons. Five species of whales visit the island's offshore waters.
Wandering around Castillo de San Felipe del Morro: In Old San Juan and nicknamed El Morro, this fort was originally built in 1540. It guards the bay from a rocky promontory on the northwestern tip of the old city. Rich in history and legend, the site covers enough territory to accommodate a 9-hole golf course.
Snorkeling at Caja de Muertos: The best snorkeling off the coast of Ponce is on the uninhabited coast island of Caja de Muertos ("Coffin Island"). This isla got its name from an 18th-century French writer who noted that the island's shape resembled a cadaver in a coffin. Over the years there have been fanciful legends about the island, including tales of necrophilia, star-crossed lovers, and, of course, piracy. Island Adventures will take you to this remote spot for a full day's outing, with plenty of snorkeling.
Sampling the Island's Nosh Pits: Think of Puerto Rico as one gigantic fast-food joint, for no other island in the Caribbean offers such a delectable array of road-side eats. Snack food lies around virtually every turn in the road. As you drive throughout the island, stop and take your pick of the road-side dives. They may look junky, even trashy, but the food is often a delight -- and cheap, too. You'll find succulent barbecued pig, pastelillos (pastry turnovers filled with meat, cheese, or seafood), surullitos (deep-fried cornmeal sticks), alcapurrias (a filling of fish or meat in a deep-fried casing of finely grated green plantains and taro root), bacalaitos (deep-fried codfish fritters), papas relleñas (stuffed potatoes), and arañitas ("little spiders" -- actually, deep-fried clusters of shredded green plantains).
Wandering through Río Camuy Caves: Some 2 1/2 hours west of San Juan, visitors board a tram to descend into this forest-filled sinkhole at the mouth of the Clara Cave. They walk the footpaths of a 170-foot-high (52m) cave to a deeper sinkhole. Once they're inside, a 45-minute tour helps everyone, including kids, learn to differentiate stalactites from stalagmites. At the Pueblos sinkhole, a platform overlooks the Camuy River, passing through a network of cave tunnels.
Visiting Vieques & Culebra: Puerto Rico's offshore islands -- still relatively undiscovered by the modern world -- remain an offbeat adventure, and they've got great beaches, too. The most developed is Vieques, which attracts visitors with its gorgeous stretches of sand with picnic facilities and shade trees. It is an ideal retreat for snorkelers and tranquillity seekers. The beaches are nearly always deserted, even though they are among the Caribbean's loveliest. Nearly three-quarters of the island is owned by the Fish & Wildlife Service. The even-less-developed Culebra has a wildlife refuge, coral reefs, and Playa Flamenco, another of the Caribbean's finest beaches. And is it ever sleepy here!
Spending the Evening at Mosquito (Phosphorescent) Bay on Vieques Island: At any time except when there's a full moon, you can swim in glowing waters lit by dinoflagellates called pyrodiniums (whirling fire). These creatures light up the waters like fireflies, and swimming among them is one of the most unusual things to do anywhere -- truly a magical, almost psychedelic experience. It's estimated that a gallon of bay water might contain about three-quarters of a million of these little glowing creatures.
