Located a scant three hours from New York and within U.S. territory, Puerto Rico is an undervalued destination. Sure, it may not have the exotic appeal of jetting to Brazil, or the eco-cache of exploring Costa Rica, but once you find yourself lounging on San Juan's Condado beach, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the local beauties for the girl (or guy) from Ipanema. Throughout the island, visitors can see virgin rainforest, sustainable agriculture, and eco-tourism not unlike that of Costa Rica. Puerto Rico offers a dose of the exotic, domestically. On a recent trip, I was able to base myself out of San Juan and explore the areas surrounding the island's biggest city, which has in close proximity lovely beaches, a tropical rain forest, surfing beaches, phosphorescent bays, and legions of amazing local restaurants just waiting to serve up some authentic -- and delicious -- cocina criolla (Creole cooking).
I stayed at the San Juan Marriot Resort and Stellaris Casino (tel. 800/228-9290; www.marriottpr.com), where I was able to bask on one of the best beaches on the Condado between daily excursions. In keeping with the Condado neighborhood's character, the Marriott is a classy retreat from the hectic streets of San Juan and the central location made diving further into -- and getting out of busy San Juan easy. Its lobby bar is popular with locals and visitors alike and the lively casino can be a fun distraction, even if it's only to visit its 24-hour noodle bar, which sustains the most hard-core gamblers.
On day one, I soaked up some much-appreciated sun and surf just outside my room before hitting the colonial streets of Old San Juan. Its narrow streets were cleverly designed by the Spanish to be perpetually shady, and the wind funnels through the narrow passages offering relief from the midday heat. Old San Juan is famed for its candy colored colonial architecture; its narrow streets and plazas are often used as film stand-ins for the sultry streets of verboten Havana. Ambling through the less commercial side streets, you'd be forgiven for imagining revolutionary plots being concocted in the dim rooms behind mysteriously shuttered windows.
Be sure to walk along Paseo de la Princessa and walk through the San Juan Gate, constructed in 1635. You'll be treated not only to a view of one of Old San Juan's most picturesque streets, but you'll be flanked by two immaculately preserved 18th century doors. Take an immediate left and you'll get a view of the gate from the top of San Juan's protective walls and will find a classic San Juan photo op at your feet with sweeping views of San Juan Bay and the old city, punctuated by the iconic turrets of the city's walls.
No stop in the old city would be complete without a visit to its colonial forts. Designed and improved upon by the Spanish for 200 years, the famed Castillo de San Felipe del Morro -- more popularly known simply as "El Morro" -- and it's larger twin, Fort San Cristobal protected the city and San Juan Bay from Dutch and English invasions. If you bore easily of military fortifications or only have time for one site, I'd recommend visiting only Fort San Cristobal; its walls rise dramatically 150 feet out of the sea and is a marvel of military engineering. Its dungeon still contains the surprisingly accomplished graffiti of 18th century prisoners. For a full walking tour and more detailed information about Old San Juan and map, pick up the most recent copy of Frommer's Puerto Rico.
After an afternoon of walking around Old San Juan, consider soaking up some more local culture in the form of an icy Piña Colada. Invented by Ramon "Monchito" Marrero in 1954 using a seductive mix of island rum, coconut cream and fresh pineapple, he managed to hook Joan Crawford on the concoction.According to longtime Frommer's Puerto Rico author and celebrity biography Darwin Porter, Crawford exclaimed that it was "better than slapping Bette Davis in the face."
Next morning, barring any Piña Colada hangover, slip on your swimsuit and a sturdy pair of shoes and make the 45-minute drive to the El Yunque Rainforest. This mountainous, mist-shrouded world is managed by the U.S. National Forest Service and has changed little in the 500 years since Columbus first spotted it. The Forest Service maintains the informative El Portal Rain Forest Center that gives visitors an introduction to the ecosystems and species of El Yunque. From there, one can head to La Coca falls, which drop 85 feet and are easily accessible from the roadside. For the slightly more adventurous, the paved La Mina Trail winds though the forest and is neatly signposted with detailed descriptions of trailside sights and facts about the unique rainforest ecosystem. A twenty minute hike will take you to the splendid La Mina Falls, where you can frolic in plunge pools at the base of the impressive waterfall. On your way back to your San Juan base, you can stop by Luquillo Beach, the best beach in mainland Puerto Rico. This palm lined crescent of golden sand is immensely popular with sanjuanaros (residents of San Juan) on weekends, but midweek, it remains blessedly tranquil.
On your next couple of days, you have a variety of options. You might enjoy taking day trips towards Arecibo and explore Karst Country, a fascinating landscape of steep mountains and sinkholes interlaced with hiking trails and dotted with caves. In the Parque de las Cavernas del Rio Camuy (Rio Camuy Caves) (tel. 787/898-3100) visitors can see a short film about the caves and descend into the mouth of Clara Cave of Epalme, which has striking stalactites, stalagmites and other natural rock formations.
Aside from Karst Country, the Arecibo area also harbors the Observatorio de Arecibo (tel. 787/878-2612), the world's largest and most sensitive radar/radio-telescope. The famed telescope features a 20-acre dish, constructed over a sinkhole. At 1,000 feet in diameter, it allows scientists to monitor natural radio emissions from outer space -- a certain delight for space and science buffs. The more terrestrially inclined might be more interested by exploring the shady underbelly of the telescope where ferns, orchids, and other shade-loving flora have found their own slice of heaven.
On your last afternoon while based in San Juan, consider taking an excursion to Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve 'El Faro.' On the northeast corner of the island, this reserve contains an example of nearly every eco-system on the island. Most spectacularly, however, it is home to a rarely found natural fireworks show known as bioluminescence. The show's stars are tiny marine organisms known as dinoflagelates that thrive in the calm, clear, mangrove shrouded waters of Laguna Grande. When disturbed, they fire off blue flashes. Eco Xcursion Aquatica (tel. 787/888-2887) and Yokahu Kayaks (tel. 787/604-7375) both rent kayaks for evening excursions to see this seemingly supernatural sight.
After filling your previous days with excursions and exploring the highs and lows of mainland Puerto Rico, it may be time to trade your rental car for a rental bike and do a lot of nothing. If trading the city for nearly deserted beaches and preternaturally clear waters sounds about right, buy a ticket to the sleepy island of Culebra. Air Flamenco (tel. 787/721-7332; www.airflamenco.net) has several flights daily from both Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (LMM) and San Juan's tiny Isla Grande Airport. Flights from Isla Grande cost $95 round-trip, $140 from LMM. After a white-knuckle landing between two mountains 30 minutes later, you'll find yourself firmly planted on tiny landing strip of the so-called last virgin, Culebra.
With verdant mountains that drop into the sea, white sand beaches, and blue waters, Culebra is geographically part of the Virgin Islands, with St. Thomas laying just 12 miles to the east. A funky attitude prevails among the healthy mix of locals, expats, and vacationing sanjuanaros. Despite the different backgrounds, everyone in Culebra seemingly pursues one pastime: relaxation. Indeed, that's all there really is to do here. Thankfully, for the restless among us, relaxation has many guises.
On my visit, I rented a bike from the Culebra Bike Shop (tel. 787/742-2209) for $15 per day along with a mask, snorkel, and fins for another $10 and set about exploring the island. My first stop was Flamenco Beach, generally agreed by beach buffs to be one of the top 10 beaches in the world. White sand, blue sea and sky, and green mountainsides frame your world, and oh, what a world it is. Powdery sand forms a large crescent around a shallow bay. Waves break off a remote barrier reef and a closer inshore reef invites exploratory snorkelers. Fantasizing that I'd accidentally landed on the set of the Blue Lagoon, I contemplated the appeals of a life of beach bummery. Vendors nearby fry fish, chicken, and plantains in beachside stalls and serve them up with rice and beans. As far as beaches go, this was perfection...but perfection can get old.
The next day I cycled to Flamenco beach and took a perfunctory dip before hiking to the locally famous Playa Carlos Rosario. The reef at Carlos Rosario is shaped like a wine glass with its mouth fronting the beach and gradually narrows to a channel (or stem, if you will) flanked on two sides by reef walls. The marine life here is diverse and striking; this is said to be the best site for snorkeling in all of Puerto Rico. Brain and Elkhorn corals grow and sea fans wave in the current as parrotfish and their many assorted cousins search the reef for their smaller, edible brethren. Hours fly by exploring the rich underwater mosaic here. Indeed, you may only realize how much time has passed until your stomach rum
bles, inspiring you to hit the trail back towards town and one of Dewey's casual restaurants.
The most popular restaurants on the island are the Dinghy Dock (tel. 787/742-0233) and Mamacita's (tel. 787/742-0090). Both have dockside locations where locals regularly arrive by boat to enjoy a tasty bayside meal al fresco. Though slightly more expensive, I found Mamacita's to have the island's best, and certainly most inventive cuisine, with specials that changed daily. Impeccably seasoned with a secret blend of spices and grilled snapper was a vacation-long favorite, although their lemon-pepper shrimp was a close second. In terms of nightlife, both restaurants do double duty as the island's most popular bars. Mamacita's has live percussionists every Saturday and is Dewey's most happening nightspot until its 11pm close, when all of Culebra's action moves down the road to El Batey (tel. 787/742-3828), a dive bar with pool tables that boasts cheap drinking and salsa dancing for the not necessarily young, but restless.
Next morning, consider heading to the appropriately named Playa Resaca (In Spanish its name means "undertow" or "hangover"). Depending on the previous night or the day's weather conditions, you can decide which nuance is most appropriate. To get to Playa Resaca, you'll first need to climb the 640-foot Mount Resaca (ask any local and they'll point you in the right direction). The route is steep, follows a paved road all the way to the summit, where you'll find the diminutive trailhead.  Picking your way along the forest trail isn't easy, but the intrepid visitor will be rewarded with the often deserted Playa Resaca. Lined by coconut palms and the steep slopes of Mount Resaca, this beach is also a beauty, and is the summer nesting ground of endangered sea turtles. If you visit from late February through November, you'll likely see the tracks these leviathan creatures make as they haul themselves ashore during the night to lay their eggs. On my visit, the surf was high enough to bodysurf, but not strong enough to produce the dreaded rip tides this stretch of sand is known for. Visitors should be aware of the fact that you'll most likely be on your own if you get caught in a rip -- the downside of having a tropical beach all to yourself. Bring plenty of bug repellent and bottled water for this excursion.
If you're not looking to take your life in your hands for some beach time, consider Playa Zoni, a lovely white stretch of sand on the eastern end of Culebra. Although a bit of a trek over a rutted road, it's usually quiet and has idyllic views of Culebrita and St. Thomas.
Where to Stay
San Juan
On the Condado's best beach, with San Juan's most active lobby bar scene, the San Juan Marriot Resort and Stellaris Casino (tel. 800/228-9290; www.marriottpr.com), is a great bet, whether you're young and single or traveling with a family. As of June 2006, the main tower of the property closed to undergo a massive $30 million renovation. By the renovation's completion on March 15, 2007, rooms will be stylishly updated and include much-appreciated luxuries like ergonomically-designed desks, 36" flat-screen TVs, wireless internet, and iPod connections. Redesigned bathrooms will have rain showers and deep bathtubs.Wireless Internet will also be available in all public spaces.
Culebra
Mamacita's (tel. 787/742-0090) rents simple rooms from $85 per night. The up- (and down-) side of staying here is that you'll be at the center of Dewey's nightlife. Culebra Vacation Planners (tel. 787/742-3112 or 866/CULEBRA; www.culebravacationplanners.com) manage Culebra's most extensive roster of properties, from efficiency apartments from $95 per night to mountaintop villas that sleep 8 for $400 per night. They also manage the ultra-budget Hotel Kokomo, which has basic, but clean singles from $43 per night.
Editorial Disclosure:Airfare and inclusive accommodations in San Juan were underwritten by Marriott Resorts International.
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