Travel in Puerto Rico – Hotels, Puerto Rico Vacations, Lodging, Trips, Attractions and Travel Guide

Puerto Rico: An Enchanting Island Vacation

A walkway in San Juan Puerto Rico. Along the San Juan Harbor, and leading to El Morro Castle.

Puerto Rico is a United States dependency in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The island is composed of several smaller islands and keys. The island is known by the phrase, “La Isla del Encanto”, which means island of enchantment. All of the seventeen lakes on the island are man-made and the terrain of the island is mostly mountainous. The culture of Puerto Rico is rich and traces it roots back to Africa, Taino, Spain and North America.

Puerto Rico has many things that are worth seeing, both beaches and historical locations are scattered all throughout the island. El Morro , sit on top of a cliff overlooking the entrance to the San Juan Bay. Over a period of over two hundred years, Spanish engineers built the fort and it ended up being one of the largest in the Caribbean. The original foundations were first laid in 1539 and the six-level was not entirely completed until 1787. Throughout the years the fort has suffered many attacks, from Sir Francis Drake in 1595 and the Dutch fleets in 1625. There are hidden passages, cannons and 60-foot talls wall that overlook the ocean below. El Morro was recently named both a World Heritage Site and a National Historical Site in the United States National Park Service.

Bioluminescent Bay is best explored by night. Thousands of tiny microorganisms on the waters surface dance like twinkle lights all along the top of the water and Puerto Rico is one of the few places in the world where visitors can witness this natural phenomena. There are tourist companies on the south side of the island between Mayagez and Ponce, that will take guests on a midnight canoe trip to witness this brilliant experience.

One of the biggest attractions to visit in Puerto Rico is the Bacardi Rum Distillery. Guests are given an informational tour by a knowledgeable guide that will take them through the “Cathedral of Rum”, people get to see the entire process from start to finish, from the fermentation vats to the high-speed bottling machine . There is a trolley ride which takes visitors to the Bacardi Rum Museum, here there is an informational exhibit about the entire history of the distillery. At the end of the tour, guests find themselves in a lofty pavilion where they are invited to try samples of the world-famous rum and purchase souvenirs.

On the fertile lands in the hills of Ponce, a Spaniard purchased a large parcel of land, he built a large two-story main house, slave quarters, farm and processing buildings. The location eventually grew to be the largest coffee plantation in Puerto Rico. Today, it is the only “working” coffee plantation on the island that is open to the public.

The Toro Negro State Forest and Lookout Tower is a unique location to visit. It boasts beautiful panoramic views, waterfalls, man-made fresh water lakes and several small creeks throughout the landscape. There are hiking trails that wind around the forest and allow nature-lovers to take some breathtaking photographs and experience the native wildlife and migratory birds that make their home in the park.

Puerto Rico has many types of accommodations for its visitors. There are hotels, villas, charming inns, guest houses and eco-lodges. The Hotel Melia is located in the center of the historical and business district. The hotel offers guests the chance to visit the top tourists locations such as the Firehouse Museum, the Ponce Art Museum and Serralles Castle Museum, all within walking distance. From the hilltop of the Acacia Seaside Inn, visitors can enjoy wonderful ocean views and a walk to some of the finest beaches on the north side of the island. From the cool mountains to the sparkling ocean to the shopping and nightlife, Puerto Rico is the perfect choice for those who want to experience the best the Caribbean has to offer.