Ok. I found out that I don't need a passport to go to Puerto Rico. Is it expensive? What is there to do?
Is it comparable to .... Mexico, or Punta Cana, or Jamaica. Is it expensive, like Aruba or Hawaii? Can you leave the resort? Is there a good time of year to go, or not to go? Are there a lot of excursions to do? How is the food? How are the beaches,? How is the drinking water? Are they friendly to tourists? How long is the flight? (I live in Jersey) Any info is much appreciated. Thanks!!!
Puerto Rico - 13 Answers
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1 :
The area around San Juan is expensive, as are a couple of places in Rincon, but no more expensive than a hotel in New York or Washington, DC. You can leave the resort, and there are malls, etc., but keep in mind that PR has a higher poverty rate than most places in the US -- I think maybe 30% living below the poverty level. Most of that is toward the center of the island but not all of it. The beaches are beautiful, the food is good, the drinking water is safe, and as far as attitude toward tourists go, they are pretty friendly, and tolerate English-only speakers. Most of the residents of PR are bilingual, well educated and consider themselves Americans. I detected a bit of an air of superiority when comparing themselves to citizens of other Latin American places such as Mexico. The flight will most likely connect through Miami. From Miami, you have to fly over Cuba almost all the way to South America, so it is a LO-O-ONG flight. Have fun! I recommend the Horned Dorset Hotel in Rincon. Absolutely charming!
2 :
I'm from Jersey also. I went about 4 years ago and I loved it. I forget how much the flight was, but P.R itself isn't that bad. San Juan is comparable to a large city here price wise. You can leave your hotel, just use common sense. It's just like going to NYC, there are certain place you shouldn't go. Be smart after stay in well lit places or the hotel/resort. The food is great. The beaches are beautiful, but there are beaches in Jersey. enjoy Puerto Rico for the sights and culture. I drank the water and was fine. Play it safe if you want, there is bottled water all over. They are very friendly to tourists. Respect them and they will treat you fine. English is widely spoken. Check out the old fort in San Juan. El Junca (sp) is the rain forrest it is magnificent. There is a city called Ponce that is very beautiful.. No matter what you choose, you will enjoy the trip. The flight, if I remember, is about 4 hours.. Enjoy..!
3 :
since PR is part of the US, you will have to spend in its currency.places I recommend to do: the old san juan,isla verde,el condado,hato rey and plaza las americas,santurce,el yunque the highest peak in the island,etc,etc. you will love the old san juan!
4 :
I have never been to Mexico, Punta Cana or Jamaica so I can not say how Puerto Rico compares. It really depends on what you are looking for, Here in Puerto Rico you will get to great beaches, great scenery, greet food, friendly people, historic towns / cities. You have nothing to worry about with regards to water, it's very drinkable. Cost, it is not the cheapest in the Caribbean, and not the most expensive. All depends where you stay. Flights will be around 4hrs from NJ (should be able to get a direct flight) see this post http://www.visit-the-coqui.com/2007/04/vacation-deals-where-to-find-them/ My advice: If you get chance try to rent a car, that way you can see the sights on your terms and not on a set time frame with a group tour. Most people will know English, especially in the tourist areas, but trying your hand at speaking Spanish looks good. If you do rent a car just bear in mind that driving is a little crazy, just keep your eyes on all your mirrors and you'll be fine. Challenging at first, but don't let that put you off. Places to Stay. Really depends on your budget, if you want to take a chance, try priceline.com (you can specify the star of the hotel and make a bid on the nightly rate). Or check out expedia or travelocity. Isla Verde or Condado are good choices Check out tripadvisor.com and search pierto rico. Gives a list of hotels and b&b's Places to see. Old San Juan - easily spend a few hours walking around here. It's a little hilly so maybe jump on the free trolley bus to El Morro (the fort) and work your way back down through the city. Plenty of places to eat and drink for all budgets. Try Breakfast at La Bombonera (one of the oldest establishments in the city) El Yunque (rainforest) plus spend the afternoon at Luquillo Beach Ponce on the South coast for more Puerto Rican architecture Arecibo Observatory. The James Bond movie Golden Eye and also the Jodie Foster movie Contact were filmed there. There is also this: Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve (Tel:787-722-5882). I have not been, but I would like to (it sounds a cool place to visit). You can have an escorted tour through the reserve on an electric trolley, but you have to book in advance. The Rio camuy caves also There is plenty to do here. You might even want to consider a side trip to Vieques or Culebra (as I've heard the beaches are amazing) Try the local food stands and just enjoy everything that the island has to offer. Food wise, everything you can imagine. In condado area for seafood try Miro's, Ropa Vieja Grill for Cuban & Puerto Rican. In Old San Juan try The Parrot Club for Caribbean style or Tantra's for Indian cuisine Also check the online guides frommers.com, roughguide.com and http://visit-the-coqui.com
5 :
You should look into checking out Vieques. It's a small island to the east of PR. Un-developed pristine beaches. A "reset button for the soul" if you will. You can take a 20 minute flight from San Juan to Vieques. I flew direct from Detroit to San Juan and it took about 4.5 hours (and tickets were only 99 bucks!!). San Juan can be fairly expensive depending on what you do and like, but there is lots of free sight seeing. It's not Hawaii expensive, but not Cancun cheap... The water is fine and actually tastes good. The food is amazing!! lots of asian/latin fusion type stuff. Check out a place called Tantra. Awesome and the belly dancers are entertaining :) - Food is where your price tag will skyrocket. I don't think we got out of any dinner with out at least a bill of 120 (2 people) but the food is so good you won't mind paying for it. El Morro Fort is cool, the cemetary next to it is crazy and beautiful. You can also see what they bill as the most beautiful slum in the world. and I think it is. just don't wander down there I hear it can get quite nasty. Old San Juan is nice. Aericebo is interesting if your into astronomy and radio stuff... It's a long drive up there from San Juan but the scenery is worth the trip. If you do rent a car, be careful. They drive like nut bags in PR. Just soak up the sun and relax!!
6 :
I stayed at the Condado Plaza Hotel & Resort in San Juan it was expensive around the area but there was a small cafe called San Telmo's it was reasonably priced & wonderful food. You can definitely leave the resort since it was a tourist area it was also safe at night.The beaches are gorgeous very beautiful.I wouldnt trust the drinking water safe bet go with the bottled water.I took a non-stop flight from JFK and it was around 3 hours. I do believe they started a new rule this year you do need a passport check this site out for further details http://www.meetpuertorico.com/about_pr/passport.asp
7 :
San Juan can be expensive. I would suggest staying in Dorado, a resort town about 30 minutes away. They have a beautiful emabssy suites w/ suites less than $200 a night & a private beach. There is tons to see & do in PR. & if you rent a car & get a map & go see everythin your self it is cheap. Taking bus tours, etc. can cost more. Also go on orbitz to find plane tickets. If you click 'flexible dates' you can get roundtrip for $250-$350. Also hurrican season officailly runs from June 1st - November 30th whith the peak months being Aug-Oct. However Puert Rico rarely gets hit but just remember there can be rain from one. But this is a trip of a life time if you take advantage of it. See the Morro (old fort), Old San Juan, El Yunque Rain Forest, Biolumenesent Bay in Vieques or La parguera, Camuy Caves & much more!! & the food is to die for! Eat what locals eat, they know the best. OH & YES THE DRINKING WATER IS SAFE!! It is cleaned by US standards b/c it is the US. Oh & I live in Philly. Its 3 hrs & 45 minutes from PHL airport to SJU San Juan airport. You can fly straight or to save a little more $$ you might make a connection & add on a little time. Please check out these links. & 1 girl said there was a new rule about passports. NO you still don't need a passport I was there last month. That rule only applies to carribean islands that are not governed by the US. Read it more carefully. www.gotopuertorico.com http://www.embassysuites.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=DORPRES www.orbitz.com
8 :
3 1\2 hours flight you can try Jet blue or spirit for the best prices... try these sites and check Puerto Rico...You'll Love it. www.welcometopuertorico.org www.gotopuertorico.com www.wepa.com The water is treated and safe to drink. the beaches are Just like the ones You see at the movies..We are Friendly and almost every body speaks english. Temperature is around 89 degrees all year. Good Luck and enjoy your Vacation...
9 :
It's comparable in price to any city in the US. The water is safe, not like mexican water at all!! You can go out of the resort and I encourage you to do it! You can check out Old San Juan, El faro de Fajardo, El Yunque (tropical rainforest), the Camuy Caverns are very impressive. If you are outdoorsy you can catch some outdoor sports tours, rappelling, canoeing, kayaking. At night, San Juan, Isla Verde and Condado have the best offers in night clubs and pubs. The beaches are amazing. Try to go to Culebra, the beach is amazingly beautiful and is something completely different from the city!!! Enjoy your stay!!!!
10 :
It's not expensive here, but that applies to tourists coming inside the island and getting away from San Juan. If you are travelling on a budget, the last place you want to hang out is San Juan. All times are good to come, except for april-may because that's our rainy season (like hurricane weather). There are many different things to do, hiking in the rainforest, visiting the caves, horseback riding, boat rides and so forth.. pretty much what you want to do, we have it. The food is good, and cheap if you want real PR cuisine instead of fancy resturants (pork chops, rice, beans). The beaches are beautiful, but I must warn to stay away from the Fajardo area, the water is messed up and all sandy over there right now. The drinking water is fine, we have good water.. no risks involved. Everyone is very friendly here, no disrespect to tourists. The flight from NJ is approx. 4-5 hours non-stop. Hope this helps, enjoy your trip รข™¥
11 :
Hello! I live on Puerto Rico and its such a great place. Its like a paradise in the Caribbean we have great places to visit like El Morro and many mores. Yes we have expensive zones like el Condado and all San Juan but they don't are so much expensive. Our beaches are the best in the Caribbean they are very clean and you will never feel crowed. Our hotels are so great and the staff is very friendly. if you want to shop we have the biggest mall in the Caribbean and the 3 in the world it have like 500 stores many places to eat and more. From the food dont worry USA and PR eat the same food,like pizza rice,beans,our best plate MOFONGO and the best part pasta. The Puertorricans are the most sociable people and we are hospitalary we love tourist to come we always like to ake you like a king or queen but in sumarry Puerto Rico is the best place to go on vacations... Happy travel and i wish you the best Caribbean impression in your live.!!!!
12 :
Check this site. Is is updated daily and have everything you need to know about San Juan Puerto Rico. http://www.holasanjuan.com
13 :
I'm Puertorrican. I lived on the island for 17 years, and have been living in Florida for the past 2. Just wanted to add-the flight from Miami to PR is NOT FAR. It's only 1 1/2 hours! Once you connect in Miami, you're almost there. How long it takes total depends on how many stops and how much time between connections. Check American Airlines for an idea. The Luis Munoz Marin airport in San Juan is an international airport (it's BIG-larger than a lot of other international airports in the US), so almost all airlines will go there. We love tourists-we owe our economy to tourism and we are aware of it. Most Puertorricans speak English, and most of them are very fluent - it is mandatory all the way through school, from elementary to college - and will go out of their way to help you with advice, help and a million suggestions. We joke amongst ourselves that we're nicer to outsiders than we are to our own! Puertorricans are very warm, sociable and outgoing people-"personal space" is kind of an unknown term to us in the sense that if you're making a line anywhere, you're likely to feel crowded. It's normal. Also-don't be intimidated if you get a kiss on the cheek the first time you properly meet someone, male or female-it's a common custom. Of course, be careful, like you would in the States, but you'll most likely be pleasantly surprised by our hospitality. :) Prices are similar to South Florida, definetely less than Aruba and Hawaii, though. Hotels vary widely in prices depending on season and hotel. If you can, stay at a "parador"-they're more like a villa-type rental and they are usually a lot less than hotels (around $70-$100 per night.) Check the ratings, though. Some are really good (they'll even have a fully-equipped kitchen), and with others you get what you pay for. You can definetely leave the resort, and I would actually encourage it. Try to rent a car (rates are the same as in the US) and drive around, but be sure to get a good map! It's easy to get lost if you don't know the areas, but it's just as easy to get back on track. I loved driving to new places and just exploring-everything is so small compared to the States that you get your bearings pretty quickly. There are tours, however, especially if you stay at a hotel in the San Juan/Condado area. Ask when making your reservation. Also check the Que Pasa link (http://travelandsports.com/quepasa/ ) I included below. There's more info on tours there. Most of the island is safe, but watch it at night in San Juan and Condado. Big cities are more dangerous. Go out with friends-don't hang out alone at night on the street. Someone posted about the poverty level...nobody in Puerto Rico is 3rd-world-country poor. You won't see people living in mud huts with children covered in flies. It's one of the things we take pride in. You will probably see as many bums as you would in Jersey or NY. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Some people are poor because they can't work, and others are poor because they refuse to work because the government will give them money so they can get by. Even free housing. They look like low-class apartment buildings, and you'll find them in most cities. We call them "caserios". Some are worse than others (especially the ones in San Juan and the metro area) but stay away from them. Don't hang around those areas at night, as that's were most drive-bys and drug dealing occurs. In the mountains you'll find people who still live like the early 1900's-in little shacks with their own little piece of land where they grow their own food. They are not necessarily poor-they live like this because they like it. I think it's charming. They are usually really good, honest, noble people. Of course there'll be exceptions, though, like anywhere else. The water is FINE. You can drink it straight from the tap. We had friends from the US who would visit and none of them ever had a problem. Gas is less in PR, and it's sold by the liter instead of the gallon-don't get too excited when you see those "Gas 50-some cents" signs! *lol* That's close to $2 a gallon. ^_~ It might be higher now, but still lower than in the States. Currency is the US dollar-we've had no other coin since the 1800's. San Juan and Condado never sleep on weekends - there is no curfew for parties and drinking, either. Parties are usually until the sun rises, and most pubs don't close until 5:00 am. Another thing-PR's beaches are ABSOLUTELY gorgeous! There's even better in the Virgin Islands, but I still haven't seen anything remotely comparable in the States. In my opinion, the best ones are in Rincon. There's a whole beach & surfing community there, with a slight Hawaiian vibe. Rincon's surf beaches are in the top 10 in the world, along with Pipeline in Hawaii. If you're interested in seeing 20-foot waves, though, you need to go in the winter-September through February. In summer the sea is calm and swimmable. Most of the beaches around San Juan -El Escambron, and the ones in Condado-are beautiful and safe for swimming, as are the ones in Luquillo and Isla Verde, though these are a little farther away. Pinones is also very, very beautiful, and is only a 15 minute drive from San Juan. Parking is free there. If you have time, you need to go to Gilligan's Island, and try to take the ferry to Vieques or Culebra (about 45 minutes, and the ferry is very, very cheap-about $3 per person one way, and then about a dollar or two per bag, depending on how much stuff you take with you. Check rates before going, in case they've gone up). Culebra is astoundingly beautiful. Flamenco beach in Culebra is one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world-white sand, clear blue water, and reefs where you can go snorkelling or scuba diving (there are charters for that). As a first-timer, I would stay at a hotel in the San Juan metro area-again, check out that Que Pasa link- as there you will find the most tours and expeditions to the island. The rest of the island is very accessible from San Juan through public transportation. If you're a mallrat, you can't miss Plaza Las Americas (15 minutes from Old San Juan). It is the largest mall in the Caribbean -it's big, trust me: 3 stories high and at least a mile long. The JCPenney's is the largest in the world. There are actually tour buses that will take you to Plaza Las Americas! You'll find the same stores as you would in an upscale US mall alongside local stores, all with a latin vibe. I love the movie theatre in front of the Borders (just ask). It's better to go in the week, though, because on weekends the mall is FUUULLL, no matter what time of the year! It's a big hangout for young and old alike. And be sure to bring a sweater-the AC is pretty cold. Try to avoid hurricane season. This would be August through October for the island-these are usually the worst months. Winter is nice for hanging out, but not the best time for beaches-it's surf season, so waves tend to be high; riptides are common; lots of rain; and some beaches get a lot of jellyfish. The BEST times are March through July-the beaches are GORGEOUS at this time. It's a great place to go during spring break or summer vacations. The food is REEEEEAAALLLLYYYY good! It's very similar to Cuban food, if you've ever tried that. We use a lot of plantain - mofongo, tostones, amarillos, etc. but usually as a side dish. We also have our very own fritters -bacalaitos, pionono, alcapurria, etc. Seafood is common, as are pork chops, chicken and beef in general. We love rice and beans. You need to try the Puertorrican version! It tastes NOTHING like the way it's prepared in the US. :) You'll find all kinds of American restaurants, though-Fudruckers, McDonald's, Burger King, Chili's, Pizza Hut, etc. Our diets are very Americanized in general-step into a Puertorrican supermarket, and you'll find the same things you'd find at any supermarket in the US. English labels and all. Visit the island! You won't be sorry. :D Especially if you can go in a group to split the costs of transportation and hotel-it's a lot more fun if you have company!