Puerto Rico

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Welcome to Puerto Rico!!!!! La Isla del Encanto (The Enchanted Island).

This island located in the Caribbean is home to many pristine beaches, rain forest and a culture unlike any other. It is officially known as The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, but political status is not important right now because you are visiting because of our beaches, almost perfect climate year round, and our people.

Getting Here

Puerto Rico's code is SJU. Major airlines operate from New York, Chicago, Orlando, Dallas Texas, and Miami. If you are coming from Europe Iberia operates a flight that stops first in Dominican Republic and then stops over in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Meetings

Regular meetings are starting to pop up sometimes but if you are visiting make up one yourself.

Transportation and getting around

Public transportation is "acceptable" in the Metropolitan area composed of 1 train line and buses that connect and expand into the suburbs of San Juan. For Routes click here and schedules click here and they barely run on a schedule, but if you are not in a hurry, you'll get to virtually anywhere on the metro area (including beaches, museums, theaters, restaurants). The price ranges from $0.50 to $0.75, exact change required. On the train stations you can get a card that you can fill up and reuse.

If you want to venture outside the metropolitan area you'll have the interesting experience of riding in a "público". Públicos are medium sized vans that run virtually to all towns in the island. To get these, you have to go the "públicos" terminal, usually located near the main plaza of the town. The prices will vary according to the distance of your trip and to your appearance (tourist usually get a special tax). There are special "públicos", called "líneas", and they run from San Juan (north) to Ponce (south) and from San Juan (north) to Mayaguez (west). Prices vary from $0.50 for a few miles to $15-$20 from San Juan to Mayaguez or Ponce.

Other mode of transportation is Hitchhiking. I DO NOT encourage hitchhiking for safety reasons, but I will like to point out that many CSers that I have hosted have gone through the entire island hitchhiking and have no problems at all. Hitchhiking is not very popular in the island, so expect long waits for someone to offer you a ride.

My personal recommendation regarding transportation is the following. If you have one week or less to visit the island, and would like to get out of San Juan, I suggest you rent a car. Most "públicos" stop running around 6:00 pm and only a few operate on Sundays. So if you don't have time to waste, don't bother yourself with the public transportation. Now if you have more than a week and are not in a rush, then public transportation and walking will take you almost everywhere in the island. "Públicos" also offer you the opportunity to meet locals that otherwise you'll never meet.

What's on. Hang out The towns of Puerto Rico have traditional Festivals that they celebrate year round around the Island.

Since I have been studying outside metropolitan area for quite sometime my favorite place to start the night is a Bar called Mike's Bar but better known to the locals as "El Cojo". They cater drinks for very affordable prices. I will post links to websites that offer information on Parties and events.

If you want to be a local, you have to act like a local

First thing is first, when you go to a bar ask for a Medalla this is our local beer. If you are more for Rum then ask for a Cuba Libre, but caution, they should pour DonQ Rum. Although Bacardi is internationally recognize and we have the biggest distillery of Bacardi, locals generally prefered DonQ Rum. Casa DonQ is located at Ponce and you can get there in around an hour. Bacardi features a free tour in Cataño, (ferry crossing from the Ferry terminals in Old San Juan) that is good for the two small cocktails they serve. After that Visit Casa DonQ right next to the Ferry Port. They will probably serve you like 3 or 4 good drinks.

How to get to places Using Google Maps

San Juan to Charco Frio Natural Water Slide

San Juan to Bio Bay in Fajardo

San Juan to Flamenco Beach @ Culebra

San Juan to El Yunque National Rain Forest

San Juan to Cueva del Indio @ Barceloneta

San Juan to Museo de Ponce Ponce Museum of Art

San Juan to Ponce

Links

Google Map with locations

El Yunque National Rainforest

PR FOTOS