A Quick Intro to Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s status as an unincorporated U.S. territory makes it a very attractive place to visit for US citizens and permanent residents. It’s super easy to visit without a passport – just a government issued photo ID will do.

Arriving in San Juan you can definitely feel the U.S. influence – English is widely spoken and you’ll come across U.S. stores like CVS and Walmart. Yet Puerto Rico is very much a Caribbean island that’s culturally and geographically different from the U.S.

From sandy beaches to tropical rainforest, Puerto has a beautiful landscape just waiting to be discovered. The country is home to three of just five bioluminescent bays in the world where you can see single-celled organisms that sparkle like glitter at night.

It’s also home to a 11,700-hectare tropical rainforest called El Yunque, which is full of wildlife, waterfalls and hiking trails.

If you only have a long weekend in Puerto Rico, I’ve put together a handy 3 day itinerary that covers all of these locations. Don’t make the mistake of only visiting San Juan – make sure you rent a car so you can drive around and explore the rest of the island.

If you have more time you could visit the stunning islands of Culebra or Vieques, or head on over to the surfing town of Rincon in the west.