Had a FANTASTIC week!
THings to watch out for, drivers are nuts. Yeild signs don't mean anything, and stop signs mean pretend to yield. Red lights are optional... and making left turns from the right of the left turn lane is a popular past time!
Most younger people speak english, and in the more touristy areas, writing is in both english/spanish. Once you get out of those areas, everything is in spanish.
THings to do:
- Get out to the rain forest in El Yunke! SOme great trails and sights to see!
- Get on a catamaran trip out of Fajardo! WIll run you around $72 for a 1030 - 1530 trip, FREE "leaded" or unleaded pina coladas, fruit punch & rum drinks! Makes one stop at an island to check out a beach, then lunch, then a stop on a reef for a couple hours snorkeling. Definitely a cool adventure! We went on the East Wind, and the crew was very nice and made it a fun trip, I would definitely recommend them!
-Old San Juan is OK, lots of shopping, a few historical sights. Not sure what you are in to, but I'd prefer to do the other stuff above.
I don't do bars and we didn't go out to eat any, so I can't help you there. I stayed with family, so I didn't hang out in the touristy areas. We spent most of the week at their beach house in Luquillo. SOme great body surfing waves! Weather was awesome, lows in the mid 70s highs in the mid 80s.
Crime can be a problem, don't leave anything in your vehicle, and beware of shifty folk. The cops do a decent job of keeping them out of the touristy areas, because of how important the tourist trade is. Also, keep your baggage tags when you check your luggage, they WILL check them before you depart the airport!
I think we are going to make this a spring break routine! While PR is a bit "run down", the people were very cool and the scenery is fantastic. It was very nice to meet all the family I haven't met before. No one believes I am 1/4 Puerto Rican... something to do with the fact that I am 6'3", have brown/red hair, light complection, & freckles... lol
Here is my wife & daughter near the top of the 2nd highest peak in the rain forest... it was a 5 hour hike up & back.