Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico blends Caribbean beauty with a rich Spanish colonial heritage and a modern, US-influenced infrastructure that makes it one of the most accessible and comfortable destinations in the region. Old San Juan is the island’s undoubted highlight — a beautifully preserved colonial city of colourful Spanish townhouses, cobblestone streets and two massive 16th-century fortresses, El Morro and San Cristóbal, that once defended the island from pirates and colonial rivals. The fortresses are UNESCO World Heritage sites and among the finest examples of Spanish colonial military architecture in the Americas.

Beyond the capital, Puerto Rico offers surprising variety. El Yunque National Rainforest on the north-east coast is the only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest system — a lush, cloud-draped landscape of waterfalls, bamboo groves and exotic bird life, easily explored from Luquillo’s famous beach kiosks. The beaches along the north coast — Isla Verde, Condado and Ocean Park — are excellent, with warm Atlantic surf and a lively scene of restaurants and beach bars.

The south and east coasts offer a quieter, more local experience. Bioluminescent bays at Mosquito Bay on Vieques island (ranked among the brightest in the world), Phosphorescent Bay at La Parguera and Laguna Grande near Fajardo are extraordinary natural phenomena — kayaking through water that glows an electric blue is a genuinely magical experience.

Puerto Rico’s food scene — mofongo, lechon asado, alcapurrias and fresh seafood — has gained international recognition in recent years, and the island’s growing rum and craft beer scene adds further appeal. Puerto Rico is warm year-round and benefits from US standards of infrastructure and English language use throughout.