The Most Loaded PR Question Ever

My wife and I are vacationing in the BVI this year, and we'll be passing thru PR on the way. We've talked about visiting PR next, but don't have a clue where to go.

Here are our needs for a vacation. Please offer suggestions on which parts of Puerto Rico we should consider for our next vacation.

• Beach front
• Comfortable but not fancy lodgings
• Local flavor more than catering to tourists
• Affordable and really good food
• The kind of place that inspires your inner artist
• Night life not needed

I turn it over to the experts...

IMHO, there are nicer islands to visit. Keep in mind this is a country of 3.7 million people. We have visited and enjoyed our stay of a couple of days, pre cruise. You can find all of the above in your post in P.R.

Sounds like you should go to St John. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

I don't know about the beaches. To me, Old San Juan would inspire your inner artist. Really good food, local flavor, although also a continental feel. It is like not really being in the Caribbean...

I would have to respectfully disagree with sail2wind and sail445. We were lucky enough to live on the beautiful island of PR for the first two years of our marriage and found the people and place enchanting.

I would recommend you look to the NW corner of the island. Jobos Beach, Survival, Borinquen, and Crashboat are amazing places to enjoy the water. They are for the most part undeveloped and undiscovered by tourism. And of course I am into pictures so I will have to justify my statement with a few.



Not the pretty blue and white sand, but still amazing.

Over recent years, I would have to admit that the island has issues that have given it a bad name, and they have been discussed in a plethora of threads, but there is something very special about this island.

A villa or hotel in Agaudilla or Isbela will give you access to amazing beaches, coffee plantations in the mountains, the small town of Moca which is world renown for handmade lace where little old ladies invite you into their homes to look at their work,



and some of the best road side eating you have ever done in your life. A few short miles away is also the town of Rincon for the serious surfer and great photo ops.

And I would remiss not to tell you to save a couple days and head to the rain forest. The sounds of nature and the views will blow you away. Can you imagine going to sleep hearing the rain and tree frogs all night long and wake up to see the jungle. Amazing!



Or take a hike and cool off in a pool of water running down the side of a mountain.



Puerto Rico has so much to offer besides San Juan and the East Coast of over development.
St John is our favorite place, but PR is definitely worth exploring… as long as you are willing to leave San Juan. But I am not a city kinda of guy.

I lived in PR for a chunk of my childhood and lived in Grenada before that. I would not spend a whole week on Puerto Rico unless you take the advise of Tom B. We typically spend a couple days on one end or the other exploring Puerto Rico but after just a couple days I am ready to get to the other islands. I do recommend Culebra, though, if you are looking for something different.

My family spent 11 days in Rincon. The locals welcomed us in to their community parties, we had a little house on the beach with nice snorkeling and we explored that half of PR by car. I think if you get out of the San Juan area you will find that PR is a fantastic little gem.

mmmmm - coffee plantations! I am an avid coffee fan - even roast my own beans at home. That could be the winning argument

And thank you for a well done post about the area. It sounds almost perfect for the way we like to vacation.

More info on the way - stay tuned. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

We've spent some time in the Luquillo Beach area and really enjoyed it. Some really great local restaurants in what from the outside looks like a rundown strip shopping center but inside you'll find beautiful decor and outstanding food!
So good we went there for dinner twice at two different restaurants even though we were staying at a Four Seasons. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

One property that caught our eye was this one from the attached link. While we didn't see the Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn it's one that we would likely stay at on our own dime.

Maybe this will be helpful.

Luquillo Beach Hotel

In a couple weeks, we're using our owner's time to do something completely different - sail around Puerto Rico (starting from STT). It's going to take about 4 weeks to do it comfortably. I'm glad to see the positive reviews here - makes me want to do it all the more. We had one short land trip at the El Yunque rainforest a few years ago - loved it, and loved the people too.

So let’s see if we can check boxes for a 7 day PR adventure. Stealing from the Guadeloupe's tourist board you could mix it up with a green/blue adventure

[color:"green"]The Green Adventure:
[/color]

If you like to hike and feel like you have left civilization I would plan on 1 or 2 days at Casa Cubuy. http://www.casacubuy.com/ This eco-lodge is nothing fancy, but the views are amazing. The hikes can go from easy to extreme. The waterfalls are beautiful. It is on the south side of El Yunque and the bridge over the mountain washed out, so you have to drive around the park to get to it. The Eco Lodge is only about ½ mile from the washed out bridge. We were there in October a couple of years ago, and were the only guest. The inn provided a great breakfast, and we had dinner down the road in a little roadside shack that was amazing. All I can say about our time in the rain forest is PHOTO Opportunity! Maybe the most relaxing 24 hours I have ever spent. We arrived late morning, hiked and played in the waterfalls all afternoon. Totally chilled, we enjoyed the sounds of the nature that night swinging in a hammock. Next morning took another short hike and then headed off for a late lunch. Could I have stayed longer… maybe another a day, but that would be it.



BTW it is a really fun drive to get there!

There are still a good number of coffee plantations on the island. At one time, PR was a major producer of coffee, but economics and big corporations kinda squelch the small farmer. Now that artisanal coffees have become popular, there appears a comeback of the little guy. There is a ton of info and tour opportunities of coffee plantations that can be pulled off the web.

We used to go to one up in the Mountains east of Mayaguez. They had an amazing Sunday brunch. A small inn was on the plantation for those who wanted an overnight stay. Paradores (Small inns or BBs) in Puerto Rico is also an interesting way to jump around the island. I did a quick google search, but could not find the Parador at the coffee plantation I was speaking of above.

[color:"blue"]The Blue Adventure:[/color]

I would have to point you to an area known as “The Shacks”. Not far from Jobos Beach, and some great roadside bar/restaurants, the Shacks offer the getaway you are looking for. Little to no off island tourists and the villas are right on the water.

When we lived on the island, my wife and I were proud renters of one of “the shacks”. Four couples went in together and split the $80 a month rental fee. It was our weekend hangout and party central.



Basically, it was a great place to snorkel, and the structure provided an indoor port of potty + shade to get the beer out of the sun. Since then all the shacks are gone, and new small villas have been built along the beach. We have never stayed in any of them, but we did check this one out when we visited last. It stands exactly where our shack use to be. Shack Villas Ok, it is a sentimental choice, but it does check the box of on the beach and no tourist.

From the Shacks, day trips into the Mountains to explore Camuy Caves, the Arecibo Antenna if you were a fan of the movie Contact, or down to Rincon for a little surf watching are all achievable. Oh yeah and Moca, the town known for lace is also close.



Most of all the Shacks offers a quiet beach, yet very close to some great food and local culture.

I assume you will fly into San Juan, although depending where you live flying into Aquadilla (BQN) Borinquen Airport may also be an option. I have seen some get great fares into BQN. This alternative would avoid San Juan altogether. Their is a Marriot hotel next to the airport for the last night. (It used to be a military hospital that was converted to a hotel - Borinquen was Ramey AFB)

I would recommend that you do mid-week departures. The weekends in PR can be fun. It seems there is always a gathering and music somewhere. I remember stopping outside of Mayaguez late one Saturday morning to fill up the car. The gentleman who ran the gas station was cooking a goat in the behind the station. Next thing we knew we were eating a plate of Arroz con Gandules, Goat & Lechon, and enjoying a few cold ones. It was the longest gas station stop ever, but what an experience.

Recommend that you do not try to hold to rigid time schedule in PR, something will always slow you down.



Make sure you do leave enough time to find a small rum shack on the beach, a cold Medlla, a 1/2 slab of ribs, and a few tostones - then enjoy your day as it slips away. The term Siempre Mañana will no longer be words, but a lifestyle to pursue.

Once again, PR is not a shiny glitzy place. Recent economic turns and continuing unemployment issues has made more of the ugly side surface. However, PR is a land rich history, beauty, and culture. The food is amazing, unless you are a Cardiologist. The people are so friendly, and with just a few words of Spanish a big smile of welcome is normally seen. It is definitely not a trip for those who need to feel in control. The language is different, tourism is not the only industry, and politically it is a mess – yet it is still the Land of Enchantment for my wife and I.

Not sure if Mona is on your list of things to do, but it is an amazing island. It part of Natl Park system and I know it can be very restrictive. But worth checking out if you can. Happy sailing!

Tom, you should put together a tourist brochure.
BTW the coffee plantations produce some of the highest quality beans in the world.
The Vatican has been purchasing their coffee from PR since WWII.

I did not know that... as a practicing Catholic I better go say 5 Hail Mary's.
So now I understand. My wife and I love Puerto Rican Coffee the traditional way with half cream and a very strong coffee.
But the coffee pots we always bought said made in Italy.



The connection has now been made. PR sends coffee and Italy send pots. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

BTW yep the wine in the background is French. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

The Italian Espresso machines are what made coffee a gourmet product.
A great combo.

TomB- Having lived on the Jewel of the Caribbean back in the 1970s, your posts are excellent. Thanks!

We lived in Aguadilla 1978-1980
It was and still is a very special place for us - even 36 years later

I raise a glass of Don Q for days gone by
<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Isla Verde from 1975-1979

Tom,
This is great information. Thank you very much!

and fwiw, even my green coffee supplier is out of PR coffee - http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee/islands/puerto-rico

There's a reason, PR coffees are mostly sold to the high end gourmet markets around the world and most makers in PR during the last decade have been mixing Colombian beans with there own in order to satisfy the local market.
Most of the high end beans are occasionally auctioned and net prices of $50.00 or more a pound.

notahippie:
I enjoy several areas on the main island that have been mentioned here but it sounds like you would like Vieques and Culebra. VQS definitely has more food options and many nicer restuarants.
You would probably enjoy staying in Esperanza.