Discover Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island of 3.2 million people that has been Spanish for four hundred years and American for more than a century, and is neither a state nor a country: an unincorporated territory of the United States whose people have been US citizens since 1917, whose government works in Spanish and English, and whose capital is the oldest European city under the US flag. The main island is 177 kilometres long and 65 wide, with a mountain spine rising to 1,338 metres, a rainforest on its eastern end that is the only tropical one in the US National Forest System, and a karst country of caves in the north; off its east coast lie Vieques and Culebra, reached by ferry from Ceiba.

San Juan is where nearly everyone arrives -- 5.1 million passengers through its airport in 2022 -- and Old San Juan, established in 1521 on its blue cobblestones behind the walls of El Morro, is the reason to stay a few days before going anywhere else. The fort and the historic site around it have been a World Heritage Site since 1983 and draw over two million visitors a year.

Two facts shape any visit. The US dollar, US phones and no passport for US citizens make it the easiest Caribbean island for Americans to reach, which is why tourism is worth up to a tenth of the economy; and Hurricane Maria, which hit the island directly on 20 September 2017 and left millions without power for months, is still the reference point for how the place works, from the rebuilt grid to the parking limits at El Yunque.

Do US citizens need a passport?

Puerto Rico is a US territory, so travel from the mainland is domestic; the currency is the US dollar and the emergency number is 9-1-1. This page says nothing about entry rules for other nationalities because no authority page was read.

How do I get to Vieques or Culebra?

Puerto Rico Ferry from Ceiba on the east coast: an hour to Vieques, an hour and a half to Culebra. Be at the terminal an hour before departure with photo ID; check-in closes ten minutes before sailing. Fares are on the booking site, not on the route pages.

Do I need a reservation for El Yunque?

Not for the main entrances -- Road 191 from the north to La Mina, Road 988 at Luquillo, Road 186 and Road 191 from Naguabo are all listed as not requiring one -- but the Forest Service manages numbers by parking, some trails remain closed, and El Portal shuts from 8 to 20 September each year.

How much are the forts?

A $10 standard pass per person over 16, valid 24 hours for both El Morro and San Cristóbal; under-16s free; no cash accepted.

When is the best time to visit?

December to April, the dry season. The rainy season runs April to November and the hurricane season peaks in September; the mountains stay between 16 and 27 degrees all year if the coast is too hot.

What language do people speak?

Spanish first; English is official too and understood in San Juan and the tourist areas.