Wave Riding and Rope Swinging
Welcome to Puerto Rico, a beautiful island filled with easy going people who really just want to enjoy the gorgeous scenery from the coast to the inland rain forests! Palm trees everywhere you look, beaches all along the coastline, and a wonderful culture.
We opted to a very cheap Airbnb in Fortuna, very close to the bigger city of Luquillo and about half an hour from the capital of Puerto Rico, San Juan. We loved the location, right outside our window was the great expanse of the beach, a beautiful turquoise color. As we took a left from our condo, there are gates covered in purple blossoms. We hear the laughing of local children and stray dogs. Everyone was outside. Women cooking in outdoor kitchens, awaiting their giggling children for lunch. Boys playing basketball on the neighborhood court that overlooked the gorgeous blue of the ocean. Chickens and roosters flocked the streets, chasing each other and engaging the children. Old men sat on the curb enjoying the lethargic nature of life in the sun.We loved being surrounded by the real culture of Puerto Rico. We continued down the road, trying our Spanish and saying hello to everyone. At the end of the road, a small path studded with palm trees revealed the grandeur of the crystal clear ocean. to our right lay the golden sand and lapping waves and to our left, the mouth of a river open up into the ocean, crowded by tropical trees that built up to the beautiful and overpowering view of El Yunque, the famous rain forest. A rope swing hung over the river and local children clambered up the tree to jump into the warm water of the river.The beach was abandoned besides the occasional local; we had found our own secluded paradise beach. The absence of people really made it look as if we had found a tropical island all to ourselves. I loved it. We hung up our hammock, brought a cooler full of Coronas and limes, and set in for a great day.
We traveled to San Juan twice this vacation. Our favorite part was by far the Old City. It was truly enchanting, hosting a multitude of colors to overwhelm the senses. We were fortunate to visit right as the sun was setting over the city, casting an aura of romance and some kind of nostalgia. The fort is worth visiting, especially in the dying light as it sets right over the grand wall. The roads are full of people, exploring the myriad of shops and restaurants, being dragged in by the mouth-watering smells.We ate amazing fish tacos with rice, friend plantains, and of course mojitos (Bacardi is made on the island) made up one of the best meals I had on the island. We stopped in many artisan shops were we discovered locally made jewelry (which of course I had to purchase purely for reasons of helping a growing economy ;) ). San Juan really gave me a heart warming sensation because of its color!
Visiting Culebra or Vieques is another must do. We visited Culebra, a beautiful very walkable island. A $4.50 ferry ride was well worth it. The island is covered in tourists, but there is always space for more and it's well worth the visit. We walked two miles to a sea turtle beach called Tortuga Beach unfortunately only saw sting rays, but it was a still a beautiful sight. The locals say you can always find sea turtles there! We also visited the popular beach, Playa Flamenco which is surrounded by fun bars, music, and lots of people. It's a huge beach so if you're looking for populated or secluded, it's got everyone covered! Great food on the island too, we stopped at a taco place really off the beaten path and had were happily surprised.
Of course we made sure to visit El Yunque, one of the islands tropical rainforests. The tropical area is beautiful and the view from the peak is unbeatable. We heard from locals there's a lot of waterfalls to visit and even natural water slides. The most popular spot is La Mina falls, it's a short trail from the parking lot and at the end, you're rewarded with a beautiful waterfall and swimming area. This area tends to get really crowded. Some of the locals told us of another, more secluded spot, called Juan Diego falls, it's worth the visit!
Close to Fortuna, about a 10 minute walk, are the Luquillo, are the Luquillo Kioskos. About 50 restaurants, shops, and bars lined up filled with an enthusiastic crowd at all times of the day. Locals flock to the kioskos which runs parallel to a park area and the Luquillo beach. From the porch of the restaurants, you can see the palm trees swaying over the ocean blue. It's a really great opportunity to mingle with the locals and try great drinks and local foods. We really enjoyed staying in Fortuna because it was so much more personal and friendly than the bigger city of San Juan. We had a personal beach, view of El Yunque, and close to great food and music. The locals are so friendly, we met so many great people and saw so many beautiful places, hope we come back again soon, Puerto Rico!
