10 Best Things to Do in Puerto Rico for an Unforgettable Trip
Puerto Rico has many experiences and attractions catering to all travellers. This enchanting island has something for everyone, from pristine beaches with crystal-clear waters to vibrant towns teeming with history and culture. Join us as we explore the top activities, must-visit landmarks, and hidden gems that make Puerto Rico an unforgettable destination. Get ready for an adventure-packed journey through the wonders of Isla de Encanto to get to know about the best things to do in Puerto Rico.
Map of the Top Activities in Puerto Rico
Things to Do in Puerto Rico
- Marvel at Puerto Rico’s bioluminescent bays
- Take a hike in El Yunque National Forest
- Go surfing and snorkeling in Rincon
- Discover Old San Juan
- Get your adventure on in Culebra
- Tour Cabo Rojo
- Go for thrills at Toro Verde Adventure Park
- Explore Camuy River Cave Park
- Scuba dive in Puerto Rico
- Unwind at Puerto Rico’s beautiful beaches
1. Marvel at Puerto Rico’s bioluminescent bays
Bioluminescent bays, often known as “bio bays,” are bodies of water in which tiny organisms known as dinoflagellates grow in sufficient amounts to generate a “glow-in-the-dark” phenomenon known as bioluminescence (yay science). When anyone paddles through or splashes this water, the dinoflagellates emit a green blue neon light, giving the water the illusion of being illuminated by billions of dazzling stars. These bays are rarely found in the world and are one of the best things to do in Puerto Rico.
There are various ways to experience the bioluminescence bay. You can travel by yourself to the spot or contact a travel agency or tour guide. It is forbidden to swim in bio bays because of their fragile ecosystem in Puerto Rico. You can instead go kayaking in the waters of the bio bays through one of the reputed companies on the island. Kayaking is a very cool experience that allows you to explore the mangrove waterways in the bio bay.
There are three different bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico. Visiting any one spot is enough to experience it. One spot is Mosquito Bay, Vieques. The second is Laguna Grande in Fajardo and the third is La Parguera, Lajas. Mosquito Bay is known to be the brightest of these bays.
Related read >> New Zealand’s North Island Itinerary where you’ll see bioluminiscent glowworms in caves!
2. Take a hike in El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque is a large rainforest on the northeast corner of Puerto Rico. The rainforest has many hikes, some of which lead to beautiful waterfalls inside the forest. Some of the hikes require reservations in advance while others don’t. El Yunque is the only rainforest and national park in Puerto Rico and a great addition to the things to do in Puerto Rico.
A few hikes that do not require advance reservation are Angelito Trail and hikes in Rio Sabana Recreation Area. Waterfalls and natural pools that you can go to without reservations are Puente Roto, Angelito Trail and Las Paylas. The prettiest natural pools are at Angelito Trail. These are 3 huge shallow pools through which the river flows.
There are two lookout points at El Yunque that have amazing views of the surrounding forest. These are Yokahu Tower and Mount Britton tower. You can also go ziplining, horseback riding, camping and dining inside El Yunque. Since this is the only rainforest in the US it is a great opportunity to explore it while visiting Puerto Rico.
3. Go surfing and snorkeling in Rincon
Rincon is a town on the west coast of Puerto Rico that is known for its surfing and abundant marine life. The town is just a 2 hour drive from San Juan and it’s very easy to get from San Juan to Rincon. The town has been the host of many world championships at Maria’s Beach and Domes Beach.
The best waves can be found here during the winter season. The waves get as high as 20 ft at Tres Palmas Beach. There are lots of protected coves here for beginners to learn surfing as well. Sandy Beach on smaller days is a great beach for beginners to practise surfing.
Tres Palmas Marine Reserve is a protected area that has a healthy coral ecosystem and lots of marine life to snorkel with. You can see a variety of fish, turtles that come to Puerto Rico to lay eggs and even reef sharks if you are lucky. Tres Palmas Beach, also called Steps Beach, is a great place to snorkel during low tide when natural pools form right next to the beach.
4. Discover Old San Juan
The old part of San Juan was constructed after the Spanish conquest of the island.
There are some impressive structures in Old San Juan that you should make a point to see. El Morro and San Cristobal are sister forts on each side of the city that were built to protect Old San Juan from an attack by land or sea. There are lots of other things to do in Puerto Rico inside the old city itself.
There are lots of other monuments inside the city like Catedral Basilica, La Fortaleza and Puerta de San Juan. Catedral Basilica is a beautiful old church in the city. You can see some amazing coloured windows here as well as statues of Mary. Puerta de San Juan opens up to the sea and it’s a great place for a walk after dinner. You can see the sparkling city lights in the distance. La Fortaleza is the home of the mayor and the street outside of it is always covered by umbrellas or lights which makes for amazing photos.
The old city is also home to lots of latin bars that come alive when the sun sets. You will find lots of dive bars in the area as well as bars with salsa dancing going on. The best bars in Old San Juan are El Batey, Barrachina, La Factoria and The Cannon Club. La Factoria was also the bar where the video for the song Despacito was filmed. The Cannon Club is an old time piano club with live music, amazing wine and great company every evening.
5. Get your adventure on in Culebra
Out of all the things to do in Puerto Rico, Culebra is the one that the adventurous travellers will enjoy the most. Culebra is an island situated off the northeast coast of Puerto Rico.
Flamenco Beach on Culebra was voted as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The beach has clear blue water, soft white sand and lots of places to swim and snorkel. Flamenco’s crescent-shaped bay is encircled by low, green hills which makes for very picturesque views. Culebra also has protected wildlife areas on both sides of the island which makes it a great place to hike for adventure enthusiasts.
Culebra has a lot of dive sites a few minutes from the coast. You can find the endangered Antillean manatee while diving if you get lucky — so consider taking a cheap underwater camera. Culebrita is a protected cove with beautiful waters that the kids will really enjoy. You can get to Culebra by taking a ferry from the mainland. Lots of ferries take passengers back and forth from the island every day.
6. Tour Cabo Rojo
Cabo Rojo is a beautiful town on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. The town is known for its pink salt flats and beautiful lighthouse. Perched on the dramatic cliffs overlooking the Caribbean Sea, Los Morrillos Lighthouse is one of the most recognizable Puerto Rico attractions. It was completed in 1877 and now serves as a museum for tourists. Cabo Rojo also has a lot of hiking trails in the limestone cliffs near this lighthouse. The views from these hikes are amazing.
The Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge is a coastal forest covering 1836 acres of land near the town. The refuge is home to a lot of migratory birds going from south to north America. A lot of the birds also nest in the Cabo Rojo salt flats. You can do a tour of this place starting from the visitor’s centre. There are lots of other things to do in Puerto Rico in this part of the island like visiting the town of La Parguera or Buye Beach.
7. Go for thrills at Toro Verde Adventure Park
If you’re seeking an exciting, thrilling experience in Puerto Rico, go no farther than Toro Verde Park’s exhilarating zipline journey. One of the best things to do in Puerto Rico and one of the main Puerto Rico attractions, this zipline soars over the mountains of Orocovis while attached to an 8300 foot with a 2530-metre-long zipline that reaches speeds of up to 95 miles per hour.
The park has multiple ziplines of various heights and different ways to experience them. One is a normal zipline, one has a bike you will sit on 100 metres up in the air. Each zipline is unique and incredibly exciting.
The zipline experience can also be done without much hassle with the help of a tour. The tours involve 2 hours of adventurous hiking and ziplining among the landscape and lush green forests of El Yunque National Forest. The zipline tour consists of 11 wires and 2 rappels, which are approximately 45 feet high. You will also get to swim and relax on the beach.
8. Explore Camuy River Cave Park
Camuy River Cave Park is located in the town of Camuy on the northwest coast. The park is the third-largest cavern system in the world. For decades it has attracted hundreds of visitors each week, both locals and tourists. It is one of the most unique things to do in Puerto Rico because of how rare such cavern systems are.
The cave system, where you can find more than 200 underground caves and caverns, stretches over ten miles under the town. The underground Camuy river has carved out stalactites, stalagmites and sinkholes over thousands of years. You can do a day or night time tour of the caves and learn about the history of this area.
You can visit the park from Wednesday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. Reservations before visiting are required. Ticket prices range from $9 to $18, excluding parking fees. You can reserve by calling at (+1)787-898-3100.
9. Scuba dive in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has multiple dive sites all around the island. There is an abundance of marine life in the coastal waters including reef sharks and the Antillean manatee. The dive sites are suited to all levels from beginners to advanced divers.
Culebra is home to a national wildlife sanctuary and has outstanding diving spots, including Carlos Rosario Beach and Tamarindo Beach. This region has healthy coral reefs, sea turtles, and tropical fish.
Situated on Puerto Rico’s southwest coast, La Parguera is well-known for its bioluminescent bay and has excellent diving possibilities. Divers visit the area’s stunning coral reefs, underwater caverns, and swim-throughs.
Mona Island is an uninhabited island between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. It is known for its clean waters, underwater caves, and abundance of sea life, such as sharks, turtles, and schools of fish. You can only go to Mona Island on live-aboard boats on a round trip that takes at least 3 days.
You can also book scuba diving lessons in Puerto Rico. A few of the good scuba diving schools are mentioned below.
1. Pure Adventure Diving School
Each instructor has a diverse background in marine biology so that you can explore as well as learn about aquatic life around you. For safety concerns, every guide is CPR trained and skilled in rescue operations. They also have PADI certification.
Rincon diving school has private as well as group diving sessions. They also have PADI certification for each level. The guides here are certified professional dive masters and have instructors who are well-versed in diving safety protocols.
Crash Boat Water Sports has specialised instructors, dive masters, and divers to promote safe, high-quality underwater education and activities. PADI certification courses are available here.
10. Unwind at Puerto Rico’s beautiful beaches
Puerto Rico has everything from crystal pools to secluded coves, half-moon bays with mangrove keys, magnificent snorkelling opportunities and epic waves for experienced surfers across its many beaches. One of the best things to do in Puerto Rico is to lie on a beach and sip on some cocktails.
The beautiful Escambron Beach is a local beach in San Juan. The beach has a circular pool that is shielded from the tides. The pool has excellent snorkelling opportunities. The Escambron Marine Park is also across the road where you can go diving and see underwater structures made from stone.
2. Playa Sucia, Cabo Rojo
Playa Sucia lies on the southwest coast of Cabo Rojo and is famous for its breathtaking cliffs, crystal waters as well as spectacular views of the Faro Los Morrillos lighthouse. The cove is protected and has no waves. It’s a calm beach that is perfect for children.
3. Crash Boat Beach
Crash Boat Beach is a popular destination for swimming, snorkelling, and diving. It’s got a beautiful pier and a lively underwater ecosystem with colourful marine life.
Puerto Rico has many activities and attractions showcasing its diverse landscapes, vibrant culture, and adventurous spirit. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or a beach lover, Puerto Rico promises an unforgettable vacation experience. There are a lot of things to do in Puerto Rico to suit every kind of traveller. So pack your bags and get ready to explore all that this enchanting island has to offer.
Related read >> 4-Day Puerto Rico Itinerary
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Guest Author
Hello, I am Kanupriyaa and I write a solo women’s travel blog called My Lost Camel. The blog focuses on in depth travel guides and lesser known places for each location to promote slow and sustainable travel and encourage women to break all barriers and travel where they please.
