Information About Puerto Rico
Facts for Planning Your Vacation to Puerto Rico
Planning a vacation to Puerto Rico? Get the practical information you need before you go.
Where
The smallest of the big Caribbean Islands known as the Greater Antilles, Puerto Rico is about 1,000 miles from Florida, between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands. San Juan, on the northeast coast, is the capital.
Why Go
Puerto Rico blends the allure of a tropical island with the convenience of being in part of the US. In other words, you get warm sandy beaches, lush tropical rainforest, soulful music, world-class surfing, Spanish colonial sites, and more rum than you know what to do with-- without having to worry about things like passports or currency exchanges. Even language isn't a problem because while Spanish is predominant, about a quarter of the population knows some degree of English, particularly in the San Juan metro area.
The island's tourism motto used to be "the continent of Puerto Rico" because there is such a variety of things-- historic, cultural, natural, and leisurely-- to see and do. Yet because of Puerto Rico's modest size (100 miles wide by 35 miles long), it is possible to do a lot of exploring in a short amount of time.
When to go
Puerto Rico’s tropical location and cooling sea breezes make it summer year round. Things like temperature and rainfall vary only slightly throughout the year. However, both prices and crowds increase during the tourist season, which runs from December to April. Ironically, that makes hurricane season – officially, from June 1 to November 30—the best time to visit the island. The chances of a hurricane blowing through while you are visiting are quite slim – on average, one hits only every few years—but it’s possible.
Money
Puerto Rico uses US currency, with the dollar sometimes called peso. While there is no sales tax on the island, hotels do charge a 9% tax (or 11% if they have a casino). Tip waiters and cabbies as you would in the US.
Major credit cards are widely accepted and ATMS (called ATHs) are ubiquitous in cities. If you are striking out into rural areas, try to bring whatever cash you’ll need to save yourself the trouble of tracking down an ATM or a place that takes credit cards.
Communication
Public phones, calling cards, and cell phone towers can be found in any city. When making a call in Puerto Rico, you must always dial the area code, but leave off the “1” for local calls.
Public internet connections can be hard to find, but are becoming increasingly available. There are some internet cafes in the San Juan area, plus wi-fi connections in certain hotels and shopping centers.
Postal service is readily available, and postage rates are the same as in the mainland US.
Health and Safety
No vaccinations are needed and the water is safe to drink. Roadside food stands may or may not give you intestinal difficulties, but typically nothing debilitating. Parasites known as schistomastosa are known to live in freshwater, so make sure it’s safe before jumping into a river or lake.
Probably the biggest health “concern” is sunburn, followed by mosquito bites – so plan accordingly and use sunscreen and/or insect repellant as needed.
Puerto Rico is generally safe, but as with any other place, crime does occur. Use common sense – don’t walk alone at night, lock your car, and don’t leave valuables in plain view.
