Puerto Rico, The Ultimate Guide to the East.
🗺️ Google Maps Version
✅ The Basics
📆 When to travel to Puerto Rico:
The best time of year is between December and May. The island is known for having one of the longest Christmas seasons in the world, stretching well into January. Going in the winter and spring helps avoid the humid and rainy summers (especially in the east) and potential hurricanes of the fall.
🚗 How to get around:
With public transport being scarce on the island, you will need to rent a car. This gives you the flexibility to go wherever, whenever, and it's useful for going up El Yunque.
The Island has plenty of car rental places, which can be found at the airport for both pickup and drop-off which is extremely easy, quick, and convenient. Most of the major companies such as Hertz, Enterprize, and Thrifty are located on airport grounds. Others such as Dollar Car or Advantage are located outside the airport and require a shuttle transfer. I would highly recommend renting from an agency within the airport for a worry-free experience.
🚢 Ferries
Some locations off the main island will need to be accessed via a short 30-45-minute ferry ride. Mainly for Flamenco Beach and Vieques Island for the Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay.
⏱️ Travel Times
There are two options for traveling to the east, either by the direct toll route (Ask to have tolls included in car rental), or the coastal road.
If you are not in a rush, the route along the water has many fun stops and beautiful beaches along the way. The area of Pinones has plenty of great seafood and is home to the beaches of La Pocita & Vacia Talega.
Option 1 - Direct Toll Highway - 40min
Option 2 - Coastal Scenic Route - 1h
📍 Must-Do Attractions & Places of Interest
🍫 Coffee & Chocolate Farms
Founded in 1999, this coffee farm just south of El Yunque offers guided tours for coffee lovers on weekends, but their coffee bar and highly rated restaurant are open from Wednesday onward.
In the mood for something sweet? Hacienda Chocolat, just outside of Fajardo is one of the top coffee farms on the island. They do tours on Saturday & Sunday's for their Cacao farms, as well as wine and whisky tasting.
🛶 Laguna Grande Bioluminescent Bay
One of the most unique experiences you can ever have is with a luminescent bay tour, a must-do while on the island. There are only five year-round locations in the world that can offer such an experience. With three being in Puerto Rico.
Mosquito Bay - The most intense of the three, is located on a nearby island of Vieques making it only accessible via Ferry, and due to the timetable, ferries back to the main island do not leave late enough to see the BioBay and get back in the same evening.
La Parguera - is near the south of the island, and away from most other attractions, popular for those staying in Ponce or Rincon.
Laguna Grande - The focus of this guide, is the most visited Bio bay in Puerto Rico due to its proximity to San Juan, being in the east near other attractions. While technically not a bay, you will kayak about 30min up the canal until you reach the glowing water.
Two trusted tours for Laguna Grande can be found below, Yokahu & Pure Adventure. Any kayaking tour for this Bio Bay will offer a similar experience and leave from roughly the same location (Kayak Village).
🏄 Surf Lessons
Puerto Rico has a long history of surfing. While most of the top surf spots are in the west near Rincon, there are plenty of spots around the island that make for fantastic surfing, as Puerto Rico is the best island in the Caribbean for it.
On the eastern side of the island, Luquillo's La Pared Beach offers great waves, and a sandy ocean floor, making it a perfect location for beginners to ride their first wave.
Surfing Puerto Rico runs camps throughout the island. Taught by professional surfers, they are a great experience for those looking to learn to surf.
⛰️ El Yunque National Forest
Depending on your adventure level, the Rainforest can pack a half, to a full day of entertainment. For the most part, you will need to drive to the various locations around the mountain, up and down the same road.
There are some hikes closer to the top, none of which are overly strenuous.
Bringing a bathing suit and towel would be a great idea for one; it's the only rainforest in the US Parks system, meaning that it is damp and prone to rainfall. Also for the many waterfalls and natural slides around the forest, which you'll want to take a dip in.
While the attractions in the park are free, the visitors center is worth the cheap admission to walk around and understand the forest before entering.
Picking up a park map here will also aid your trip in the mountain.
Bringing snacks with you is always a good idea, but a stop at the Rainforest Cafe for a bite to eat offers a place to rest, and their plantain burger is fantastic, along with their selection of local craft beers.
One of the first attractions you'll hit mid-way up the mountain is the Yokahu Tower. After a few short flights of stairs, you'll reach the top and be elevated into the tree canopy with views of the surrounding rainforest.
The tower was named Yúcahu, which is the supreme deity of the Taíno people, native to the region. The name can be found on different tour companies and businesses around the region.
The start of the path up to Mount Britton. Any active person can do this short hike, about an hour round trip to Mount Brittin, and about 2 hours if you carry on past to El Yunque Peak Tower.
💦 Waterfalls & Swimming Spots
🏖️ Beaches
Flamenco Beach - Regularly makes an appearance on the list of the world's best beaches. It has all the facilities needed for a relaxing and comfortable day at the beach.
The tank on the beach offers a neat photo opportunity, a legacy from when the US practised invasions at this site.
It can be accessed via a 45min ferry ride from the Ceiba Ferry Terminal.
Seven Seas Beach - A Blue Flag Beach, One of seven on the island, known for safe, clear water for swimmers and beachgoers alike. It is also a great spot to snorkel as they have buoys out in the water indicating coral reefs.
Liquillo Beach - A Blue Flag Beach, One of seven on the island. It backs on to the Kioskos de Liquillo which are an experience in food and drink in their own right.
🏨 Where to Stay
In the east, there are two main towns popular to stay in. Fajardo & Luquillo. Both are equal distance from any attractions you'll want to see.
Fajardo acts as the main town in the region, it has more strip malls, places to eat, and shop, but it is also more suburban, meaning that for the most part, you will drive everywhere.
Luquillo is a quiet surfer town and my recommendation for where to stay. It has friendly locals, and a small town, walkable feel with plenty of good restaurants and cafes situated near the town square, just seconds from the beach.
Another option would be resorts, there are plenty in the area and offer all-inclusive amenities and the El Conquistador Resort is famous for its ocean-side water park.
Hotels
Resorts
🍽️ Restaurants & Cafes
🍌 Things to Try:
Mofongo - Comfort food at its finest, made from deep-fried plantains and made into a mush (think mashed potato), served on its own or with any protein; steak, pork, seafood. (I'd highly recommend the Trifongo a la Carbonara from La Fonda Gourmet).
Tostones - More plantain, pressed and cut into thick patty, then deep-fried until soft, mashed, and deep fried again.
Armnarillo - Similar to tostones, but its a whole plantain, cut into chunks and fried until blackened, making it sweet.
Empanadillas - More commonly known as Empanada, they are stuffed, with your choice of meat and fried. A pizza vesion is also popular.
Frituras - They make for a great snack, and different versions can be found throughout the island. A deep-fried treat that is stuffed with beef, chicken, crab, or other seafood. They can be found at market stalls throughout the island.
Drinks - Piña Colada (Originally from San Juan) & Mojito.
Kioskos de Luquillo
An attraction in their own right. Stall after stall of food and souvenirs, it is a must-stop for either a snack, drink, or dinner. Every place below this is located at the kiosks.
Mojito Lab makes massive drinks to take on the beach.
La Parrilla is one of the more known seafood restaurants on this side of Puerto Rico.
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