Top Caribbean Destinations: Puerto Rico

No passport? No problem. Enjoy a five-star Caribbean getaway in Puerto Rico, with world-class beaches, nightlife, fishing and golf, plus history, eco-adventures and more.

My personal “must do” favorite spots in Puerto Rico from multiple visits over the years include these –

Old San Juan, where picturesque streets and buildings transport you back to the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

El Morro, the formidable hilltop fortress built by the Spanish in 1540 to protect the island from invasion, with picture postcard views of turquoise Caribbean water.

Bioluminsecent Bay, where you can glow like an angel while you snorkel with tiny algae that light up like fireflies, off Vieques. It’s one of the few bioluminescent bays in the world, and an absolute “must do” for any ecoXplorer.

El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest managed by the US Park Service, with miles of hiking paths and hundreds of species of colorful birds, flowers and ferns. Listen for the sound of the coqui, a tree frog named for its signature song, which sounds just like its name – koh-kee.

The Museum of Art in Ponce, designed by world-famous American architect Edward Durrell Stone. This is the home of one of the world’s most recognized paintings, Flaming June, by Frederick Lord Leighton, a beautiful woman in a flowing red-orange dress. It’s one of my absolute favorite paintings in any museum in any city in the world.

Tour a rum factory. After all, Puerto Rico is famous for its rums. Sample the goods anywhere in Puerto Rico in a daiquiri, frozen or over ice. Or, sip and savor an aged dark rum in a snifter, as you would a fine brandy.

Visit a natural cavern. The magnificent Camuy caverns run through the third largest subterranean river in the world.

Try your luck at one of the world-class casinos in San Juan.

And, of course, go to the beach. Puerto Rico has 270 miles of coastline and is regularly featured in lists of world’s top beaches, including Flamenco Beach in Culebra.

If you aren’t already convinced, check out the new partnership between Puerto Rico Tourism and popular travel review site Trip Advisor, where real traveler reviews have been transformed into beautiful short films narrated by Puerto Rican film and music stars.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Puerto Rico, The All-Star Island. All opinions are 100% mine.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.