Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island that is located near the Dominican Republic and towards the western side of the Virgin Islands. Its location is critical to the shipping community as it lies on the shipping lane which leads to the Panama Canal. Discovered by Columbus in 1493; its original name was San Juan Bautista. Now, it is a self governance island of the United States.
Climate
Being one of the Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico offers a serene tropical climate which you would enjoy during your holiday. The temperature remains moderate around the year from 21 to 32 degrees C. The island gets an abundant supply of rainfall and each year hurricanes also bring added rainfall. Overall, the climate is ideal for a tropical holiday.
Puerto Rico is mostly made up of mountains and hence it would serve as a trekkers delight. The mountains lie around the coastal areas; while there are beautiful sandy beaches around. The island also has a river Grande de Arecibo which is the longest in the island and flows past the northern coast of the island.
Exotic Places To Visit
Puerto Rico has various exotic places which you should visit. The capital city San Juan has one of the largest natural harbors in the Caribbean and serves as a large fishing industry. Arecibo, which is another city, has one of the world's largest telescope devices for space exploration. The city of Carolina is famous for its clubbing scene and night life. The city also has casinos for causal and hardcore gamblers. Other cities are well known for their beaches and parks. The island also has a rainforest El Yunque which should be explored during a visit. Other places to visit are the San Juan National historic site which features the previous history of the city and the country. There is a Mona island which has lots of wildlife. Rio Camuy Caverns is well known for its underground caves including one of the largest underwater sinkhole.
Transportation
Getting to the island is simple; you can get a flight to Carolina International Airport which is very close to the capital Juan. All the major national and private carriers run flights to Carolina and you wouldn't have problems getting in. Apart from plane, commercial ferries also run their services to the city of Mayaguez. The ferry service is pretty well known and popular among holiday makers. Cruise ships also have their own services and about a million people reach Puerto Rico on cruise liners. Once you are in the island, getting around is not a problem. You can find rent cars and taxis fairly easily. Public and tour buses are also available which can help you manage your movement.
Cuisine
People here speak Spanish and are generally friendly. There is a large local variety of cuisines which you will surely try during your visit. Most of the eating out places is drive through buffets, so all you need is a car. The food here is the most diverse among all the Caribbean islands. Pork is the main meat here but you can get other form as well without any difficulty. Most of the meals have some sort of meat concentrations and vegetarians would have a hard time in Puerto Rico.
