Fly over the Caribbean Sea to find the Puerto Rico island archipelago glistening in the heart of the Caribbean’s blue waters.
Puerto Rico consists of its main island and four smaller islands (where the majority of Puerto Ricans live), alongside an array of surrounding islets. While geographically small in size, Puerto Rico does not lack in experiences – over 200 beaches, a rainforest, a tropical climate, art-deco architecture, and a globally-influenced cuisine awaits.
These are five reasons to add Puerto Rico to your 2025 travel list.
In partnership with Discover Puerto Rico.
The Food
One of the best ways to get to know a new place is undoubtably through its food. Local cuisine says a lot about a place’s history and culture, and the same goes for Puerto Rico. Dishes here carry global influence, blending Spanish, Taíno, and African cuisines, with key plates including mofongo made with plantain, adobo, rice, beans, and of course, lots of fresh seafood. The best way to experience it is in Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan on the main island, with a food tour. The Spoon Experience offers lots of options including a cocktail tour, a driving tour, and a sunset walking tour; many of the places you’ll visit highlight female-founded-and-run restaurants across the city. Two of our favourite female-ran restaurants in San Juan are Verde Mesa by sustainable food pioneer Loyda Rosa, the first farm to table restaurant in San Juan, and Bóveda by chef Carol Reyes offering a refined dining experience also using locally-sourced ingredients. Plus, it wouldn’t be a trip to the Caribbean without a good serving of rum (if you drink, that is) and the top place to do this is in the Old City where the piña coladas flow and where you can visit the rum distilleries to discover how it’s made.
The Nature
The great outdoors is a big part of island life across Puerto Rico. El Yunque National Forest, covering 28,000 acres across the slopes of the Sierra de Luquillo mountains, is the only tropical rainforest in the United States, and a trek through this rainforest offers encounters with the rare Puerto Rican parrot, many different varieties of bats, and reptiles including the coqui frog. The tropical island archipelago is also home to a vast selection of waterfalls for cooling dips post-hike. The Juan Diego Falls is hidden within the rainforest for a truly tropical feeling, while Salto Curet is loved amongst locals for a calming soak in the crystal-clear river. Water-sport fans can enjoy caves and rushing waters at La Canoa Falls, stopping at a picnic spot to complete the day. To get to know the local flora and fauna of the land, book a horse-riding tour across sandy beaches, through meadows, or across the hills, spotting wild horses in Vieques as you go. One of the most magical parts of Puerto Rico are the bioluminescent bays, where microscopic organisms glow in the dark when you swim through the water. There are reported to only be five bioluminescent bays in the world (where the organisms grow in quantities large enough to earn this classification) and Puerto Rico is home to three of them, including the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world, Mosquito Bay in Vieques.
The Culture
At the heart of Puerto Rican culture is good energy. Art, dancing, music and festivals are all a key part of life on the islands. Starting with art, Puerto Rico’s mainland is decorated with street art – modern creations alongside pieces that date back to the 17th and 18th centuries – especially in the Santurce neighbourhood. Walk around here to immerse yourself in it, and stop by the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo to learn more about the different styles and artists. Whenever you decide to visit, the chances are a festival will coincide; Puerto Rico hosts a festival or celebration almost every weekend. Festivals to keep on your radar (and perhaps even plan your trip around) include the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián in Old San Juan and Fiesta de Reyes Juanadina. Puerto Rican carnivals are a fun chance to hear the traditional dance and music styles from the islands, namely bomba, which is an Afro-Caribbean rhythm lead by drums that has traditionally been used to communicate via a variety of musical styles and dancing.
The Beaches
We’ll tempt you with all the Caribbean clichés … mile-long white sand beaches lined with palm trees, where azure waters gently lap the shores; water so clear that you can see straight through to the sandy seabed. It’s not hard to imagine how much better a frozen piña colada tastes here, or how enjoyable a page-turner would be. Across the island archipelago, 270 miles of coastline provides over 200 beaches to choose from. That’s almost one for every day of the year. Each offers something slightly different, and it’s impossible to go wrong. Pick a vibe, and go from there. For one of Puerto Rico’s most famous beaches, head to Culebra for Flamenco Beach, which has been rated as one of the world’s top beaches time and time again for its long stretches of white sand. Just pack your factor-50 sun cream and swimsuit. Cayo Icacos in Fajardo, on the east coast of Puerto Rico, is excellent for snorkelling as the abandoned pier has now become an important home for the island’s rich marine life; spot schools of fish as you swim here. For partying, or a beach-side cocktail, there are plenty of options. A classic choice is to head to Rincón (a great choice for keen surfers) for beach bar Tamboo. Loved since the 80s, a sunset cocktail at the beach-side shack will quickly turn into a night of dancing.
The Weather
Puerto Rico’s tropical marine climate means that while the temperature fluctuates slightly throughout the year, you’ll (more often than not) find sun, and therefore cocktails on the beach is on the cards. While Puerto Rico boasts a favourable climate year-round, one of the most popular times to visit is December to May for a welcome spot of winter sun. Across these earlier months of the year, you’ll be treated to a sunny and hot climate with temperatures in the mid-twenties (degrees celsius). The summer months are enjoyable too – if you can take the heat and want to avoid the busier (and more popular) spring months.
All image credit: Discover Puerto Rico
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