Number one on that list was The El Younge Rain Forest. Located near the east cost of the island El Yunque, it is the only tropical forest in the US National Forest System and one of the oldest protected areas in the world.El Younge offers dozens of hiking trails for those who like a challenge, and a car-accessible road for those with an instant gratification approach to life. The trails are not the easiest, and you’re guaranteed to sweat your butt off due to high humidity—no matter what shape you’re in. But you get to experience the rainforest up close and personal, admire 50 types of orchids, and perhaps discover a hidden botanist in you while doing so.
Whichever way you choose, the view from the top is one to behold. A far stretch of rich vegetation bathed in fog, perpetual rainbows and beaches in the distance make for truly breathtaking scenery. If you know where to look, you might see a faint outline of the Virgin Islands, surrounded by glistening waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
El Yunque is also home to several cascading waterfalls and pools, including the largest and most popular one—La Mina Falls. During our visit, La Mina Falls turned out to be crowded with exhausted, out-of-breath hikers, relieved to have reached their destination, and thus not as idyllic as I’d anticipated. Only a few people actually stripped down to their swimwear in order to take a dip, while the majority posed and took countless photos. Because of that, the overall feeling was more that of an artificial waterfall gracing the entrance to a Las Vegas hotel than a natural wonder, hidden within the lush depths of a Caribbean rainforest.
Don’t expect to see Tarzan swinging toward you on a vine or hissing snakes crossing your path, but if you’re lucky you might see a Puerto Rican parrot or a tiny coqui frog, native to the Carribean region, parachuting down the tree with its webbed feet. Who knows, you might even see ‘le chupacabra’—a mysterious, alienist creature believed to be residing in the Puerto Rican forests and currently getting much attention in the media.
Culebra
Located about 17 miles away from the east cost of Puerto Rico is Culebra Island, also known as the “Last Virgin of the Caribbean.” The easiest and cheapest way to get to this tiny island is to take a ferry ride from the town of Fajardo. The ride lasts about 2 hours and offers a great opportunity to chat up some locals who live on Culebra, but commute daily to Puerto Rico for work.
My Dad has the rather disconcerting tendency of spotting guys less than half his age with radar precision, and befriending them with such an alarming speed that my sister and I cannot help but wonder if perhaps he is secretly bribing them with money. He then brings them over to us the way a predator bird would bring his pray to his offspring, and quickly vanishes, leaving us in the awkward situation of having to talk to strangers whether we feel like it or not.
Same thing happened here, of course. About five minutes into the ferry ride our Dad emerged from the bottom level of the ship with two guys close to our ages and proceeded to introduce us. Usually, such scenario results in the death stare directed towards my Dad and a quick excuse that gets us out of the uncomfortable situation, but this time the idea of talking did not seem so bad. Edwin and Miguel—Culebrians by birth—turned out to be excellent tour guides and sources of endless information about the island we were about to see. They provided us with more info than we asked for, including historical facts, statistical data and even local gossip. We found out that Culebra used to be an old pirate hideout and is supposedly loaded with treasure till this day. It was also visited by Christopher Columbus upon his second voyage to the Caribbean.
The island turned out to be more of a sleepy fisherman village than a tourist mecca, and definitely not a potential setting for Girls Gone Wild. With no nightlife to speak of, no lavish resorts and no swarms of tourists on every corner, Culebra retains the secluded feeling that is so difficult to find in most of today’s exotic locales.
The island is perhaps best known for its spectacular beaches—Flamenco Beach being the number one pick. Ranked as one of the best beaches in the world, year after year, Flamenco went far beyond my expectations, and on to becoming my personal favorite. With its pristine turquoise water, and soft white sand, it not only rivals the best Hawaiian beaches but, in my opinion, wins the contest hands down. The horseshoe shape of the bay protects the beach from strong currents, which results in the water being unusually warm and clear.
Now, I don’t know if we were there out of season, or there was an expected shark raid of which we were not aware, but we were the only ones on the entire beach. Not that I complained, as this gave me the perfect opportunity to live out my “I’m so filthy rich that I have my own island” fantasy, albeit only for about two hours.
San Juan (Puerto Rico’s capital) is a place where narrow cobblestone streets framed with picturesque colonial buildings are juxtaposed against modern high-rises clad in concrete, white stucco and glass. Old San Juan reminded me of most European cities with its nostalgic feel and well-preserved historic sites. The city boasts four century-old fortresses that protected the island from pirates and rival imperialist powers during the time of Spanish dominance, but now serve merely as reminders of that period, adding a historic flair to this otherwise modern metropolis.The El Morro fortress, which we managed to see despite our relatively short stay in the city, is a multi-tiered castle, with a labyrinth of corridors, ramps and gun-ports. The fortress includes a majestic lighthouse and overlooks the rugged coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. One could easily spend the whole day admiring this remarkable structure if it wasn’t for dozens of other attractions that the city has to offer.
There are plenty of outdoor cafes and galleries in San Juan where tourists mix with the locals and numerous languages can be overheard. The trendy beachfront district known as Isla Verde features posh hotels, casinos and high-end shopping boutiques
At night, the city’s nightclubs pulsate with Latin rhythms, neon lights illuminate palm-lined promenades and San Juan turns into Miami’s replica, 1000 miles away from Florida’s border. I regret the fact that our stay in San Juan was limited to just two days, as I was positively surprised by the number of things one could see and do in this multifaceted capital.
Ultimately, what I found most interesting about Puerto Rico is that one minute it fools you into thinking you somehow managed to entirely escape the quintessential USA by offering exotic locales and Spanish-infused culture, and the next minute another Wal-mart appears on the horizon to remind you that you’re still very much in the claws of American commercialism.
Admittedly, I’m one of those foolishly idealistic people who still foster hope that there are places right out of the ‘Blue Lagoon’ movie—where people drink out of coconut shells and lead hunter-gatherer kind of lifestyles. Even though my naiveté is deliberate, I find myself disappointed realizing that such places don’t exist. I hate the fact that McDonalds is spreading like wildfire and it’s only a matter of time before the golden arches make their way to the Moon. Western civilization and its products might be blessings to some, but they are still the last thing I want to see when I go on exotic vacation.
In the end, you are guaranteed to experience years of history in Puerto Rico and see scenic settings, from beautiful beaches to charming little towns. You will be captivated by palm-covered hills, turquoise lagoons and rustic village squares with majestic churches. Sometimes you’ll just have to look past a giant Home Depot obstructing your view, desperately trying to take center stage.
For information, visit www.welcome.topuertorico.org
