Travel Guide: 7 Things You Need to Do and the Places to Visit in Puerto Rico
What comes to your mind when you hear the country, Puerto Rico? Hispanic, Spanish, Latinos are, to name a few. Do you know that there are many places to visit in this cultural nation?
Here are some Puerto Rico bucket list destinations you need to go to or areas where you might want to spend your vacation.
The Old San Juan
The Old San Juan is one of the best places for couples to go to because of its romantic European charm. It consists of 400 restored buildings from the 16th and 17th century Spanish colonial period.
The district is located in the beautiful San Juan Islet's western parts and considered to be the historic center of the city.
Experience its rich history and classic architecture built to safeguard the city and the Bay of San Juan.
El Yunque Rain Forest
Another beautiful place to visit is the tropical rainforest located in the US Forest System. The En Yunque National Forest covers 28,000 acres and receives more than 200 inches of rain per year.
It is also known for its biodiversity and is home to more than 400 different species of plants. The area also consists of fantastic locations for hiking, picnics, and showcases natural and beautiful rivers, waterfalls, and stone towers.
Lechonera El Rancho de Apa
Known for their delicious pig roast, Lechonera El Rancho de Apa is the best to go for their mouth-watering delicacies. Their 90-pound pork is roasted for six hours with a proprietary blend of seasoning, including salt, garlic, oregano, adobo, and a slew of secret ingredients.
Locals look at Luis "Apa" Ramos, owner of the Lechonera El Rancho de Apa as the pope of pork, for honing his craft of pig roast over four decades. Apa's utilize cinder block roasting pits surrounded by tables and chairs sheltered by a corrugated metal roof.
Customers storm the restaurant and line up as early as 9:00 in the morning to experience Ramos' prized well-seasoned pig roasts.
El Punto Sabroso
Also known as La Casa de Los Rellenos, which means: "The Tasty Point, House of the Fillings." It is famous for its mofongo mounds called "volcanes." It is fried plantains topped with shrimp, land crab, chicken, pork, or steak and comes with two sauces to choose from: a garlic-broth or tomato-based Criollo.
El Punto Sabroso serves an array of fresh and delicious dishes that are a must-try for anyone traveling to Puerto Rico. The restaurant serves happiness in plates that are a perfect match for families and loved ones.
Playa Caracas, Vieques
This beach has water currents for everyone with one end containing extremely calm waters while the other offers challenging waves for the body.
It is one of the most popular beaches in Vieques and consists of a portable bathroom, but no food or drinks stand beside the beach.
The area also has natural shade and five gazebos that are very popular and get occupied relatively quickly.
Flamenco Beach
Another great beach to visit located on the main island is Culebra, Flamenco Beach. It's regularly ranked as one of the best beaches in the Caribbean and is home to warm waters and no rocks, just soft sand and little fishes.
It is wholly pristine and also features two Sherman tanks. The tanks are time capsules from a weapons-testing ground the US Navy abandoned in 1975. The containers have since become the iconic features of Flamenco Bay for their historical significance.
"1919" Restaurant
Known for their fritters and croquettes, no one can beat Juan Jose Cuevas for his amazing skills. His codfish version comes whipped with a touch of béchamel and flecked with green onion and shaped into rounds before being fried until they turn delicately golden.
With these exciting and cool places to go to in Puerto Rico, consider it a sin had you not included it on your bucket list.