When is the best time to visit the Caribbean

Bonaire

Sun, 11 May 2025 22:59:34 GMT

About our trip to Bonaire

A few years ago, I got certified to scuba dive and started researching the best places to dive in the Caribbean. Bonaire kept coming up, and since I’ve always wanted to go to Curacao, I decided to do a little island hopping and discover the underwater world of Bonaire.

We flew directly into Bonaire from Houston on United Airlines; this flight is only offered on Saturdays, and we had to stay the night in the Houston to make the connection. I could write a whole blog on how confusing it is to get to the hotel inside the Houston Airport, so if you are taking this route, definitely research it in advance. At the end of this article, I will provide other airline routes to Bonaire.

When you arrive at Bonaire you will exit the plane down a set of stairs and walk towards the airport terminal. You then enter a roped area and get in line. This is where you need to show the QR code you received when you paid your tourist entry tax, which can be done here in advance. A screen shot will suffice, no need to print it out. Customs did not take long, but you will be waiting outside under a shade cover, so be prepared with layers you can strip off and some water.

We rented a truck from AB Car Rental , and they were great. Someone was waiting for us with a sign that said “AB Car Rental” when we exited the airport, and it was a short walk to a nice, air conditioned van that took us to the rental place, and were on the road in no time. There are several groceries right across the street from AB Car Rental, so one of us ran in to grab some provisional items while the other one waited with the luggage. They are close enough that if you are by yourself, you could leave the car at AB with your luggage and run across the street.

It was an easy drive to our hotel, I chose Bamboo Bonaire Boutique Resort because we like having a small kitchen and enjoy smaller, boutique hotels. It isn’t ocean front, but we went to some of the ocean front hotels, and the beached there weren’t really worth the money, in my opinion. I will provide more information on Bamboo later in this article.

Things you should know when planning a trip to Bonaire

Bonaire is a special municipality within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is the westernmost group of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea and located 50 miles (80 km) off the coast of Venezuela. It’s only about 843 miles (1,358 km) from the equator) so it is very warm all year, and it gets roughly 12 hours of daylight year-round.

The weather reports will tell you that the average temperature is 83°F/28°C, but when you factor in the humidity it will feel much warmer. The water temperature is the warmest I’ve ever experienced in the Caribbean, the average is 78-84°F/25.6-28.9°C, but when we were there in October it was 86°F every day, even while diving at a depth of 97 feet!

All visitors must pay a Visitor Tax of $75 per visit to Bonaire. This applies to all non-residents aged 13 and older.

US Dollars were accepted everywhere, as were credit cards. We really only used cash to tip our dive leaders and at the ice cream shops (more about these later!)

I was so impressed with the ability of everyone on the island to speak multiple languages. In addition to the local dialect of Papiamentu, every local we met also spoke both English and Dutch, several people also spoke Spanish and Portuguese.

Driving on the island

I highly recommend that you rent a car on Bonaire. Driving was easy, and traffic wasn’t too bad. It’s the heaviest at the turns in Kralendijk, the farther away from the downtown area you are, the lighter it is.

Sundays the locals cruise the downtown area and hang out. It’s a fun time to grab a drink at an outdoor bar and people watch, but be advised, that traffic is heavy, and parking can be tough.

Once you pass 1000 steps the road becomes a one-way street, so if you choose to keep going you are committed to going all the way around Rincon, a drive that takes about 40 minutes. It’s a narrow road, but definitely worth doing once. It’s a beautiful drive and takes you by large lagoons where hundreds of wild flamencos live.

Always be on the lookout for donkeys and goats, they will cross the roads, and they have the right of way.

There are no traffic lights on the island, but lots of roundabouts. If you are from a place that does not use roundabouts, please familiarize yourself with how they work before you arrive.

Pro Tip : If you’re on a narrow road, both cars drive slightly on the side of the road and pass each other. If you reach a very narrow curvy section, proceed slowly until you can see if there are any oncoming cars that have already entered that section. If they have, pull to the side until they pass.

My favorite dive sites on Bonaire

Oil Slick is good dive but also good for snorkeling
Andrea I is beautiful with an easy shore entry. Some other divers we met had seen an octopus here, during the day, out in the open, but we had no such luck.
The Salt Pier was one of my favorite dives, tons of fish and coral on the pier.
Red Slave was an awesome dive, but conditions must be just right to do it. If you have a window, definitely take advantage of it.

The best beaches on Bonaire

Bachelor’s Beach was our favorite beach for swimming, and I also thought it was the prettiest beach on the island. To be clear, there’s not much of a beach there, especially during high tide, so I wouldn’t plan on doing a beach day there, but it’s worth seeing and perfect for a dip in the water. The parking lot isn’t very big, so get there early, and it’s very popular on cruise ship days.

Te Amo Beach is the best place for a beach day if you actually want to set up chairs and hang out on the beach. The snorkeling was just okay, but it has a nice flat sandy entrance. The parking lot is fairly large here, but it does fill up on cruise ship days. Kite City food truck is at this beach, and it was very good. I highly recommend the fish sandwich.

1000 Steps is good for snorkeling. There aren’t literally 1000 steps to get down to the beach, but there are quite a few, so it’s not ideal for people with mobility issues. The beach itself is rocky, and entry and exit can be tricky because the rocks move under your feet.

Pro tip : If your main goal is beautiful beaches, Bonaire may not be the right island for you. Its main draw is what’s under the water, so if you aren’t big on diving or snorkeling you will probably only want to spend a few days on this island.

Other things to note

Grocery stores are plentiful, nice and well stocked. You don’t necessarily need to go to the biggest grocery store unless you have very specific items you need. Zhung Kong Supermarket was the closest to out hotel and it had everything we needed to make a few meals in our room, plus snacks and drinks.

Pro Tip : Bring your own grocery bags, I like these that pack down small and they make great beach bags.

There are very few tourist kids on this island, so it’s basically like an adults-only paradise.

It’s easy to get around and it’s not a big island. There really is no bad place to stay in the main tourist areas.

The tourist area of the island is walkable compared to most of the islands I have been to, in that it’s mostly flat and there are usually either sidewalks or wide space off the road.

Bugs are an issue. I got more bits here than I usually do in the Caribbean, and mosquitoes don’t even usually like me. I prefer these wipes to spray, you can easily through a few in your beach bag or purse, and they can go in your carry on!

The best restaurants in Bonaire

First let’s talk ice cream, because this island does it to perfection! We went to Luciano’s twice, it was so good, and it will be my first stop if we ever go back to Bonaire. Our other favorite spot was Gio’s, it’s the best gelato I’ve had outside of Italy.

Artisan Bakery has some excellent homemade sourdough and baked goods, but you have to get there early for the best selection.

Rum Runner’s @ Captain Don’s is decent enough and we could walk to it from our hotel. The salad was good and the fish in poke bowl was fresh, but it’s pricey and nothing special.

Posada Para Mira is ideal for adventurous eaters that want a truly local experience. I really liked the goat stew. I didn’t end up trying the iguana soup, but the locals love it.

Pizza Mare is very good for Italian. We got the pizza and lasagna, both were great.

As I mentions above, we really liked the Kite City food truck at Te Amo Beach. There are no tables to sit and eat, so be prepared to grab a rock or bring a beach towel to eat on.

If you are a foodie the one place you must go to is Chef’s at Bamboo. It’s a five-course prefixed menu of the Chef’s choice that day. It has very limited seating, reservations are a must, and it books up months in advance. I recommend bar seating so you can watch the chefs make the food and hear them explain what they are serving. The cost was about $200 for both of us, and you won’t leave terribly full. I’m not a big foodie, but I still really enjoyed the experience and the food is excellent.

Our favorite lunch was at Bari Beach Bar located on the Chogogo Resort property. It has a great vibe and feels like a fun beach bar. It’s very casual, you can wear your swimsuit and be barefoot. The food is good, we liked the salad with shrimp and the ahi fish burger.

Other activities to do on Bonaire

Take a private boat charter to the Marine Reserve

Kayak and snorkel in the mangroves

Head over to Klien Bonaire , a small island off the coast of Bonaire, for some fantastic snorkeling

Swim in the fresh water caves

Spend the day exploring and see the flamingos in Washington Slagbaai National Park

Take a tour of the whole island

Spend the day at Chogogo Resort, even if you aren't staying there! It's $25 for a day pass, they have an awesome lazy river, nice pools and a good beach bar. The beach is rocky, but manageable if you want to get in the water.

About Bamboo Bonaire Boutique Resort

Bamboo Bonaire is so romantic, ideal for a honeymoon or a couple looking for some rest and relaxation. It’s also great for solo travelers that prefer to stay away from big hotels. All of the rooms are little bungalows that don’t share a wall with your neighbors. The lush foliage that surrounds each unit makes it feel very private and peaceful.

The location was perfect. It’s easy to walk across the street to several other resorts to eat, there’s a great little grocery store a block down the road, and its located about halfway between the main part of town and several of the best dive sites. We drove into town daily and it was an easy 5–10 minute drive.

We prefer to stay in Airbnbs because of the kitchen and the privacy, and Bamboo offers the best of both worlds. Our unit had little kitchen with full fridge, stove and microwave, perfect for a light breakfast before a day of diving, heating up leftovers, and keeping some snacks and beverages handy.

Our favorite part was the outdoor bathroom area. This isn’t for everyone, as you have to go outside to shower, use the toilet and get ready for bed, but we absolutely loved the open air, dual showers after a day of diving. We didn’t end up using our outdoor pool, so I would probably not opt for that next time.

The only negatives were that the pillows weren’t very good, and no beach chairs are provided, but as I mentioned above, the beaches aren’t great on Bonaire for spending a fully day there, so the lack of beach chairs wasn’t a big issue.

Other lodging option

Other places I would recommend based on what I saw or heard from other travelers:

Delfins Beach Resort is close to the airport and several dive operators. They offer a buffet and continental breakfast.

Chogogo Dive & Beach Resort Bonaire has a fantastic lazy river and a cool beach bar.

Belnem House Bonaire is a short walk from Bachelor's Beach.

How to get to Bonaire

Direct flights from the United States:

United Airlines has one flight a week on Saturdays from Newark and one flight a week from Houston, flying to Bonaire on Saturdays and returning on Sundays.
Delta Airlines has a flight on Saturdays from Atlanta, and daily from Atlanta December 19th-January 5 ^th .
JetBlue has two flights a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays from JFK
American Airlines has flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays from Miami, and daily flights from Miami December 19 ^th -January 6th.

Direct flights from Canada:

WestJet has flights December 10 ^th – April 30 ^th , flying to Bonaire on Tuesdays and returning on Wednesdays.

Direct flights from the Netherlands:

TUI Airlines: Offers direct flights from Amsterdam
KLM Airlines: Offers direct flights from Amsterdam
Connecting flights: If there are no direct flights to Bonaire, you can fly to Curacao or Aruba and take a connecting flight to Bonaire on EZ Air and Divi Divi Air.

Click here for updated flight information.

Pro Tip: I sometimes mix and match airlines to get where I need to go more efficiently. For example, its faster (and usually cheaper) to fly from my home airport to Miami on Alaska, then take American to several Caribbean destinations. If I’m using points, I will often book the legs separate on the same carrier if the flight I want isn’t available if you are using points. For example, I couldn’t book my home airport to Bonaire through Houston with my United points, so I booked Houston to Bonaire with points, then paid cash for the flight from my home airport to Houston.

How to get to Curacao from Bonaire

After a week in Bonaire we took Divi Divi to Curaçao. Both airports were super easy, arriving at the Bonaire Airport one hour before flight is plenty of time. We just had a screen shot of our boarding pass, and were traveling with just a carryon suitcase and backpack. We went through security and they put the suitcase into the bottom of the plane just before we boarded. I recommend giving them all your carry-ons so you don't have to hold them on your lap. Line to check a bag before you go through security takes a while, is outside, and is not in air conditioning. If another flight arrives before yours the gate check person leaves to go board it, so you’ll just be standing there waiting for him to come back. Get there early if you need to check a bag, and be prepared to stand in the heat.

Check out this blog for a helpful Caribbean packing list

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Caribbean Packing List

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 21:13:37 GMT

My Ideal Caribbean Packing List

I get it, you are excited for your Caribbean vacation, you want to make sure you have everything you need, you want to look cute on the beach, but you also don’t want to pack a lot of unnecessary items. I have spent years traveling to the Caribbean, and after several trips packing way more clothes than I actually needed, I have put together what I feel is the ideal Caribbean packing list.

2-3 swimsuits. I often will wear a swimsuit top as a bra, and guys should bring swim trunks that can also be worn as shorts.
2-3 tees and/or tanks
2-3 pairs of shorts
Lightweight short flowy sundresses are amazing, Title Nine makes some sundresses and rompers that are perfect, and swim shorts are great to wear around town or on excursions.
A beach cover-up, get one that’s not see-through if you plan to wear it off the beach also. I love this romper as a cover up because if the big pockets.
2 things to sleep in and lounge shorts. I love throwing on a pair of sweat shorts after a day at the beach.
Light weight underwear, bras with lots of padding are way too hot, the lighter and more breathable the better. The only bra I bring is the one I wear on the plane, then it stays in my suitcase until it’s time to fly home. I wear a bikini top the rest of the time.
Comfortable flip flops or sandals. Rubber ones are better for the beach than leather. Pro Tip : If they are a darker color, flip them upside down when you take them off at the beach so they won’t be scalding hot when you put them back on.
A very light weight long sleeve if you get cold easily.
A hat!!! Trust me, this is a must-have. The top of your head will burn the fastest.
Snorkeling gear. I prefer to have my own, that way I know the mask and fins will fit correctly and it’s been washed properly. For fins I like Dafins because they are easier to pack, but just as powerful as full size snorkeling fins. I have this mask and snorkel set and it works great.
Rash guard/ Sun shirt . This is ideal if you need a break from the sun but aren’t ready to leave the beach. I prefer one with a hood in case I do any hiking and want to protect my neck. They are also great to wear in the evenings to help prevent mosquito bites.
Closed toe water shoes if you want to do any hiking. Keen water shoes are ideal, but if those are too pricy then these are good alternative for men and women .

Recommended Items:

Sunscreen. Most places will have it available to buy on the island, but it’s a lot more expensive and you may find yourself running all over town on your first day trying to find some. I buy a big bottle, then put it into smaller carry on size silicone bottles. The sun is way more intense in the Caribbean than you are used to. Apply early and often, you will burn before you even realize it, and a bad sunburn will ruin your trip. Don’t forget the tops of your feet and please use reef safe sunscreen to protect our oceans! My favorite brand is Australian Gold, it comes in 30spf . 50spf and 70spf .
Hammock floaties pack down small and are perfect for the pool, ocean or snorkeling.
A double walled cup to keep your drinks cold
A reusable grocery tote bag that packs down small - great for the beach or trips to the market.
Microfiber travel towels . We use these when we are hiking to a beach or waterfall, so we don’t have to carry a heavy beach towel. They dry really fast, even in humidity.
Mosquito wipes are better than spray because you can take them in your carry on and just throw a few in your beach bag or pocket. Personally I prefer Deet free wipes , but if you prefer to use Deet, these wipes work great! If you are going to an island with a bioluminescent bay, please don't use Deet, it kills the organisms that create the bioluminescence.

Pro tip : you will wear way less clothes than you think you will. It never gets cold, there are no restaurants that require formal attire, and you spend most of your time in a swimsuit. Pack clothes that are flowy, not clingy, natural fibers like cotton and linen that can breathe, and light colors. Trust me, that black shirt will feel 10x hotter in the Caribbean!

Leave these items at home

Hair dryer or straightener, waste of time in this humidity and heat
Jeans and more than one pair of pants
Heavy sweaters/sweatshirts (unless it’s for the plane)
A fancy purse. I like a small tote bag I can pack in my suitcase and use when I get there.
A wetsuit (unless you’re planning to scuba)
Anything leather or suede
High heels/fancy dress shoes. Girls, I promise, all you need is one pair of flip flops and one pair of dress sandals. If you are bringing any close toed shoes for hiking or excursions, wear them on the plane.

Pro Tip: If you check a bag definitely get AirTags to put in your suitcase, this way if your bag gets lost or stolen you can track it. I always travel with one in every bag I bring, and they even make passport books that hold an Airtag!

Airplane Tips

If you have Bluetooth headphones you will also need to bring headphones that can plug into the seat for in-flight movies on plane screens. If you want to be able to use your Airpods, this transmitter plugs into the screen's AUX port and can also be used if your rental car doesn't have a USB port.
Download app for airline you’re flying for movies and tv offered that way or download some on to your iPad/laptop.
Bring a reusable empty water bottle to fill up at the airport and take to the beach.
Pack snacks, and food for longer flights. I bring Cliff Bars and trail mix.
I like to bring a travel blanket that I can also use on the island when my partner cranks the AC.
If you are flying on any of the smaller Caribbean airlines, like Cape Air or Inter Caribbean, I highly recommend you do carryon only.

Pro Tip : Planes cabins can get chilly and really warm, wear layers and pack socks. Any warm clothes you bring for the plane will be enough for cool nights in the Caribbean also.

I never check a bag when going to the Caribbean, I’ve heard too may horror stories about luggage being lost and I also like to get out of the airport and on to the beach as quick as possible. If I am staying longer than a week I make sure I have access to a clothes washer. If you follow this packing list you should be able to fit everything into a carry on bag in the overhead bin and a carry on bag under your seat!

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What do you need to know before traveling to Puerto Rico

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 19:33:15 GMT

I have spent hundreds of hours on Puerto Rico travel pages answering a lot of the same questions over and over, so I decided to write this blog answering some of the most frequently asked questions and concerns visitors face when visiting Puerto Rico. This is largely based on my experience from many, many trips to the island, along with the advice that locals regularly give on travel pages.

A little about Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a commonwealth and an unincorporated territory of the United States. For travel purposes, this means you do not need a passport to enter Puerto Rico if you are a US citizen, you do not need to go through customs, and the US Dollar is the official currency. The official languages are both Spanish and English, and both are spoken by most people on the island. My Spanish is shaky at best, and if I can get by living on the island, you certainly won’t have any trouble communicating with local people during your vacation.

Pro tip : The Google translate app is very useful, get to know the features it offers before your trip.

Is Puerto Rico Safe?

I found Puerto Rico to be very safe, especially outside of the San Juan metro area. Some people will warn you to stay away from La Perla (don’t worry, it’s not somewhere you can accidentally wander into) but even there, as long as you are respectful and don’t go looking for trouble, you will be fine. San Juan is far safer than most major US cities, just use normal travel precautions .

Layout of the island

Puerto Rico is shaped similar to a football, in that it’s longer than it is wide. Most people refer to five different areas, North, East, South, West and the mountains. The North consists of San Juan (and its suburbs, like Isla Verde and Carolina) Dorado, Vega Baja and Arecibo. The East is Luquillo, Fajardo, El Yunque and Ceiba. The South is Palmas Del Mar, Maunabo, Ponce and Guanica. The West is Isabela, Aguadilla, Rincon and Cabo Rojo. There are many other areas within these regions, but these are the main tourist areas in each. Most of the coastal areas are flat, while if you venture into the center of the island it quickly gains in elevation and is mostly mountains.

San Juan

San Juan is the capital, is by far the largest city on the island, and is the fourth largest city in the Caribbean islands. To put it into perspective, the population of Puerto Rico is roughly 3,222,000, while the population of San Juan is 2,437,000, which means 75% of the islanders live in San Juan. On top of that, the island gets over a million tourist a year, and the vast majority of them stay in San Juan. Staying in San Juan has its benefits; its where the biggest airport is located, so it’s an ideal location for short trips, it has the most nightlife and a wide variety of restaurants, hotels and short-term rentals. The downside is, it is crowded, has the worst traffic on the island, and prices tend to be higher.

Where to stay in San Juan

Stay in the Condado neighborhood if your main priority is to be within walking distance of nightlife and restaurants. It’s also very easy to get to Old San Juan from this neighborhood. The beach in Condado is beautiful but isn’t always the best beach for swimming due to the rip tides. Always check for red flag warnings before you swim at Condado Beach.

If being able to swim in the ocean is your main priority, then I recommend staying in Isla Verde or Ocean Park. Both are great neighborhoods with a really nice beach. They are very close to the airport, so you do get some airplane noise, but I never found it to be much of a problem. There are restaurants and bars in these neighborhoods, but there aren’t as many you can to walk to like in Condado, and it’s further from Old San Juan.

Old San Juan (also known as Viejo San Juan) is adjacent to San Juan metro and is a beautiful, old town, lined with colorful buildings and cobble stoned streets. Surrounding the town is a fort, Castillo San Felipe del Morro , build by the Spanish in the 16th century. I highly recommend spending a day here if you are in the area. Parking and driving in this area can be challenging, so I recommend taking an Uber. I like staying a night or two in Old San Juan, but I don’t recommend spending your whole trip in this town. Getting in and out is a hassle and there are no good beaches in Old San Juan.

Pro tip : If you aren’t staying in San Juan but want to drive to Old San Juan, park at the T-Mobile District and take an Uber into the area. It will be easier and cheaper than trying to find parking. Have the Uber driver drop you off at El Morro and walk around from there, that way it will be mostly downhill.

Most people come to Puerto Rico and never leave San Juan. To each their own, but if you choose to do this, please don’t judge all of Puerto Rico by this one area. Think of the biggest city in your state and imagine if people thought your whole state was just like that city. I highly recommend getting out of San Juan if you really want to experience the island to its fullest.

The East Side

If you decide to stay on the east side of the island, I recommend staying in Luquillo. It has the best beach and is a good central location to explore San Juan, El Yunque Rainforest, Fajardo and the outer islands of Culebra and Vieques. If you plan to go to the outer islands, this blog has some helpful information on how to get there. The east side is easy to get to from San Juan and has several good hotels and short term rental options. It’s not as crowned as San Juan, but it does tend to get more tourist and will be more crowed than the rest of the island.

The West Side

This is personally my favorite part of the island. I love nature and I don’t like crowds, if that describes you then you won’t regret making the trek to the west coast of Puerto Rico. The beaches are beautiful and numerous, it’s way less crowded that San Juan or the east side, and there are no huge hotels. My favorite town is Rincon, you can read more about that area here . Some other great places to stay are Isabela, Aguadilla, and Cabo Rojo. Aguada is a cheaper option on the west side, but it is a very small town so you will most likely spend a lot of your time traveling to other places. Mayaguez is the biggest city on the west side, but I don’t recommend staying here unless you just want a central place just to lay your head. It’s safe, but not very pretty and doesn’t have much in the way of beaches, plus traffic can be pretty bad going through Mayaguez.

Pro tip : if you want to stay on the west side but don’t want to make the two and a half to three-hour drive from San Juan, see if you can fly directly into Aguadilla on JetBlue, Spirit and United, or take Cape Air to Mayaguez from SJU.

The South Side

The south side of the island will have the fewest tourists and is mostly made up of small towns, with Ponce being the largest city in the south. There are a few nice beaches in this area, but they are few and far between, with most of them being closer to the south-west corner of the island. Ponce has a rich history and some interesting cultural attractions, ideal for those who want to visit museums or coffee plantations. I haven’t spent as much time in the southern part of the islands as I have elsewhere, so this is a good site to read more about Ponce .

Driving in Puerto Rico

This experience varies widely from person to person, what I’ve learned is that it’s very relative to what you are used to. I am from Southern California, where people drive fast and turn signals aren’t always expected. I find driving in Puerto Rico to be easy and think places like Miami and DC have much more aggressive drivers. If you are from a smaller town, you might find driving a little crazier on the island, but I doubt you will ever feel unsafe. The perimeter of the island along the coast is where most people drive, and these roads are largely made up of well-maintained freeways or highways. On the freeways, sometimes exits are on the left side of the road, so stay in a center lane to avoid getting off on the wrong exit. On the highways it’s common curiosity on the island to let cars in from a side street, so tourist often think they are being cut off, when in fact a driver just thinks you are letting them merge in. If you head into the mountains, you’ll be fine if you stay on highways, but once you leave a highway the roads can be very narrow and very windy. Take your time and go slow.

Pro tip : Sometimes streets have more than one name and often don’t have a sign. Addresses are different than in the states, and some places don’t have an address at all. It’s best to drop a pin at your exact location on Google Maps and drive to it. If you are staying in a short-term rental, have the host send you a Google Maps pin in advance and download the directions so they can be accessed if you lose wifi.

Running Red Lights

After midnight there is an unwritten custom to not stop at red lights, but it’s not technically allowed by law so you can still get a ticket. This doesn’t mean that people just blow through stop lights at 60mph, they do more of a California stop, when they slow down and look to make sure the intersection is empty, then proceed without coming to a full stop. This is mostly done in more rural areas where the streets are very quiet at night. I wouldn’t attempt this in a heavily populated area like San Juan. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Puerto Rico has the 3 ^rd lowest car thief rates when compared to all US states; less than Idaho, West Virgina and Wyoming, so I wouldn’t worry about getting car jacked if you stop at a red light. Just keep your doors locked and be aware of your surroundings if driving late at night.

Potholes

Potholes are an issue, but they are usually on more rural roads. You won’t hit one unexpectedly on the freeway going 65mph. Just take your time and don’t speed down residential streets and you should be fine.

Gas Stations

Gas stations are frequent and easy to find. Gas is in liters, not gallons, and you can’t pay at the pump at most stations. Go inside, tell them what pump you are on, and leave your driver’s license. Once you are done pumping gas go back inside, pay with cash or a with credit card, and retrieve your license.

Toll Roads

Toll roads are common on the island. The tolls are cheap, it shouldn’t cost more than $15 to drive from one side of the island to the other. Get the toll pass offered with your rental car. You’ll have to pay a little more, but the lines to pay cash can be long and if you accidentally miss one the fines can be expensive.

Basic Spanish that will help with directions

North = Norte
East = Este
South = Sur
West = Oeste
Carretera (or Carr for short) = Road/Highway
Calle = Street
Callejón sin salida = dead end (sin means without, so always look it up if you see that word. This literally translated is alley without exit)
Salida = Exit

Parking

Parking in the San Juan area can be tricky and expensive, I prefer to Uber around the metro area. I never drive into Old San Juan, the streets are narrow and paring on them is mostly reserved for residents. While there are some parking garages and lots, they fill up quickly, especially during peak travel times. I prefer to Uber there, but you can also take the Cataño ferry over to Old San Juan.

On the rest of the island parking is usually only an issue at the most popular beaches. Get there early or go in the late afternoon and try to avoid them on weekends and holidays. The worst I’ve found are Crash Boat and Buye.

Do everything you can to avoid getting a parking ticket! If you get a parking ticket it’s nearly impossible to pay yourself, you can’t pay it online and you will basically need to spend a whole day in line at the local CESCO (PR’s version of the DMV.) Otherwise, your rental company will bill you for it and add on an extra fee. Familiarize yourself with what the curb colors mean and never park in a red, blue or yellow painted curb. Look for signs that say no parking or resident parking only and don’t park in a way that blocks traffic, even slightly.

Public Transportation

Public transportation on the island is very limited and if you are staying anywhere outside of the San Juan Metro area you will definitely need to rent a car. Uber is readily available and reliable within the metro area but is not reliable outside of the San Juan area. If you take an Uber from San Juan to a different area, make sure you have pre-arranged transportation back. Ubers and taxis are not allowed to go into El Yunque rainforest, so you will either need to rent a car or arrange private transportation.

Pro tip : Driving will take longer than you think to most places. Traffic can be heavy on the island, especially around rush hour. Just like in the states, it is worse going towards the bigger cities in the morning, and away from them in the afternoon. When you get about an hour away from San Juan in either direction, the freeway turns into a two-lane highway that goes through towns with stoplights. Use Waze to see the best time to leave to avoid peak traffic times.

Tips when booking a place to stay

Book a place with a generator/ solar that powers the whole place. The island loses power regularly and it’s too hot to be without air conditioning or at least fans, all your food goes bad, no internet, etc.… Trust me, it’s not fun.
When you’re reading reviews look for people mentioning rosters crowing or dogs barking. If you’re not early risers, steer clear of those places.
Some areas, especially on the west, are very spread out, so you could be nowhere near the actual town. Be sure to cross check the location on Airbnb/VRBO with the location on Google maps to see what it’s near, especially if you don’t want a long drive to restaurants, the grocery store, or the beach.

All-Inclusive Resorts

There are no true all-inclusive resorts in Puerto Rico. Some hotels will claim to be all-inclusive, but trust me, if you’ve ever stayed at a true AI you will be disappointed with the “All-Inclusive” in Puerto Rico. Honestly, if you want the type of trip when you go to a big resort where you never have to leave the property, Puerto Rico may not be the right destination for you. It really is the type of place where you want to get out and explore, eat at different places, and experience the local culture.

Hotel vs. Airbnb

My personal preference is to stay in a hotel in the San Juan are and a Airbnb, or other short term rental, when outside of the metro area.

Tips for water activities

The Beaches

West-facing beaches are generally calmer and safer in the winter months than north facing beaches, with the highest chance for big surf/ dangerous rips being from Jan-March. This blog has some helpful information on the safest beaches for swimming during the winter months. The surf calms down after March, June-October are generally calm and safe in most places unless there’s a big storm nearby. The southeast corner of the island gets hit with sargassum (seaweed) the worst, west facing beaches are less affected.

Generally, the beaches in Puerto Rico are gold sand beaches, like you would find in California or Hawaii. If you want white sand beaches, like Florida has, you will need to go to either the southwest corner of the island, or the outer islands or Vieques, Culebra, or Icacos. In terms of water clarity, this largely depends on the time of year, size of the surf, and direction of the currents. In the winter months the water is most likely to be clear on west-facing beaches, in the summer the water is often clear and blue everywhere.

Rivers & Waterfalls

One of my favorite parts of Puerto Rico, as opposed to most other Caribbean Islands, is that there are lots of rivers and waterfalls all over the island, mostly in the more mountainous areas. The main time they present any danger is when it is raining heavily. Never go in if the water isn’t clear and get out if it turns murky. This is often a sign of a flash flood upstream heading your way. Don’t ever dive into a swimming hole, even if you see locals doing it.

The Sun and Heat

The sun is WAY more intense than most people from the states are use to, especially if you are from a northern state, and you will burn before you even realize it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen tourists a few days into their trip with red, blistered shoulders and the tops of their feet pealing. Wear a strong, reef safe, sunscreen (50spf or higher) to start your trip and work your way down as you get more color and reapply often. Bring a hat and sun shirt and take breaks from the sun, especially in the afternoon. This blog has some helpful tips on how to pack for your Caribbean vacation.

For more information on the weather during different times of the year, check out this blog .

Eating in Puerto Rico

Dining Out

Restaurants are plentiful and a wide variety of food can be found all over the island. Many people assume that because Puerto Ricans speak Spanish that the food will be similar to Mexican food. This is not the case, it’s far more like Caribbean cuisine than Mexican cuisine. The food is not spicy, as in hot, but a lot of spices are used. My favorite Puerto Rican dish is mofongo, especially if it’s made with sweet plantains. It’s typically prepared as a bowl-shaped dish made of plantains, filled with steak or seafood, covered in a sauce made with Caribbean spices. Tostones (flattened fried plantains) and rice and beans are often served with dishes. I highly recommend getting mamposteao if you love rice and beans.

I love the food trucks in Puerto Rico and have often found they have the best food. Restaurants are often outdoors, especially outside of the San Juan area, so pick places close to the beach with a cool breeze, especially during the day in the summer. In the evenings bring some mosquito wipes with you just in case. If you are a picky eater, no need to worry, there is a wide variety of food available. Several Americanized dishes are offered at most restaurants and US food chains are all over the island.

Pro tip : Service is often much slower on the island, it’s not for lack of good customer service, but it’s a cultural thing. Puerto Ricans enjoy dinning out and taking their time to enjoy meals with friends and family. It is not something that’s meant to be rushed. If you go out to dinner don’t wait until you are really hungry and be prepared for it to take some time. If you are in a hurry or have to get the kids to bed, food trucks might be a better option.

Grocery stores

Grocery stores and Walgreens can be found all over the island and many are similar to the states, but you may not always be able to find the exact brand or item you want. For example, I have a particular type of cereal I like, and while there were always plenty of kinds of cereal to choose from, that exact cereal was hit or miss if it was in stock. Groceries do tend to be a bit more expensive than in the states, but not unreasonably so. Most towns have weekly farmers markets, which are a good option for getting high quality local produce, and a great way to support local businesses.

Cellphones

Most US carriers work on the island and don’t charge any international fees. I have Verizon and it always worked fine everywhere. If your phone it’s working when you first land on the island, make sure roaming is enabled and power your phone off and back on. Sometimes I have to do this a few times.

Hopefully this has put your mind at ease in regard to visiting the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. My final recommendation is not to plan too much during your visit. If you find a beach you love, stay and enjoy it. Don’t worry that you are missing out on a better beach down the road. Island time is a real thing, and everything moves a little slower in Puerto Rico. Don’t fight it but embrace it. Take your time, enjoy some sunsets and spend some quality time in whatever area you choose to visit. If you love it there, you can always come back and experience more of what the island has to offer!

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Where to stay and what to do in San Diego

Fri, 24 May 2024 20:27:00 GMT

San Diego, California Travel Guide

San Diego’s nickname is America’s Finest City and it’s a well-deserved moniker. Located in the very southwest point of the country, Mexico is just to its south and Orange County is just to the north. The Mediterranean climate provides great weather year-round with abundant sunshine most months. The main attraction is the 70 miles of gorgeous coastline that line vibrant beach communities up and down its coast.

Where to stay

Although San Diego is a large US city, it is made up of smaller neighborhoods, each with their own personality and attractions. Picking where to stay is important so you don’t spend a ton of time in the car crisscrossing the entire county. Below is a list of my favorite neighborhoods and who they are best suited for.

Mission Bay is a great central location. It’s easy to get to almost everywhere in the county from here and has a number of bayfront resorts. Mission bay is ideal for kids to swim in year-round because it's protected from the waves, and is perfect for water sports enthusiasts. It’s a great place to rent sail boats and paddle boards. The downside to staying in this area is the lack of restaurants you can walk, to unless they are at the resort. The ocean, while possible to walk to, is too far with beach gear and kids in tow from most hotels on the bay.

Paradise Point is my top hotel choice in this area, perfect for families

The Hyatt Regency is a good location between Mission Bay and Mission Beach

The San Diego Mission Bay Resort is very close to the freeway and bay

Mission Beach is about as quintessential a Southern California experience as it gets. A small beach community with the ocean on one side and Mission Bay on the other, it has a long boardwalk that goes from the tip of South Mission to North Pacific Beach. There are lots of fun beach restaurants, bars, and water-related activities in this area. It’s ideal for travelers whose main goal is to spend most of their time at the beach, families with teens who need some independence, and families with small kids that want the bay as an easy option. Stay north of Belmont Park if you want a livelier atmosphere, and south of Belmont Park if you want a quieter, more residential neighborhood. I recommend renting a short-term rental in this area. The downside to staying in this area is it’s not the easiest to get in and out of, so if you plan to do a lot of traveling around the county it may not be the best option.

1 bedroom in the heart of Mission Beach

3 bedroom with stunning bay views

Pacific Beach is a fun town known for its abundance of beach bars. Garnet Avenue is the main drag and is the place to be on weekends and holidays if you want to party. The further away from Garnet the quieter it gets, and it has several streets to the north or near the bay that are charming and peaceful. It’s ideal for people who want a good mix of beach time and nightlife. If you’re a sports fan the PB bars are great place to watch the game. The downside to staying in this area is traffic and parking can be bad, and you might end up with a house party next-door if you’re in a residential property.

The Gaslamp Quarter is the main downtown area of San Diego. Its full of restaurants, nightclubs and Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres. Thursday-Sunday and on game nights it’s packed full of people eating, dancing, and drinking. It’s the ideal place to stay for people who want the optimal nightlife environment. I don’t recommend staying here if nightlife isn't your main priority, or if you want to be by a nice beach.

Ocean Beach is another cool beach town, with a hippie, surfer vibe. It’s a great place to stay if you want a good central location that’s at the beach. There are lots of good restaurants and beach bars in this neighborhood and its home to the Ocean Beach Pier, the longest concrete pier in the world and worth seeing, but the pier is currently closed to the public, due to recent storm damage.

The north county locations I recommend:

Carlsbad has a charming downtown area and miles of gorgeous coastline you can walk.
Encinitas is a very cute little beach town.
Solano Beach has lots of good restaurants and shopping.

Places I don't recommend staying

Hotel Circle is a central area where several hotels are located. If all you want is a place to sleep at night in a very central location, then this area will do, but it’s not a pretty or charming area and you can’t walk to anything from here.

La Jolla is beautiful and definitely an area that should be a place you visit, but I don’t recommend staying here. There are two different areas that consider themselves La Jolla, west of the 5 freeway is where La Jolla Shores and the Cove are located. This is the area most tourists want to go, but getting in and out of this area during rush hour and during the summer months is a real hassle and not idea if you plan to do lots of activities outside of this area. East of the 5 freeway is sometimes stated as being La Jolla, but locals consider it University Town Center (called UTC.) It is easier to get in and out of but does not have the tourist activities that the other part of La Jolla has.

Pro Tip : Don’t stay on the opposite side of the county from most of your planned activities. For example, if you plan to do the Zoo, Coronado and Old Town, don’t stay in Carlsbad. If you plan to do the Wild Animal Park and Legoland, don’t stay near downtown.

What to do in San Diego

Go to Coronado - take the ferry over and stay at the ferry landing or drive over the bridge. Ride bikes at The Landing, and go to the Hotel Del Coronado
Balboa Park is a great place to spend the day, with lots of museums, restaurants and home of the world famous San Diego Zoo.
Belmont Park at Mission Beach is a fun amusement park with rides, mini-golf, and an arcade, located on a fantastic beach.
La Jolla Cove has a protected cove, good for swimming, tide pools and seals. If you can't find street parking, I recommend paying to park at the La Jolla Financial Building and walking down to the cove from there.
Old Town is a great place to go to learn the history of San Diego and have some Mexican food. There's also a root beer float shop that's a lot of fun to take the kids.
Little Italy has some really good restaurants and a beautiful view of the bay.
Padres game at Petco Park during baseball season (April-September, or October if they make the playoffs!)
Pier in Ocean Beach or Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach
Drive out to the tip of Point Loma and see the Cabrillo National Monument
Wild Animal Park
The Birch Aquarium is a great place to learn about the local marine life and how to protect it.
Scripps Pier
The Flower Fields
Hike Torrey Pines or just admire the view from the glider port
Concert at Rady’s Shell or Humphrey’s
Mission Bay/Beach boardwalk
Historic neighborhood of Chicano Park to see the art and have authentic Mexican food
Rooftop Cinema Club is a really cool place to watch a movie
Watch the planes land over downtown. There are few things that feel more San Diego to me than driving down the 5 freeway near downtown and having a plane fly right over your head. Mister A's rooftop deck is a great place to watch the planes land, and so is the top deck of the Laurel Airport Parking Garage at the corner of W Laurel Street and Kettner Blvd. If you want to watch them for free, go to the parking lot at the intersection of Harbor Dr. and Laurel St.
Tour the Midway
Seaport Village

Pro Tip : get window seat on left side of plane (facing the front) for the best view of the city as you fly in.

Where to eat in San Diego

Breakfast at Kona's in Pacific Beach for delicious breakfast burritos.
Lunch at Point Loma Seafood for really good seafood and a beautiful view. Sit upstairs on the outside deck.
Drinks at Coasterra for fantastic city views. I also recommend the guacamole appetizer.
Sunset dinner at World Famous in Pacific Beach. The BEST lobster bisque. On Tuesday and Wednesdays go during happy hour and get the tacos.
Ironside is a nice restaurant in Little Italy with really good oysters and a fantastic lobster roll.
South Beach Bar and Grill in Ocean Beach if you want to have fish tacos, a San Diego classic.
Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill is one of my favorite places to go in San Diego for seafood.
For a fancy dinner The Marine Room is a very unique experience, the waves crash right on the windows while you are eating.
Old Town Mexican Cafe has delicious homemade tortillas and HUGE margaritas.
El Indio Taco Shop for cheap, good, Mexican food.
Bouna Forchetta in South Park for authentic Italian food.
Filippi's Pizza Grotto is a great place to take the kids for good Italian food.

My favorite hikes in San Diego County

San Diego is a fantastic place to hike year-round, although I recommend sticking to the coast or getting an early start during the summer months. These are a few of my favorite hikes.

Cowles Mountain has stunning views of the whole county all the way to the ocean and Mexico on a clear day. There are two main entrances, The Cowles Mountain Trailhead with takes you up a series of switchbacks and is the most popular route and the Barker Way Trailhead which takes you up the backway and is less crowed. If you go this way you can take a left when you see the sign just past the road and take the narrow Barker Way trail or stay on the fire road. The latter is a steeper assent but on a wider path. Moderate to high fitness level required.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve for gorgeous ocean views. I recommend entering at the South Beach entrance, you can park just after the entrance and hike up the hill to the trails, or drive up the road and park if you want an easier hike. There are a number of trails here with varying degrees of difficulty and you can find one suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to Garnet Peak is great if you want to sample with the famous PCT is like in Southern California.
Mt. Woodson is one of the more challenging hikes in San Diego the ends at the Insta-famous Potato Chip Rock. I don't recommend doing this in summer unless you get a very early start and bring lots of water.
Balboa Park , includes 65 miles of trails that are great for all fitness levels and right in the heart of the city.
Annie’s Canyon is perfect for families and kids. I recently took my 5 year old nephew and he loved it. Adults will enjoy it too.
Three Sister’s Waterfalls . Best to do in winter when the falls are flowing and it's not as hot. Moderate to high fitness level is suggested.

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Anguilla

Mon, 06 May 2024 21:07:39 GMT

Our 10 day trip to Anguilla

Anguilla is about as good as is gets for beach lovers. The beaches are stunning, and they rarely get crowded. We went in May, and it felt like we had the beaches all to ourselves. It’s also the best food I’ve found in the Caribbean, and the customer service is outstanding. It’s perfect for people who can spend all day at the beach and want to get away from it all to unwind. It’s not ideal for people who like lots of non-beach activities, or people on a tight budget. While it is possible to do Anguilla on a budget, it’s not ideal.

It’s a very expensive island, most of the hotels are high end and eating out is very expensive. There is a 13% GST tax on all goods and services, including restaurants and hotels, plus a 15% service tax is added to most bills. It was never made clear if this is in lieu of a tip, some people said it goes towards the employees’ wages, so we also tipped on top of it.

Where's the best place to stay on Anguilla?

There’s no wrong choice of where to stay, everywhere is great, it's a small island, and it’s easy to get to all the different beaches from anywhere. We stayed for 10 days total, for the first part of our trip we stayed at The Fountain Residences at Shoal Bay East. It’s not as fancy as some other places on the island, but for us it was perfect. It's clean and comfortable, with a nice pool, and it's very close to the beach. Having a kitchen at both of our places was key and saved us a ton of money. I don’t cook, and I certainly don’t want to cook on vacation, but we liked being able to have some meals at our place. There isn’t a beach directly in front of the property, but it’s a short walk away. Loungers are available for guests to use, but they are at Tropical Sunset, about a 2-minute drive from the hotel. You could walk, but we drove there since it was a little far to walk in the heat with all of our beach stuff.

For the second part of the trip we stayed at Tranquility Beach Resort . We were in the second building back from the water, and the view was still spectacular! It’s a beautiful property and we loved Meads Bay. I never thought I’d use a hot tub in the Caribbean, but we had one rainy afternoon and sitting in our property hot tub with an ocean view felt so luxurious. I loved that it’s a smaller property as opposed to a big resort, the rooms felt brand new, and the concierge service was very helpful. They also have beach loungers for guests’ to use right in front of the hotel with drink service.

The best beaches on Aguilla

Shoal Bay East (SBE) is stunning and fantastic for long walks on the beach. It has some options for food and beach bars, but its farther removed from the main part of the island.
Meads Bay is also beautiful and is more centrally located, closer to more restaurants, and has the best grocery store nearby. Perfect for watching the sunset.
Maundays Bay, a stunning white crescent shaped beach. There’s only one thing located on this beach, the Cap Juluca Hotel. If you aren’t staying at this hotel, it costs $100/pp and priority is given to guests. I highly recommend taking your own chairs and umbrella to this beach.
Rendezvous Bay is home to the Dune Preserve, a fun beach bar with live music, and the Sunshine Shack, a beach bar with loungers available to rent. The Dune Preserve was bit more of an older, Jimmy Buffet vibe, while the Sunshine Shack is more of a party scene and the most crowded beach area we found on the island.
Sandy Ground, this is probably the calmest beach on the island and has a very gentle slope into the water. It’s perfect for kids and people with mobility issues. You can rent beach chairs from Roy’s Bayside Grill, which is also a fun beach bar.

Car rental and beach chair rental

We used Andy’s Car Rental and they were great, but don’t get the cheapest car. It only spoke Japanese and was too small for our beach stuff. We rented our own beach chairs from Kidz Kare and I’m glad we did, it was nice to go wherever we wanted without having to pay to use loungers at hotels or restaurants. We put them right next to the Dune Preserve and listened to the music while having a beach day. We were also able take them to beaches like Katoucsh Bay, that don’t have any beach chairs available.

Currency

Everywhere we went took USD, even places that have the price in the East Caribbean Dollars (XDC.) We didn’t need much cash, credit cards are widely accepted.

My best of Anguilla list

Best meals:

Steak fajitas at Picante

Warm goat cheese salad with shrimp at Blanchard Beach Shack

Best Snorkeling:
- Little Bay, to the left of the rock you can jump off.

- The far-right side of Meads Bay. Walk towards the Malliouhana hotel and swim out a little way along the rocks.

Best Grocery story:

We went to several and Best Buy West was by far the best one on the island. It’s a large, well organized grocery store with everything you need, including sunscreen. Be aware that prices are in the East Caribbean Dollar.

Best Beach Bars:

Tropical Sunset . I may be biased because this was the first place we went to when we arrived, and I’ll never forget how stunning the view was. The food was also good, and they let you use the beach loungers if you eat there.

Gwen’s Reggae Bar and Grill . A very casual beach bar with picnic tables on the beach and music.

Dune Preserve . THE place to be on Sunday afternoons, great for live music.

Advice on traveling to Anguilla

I live in the Caribbean and never get bit by bugs, but the no see ums ate me alive there. Definitely use Skin So Soft wipes (don't use the oil, you will get a bad sunburn and the sand sticks to it) or put a few drops of lavender, citronella, and lemon-eucalyptus essential oil in your body lotion and sunscreen.

Pro tip : Start using it before you get bit, you won’t even know you’re getting bit until you itch all over and it’s too late. Click here for more or more Caribbean packing tips.

The airport leaving was a mess, and we were on a small flight, I can’t imagine how crazy the AA flight is. It takes a while to check in and you have to pay a $28 departure tax at a separate window. For some unknown reason TSA completely unpacked my whole bag next to the conveyor belt, took everything out, shook out my clothes, and unzipped everything.

We loved Anguilla, and like everyone told us, the people and the all over vibe on the island are wonderful!

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How to get to Culebra & Vieques

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 18:53:33 GMT

What's the best way to travel to Culebra or Vieques?

Culebra and Vieques, also known as the Spanish Virgin Islands, are located just off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. Both islands are small and sparsely populated, their main attraction being their gorgeous, white sandy beaches. There are three ways to get to the islands, by ferry, by plane, and with a tour company.

By Plane

This is my favorite way to get to the outer islands. It’s much faster than the ferry, you don’t have to worry about getting seasick, you don’t have to stress about getting ferry tickets, and the views from the plane are worth the trip alone. The downside to flying is it is more expensive, it's not suitable for people who don't like small planes, and there are luggage weight limits. If you plan to fly, check out this blog for tips on packing light.

Pro tip: T he more people who book, the more expensive the flights get. Book early, and don’t wait hoping fares will drop.

There are three airports that have flights to the outer islands,

San Juan International Airport (SJU) – Cape Air , Flamenco Air , and Silver Airways fly directly to both islands from the main airport. They are the most expensive flights, but also the most convenient if you are connecting on the same day. If you fly into SJU then catch a flight to the islands on the same day, you won’t have to go through security unless you checked a bag. If you did check a bag, you will have to pick it up and go back through security. When flying from the outer islands to SJU, you will have to go through security whether you checked a bag or not. Cost: $140-$400 round trip.

Isla Grande (SIG) – Vieques Airlink and Flamenco Air fly from SIG to both Islands. This airport is located about 15 minutes from SJU airport, and it’s easy to Uber to/from SJU or anywhere in the metro area. Flights are cheaper than out of SJU, and it’s a small airport so security is a breeze. This is the way to go if you are staying a few days in San Juan before flying over. Cost: $130-$160 round trip.

Ceiba Airport (RVR) – a small airport in Ceiba, near the town of Fajardo. This is the most budget-friendly flight, but only if you have a car or are already staying near Ceiba. Vieques Airlink and Flamenco Air fly from this airport. Cost: $80 round trip, and transportation to Ceiba from San Juan will run you about $80-$100.

Pro tip: Ubers/Taxis are not reliable outside of the San Juan metro area. It's best to book transportation with a private transportation company in advance. Click here for a Private Transportation option to Ceiba.

By Ferry

The most popular way of getting to both islands is to take a ferry from Ceiba. This is by far the cheapest option; ferry tickets are only $2.00 each way. These are the things to consider when deciding if you should opt for the ferry:

Online ticket sales are released about a month ahead of time. There is no exact date, rhyme, or reason to when they are realized, you just have to start checking about 6 weeks out and keep checking every day until they are available.

Only 20% of tickets are available to be purchased in advance, the rest must be purchased at the ferry terminal. You can purchase them in advance at the ticket office once they are made available to the public. If you follow the booking links below you will be able to see how many tickets are still available at the ticket office. Peak times sell out first, so if you don't want to take the 4:30am ferry, book in advance.

Residents of the island get priority. It doesn’t happen very often, but you can be bumped from the ferry if residents need a ticket, even if you bought them in advance. This is most likely to happen around a holiday when residents travel to the main island to spend time with family.

Rough seas can cause you to get seasick on the boat, and if ocean conditions are really bad, the ferry will be cancelled. The likelihood of rough seas is much higher from January-March. If you are booking lodging that won’t allow you to cancel, it’s best to fly during this time.

How to get to the ferry terminal from San Juan: The best way to get there is to drive or arrange private transportation. You can catch an Uber or Taxi to Ceiba, but don’t count on being able to get one back. Uber/Taxis are not reliable outside of the San Juan metro area. Even if you pull up the Uber app and see some in the area, they often cancel the trip once they see where you want to go. The drive is approximately 1.5 hours from San Juan, but you should allow at least 2 hours to get to Ceiba in case there is traffic. The ferry company recommends you get to the ferry terminal an hour before boarding. Click here for a Private Transportation option to Ceiba.

Pro tip: December to April is the high season for tourists. Summer, holidays and weekends (going to the islands on Friday and returning on Sunday) are when Puerto Ricans vacation on the outer islands. These are the hardest times to get tickets, especially around holidays, so definitely purchase tickets in advance.

There are two different types of ferries that travel to both islands, a cargo ferry and a pax ferry. The cargo ferry transports cargo as well as passengers, the pax ferry is passengers only. The pax ferry is faster (about 45 mins), it has more seats available, and has an upper deck to go outside. The cargo ferry does not have an outside area and takes longer (about 1-1.5 hours.) Pro Tip: It gets very cold inside the ferry, bring something warm to wear for the ride over!

View schedule and purchase ferry tickets:

To Culebra: https://www.puertoricoferry.com/en/buy-tickets/ceiba-culebra/

To Vieques: https://www.puertoricoferry.com/en/buy-tickets/ceiba-vieques/

Private Tour

The other alternative is to book a charter trip to the islands with a private tour company. This is a great way to go to the islands if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of ferry tickets but prefer not to take a small plane. The benefit is they know the best spots to take you to and you get a more personalized experience with locals that know their way around the islands. The downside can be, if sea conditions are not favorable, the tour can get canceled or routed to a different island. Here are some of the most recommended tours:

To Culebra:

Full-day snorkeling tour with lunch , with option for transportation from San Juan

Culebra Beach Day Tour by Catamaran , with option for transportation from San Juan

Snorkeling tour with ferry tickets included

To Vieques:

Full day Vieques Beach Tour by Catamaran

Snorkeling Tour with lunch included

Getting around on the islands

If you choose the plane or ferry option, you will need transportation once you are on the island and you cannot bring your car from the main island. Both have taxis available, but I would only recommend using taxis if you just plan to go to just one place for the day and are willing to arrange a set time to be picked up. Golf carts are a popular option, but I only recommend using them for day trips. If you are going for more than a day, or plan to explore the whole island, a car is the way to go. It is much easier to get groceries with a car, or leave your belongings if you stop anywhere, and, especially in summer, the air conditioning is a welcome relief from the heat after a day at the beach. Cars are also much safer to drive at night.

Pro tip: Book your car or golf cart well in advance, they often sell out, especially around holidays and spring break.

For more pictures of Culebra and Vieques, please follow my Instagram and Facebook pages!

Friends trip to St. Martin & St. Maarten

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 20:20:24 GMT

The twin islands of St. Martin and St. Maarten

The island of St. Martin and St. Maarten is so unique because there are two different countries located on one island. St. Martin is a French territory, and St. Maarten is a Dutch territory. You only have to go through customs once when you arrive on the island, when you cross the border within the island there is no immigration check point, just a sign telling you you’re at the border. Despite it being one island, the two sides are quite different. St. Maarten is more built up and it is where the majority of the bigger hotels, casinos and the main airport are located. It also felt more Americanized, the grocery stores had items similar to the states, US dollars are the main form of currency and English was the only language I heard spoken. St. Martin on the other hand, feels French. Most people speak French, although many speak English as well, Euros are the main currency, but most places also accept US Dollars. Beaches on both sides are great, they were a little calmer on the St. Maarten side, but also more crowded.

We did a friend’s trip to the island and had an amazing time. There were six of us, so we rented two cars from Hardy’s and they were fantastic. They met us at the airport as soon as we walked out, and we were on the road in less than 10 minutes. I highly recommend renting a car, but be prepared for heavy traffic. Try to plan your drives outside of rush hour. It was the worst through the town of Margot, and parking was very limited in Grand Case. Despite those issues, I am still glad we had a car to fully explore the island and go to different beaches.

The first night we stayed at the Hilton Royal Palm. We has a two bedroom unit, that included a full kitchen and living room. It was surprisingly great for the price point and has a fantastic little beach that's perfect for kids, or adults who are nervous of deep water. It was really nice that they have a little convenient store, deli and gift shop (good place to buy floaties and sunscreen) on site. The rooms on the left side are closer to a beach bar that plays music at night. We didn’t mind it, but if you want a quieter room, I recommend requesting something on the right side of the property.

For the majority of our trip we stayed at an incredible villa that we rented through Villa Blue, near Orient Bay, and everyone agreed that it was the perfect location. We loved the village and beach there, and it was easy to get to restaurants and the grocery store. One of the highlights of the trip was Chef Tim, who we booked though Fabulous Feasts. He cooked the most amazing food for us so we could just relax in the evening. The second highlight was a private boat charter with Boomerang to Anguilla. Two of us had been to Anguilla, but the rest had not, and I really wanted our friends to experience the beaches there. The boat trip took us to all the best beaches on Anguilla, had a full bar and a delicious lunch served on board.

We also did the Rainforest Adventure zip line. It took quite a while to get through the shorter ziplines because we were behind a tour group. If you are new to ziplining, or feeling a little nervous, the short ones are a good place to start. If I were to do it over, I would just do the one big zipline and spend some more time at the top. There is a really cool bar up there with fantastic views of the island. If you don’t want to zipline you can ride the chair lift back down. It’s definitely worth going for the views!

We stayed at The Morgan Resort on our last day to be close to the airport, and it was a perfect place to spend the day before our late afternoon flight. It has a fabulous pool and very good restaurant on site, the fish and chips were everyone's favorite!

At the end of our trip we flew to St. Barths for 4 days and loved it as well.

My recommendations for St. Martin/St. Maarten

Best food (other than our chef): restaurant at The Morgan
Best beachfront restaurant: La Playa at Orient
Best beach: tie between Orient and Mullet
Best snorkeling: rocks on the left side of Mullet, around the corner. Only attempt if you are a decent swimmer and use fins.
Best beach bar to party: Aloha Beach Bar Restaurant on Sundays
Best shopping for souvenirs: Grand Case neighborhood
Best grocery store: Super U at Hope Estates
What I would skip next time: Doing all of the ziplines at the Rainforest Adventure
What I’d do different: bring a lot more cash. Ended up needed more than we normally do for this kind of trip, mostly for tips. Took out more at an ATM and now we have a bunch of euros we can’t use.

For pics of beaches on all three islands and blog updates, please follow my Instagram and Facebook pages!

Great things to do in Rincón, Puerto Rico

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:57:44 GMT

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Is Rincón, Puerto Rico worth visiting?

Rincon, Puerto Rico holds a special place in my heart because it was our home base for four years while we traveled around the Caribbean. I first visited Rincon when I was 12 years old and my Grandfather was working on the island. Some of my best childhood memories were of this charming little beach town.

When I became an adult and had the opportunity to go back to Puerto Rico, I knew I had to return and see if it was as great as I remembered. It did not disappoint, and after at least half a dozen trips to Puerto Rico, traveling the whole island, we decided Rincon was our favorite spot.

Can you swim in Rincón, Puerto Rico?

Rincon is famous for being a popular place to surf, and while it does get some epic waves, that shouldn’t deter you if you are looking to stay someplace where the beaches are calm .

The good thing about Rincon is half the beaches face north and half face west. If the conditions aren’t to your liking on one side, drive 5 minutes to the other side and they will be different. The surfing beaches are Maria’s, Domes, Tres Palmas, and sometimes Sandy Beach.

The beaches south of Tres Palmas are usually calm and good for swimming. Surf season is from late November until early April, outside of that all the beaches are usually calm unless there’s a tropical storm nearby. Surfline is a great place to check out local beach conditions, and there are live cameras at Maria’s Beach and Sandy Beach .

My Favorite Things to do In Rincon

El Faro (the lighthouse) to watch the sunset, also a great place to watch for whales in winter.
Snorkel at Steps Beach and the Marina. Go in front of the rocks on the right side on the beach. Please do not enter or or swim near the boat ramp.
Beach day at Sandy Beach, there's plenty of shade here and some great places for lunch. Beach chairs are available to rent at the parking lot just after Tamboo.
Surf or watch the surfers at Maria’s Beach and Domes Beach. They are beautiful beaches, but not good for swimming.
Dona Lala’s is fun and a party beach on the weekends, Playa Los Almendros is popular with the locals. Both are good beaches for having a beach day and are usually good for swimming.
Beach day at the Marina (a.k.a. Black Eagle Beach.) Head to the right side of the boat ramp for a sandy entrance. Please do not enter or or swim in front of the boat ramp. The Rincon Balneario is also good for swimming and watching the sunset. Both are the calmest beaches and best for little kids*
Art Walk on Thursday nights in the town square (don't try to park in the town square, instead park by the ballpark a block to the north and walk.)
Farmer’s Market on Sunday mornings in the town square.
Hike the trail from Domes Beach to Pools Beach along the old Spanish Wall. The entrance is just in front of the dome power plant.
Drive the Road to Happiness (413)
Walk to the tide pools and Sea Glass beach at the east end of Sandy Beach

Rincon's biggest attraction is it's sunsets. There is no bad place in Rincon to watch the magic unfold, any place with a view of the sky will do, but my favorite places to watch the sunset are the lighthouse in the winter and at Sandy Beach in the summer months.

Best day trips from Rincon

Gozalandia Waterfalls in San Sebastián
Day trip to Crash Boat Beach * and Peña Blanca in Aguadilla*
Day Trip to Playa Buye* and Playa Combate in Cabo Rojo*
Boat trip in La Parguera

**Go on a weekday to avoid the crowds.

Best Tours and Activities in or near Rincon

Hook’d On Adventure or Paradise Scuba and Snorkeling in La Parguera a day snorkeling tour or night bio bay trip. Check the moon phase , bio bay is best during or near a new moon or before the moon rise time.
Pintos R Us for horseback riding
Aquatica in Aquadilla for snorkeling and scuba diving at Crash Boat Beach
Crash Boat Experiences
Rincon Dive & Snorkeling and Taino Divers for snorkeling/diving/boat trips in Rincon
Surf lessons with Fullmoonrincon and RD2H Surf School

Best Places to Eat In Rincon

For breakfast and/or lunch

Jack's Shack at Pools Beach (Tues-Sun 8-3)
Cafe 413 in the town square
The English Rose Arrive early to get the fresh baked item of the day, but be prepared, the drive here is not for the faint of heart!
Casa Islena , located on Sandy beach, it also a good spot for dinner and has live music some nights.
For healthier options Sana Farm to Table (I highly recommend the poke or vegan bowl!) and Spires Market , located near Dona Lala’s Beach.
Jake’s Java , Rincon Beach Cafe , and Cafe to Go for coffee, smoothies and acai bowls.

For lunch and/or dinner

Tamboo beachfront, great for sunset or while having a beach day at Sandy Beach (open Thurs-Mon)
La Copa Llena beachfront, get there early and enjoy the sunset, it opens at 5pm
The Beach House perched up on the hill over Maria's Beach, it has one of the best views on the island
Cowboys Cantina & Outside Grill is a really unique location, tucked in to the valley
Red Flamboyan has authentic Puerto Rican food, it’s a great spot to try mofongo
Capriccio Tattoria excellent food for a fine dinning experience
The restaurant at Villa Cofresi

Best Fast Food In Rincon

Gas Burger (next to a gas station, to go and delivery only)
From Scratch Cuisine (get the empanadas!)
Marcos Pizza (they deliver)

Pro tip: In my opinion food trucks have some of the best food, my favorites are Wake and Break (across from Cafe to Go), The Wandering Bagel , and Taquería El Trompo (Thurs 12-7; Fri.-Sun. 12-9, across from the road that leads to Rincon of the Seas.)

I also recommend ordering food made by locals for pickup from Paradise Catering and Bakery and Amanda Simpson . Weekly menus are posted on their Facebook pages, order in advance.

Best Beach Bars In Rincon

The bar at the Rincon Lighthouse
Caddy Calypso at Maria’s Beach
Big Kahuna Bar and Grill, located at Casa Verde Hotel
Pa’l 22 on the way to Anasco has amazing views

Best Place for Shopping and Souvenirs In Rincon

Mangos at Sandy Beach
Playero Surf Shop
Henna Vida

Where to Stay In Rincon

Best hotels

Tres Sirenas , a great little boutique hotel located within walking distance of the town square
Villa Cofresi , one of the larger hotels in Rincon, it has a good pool for kids and the beach is usually calm
Aqua Marina Beach Club , located at the Rincon Marina, which is a great beach for swimming and has some restaurants within walking distance
Casa Islena , located on Sandy Beach, ideal for people who love long walks on the beach and a vibrant neighborhood with restaurants and beach bars

Best Short Term rentals

Rincon is pretty spread out and a lot of the places on the booking sites don't give accurate locations. If you are going the short term rental route I recommend staying in one of these neighborhoods. I have also included some places I know personally to be great places to stay.

Sandy Beach is a charming, walkable neighborhood on the north side of Rincon. It's my favorite beach and there are several great restaurants and bars you can walk to. Perfect for teens that want a little more independence, families that want a wide sandy beach with lots of shade, and adults who like to walk to dinner.

Beachfront Penthouse - a luxury condo right on Sandy Beach with fantastic ocean and sunset views

Ground floor beachfront unit on Sandy Beach in a gated complex

One bedroom right on the beach, this two bedroom is upstairs

Budget-friendly option , right across the street from the beach

Great views with a pool at a budget-friendly price. Up the hill from the beach, but it's not a bad walk.

Large villa for big groups

The Marina is the best beach for little kids. It's protected from the waves and is an ideal location in the winter months. There are a few good restaurants at the Marina and its a good midway point between the town square and several popular beaches.

Fantastic pool , walking distance to Steps Beach

Close to Steps Beach and the Marina

Good for larger groups , near the Marina, and this one is next door if you need even more room.

Gated property right at the Marina

2bed/2bath right next to the Marina

Patio with ocean view

The Harbor is where the public beach is located, and while it's not the best beach, it's usually calm and good for swimming. It's a fantastic place to watch the sunset and you can walk to the town square.

Condo near the beach

Two bedroom close to the harbor and town square

Sea Beach Colony is a cute, quite, little neighborhood just south of the town square. It's right off the main road so it's the easiest to get to, and it's very close to the grocery store.

Fantastic house near a good beach

Condo near the beach and town square

Where do you fly into for Rincón?

Raphael Hernandez Airport (BQN) in Aguadilla is the closest major airport to Rincon and is about a 30-45 minute drive, depending on traffic. It's an easy, safe drive and I have done it in the middle of the night many times. You can also take Cape Air from SJU to Mayaguez, which is around 20-30 minutes from Rincon. I love this flight, it's on a smaller plane so it doesn't fly very high and you get fantastic views of the island.

Flights to BQN

- United from Newark

- JetBlue from Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and JFK

If you decide to drive to Rincon from San Juan, it takes around 2-3 hours. It is a safe drive, and easy to do any time of day or night. For the first half you will be on a normal freeway. Once you get to Arecibo it turns into a two lane highway that goes though towns. None of the drive is on windy mountain roads unless you choose to take the route through San Sebastian. I recommend using Waze or Google Maps, and if you are staying at an Airbnb have the host drop you a pin on Google Maps to the exact location.

In conclusion

Rincon is an epic place for a daytrip, a month long stay, or anywhere in between. It makes a great home base for exploring the entire west side, and other popular destinations like Cabo Rojo, Aguadilla, Isabela, and La Parguera can easily be reached from Rincon. I highly recommend renting a car to get the most out of your stay. I hope you enjoy Rincon as much as I do.

For pictures of Rincon and blog updates, please follow my Instagram and Facebook pages!

What to do & where to stay in St. Croix

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:03:26 GMT

St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

St. Croix is a fantastic island, and one of my favorites. It’s the biggest of the USVI islands, but I also found it to be the least crowded. It is the perfect place to just hop in the car and explore. It’s the ideal place for history buffs and travelers who like to experience different parts of the island they are visiting.

Should you stay in Christiansted or Frederiksted?

We took a 10-day trip to St. Croix, for the first 5 days we stayed at an Airbnb right near the pier in Frederiksted. I loved Frederiksted, it’s a much smaller town than Christiansted, full of historic buildings, many being reclaimed by nature. I found the best beaches to be on this side of the island. Rainbow Beach, Dorsch Beach and Sandy Point (only open during certain months and days, due to turtle nesting) are all fantastic. Dorsch had amazing snorkeling just offshore with several turtles and rays. It's also the best area on the island to watch the sunset. We really enjoyed spending the evening watching the sunset from the pier, then walking into town for dinner. Our favorite places to eat on this side were Turtle's Deli for lunch and Ciboné for dinner.

For the second part of our trip, we stayed in Cane Bay. Cane Bay is a great area, perfect if you want to be equal distance to Frederiksted and Christiansted, with a laid-back Jimmy Buffett vibe. Cane Bay is a good place to swim and snorkel, but the beach can get crowded. Our hotel was close enough to walk, but parking looked like a hassle, especially on the weekend. Off The Wall was a fun little bar to hang out with great views and The Landing had good food with a classic beach bar feel. I highly recommend the tuna sandwich with mango chutney! They also had a walk-up window for food and drinks if you’re hanging out at the beach. You can rent beach loungers and umbrellas at Cane Bay.

We went to Christiansted twice, it’s as close to a city as you will get on the island. If you are into shopping, nightlife, and a wide variety of restaurants, this is the best place to stay. Crowds aren’t my favorite, so while I enjoyed an occasional day trip here, I personally wouldn’t stay in this area.

Note: The cruise ships dock in Frederiksted, and this can impact how crowded the beaches are. You also can’t snorkel near the pier when a ship is in port. We went in October, when there weren’t any cruise ships. To see the cruise ship schedule for St. Croix, click here .

Best Places to Stay on St. Croix

The Waves at Cane Bay , ideal for honeymooners or romantic getaways
Sand Castle On The Beach , ideal for people who want great snorkeling right out front and a nice beach. Adults only.
The Fred , charming boutique hotel in the heart of Frederiksted
The Buccaneer Beach and Golf Resort , best place to stay if you want to be at a true resort or near Christiansted
The Landing , cute little beach bungalows at Cane Bay

Our favorite activities on St. Croix

We did a half day on Buck Island, for us that was plenty of time. It’s a beautiful beach and worth an afternoon, but it’s not very big. It’s an easy, short boat ride from Christiansted.

We also did the bio bay kayak tour with Sea Thru Kayaks VI . I’ve lived in Puerto Rico, so I’ve done bio bays, and this one was the best one I’ve done. The see-through kayaks make a ton of difference, it’s an amazing light show under your feet. The bioluminescence bay is an easy kayak trip from the harbor, even for a novice kayaker. The closer you can book a tour to a new moon the better, the lack of light makes the glow brighter. If your trip is during a full moon, check the moon rise time, if it doesn't rise until after the tour, that works too! Check the moon phase and rise times here .

Additional Information

I found a car to be absolutely necessary, a Jeep is not. We rented through Centerline. They were fine, the cars are a bit beat up but that’s kind of what you want to drive there. The roads are pretty good, some potholes on the drive between Cane Bay and Frederiksted, but they are manageable. Wi-Fi and power were not a problem at all, which is impressive for the Caribbean.

For pictures of St. Croix and blog updates, please follow my Instagram and Facebook pages!

When is the best time to go to the Caribbean?

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 20:58:48 GMT

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When to visit the Caribbean

When you put this search topic into Google, most articles will tell you the best time to go to the Caribbean is from January to April, that the rainy season is from July to November and that hurricane season is from June to November. While the latter two facts are true, it’s not that black and white, and I don’t necessarily agree that winter is a one-size-fits-all for being the best time to travel to the Caribbean.

Hurricane Season

Let’s first discuss hurricane season, because that is probably the biggest concern most travelers face when trying to decide if they should plan their trips during these months. I visited Puerto Rico several times after Hurricane Maria and saw firsthand the damage a powerful hurricane can cause. They certainly should be taken seriously, but after four years of living in the Caribbean, the chance that one may hit during your trip shouldn’t dictate your travel plans.

The good thing about hurricanes is you know they are coming several days out. They form off the coast of Africa and travel across the Atlantic Ocean before arriving in the Caribbean. There are several good sites for tracking hurricanes, I personally use the National Hurricane Center’s website . It provides predicted routes, arrival times, and the chance a system is likely to develop into a storm. Hurricanes are also far less likely in June, October, and November, with the peak months being August and September. If you plan a trip to the Caribbean during these months, I recommend booking things that can be easily canceled or changed, buying trip insurance, or booking things with a credit card that includes it.

Insurance for every trip type

Travelex Insurance Benefits for Canadians

Rain in the Caribbean

Your trip is approaching, you open your weather app and it shows rain everyday of your trip. Don’t panic! It almost always shows rain, but it’s unlikely to ruin your trip. The Caribbean is in the tropics, where it rains regularly. If you are from anywhere cold this may scare you off because you associate rain with cold, dreary weather, where you are stuck inside all day. This is not the case in the Caribbean. It rarely rains all day, usually just a brief shower in the afternoon, and it’s not a cold, miserable rain. We often don’t even get out of the water when it rains unless there is lightning. The rain will most likely be a welcome reprieve from the heat, especially in the summer months, when it cools everything off. I recommend getting app that shows hourly weather and radar like AccuWeather or Clime-NOAA , and don’t stress unless it’s at least 70% all day. Chances are if it’s raining where you are you can drive a short distance and it will be sunny. The good news is rain makes for gorgeous sunsets, stunning rainbows and flowing waterfalls!

Winter in the Caribbean

This is the most popular time to travel to the Caribbean because people want to escape the cold where they live. If that’s your main reason for the trip, then you won’t be disappointed. The weather is usually in the 80’s, with low humidity, it’s less likely to rain, the water is still warm enough to swim, and there’s no chance a hurricane will disrupt your vacation. But there’s a downside to visiting in winter. The beaches will be more crowded, prices are at their highest, big surf and high winds are more likely, and because of this, the water may not be as clear.

Tips for traveling to the Caribbean in winter: West and south facing beaches tend to be more protected from the waves and high winds in the Caribbean. If you want to escape the crowds, look for lesser known beaches on the island, and don't travel during holidays and spring break.

Summer in the Caribbean

In a word, hot. When you look up average temperatures in the Caribbean it may appear at first glance to always be in the 80’s, but this often doesn’t take the humidity into account. In the summer humidity levels rise, this can cause a day with a temperature of 87°F/30°C to feel like 101°F/38°C. Despite the heat I still love summers in the Caribbean. The trade winds have calmed down and big surf is far less likely, both of which make the water calm, clear and great for snorkeling. If you have been browsing the internet and seeing pictures of glassy beaches with incredible water visibility, they were most likely taken in summer.

Tips for traveling to the Caribbean in summer: Book a place with air conditioning throughout. If it’s only in the bedrooms you will find yourself confined to those rooms while you are indoors. I also recommend booking a place with backup power that runs the air conditioning, as power outages are a common occurrence. Plan to spend your time in or near water. Stay hydrated and always wear lots of sunscreen. A hat, sun shirt and access to shade while at the beach are essential.

When I recommend going to the Caribbean

Because my main priories are clear water for snorkeling and diving, and I don’t like crowds, the months of May, June, October, and November are my favorite time to visit the Caribbean. It’s not as hot as the peak summer months, the beaches aren’t nearly as crowded, prices are much cheaper, and there aren’t as many cruise ships. The weather is usually great, and the water is calm and warm. It’s technically hurricane season but they are rare during these months.

For pictures of Caribbean beaches and blog updates, please follow my Instagram and Facebook pages!

Safest beaches for swimming in Puerto Rico

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:22:19 GMT

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Are the beaches in Puerto Rico safe for swimming?

During the winter months the Puerto Rico travel pages are often filled with scary warnings about dangerous riptides and big surf on the beaches. If you have a beach vacation planned during these months, it’s definitely something to take into consideration, but it should not deter you from planning a trip to the island. There are plenty of beaches that are usually safe all winter, if you plan your trip accordingly.

Surf season in the Caribbean runs from around mid-November until mid-April, with the greatest chance for big surf occurring in January and February. This isn’t ideal for beach lovers hoping to escape the cold weather where they live. The biggest surf is typically on the north side of the island and can affect any beach that faces north from the outer islands of Vieques and Culebra, to the north shore of Rincon. This includes the Luquillo and San Juan metro beaches.

If you want the best chance at having a calm beach nearby, I suggest staying somewhere between Rincon and Cabo Rojo during the winter. The south facing beaches are also much calmer, but in my opinion the beaches on the south shore are not as good as the beaches on the west side, although a few good ones can be found between Ponce and Cabo Rojo.

Balnearios, which are what the public beaches in Puerto Rico are called, are always your best bet for the safest beaches. They usually have bathrooms, picnic tables, a designated parking lot, and some have showers, but they are also the most crowded, especially on weekends.

Safest beaches on the west side of Puerto Rico

To help you decide where to stay, I have created a list of beaches on the west side of Puerto Rico that are usually the calmest and safest.

Crash Boat Beach in Aguadilla
Black Eagle Beach, which is at the marina in Rincon
The Balneario in Rincon
Dona Lalas in Rincon
Los Almendros in Rincon
The Balneario in Anasco
Playa Buye in Cabo Rojo
Boquerón in Cabo Rojo
Playa Combate in Cabo Rojo
The cays in La Parguera, but a boat required to get to them

Safest beaches on the north shore of Puerto Rico

If you are staying on the north shore and some big surf arrives, I recommend checking out these beaches.

Escambron Beach
Playita del Condado
Balnerio de Carolina
Balnerio La Monserrate in Luquillo
Playa Puerto Nuevo
Flamenco Beach on Culebra
Sun Bay Beach on Vieques
Playa La Chiva on Vieques

Tips and tools for staying safe

Keep in mind, beach conditions can change at any time, and the safety at a beach is never guaranteed. While the greatest chance for big surf is in the winer, tropical storms offshore during hurricane season can also cause surf to hit the island. Always check local conditions, and never get in the water if there is a red flag warning. Educate yourself and your family on how to spot riptides and how to get out of one. The Environmental Protection Agency has an interactive map on their website where you can check beach advisories and use Surfline to check forecasted surf conditions before heading to a beach.

For pictures of Puerto Rico's beaches and blog updates, please follow my Instagram and Facebook pages!

Crash Boat Beach

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 21:05:43 GMT

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Should you visit Crash Boat Beach?

Crash Boat Beach is one of the most talked about beaches on any Puerto Rico travel site and this honestly kept me from visiting for several years. I prefer less crowed beaches, even if it means I have to hike somewhere and there are no facilities for miles. One day though, we had friends visiting us in Puerto Rico, and big surf had hit the beach where we were staying, so we decided to take a day trip to Aguadilla and check out Crash Boat Beach. I am so glad we did. It became one of our favorite beaches after that day.

The History of Crash Boat Beach

Don’t worry, it’s not called Crash Boat Beach because boats always crash there. Crash Boat got its name because the pier there was built for the US military rescue boats to dock. Their boats would rescue airmen who had crashed, hence the name. Over time sand deposits rendered the pier unusable but created a fantastic beach for the public to enjoy.

Crash boat is on the northwest corner, but faces slightly south, this gives it protection from the north shore swell that can get big in the winter months, and it’s also a fantastic place to watch a famous west coast sunset. The beach itself is crescent shape, with a long pier jutting out from the middle. I have found that it tends to be calmer on the left side of the pier if you are looking out to sea.

Crash Boat is great for snorkeling

My favorite thing to do at Crast Boat is to snorkel. The best snorkeling can be found off the end of the pier. It’s not a hard swim from shore, especially if you have fins, but if you don’t feel comfortable swimming that far you can jump off the end of the pier or climb down one of the ladders. You will see lots of local kids jumping off the pier, always be sure to check the water depth before you leap. There are plenty of fish to see at the end of the pier, but if you venture a little way out to sea and to the left you’ll see an amazing array of sea life. Both hurricane Maria and Irma significantly damaged the pier, and the pilings that remain underwater have created an artificial reef only about 20 feet under the water.

If you really want have the best experience I recommend doing the Discover Scuba class with Aquatica Underwater Adventures . You don’t have to be certified to do this class, and it’s great for all ages. They walk you through the basics of scuba diving and a certified instructor takes you to Crash Boat and teaches you how to scuba in shallow water. You then head out to the part of the pier that’s underwater for an easy out and back swim. You never go very deep, it’s a great way to see the sea life up-close, and to try scuba without much risk.

Additional tips for Crash Boat

It has a large parking lot, but it can fill up fast, especially on weekends and holidays. I highly recommend going on a weekday and getting there early or later in the day. There is some shade, but it always fills up first, so bring an umbrella if you want to be able to have some space to yourself. There are food vendors there on most days, but it’s not guaranteed they will be open. If they are, definitely get the pinchos!

Looking for other safe beaches to swim? Check out this blog !

How to get to Crash Boat from San Juan

Getting to Crash Boat Beach from San Juan is an easy, safe drive. It takes roughly 2 hours, depending on traffic. Traffic can be bad on the island, especially around San Juan during rush hour, so plan your trip accordingly. I recommend using Waze to route you around traffic. You will start by travelling west (oeste) on PR-22. It's a nice, wide freeway that is very similar to any freeway you will find in the states. Once you get past Arecibo, you will take PR-2 west (oeste) towards Aquadilla. This is a two lane highway that goes through towns with traffic lights. It can be slow going if traffic is heavy, but it's an easy road to navigate. Once you enter the town of Aguadilla, take a right on PR-107 for about a mile, then a left on PR-458 for another mile to arrive at the parking lot.

Tip: Cuevo del Indio in Arecibo is a good stop to make on your way there, if you want to add to your trip. If you are staying in Rincon , Crash Boat is easy to do on the way there from San Juan.

For pictures of Puerto Rico and blog updates, please follow my Instagram and Facebook pages!