Puerto Rico Travel Tips and Pitfalls to Avoid

➡️Yunque National Forest (P8-p15) As the only tropical rainforest in the United States, we chose not to join the usual group water activities. Instead, we wanted to hike on our own, so we drove up to a higher spot first, then hiked for 40 minutes to Mt. Britton Tower (P9-10). From the tower, you can overlook the entire rainforest. It’s hard to capture in photos, but the view is stunning in person. There is actually a higher peak, El Yunque Peak (P8-9), but the one-way hike takes 1.8 hours. We thought it was too long and didn’t take that trail. If you have enough time and energy, you can challenge yourself to reach it. We hiked the rainforest on December 3rd. It was very comfortable inside the forest, with very few mosquitoes, so no need to bring insect repellent. After reaching the top, we drove down the mountain and visited various spots, many with small waterfalls where you can play in the water. I wore a bikini under my clothes, so I just took off my outerwear when playing in the water. You can bring a towel to dry off after playing in the water. You don’t need special shoes for this route; your regular sneakers are fine. It’s not like the other trail to the waterfall jump spot that can ruin your shoes. ➡️Castillo San Felipe del Morro (501 Calle Norzagaray, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico) Old San Juan Castle (P1-7) – The ticket for this castle is valid for two days. The castle is really beautiful, especially the seaside view from the top. Inside, there are many exhibits about the history of the old town. The old town is also nice, with colorful houses. You can stroll street by street, and there are many small shops selling souvenirs. However, the streets in the old town are very narrow and parking is difficult. There are many parking lots though; just search for “park” on Google Maps. The fees are reasonable. We parked in the underground lot next to the castle, which cost $13.5 for 6 hours, charged by the hour. This castle is definitely worth a visit!