Puerto Rico Honeymoon

Experience the exciting flavours of Puerto Rico on a honeymoon or romantic getaway holiday. This Caribbean island is famous for its vibrant culture and exuberant nightlife, which pulsates around the clock to the traditional rhythms of salsa, merengue and bomba y plen.

Things to do and see
Discover a lush green landscape of rolling hills and mountains edged with pristine white-sand beaches and encircled by clear turquoise waters that are perfect for swimming, kayaking, scuba diving and snorkelling.

With a vibrant culture forged from a mix of Hispanic, African, Caribbean and US influences, fine dining portoriqueno restaurants, Las Vegas- style casinos and a range of accommodation options to suit all budgets, Puerto Rico offers all the ingredients you need for the perfect Caribbean honeymoon – all just a 2.5-hour flight from Miami.

Sunbathe and swim on a choice of stunning white-sand beaches such as San Juan’s beautiful Playa del Condado at Isle Verde, Playa Flamenco on Culebra and Playa Sun Bay on Vieques. Scuba dive the nature reserve around Mona Island, snorkel the dazzling phosphorescent bays at La Parguera, Vieques and Fajardo or catch a 6m-high wave on the northwest coast at Rincon.

Explore El Yunque rainforest on foot or mountain bike, try spelunking the underground caves of the Rio Camuy Cave Park and ride horses along mountain trails or white beaches around Playa de Luquillo. Spot rare birdlife in the Guanica Dry Forest and the Cabezas de San Juan nature reserve, nesting sea turtles on Culebra Island and iguanas on uninhabited Mona Island.

Savour one of Puerto Rico's Fiestas Patronales – celebrations held in towns and villages throughout the island to honour the region's patron saint. Fiestas often last up to 10 days and include religious processions, local cuisine, music and dance. Try to catch San Juan’s Bautista Day fiesta – one of the best fiestas of the year.

San Juan – In the island's capital of San Juan, explore narrow cobbled streets, wide tree-lined boulevards and colonial squares lined with historic sights, ancient monuments and well-preserved Spanish colonial buildings, some of which date back 500 years to the Spanish conquistadors.

Visit the 16th century La Fortaleza, the Plaza de San José and the San José Church – the second oldest church in the western hemisphere. Explore the maze of secret tunnels, dungeons, lookouts, barracks and vaults in the massive El Morro fortress, which sits on a 19m-high headland overlooking the sea.

Enjoy scenic views of the city from the 17th century City Wall, which winds its way around the peninsula. Then learn about Puerto Rico’s fascinating history at the African Heritage Museum, the Museum of Colonial Architecture and the San Juan Museum of Art and History.

Elsewhere, discover the beautiful town of Ponce and its Museum of Art, home to more than 1000 paintings and 400 sculptures, including one of the finest collections of 19th century pre-Raphaelite paintings in the Americas. Visit the ancient Tibes Indian burial ground nearby or see 800-year-old ruins at the Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park at Arecibo.

Browse the shops in Old San Juan for designer clothes and shoes, cigars, jewellery, leather goods and local handicrafts. Check out the three-storey Plazas Las Americas – the Caribbean's largest shopping mall – boasting more than 250 shops with a range of US brands.

After dark, people-watch while strolling La Princesa Promenade, savour Puerto Rican-style cuisine at a choice of lively cafes and fine dining restaurants and then party the night away at a range of traditional Latin nightclubs where you can find live bands playing salsa and merengue music. Or try your luck at the gaming tables of a glittering casino, such as the stylish El San Juan Hotel and Casino (also a great place for people-watching).

Accommodation
Puerto Rico offers a huge choice of accommodation options to suit all pockets, including the El San Juan Hotel and Casino, an upmarket hotel facing one of San Juan’s finest golden-sand beaches.

Or try the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Spa and Casino, an elegant 5-star resort overlooking a white-sand beach on the Isla Verde, or the Copamarina Beach Resort, a laid-back resort set beside the Gúanica Dry Forest nature reserve and a white-sand beach.

Another good option is the family friendly Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa (a Wyndham Grand Resort), overlooking the golden sands of Playa Rio Mar and offering two championship golf courses, numerous water sport activities and a kids club.

Best time to visit Puerto Rico?
The best time to visit Puerto Rico is during the winter dry season from mid-December through April, when temperatures average 24°C (75°F) with a high of 29°C (85°F).

The rainy (read hurricane) season lasts from May to November, coinciding with the island’s tourism low season when you can enjoy great deals. For more climate info: Puerto Rico Weather Guide

Location – Puerto Rico is located east of the Dominican Republic and just north of the US and British Virgin Islands. The island nation also includes a trio of smaller islands: Culebra, Mona and Vieques.

Getting there – As the major airline hub for the Caribbean, Puerto Rico receives daily non-stop flights from major US cities including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami. There are also twice-weekly flights from Madrid, Spain. How to get to Puerto Rico . . .