Travel Titans

The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico is blessed with a great climate, glorious beaches and lush rainforests, all just waiting to be discovered on, what will quickly turn into, the holiday of a lifetime. The warm Caribbean Sea laps at the shores filled with white sandy beaches, offering access to amazing reefs filled with shoals of fish shimmering with impossible colors – this island idyll is filled with a vibrancy that is as joyous as it is beautiful.

The Spanish colonial history of the island is apparent from the architecture but this island has spirit, spirit that found itself freed from the shackles of the past and able to embrace a brave new future away from the rule of its forefathers; now able to self govern, Puerto Rico is a place of independence, where life is always lived to the full.

Those looking for an idyllic honeymoon destination often turn to Puerto Rico, and many of the hotels cater to the romance of the occasion, as they offer secluded spots away from the bustle of the busier resorts; the Horned Dorset Primavera is a thirty suite villa, each suite with its own private plunge pool and beautifully decorated with understated elegance – it is hard to imagine a more perfectly romantic spot.

Those seeking something altogether more livelier should head to the busy streets of San Juan, filled with small hotels and plenty of budget accommodation, this is the idea base for your vacation – the Hotel Sofo Casa Blanca is particularly well thought of and boasts great prices along with its great rooftop deck, which is perfect for relaxing as you watch the vibrant streets below.

The Spanish influences in the cuisine are apparent, but the local produce also plays its part, the bounty of the Caribbean is not just found on land though, the sea itself holds some of the freshest and most delicious fish and seafood to be found; these delights are often best enjoyed along the coast in the beach shacks that serve the catch as soon as it arrives on the land.

For the best in Caribbean cuisine, Aguazul in La Parguera is hard to beat, serving Creole favorites using local organic ingredients, although the excellent presentation and well thought out menu makes it more formal than your initial impressions may expect.

It may be that all you want to do in Puerto Rico is to relax and watch the world go by, but those wanting something a little higher octane will find plenty of activities to keep them busy, water sports are unsurprisingly very popular, with the scuba diving and snorkeling being some of the best in the Caribbean. Inland the fun continues, the mountainous terrain providing some great hiking and trekking whilst the rainforests hold some of the most beautiful wildlife in the world.

The tropical climate of Puerto Rico is to be found all year round, and although the winter months do see slightly cooling breezes from the north, there is no great difference in the weather; you may however want to avoid hurricane season which runs from July to November, with August and September being most at risk. Rainfall is uncommon in the southwest but the rest of the island does see downpours – but it is important to remember that without them, the lush rainforest and beauty of the island would cease to be.

Carnival time is a real high point in the Puerto Rico calendar and usually takes place during early March (it is dependent on the timing of Lent) –the streets are filled with music, fun and laughter, and with its timing outside the hurricane season is a fabulous time to visit this amazing island.