Puerto Rico Trip 2023

The very first week of Summer, we went for a week long Puerto Rico trip. The very first thing to hit us is how much like coastal India it was. I repeatedly said it for the first few days. Eyes wide open.

Beautiful island state. Great local people. 

Here is a bulletized itenary of the trip.

We arrived late Monday night. The night drive on PR-66 from Airport to Luquillo was a dream. 

View from the Luquillo Airbnb alone, was worth the visit. Endless sea and non-stop waves. Luquillo city was beautiful. The Airbnb was in a high-rise society exactly like in Pune or Bangalore. The houses around was like in Ulsoor or any coastal village. Cement construction, bright paints, and tile floors. Almost all apartments & house-bunglows were designed individually. All entrances were covered with iron bar coverings - all fancy designs like anywhere in India. Hardly any people outside during the day; which eventually made sense cause it was 90+F everyday and no one wants the home AC to escape and cool the city.

Tuesday we went on San Juan old town tour. Explored the cobbled street town, colorful buildings, fort and town shops.. Ended the day with dinner at a nearby restaurant. Mufungo for dinner

Wednesday morning, we were off on Catamaran ferry to Culebra island. An hour long ferry ride to the island and they let us loose for 4 hours. They provided a neat lunch as well. It was a great picnic, lazing & snorkeling in pristine blue water.  

Now precautionary list - get loaded up with strong sunscreen, hats, etc. If you are prone to Sunburn, then wear surfguard or rash guard full-sleeve tops, not any skimpy swim top. This is for males & females, kids & grownups. The combination of sea-water & sun for 4 hours is not safe for your skin. And second thing, don't wear your Garmin in water. I got ambitious and wanted to count the sea-walking miles. My 6 years old Garmin froze and conked off.

 

Thursday morning was revealing. Yesterdays 4 hours of sun and sea-water had worked its way into our skin. My kid and me were feverish with sun-burn. We refused to move out. Blacked out every window and doors. Spent all morning watching FUBAR on TV. Sun was the enemy today. Hubby & son had to step up for us. They went shopping in local stores and came back with life-saving supplies. Hubby made some comfort food in the AirBnB kitchen - rice & potatoes. Then Ibrupen and Banana Boat Soothing Aloe After Sun Gel helped a lot to recover from the sunburn & after-effects. By evening we were ready to dressup and step out in the sea.

Friday morning drove up to Mount  El Yunque National forest. We did not book tickets in advance, so did not enter it. Drive up the rain forest itself was a full on dejavu of Dakshina Kanada area ghats. 

In the afternoon, we took a ferry to Vigils island. From the ferry station, joined a shared van ride to Esperanza beach. The drive around the island was totally reminiscent of a drive around Goa. Trivia by the van owner, "This island has more wild horses than stray dogs". Yes, we saw lot of wild horses.

We spent the rest of the day lounging on the beach like Death in Paradise, doing absolutely nothing. The other attraction of this island is bioluminescence beach, which means booking & spending the night on the island. Since we were there on a Full moon night, the tour was closed. 

We returned to the station late night for last ferry. All passengers cordially waited for the station to open up. A drunk flew by on the night road, riding a horse without a saddle and playing loud music on his boombox. And then another guy on another horse. Watching other tourists with sunburnt back, made mine burn ! But the night was cool. Fishes & stingrays swam in the nearby waters. 

Saturday - Isla Verde beach and parasailing

We checked out of Luquillo AirBnB and on our morning drive out, we stopped & waited for an Iguana to cross the road

On the way to next residence, we spent the afternoon lounging on Isla Verde beach. Parking was a nightmare, but the beach was clean and crowded.

Kids went Para sailing while we sipped endless Pineapple filled with Pina Colada. Next day discovered some more sunburn through exposure. Sunscreens are great but sun is stronger.

We drove to Dorado very late at night and drove straight to the town square. It was nearly 1am and the town square was full of people reveling. Hyatt directions had a gap and we landed elsewhere. We called the Hyatt security guard and he directed us through the next 15 minutes drive. 

Sunday Morning view from the balcony showed that the Hyatt Dorado resort campus was paradise-ish.  

Private beach was peaceful long stretch. Sea was crystal clear to spot fishes. 

For dinner, we went out for some delicious local pizza at Faccio Pizza. Dorado city neighborhood was again like Indian bunglow and stores construction. No junk or garbage pile anywhere. 

Monday morning itself was 98F hot day. Sand was burning in through the flip-flops. Spent the morning in shaded pool and for afternoon spent chilling in blacked-out hotel room, watching phone videos & cable TV. In the evening, we decided to explore the west side of the island.

Road trip from Dorado to Agra Dilla. Saw wild cows, the same breed as Indian. There were hills on one side. My kid said those tree tops and hills looked exactly like how tiny kids usually draw squiggly lines hill drawings. Also spotted the huge campus of Abbvie company.

Sunset point at El Merendero De Guajataca. The park was lined up with Almond trees. There was an open-air yoga session going on. They didn't need a heated room. Even the evening air was loaded with humidity.

Magnificent 270 degree view of Pacific ocean.

Tuesday morning half was spent taking another dip in the ocean and the later half day travelling back home.

More Puerto Rico posts

Puerto Rico - Foods

The first week of June this summer, we went to Puerto Rico. In this post I will tackle the crucial topic of food.

Morning temps were in 80s and after 10am it was 90F-100F. And every movement was lazy.

One afternoon tour of Old San Juan and we indulged in street side slushies in Old San Juan cobbled streets.

Our first stay was in AirBnB in Luquillo, the East side of PR. So the first order of business - Walmart stop for basic supplies (shampoo, sunscreens, snacks, etc) that we couldn't get in our carry-on bag. There are a million of them everywhere. We picked the one in San Juan downtown. Parking here was in multiple level building, which means long line of carts to elevator & then beyond to the car. Prices were expectedly different from Walmarts in rest of USA. But best thing - it was a given to use our own grocery bags. Being tourists ofcourse we were not prepared for it. Plastic bags costed extra; but they were good quality thick plastic which we could reuse. That's one of the reasons, why they have a clean island & beaches. Everyone else gave us the side-eye. 

There was big variety in the local food scene in Luquillo. Tried different Mufungoes, which is famous in PR. Plantain Mufungo, Fish nuggets & Fried Crab Mufungo with the safe choices of Pasta.

The dining options in Hyatt Dorado Hacienda were good. Staff of Mahi Mahi Bar and Grill was overloaded but churned out everyone's orders well.

A whole complete breakfast which makes you feel you don't need lunch but no you do.

And then Red Snapper with rice & beans for lunch.

After an afternoon at Cabella beach, the Indian food craving hit us. We went to The India House nearby. Good quaint place. And pure coincidence, one of the managing guys actually flies in from Georgia to PR every few weeks.

Another day and another hunt for comfort food took us to Faccio Pizza.

 

On the climb to Mount Yonah, the vegetation was all tropical, reminding of Shiradi Ghat and similar. And likewise, there were Bonda (tender coconut) shop and tea shops along with Souvenir shops.

And throughout the stay, we drank loads of unlimited Mango slushies, Pina Colada & Pineapple drinks.

 

More Puerto Rico posts

Puerto Rico - vegetation and coastal parallels with India

The very first week of Summer, we went for a week long Puerto Rico trip. Beautiful island state. Great local people.

The very first thing to hit us is how much like coastal India it was. I said it for the first few days. Morning temps were in 80s and after 10am it was 90F-100F. And every movement was lazy.

Old San Juan could totally be mistaken for Pondicherry. Colorful buildings and cobbled streets.

Fort outside San Juan was lined up with very familiar flowering bushes.

Lots of Gulmohar trees in full blazing bloom everywhere.

And fully loaded Mango trees ! Everywhere !

The East side PR-66 highways were all packed with rush traffic. Drive on the highway, showed many 4 storied colonies, which were total replicas of government colonies from everywhere in India.

The Luquillo Airbnb we stayed in was in a high-rise and society exactly like in Pune or Bangalore. And the houses around, were like in Ulsoor or any coastal village. Cement construction, bright paints, and tile floors. Almost all apartments & house-bunglows were designed individually. All entrances were covered with iron bar coverings - all fancy designs like in anywhere in India. Locked up tight for security and to save AC against humidity. Hardly any people outside during the day; which eventually made sense cause it was 90+F everyday and no one wants the home AC to escape.

Dorado city neighborhood houses were like Indian construction. No junk or garbage pile anywhere. 

Walmart shopping experience totally like in Bangalore Food World or Big Bazar.

For the first few days, we were stunned to see gas prices - 96 cents, etc. Then after first refill, we figured it was 96 cents for a litre. Math translation mode on. And then most of the road signs were in Spanish first and English secondary. 

And then again, way too much Vegetation similarities. There were Datura plants.

Drive up to Mount  El Yunque National rain forest itself was a full on dejavu of Dakshina Kannada area ghats.

 

On the road trip from Dorado to Agra Dilla saw wild cows, the same breed as Indian. 

Sunset point at El Merendero De Guajataca. The park was lined up with Almond trees. 

 

More Puerto Rico posts