I went to Puerto Rico at the end of last year and really fell in love with this place. Although I like V Island much more than San Juan, I will talk about the main island strategy first in order.
🌴Main Island San Juan🌴
The general plan of the San Juan city is: Condado is the resort hotel area, Laosanguan with the castle is the tourist area, and further away from the coastline is the residential area.
🚗About transportation🚗
Transportation in San Juan Island: When I checked the guide, there were different opinions, and some people said they were cheated by black cars. So I was a little worried at first. But when I arrived, I discovered that Uber was actually very popular and the prices were reasonable.
🏠About the hotel🏠
First, the general strategy: Condado has a similar structure to South Beach in Miami. There are hotels along the coast, convenience stores, restaurants and some clothing stores, and it is also separated from the main island by a bridge. If you haven't brought mosquito repellent or want to eat fresh fruit, there are Walgreens and supermarkets just two or three steps downstairs. The only thing to note is that some hotels have casinos downstairs, so you can pay attention when booking. The locals are very friendly and will smile at you and say hello when passing by during your morning walk.
I booked Condado Vanderbilt. After chatting with the staff, I found out that this place used to be the summer house of the Vanderbilt family, so their operating style also strives to give tourists a family vacation feeling. Occasionally, while waiting for the bus, you will see the doorman playing with the children. Apart from the fact that the room is relatively small due to the purpose of maintaining the original architectural style, I can't fault it. The food in the restaurant is also very delicious. The hotel has been continuously updated and maintained, so the facilities are very new. It is definitely not as fancy as in China, but it is pretty good in the United States. As soon as you enter the sea view room, you are greeted by endless blue, and when you walk to the window, you can see a stretch of beach.
The scenery outside the room window
Perhaps the only drawback is that because it is not as tall as the newly built hotels around it, the sunrise is blocked 😂. But if you are willing to get up early, you might as well walk out from the viewing path at the back door to catch the first ray of sunshine in the morning.
🥥About food🥥
I checked out several of the classics recommended by everyone, and my favorites were Punto de Vista and the restaurants in the Vanderbilt Hotel...
Punto de Vista is ranked No. 1 on local Yelp. When we went up to the top floor in the old elevator, we found that the restaurant was full of Chinese people. I thought it was a publicity effect, but it turned out to be true to its name. As a rooftop restaurant, the view is average, but the food is delicious! Shrimp Mofongo is probably the best one on the island. It's delicious, the soup is rich, and it's paired with the refreshing Pina Colada. I ordered Nachos because I was greedy, which was a blessing! !
Other restaurants have their own flavors, but I personally feel that Chocobar is too sweet, and other PR/Mexican restaurants don’t seem to be as memorable as Punto de Vista’s. I seem to have forgotten about it... and San Juan smockhouse is delicious but It’s so Texas 😂 (But the driver described the area as being like Sanlitun before Taikoo Li was built . If you are interested, you can take a look. It feels more local).
🌄About the attractions🌄
The old castle is a must-visit, a holy place to take photos. The iconic lookout was used to guard against pirates before the war and to scout the enemy during the war. There are also sculptures of cannonballs and exhibitions of military uniforms in the castle, reminding visitors of the historical military significance of this castle.
There is the current government office building in Old San Juan. If you register at the door, you can be taken in for free by the staff. But please keep your voice down when you enter, because not only are news being recorded, but there are also many meetings going on.
Needless to say, the colorful old houses are very impressive! It retains its previous appearance and Spanish architectural style.
In the city we went to Plaza Las Americas and the Mall of San Juan. I thought it would be different from the malls in the interior of the United States, but it is actually very similar... The only interesting thing is that because of Christmas, Plaza Las Americas has a lot of Christmas elements, and there is also artificial snowfall to create an atmosphere for the children 😂.
Old San Juan is very close to Condado, it takes about an hour to walk back. In addition to the scenery along the way, there are also statues of past presidents and people who contributed to Puerto Rico, and there are also many museums. It feels like a city that not only has beautiful scenery, but also respects and is proud of its humanities.
The humanities of San Juan are the main charm that differentiates itself from other coastal cities. People can enjoy the relaxation brought by vacation on Condado's beach and infinity pool, or they can cross the bridge to experience the exotic atmosphere in the colorful buildings of the ancient city. Civilized but not too commercial, just right.
🌴Vieques🌴
Next, let’s talk about my favorite Vieques! Because I like to do guides, I lack a bit of freshness when I go to a place. But Vieques knew what he would see, but what he actually saw exceeded expectations. Neither photos nor words are enough to describe it. When I first arrived I was really disappointed because I saw the so-called best hotels in the area that were similar to B&Bs... But I didn’t expect that I would be completely conquered by the natural scenery that night... Even the B&B seemed cute.
✅Arrived✅
After you get off the plane, there is a small booth in the terminal for you to check in. After that, the management staff will help you contact a vehicle to take it to the hotel (it costs about $10 per person). At the same time, you will get a map of V Island, don't throw it away... because this is the island's yellowbook. Yes... On this primitive island where this app is not very developed, all reservations must be made using the phone number marked on this map☎️!
🚗Transportation🚗
The most convenient means of transportation around the island is to book a golf cart in advance. Because it was extremely hot on the island during Christmas... we were not able to rent a golf cart! Fortunately, there is a taxi hotline (isn’t it so original and magical haha) and the villagers are very hospitable. One time when I couldn’t get a taxi, I actually waved and took a ride 😂 The guy who took us snorkeling also took us on a whim and took us on the island. We walked around and saw the place where the islanders took shelter during hurricanes and the legendary oldest tree in the Caribbean.
🥥Food🥥
The hotel we stayed in was called El Blok, and a small tourist area was developed on the road next to it because of too many tourists. One restaurant next to another.
Simple buffet breakfast at the hotel
If you have a tight schedule and only have enough time for one meal, Bananas Guesthouse is recommended. Local food, generous portions.
If you are not pressed for time, El Quenepo is worth it! ! This mysterious restaurant is not always open, so you need to check the business hours in advance.
The restaurant looks ordinary when it's not open.
This restaurant is more formal. Each course is carefully decorated and beautifully presented. It is a unique style in a warm but simple island. During the meal, I met two people who said that they come to Vieques every Christmas. They felt it was a pity not to book El Quenepo's Christmas dinner last year, so this year they double confirmed with the owner in advance. This should be the highest recognition for a restaurant!
✨Landscape✨
It is conceivable that the island residents work so hard to maintain the original appearance of the island because residents and tourists love the ecological environment here and are not willing to destroy it.
The water is so clear that when you lurk, you can see the fine sand on the bottom of the sea, various tropical fish and corals, and turtles, one large and one small, swimming hard.
What is washed up by the waves on the beach is more kelp and coral than garbage.
The magical black sand beach appears and disappears.
One hundred hermit crabs have one hundred different coats.
On the embankment, I saw a dog that was warmed by the sun and ran into the sea to take a shower, then came ashore and shook his body in a cool way.
Free-range horses can be seen everywhere on the roadside, forming an oil painting with the grass under the sunset.
The sunrise in the early morning is particularly spectacular when viewed from the terrace. Without the obstruction of buildings, it jumps out from the coastline. Neither clouds nor mountain peaks can block its charm and shine.
But the most shocking thing is Biobay’s endless starry sky and the fluorescent sea that shines in the dark when touched. On a good day, every constellation of the season can be seen. As you row the boat, through the transparent bottom of the canoe, it seems like there are stars under your feet, corresponding to the sky, and you can't help but marvel at the wonder of nature.
(There is no picture here, the picture cannot express the shock of 0.1%)
When I came here, I thought two days was too much, but I found out that I was reluctant to leave. I finally understand why everyone comes back to this island that is not over-developed.
That’s a wrap! This is probably the most unforgettable place I’ve been to recently. The reason why I use words instead of the usual Vlog is because many photos of beautiful nature alone don’t do it justice. Although there are no fancy words, I hope my excited words can express my love for Puerto Rico!