GolfA links-lover's paradise,
Puerto Rico is home to more than 20 golf courses, of which almost all could be considered championship-level courses. Puerto Rico's luxury resorts offer some of the best golf courses on the island. The Westin Río Mar Beach Resort and Country Club near San Juan features two world-class oceanside courses. Northwest of San Juan is the
Hyatt Regency Cerromar Beach Resort & Casino and Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort & Casino featuring four
Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed courses and arguably the best golfing to be found on the island. The Wyndham El Conquistador
Resort and Country Club and the Palmas Del Mar Resort & Villas in Humacao also offer two of the most breathtaking courses in the
Caribbean.
Scuba divingScuba diving and snorkeling, for beginners and experts alike, is the reason why Puerto Rico is often called the Caribbean's best kept underwater secret. Off the southwest coast, from the village of La Parguera to the city of
Ponce, lie some of the island's most extraordinary dive sites, including the
Black Wall, home of the Caribbean's rarely seen black coral. Another noteworthy spot is
Isla Mona, off the west coast of Puerto Rico, known as
the Galapagos of the Caribbean. It is home to sea turtles, dolphins and various species of rare marine life. Scuba Diving Magazine readers voted Puerto Rico one of the top five destinations for shore diving in 2006, and the island was in the top 20 for overall diving. For visitors looking to get close to the water, but not necessarily submerged in it, Puerto Rico offers various other water sports such as world-class surfing, windsurfing, sailing, kayaking and deep-sea fishing.
Cruising in San JuanSan Juan is more than just the capital of Puerto Rico, it's the very center of the Caribbean cruise scene. Over 1 million passengers begin or end their cruise here and some of the biggest luxury liners base themselves at the harbor. That's great news for passengers because San Juan is a wonderful city to see and explore. It's friendly, safe, surprisingly good value, and jam-packed with historical sites. The main attractions are in Old San Juan which is located not far from the main disembarkation piers. The area is an historical wonderland of Spanish colonial architecture, spread out over 7 blocks of cobble-stoned streets - the same stones that served as ballast for ships 500 hundred years ago. Key sites are San Felipe del Maro, the largest fortification in the Caribbean and sentinel to the Spanish Armada, formerly based in the port below, and
La Fortaleza, built in 1540 as the Governor's residence (the current governor is the 170th to live there). For a more modern twist on the city don't miss the
San Sebastian street festival from 17 to 20 January when the city really comes to life.Hungry? Head over to La Mallorquina on
Calle Cruz, the most famous purveyor of Puerto Rican food in the country. The waiters may be as old as the building, but the food is excellent and truly authentic. Nearby La Barrachina claims to be the birthplace of the piña colada.Shoppers can head to Cristo Street where there are abundant factory stores and idiosyncratic souvenir joints. Good news for American shoppers is that since Puerto Rico is part of the
USA, purchases are duty-free, a fact that many rum-laden passengers exploit to the full.Those with time on their hands might head out of the city to see
Arecibo Observatory. Its enormous dish - the size of 12 football fields - help make this the most significant astronomical observatory in the planet. A little further afield, at 2 hours drive from San Juan, is the 260-acre
Camuy Cave Park. Although still being discovered this subterranean wonderland is already deemed the largest cave network in the world. Cruise passengers can visit the La Casita tourist information center just off Pier 1 on Calle Marina to plan their exploration and excursions.
