Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
southwestern side, you'll see cacti and succulents, because the
area receives only a fraction of the rain forest's total precipita-
tion.
Rincón,
on the island's northwestern end, is the surfing capital
of the Caribbean. From January through April, those surfers
are joined by migratory humpback whales, so even if you're not
ready to hang 10, the two of you can head out from Rincón on a
whale-watching excursion.
Off Puerto Rico's shores, the islands of
Mona, Culebra,
and
Vieques
offer quiet getaways for those willing to take an extra
hop.
Festivals
If you're looking for a party, you're in luck: Puerto Rico enjoys fi-
estas throughout the year. In February, the
Coffee Harvest
Festival
celebrates the end of the coffee harvest in the moun-
tain town of Maricao, the capital of the coffee-growing region.
Classical music is the focus of the
Casals Festival
in late June
and early July. Honoring the late cellist and composer Pablo
Casals, this event features a month of romantic music.
If you're more interested in art, make plans to attend the
Barranquitas Artisans' Fair
in mid-July, the oldest crafts
fair in Puerto Rico. Shoppers will find everything from carvings
to pottery to musical instruments for sale, plus plenty of local
food and folk music to enjoy.
In late July, the town of Loiza, on the northeast end of the is-
land, celebrates its African heritage with the
Loiza Carnival.
Look for parades, colorful floats, pulsating music, folk masks,
and bomba (an Afro-Caribbean dance rhythm) dancers at this
lively festival.
Folkloric and classical music, ballet, modern dance, and musi-
cal theater are featured during the
Inter-American Festival
of the Arts,
held in late September in San Juan. In early No-
vember, the
Festival of Puerto Rican Music
highlights clas-
sical and folk music. A special contest at this festival features
the cuatro, a 10-stringed instrument shaped like a small guitar.
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