Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Around
Most of the east coast is traversable via Hwy 3 or Hwy 53. Once you leave San Juan, be it
on Rte 187 (the scenic route via Piñones and behind Loíza Aldea) or on the main drag of
Hwy 3, be prepared for bursts of concentrated development (fast-food restaurants, several
strip malls and the occasional pharmaceutical plant) and distant views of El Yunque. Públi-
cos (shared taxis) serve most towns.
There are public vans running between Fajardo and San Juan, but to penetrate further into
the countryside, a car or bike is necessary. It is easy to organize a tour into the El Yunque
rainforest (
Click here
). The driving trip from San Juan to Fajardo takes about two hours
(without traffic). From San Juan to Yabucoa it's about three hours (again, without traffic).
With its high concentration of cars, the northeast is not the most pleasant part of Puerto
Rico in which to cycle. But stay off the main arteries of Hwys 3 and 66 and two-wheeled
transport is possible.
El Yunque
Covering some 28,000 acres of land in the Sierra de Luquillo, this verdant tropical rain-
forest is a shadow of what it was before axe-wielding Spanish conquerors arrived in the
16th and 17th centuries. But, in common with other protected reserves on the island, the
ecological degradation has been largely reversed over the past 50 years, and today, under
the auspices of the US Forest Service, El Yunque National Forest is once again sprouting a
healthy abundance of dense tree cover.
Compared with other Puerto Rican forest reserves, El Yunque is well staffed and cris-
scrossed by an excellent network of signposted trails. But adventurers beware. In contrast
to national parks in the mainland US, there's no true wilderness experience to be had here.
Unlike North Americans, Puerto Ricans have never truly incorporated wilderness hiking in
the national psyche. As a result, most of El Yunque's hikes are short, paved and relatively
mild compared with the trails of Yellowstone and Yosemite. Crowds populate El Yunque's
popular spots in peak season, but if you stray off the standard tourist routes, there are still
plenty of places to slip under the radar.
Sights
Once you've entered El Yunque National Forest, all of the forest's visitors centers, major
attractions and trailheads appear as Hwy 191 twists, turns and climbs steeply on its way
south toward the summit. (It's also possible to follow Hwy 186 along the west side of El
Yunque, but if you want to experience the forest's heart, Hwy 191 is the road to take.)
