Puerto Rico
- shimonsolof
- Mar 3, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: May 7, 2025
Day 1 - Friday
After sleeping in a bit, we headed out to Carabali Adventure Park, located at the base of El Yunque Rainforest. Carabali offers a variety of activities in and around the rainforest, and we chose to take an ATV tour. After a quick lesson on how to operate and drive the ATV, we set off into the forest. We passed through lush greenery, stopped at beautiful viewpoints, and learned about the forest and its ecosystem.
We also stopped at a swimming hole between two waterfalls with crystal-clear water.
After a quick dip in the refreshing waters, we continued further into the forest to another spot along the river. As we dipped our feet into the water, our guide showed us how to dip some food into the water, and we watched in fascination as large fish suddenly appeared and fought over the food.
We then headed back to Carabali headquarters to clean up.
Next, we went to Famcoop, a local supermarket, to stock up on basics, fruits, and vegetables for Shabbos and the coming days. After the quick supermarket stop, we headed back to our resort to wash up and get ready for Shabbos.
Day 2 - Shabbos
We enjoyed a peaceful day strolling around the resort and adjoining golf course. We also relaxed at the beach and took advantage of the hammocks scattered throughout the property.
Motzei Shabbos, we quickly headed to Fajardo to join our group for kayaking to the bioluminescent bay. We used Eco Adventures, but there are many tour companies offering this trip—choose the one with the timing and availability that suits you best. After kayaking through the mangroves in the pitch-black night, we finally reached Laguna Grande, the bioluminescent bay. Our guides covered us with tarps to enhance the experience, but we could see the glowing water even without the tarp. It was mesmerizing to see the water light up with thousands of glowing lights every time we dipped our fingers in.
The kayak trip back was smooth and easy, and after a quick wash-up, we returned to the hotel.
Note: You do get wet from the waist down, so we recommend bringing a towel and a change of clothes. There are public restrooms in the center of the parking lot.
Day 3 - Sunday
After an early wake-up, we headed to Ceiba to catch our ferry to Vieques. A percentage of tickets are available online; however, once those are sold out, the only way to purchase tickets is at the ticketing booth at the ferry terminal. During high season, these tickets can sell out quickly, so be sure to buy your tickets in advance.
After purchasing our tickets, we began the boarding process, which happens in stages.
Once aboard, we settled in for the 45-minute ride. We were a bit disappointed that there was no outdoor seating and that the windows didn’t open. Still, the ride was beautiful.
Once we arrived at Vieques, we explored the town a bit before taking a local taxi to Sun Bay Beach. Since it was a public taxi, we made a few stops along the way and got to see more of the island's stunning beaches.
Sun Bay is a massive and beautiful beach! Right when you walk in, there’s a small café with drinks and snacks. Beyond that is a vast stretch of beach with pristine turquoise waters. If you walk to the right, you’ll find calm waters with almost no waves. The center has large waves that are fun to swim in, and all the way to the left, a sandbar leads to another beach.
We enjoyed walking the length of Sun Bay Beach, lounging in the sand, and swimming before heading over the sand bar to Playa Del El Cayo, a quieter spot with calm, crystal-clear waters. We had a picnic lunch, enjoyed some swimming, and then headed back to the changing area on Sun Bay Beach.
Next, we caught a local taxi back to the town for our horseback riding tour with El Caribe Riding Company. After a quick lesson on how to communicate with our horses, we set off. We trotted through the local streets until we reached the ocean, at which point our horses went straight into the water! We had a fantastic time riding through the waves and along a horse path beside the water, taking in the breathtaking views.
After the tour, we walked back to Playa Bastimento, the beach we had just ridden at, to enjoy a picnic dinner and an incredible sunset. This beach is more of a locals’ beach, so it was much quieter than the ones we had visited earlier. We walked along the ocean until we found a secluded spot with perfect sunset views. The sunset was absolutely stunning!
As soon as the sunset ended, we headed back to the street using the horse path since we didn’t want to be on the beach after dark. We walked back to the city center, grabbed some drinks (and charged our phones) before heading back to the ferry terminal for the ride home.
Since after dark, the only things to do in Vieques are eat and drink, expect a lively ride back!
Once back on the mainland of Puerto Rico, we headed straight to our hotel and crashed into bed after an exhausting but amazing day!
Day 4 - Monday
We spent the morning exploring Old San Juan. We asked our driver to drop us off at the top of the old city, near the fort, where we spent some time exploring.
Afterward, we wandered into the city, taking in the incredible architecture and vibrant colors of the buildings. The cobblestone streets made for a scenic stroll. After picking up some trinkets at a gift shop, we began to head out of the old city.
We then rented e-scooters and enjoyed a beautiful ride to the modern side of San Juan. We stopped at various lookout points along the way to admire the views of the fort and the ocean.
When we reached the Avenida Ashford Bridge, we stopped and called an Uber to take us back to the resort.
The afternoon was spent relaxing at the resort’s beach and pool, and of course, enjoying the hammocks once again.
After packing up, we headed to the airport to catch our flight home.
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