Travel Diary | Puerto Rico, welcome to paradise!

For once in the entire time I’ve been writing this blog, I won’t wait 6 months to write about a trip (I hear someone applauding in the back, thank you very much!). (I may or may not refer to this post about a road trip in Colorado…. nor the one about Chicago in February (!) which is currently navigating somewhere in the draft section of this page.) ANYWAY.

I had an insane month of August at work (like, NY insane, but I guess I am still not used to the 60 hours week + week ends) but thanks to my amazing boss, I ended up with 5 days off in a row around Labor Day week end. I looked (and felt) like crap, so I decided to go find some sun.

After roaming on the Internet for 5 days, we found a pretty good deal (on this website) to Puerto Rico. Which happens to be the best destination for a getaway from New York City:

  • the flight is less than 4 hours…
  • … and direct from JFK (with JetBlue. If you ever flew AA, you know EXACTLY what I mean!)
  • as a visa holder, it’s the easiest, because Puerto Rico is part of the USA. No endless immigration line, we actually travelled with just our NY driver license.
  • The incredible beaches, the weather, the food, the people
  • The WARM sea. Not lukewarm, like warm warm. I still cannot believe it!

We stayed at  this hotel, which was not super quiet, but soooo beautiful. The beach is on Palomino island, which happens to be a private island– accessible by ferry.  I won’t tell you how my travel sickness kicked in every morning on the boat (but somehow, not once in the evening) but let me tell you that it was worth it, because this place is the most beautiful I have ever seen:


Good to know: this is the only beach for this hotel, and the ferry works from 9 am to 5.30pm. Which means no midnight dip, but they have a few pools as well, including, this infinity one. Yeah, I know!

And if you feel like exploring, Old San Juan is just 1 hour away driving (and you can rent a car at the hotel). Little stores, restaurants, and incredible colorful architecture, this is a must see! On your way back to the hotel, you must stop at El Yunque, the national forest, for a little hike or just to spot some nature and waterfalls!

Bonus: the climate is amazing all year round (winter temperatures are rarely under the 70’s) and Pina Colada was invented there (in Baracchina restaurant, and you should definitely check it out, cause the food there is great too!)

Really thinking about going back soon. Are you coming with me??

27 Responses

  1. Wow, mais quelle beauté ! Je ne connaissais Puerto Rico que de nom jusqu’à ce que je découvre tes photos, puis Irma et l’ultime tempête rousse, la plus indigne de toutes. Tes photos me font rêver, alors que l’hiver arrive à grands pas.

    Difficile de croire que c’était il y a un mois déjà et que la majeure partie de la population n’a toujours pas d’électricité depuis. J’espère que les américains iront nombreux en vacances dans les mois à venir, l’île a plus que jamais besoin de ressources pour vivre.

    1. Et je répond sur le tard, mais la situation ne semble pas s’améliorer beaucoup (je pourrais faire un sous entendu relatif a la politique locale, ou peut être user du deuxième degré et déplorer que PR ne fasse pas partie d’un grand pays puissant et riche pour les aider comme, au hasard, les Etats Unis…..?)

  2. tu px pas faire pire que moi 1 an après c seulement maintenant maintenant que j’écris sur Porto
    c vrai qu j pense jamais à Purto Rico
    ça avait l’air bien sympa
    j espère qu ils vont se relever

  3. Mama miiiyaa ca me donne envie d’y aller le meilleur ami a mon epoux est portoricain je t’avoue que ca me tente qu’est ce que c’est beau et la plage chaude oulalal c’est pour moi qui sait ma prochaine destination l’hiver
    bisous

  4. Olala oui tu me donnes méga envie! Je crois que je n’ai jamais vraiment fait une destination avec une plage paradisiaque, et bien que n’étant pas du tout adepte des vacances farniente (je ne sais pas faire), c’est dans ma to do list de réserver un hôtel de luxe dans un pays avec une eau turquoise à 30°C 😉

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