Need local intel on San Juan, PR

[Newlynarked]

Hey All,

I searched the subject with little luck.

I have a two day layover in San Juan this weekend, and I'm looking for some specific advice on the San Juan area. It would be to tight to get a dive in and still be legal to fly, but I would like to at least do some snorkeling from shore. My hotel is immediately northwest of the international airport property, on the northeast corner of town. I can easily walk to the beach. There are three prominant points just north of the airport. A big one to the west, a smaller one in the middle, just north of the airport, and a real sharp one to the east. I do see what might be a good area to the east, past the bridge, on a point, away from the yucky water, and I also see some structure off of the big point to the west (just not much beach). I heard that it is decent snorkeling past the bridge to east. Any other advice? If someone were to say, "You have got to go to [this] place, but you have to drive..." I would consider renting a car.

 

[Wally1716]

..

Hey All,
I searched the subject with little luck.

..
Because there is very little in the way of diving
in San Juan per se. Maybe Dorado, a town
just west of SJ MIGHT be better as far as
marine life, but with a heavy surf we just had
on the north shore, it seems unlikely.
..
Sorry, your best bet is go south, young man,
go south.

 

[lil_wings]

If you want to do some sightseeing in Old San Juan, try getting a place at the Normandie hotel (right in the downtown area). The hotel is nice, and the area is within walking distance of all the good museums, resteraunts, and sights of OSJ. Old San Juan is an easy city to walk around and there is an abundance of taxi services to get you to and from the downtown area and the airport.

As far as getting away from San Juan, snorkling at the beach is great wherever you can find a place to try it out, but most likely have to try a charter to get in vicinity of good reef action. Hiking around El Yunque is great, but it's also about 20 miles outside of the city.

My tip for getting around the area is get a good map (they are usually free with the Puerto Rico Travel and Tourism magazine you can get from the car rental places or hotels) The roads can be tough to find due to bad signs and so forth. I will caution you that traffic is nasty on RTE 3 heading East to the beaches from San Juan on Fridays and weekends.

If you are looking to go truly 'tourist' in nature, take a drive to Cabazas de San Juan on the east coast near the El Faro light house point and head towards Las Crocas. In the evenings you can catch the kayak tours to the bioluminescent lagoon for about 35 bucks.

I have made the drive to/ from down town San Juan and Fajardo (the big town on the east coast) in a half an hour on a good day (early morning travel on Saturday and Sunday). Then again, pick the wrong time (friday night) and you can be in traffic for a couple of hours heading to the beach.

 

[Newlynarked]

Thanks for the info. The surf is so big that it's tough to find water calm enough to snorkel. Even if I could, it is so sandy and dirty from the surf.

I got to play in the water and get salty. That was fun, anyway. Rip curents are horrible! Aint noooo swimmin' against those!! Get caught in one, and out ya go!

Gotta go. Time for amother beer!