Puerto Rico is an archipelago and unincorporated territory of the United States located in the Caribbean Sea. A treasure of rare beauty, it is growing in popularity thanks to star Bad Bunny, who, during his recent performance on stage at the Super Bowl urged everyone to discover the island’s heartbeat, that beats in its mountain villages, farms, markets, and beaches where surfers ride the waves.
Who is Bad Bunny?
Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio is a well-known Latin singer and political activist who blends reggaeton, trap, and South American melodies. His music is a means of spreading messages denouncing the injustices faced by his people.
Music is, in fact, the vibrant soul of Puerto Rico. It is not just entertainment, but embodies its identity. Music is an integral part of daily life: it resonates in homes, bars, squares, on the beach, and in cars. It is a form of popular language.
Music has the power to inspire the world
Bad Bunny
The History of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is the result of a long colonial history. After being a Spanish colony for four centuries, it became an American territory following the US victory in the Spanish-American War of 1898.
It has not yet achieved independence. It is effectively an autonomous commonwealth associated with the United States, whose head of state is the President of the United States of America, while the head of government is an elected Governor. Despite its ties to America, Puerto Rico has retained its cultural essence, present and tangible.
Sustainable Travel in Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, beauty permeates everything! From the beaches to the rainforests to the coral reefs, through its history, music, and cuisine. Research on tourism on tropical islands reveals how fragile the balance between the local economy and overtourism is. It’s important to adopt conservation, protection, and respectful measures. Some practices aimed at ensuring the least impactful travel possible involve food, that is, buying food where the locals buy it, such as at farmers’ markets or roadside stalls.
It’s also possible to take tours guided by residents to contribute to the local economy, purchase local crafts, and avoid any activity that threatens to damage coastal and coral ecosystems.
Being “boricua”
This term derives from Borikén, the name the indigenous Taíno people gave to the island before the arrival of the Spanish. Today, “boricua” indicates not only geographical origin, but also belonging to a deep-rooted culture. It’s the meeting of three universes, the Taíno, the European, and the African, brought by slaves during the colonial period.
Boricua culture emerges from these roots and is found in everyday life. In the language, a Spanish with distinctive sounds and terms. The cuisine is pure cultural identity, where African, Caribbean, and Mediterranean ingredients and techniques are combined in the same dish. Also music, where bomba and plena, original Afro-Caribbean rhythms, were combined with salsa, leading to reggaeton, currently one of the coolest genres in the world.
Getting in touch with Boricua culture is easy: just visit the street stalls, salsa clubs, and small coastal communities.
Discovering Puerto Rico like a local
In San Juan, the capital, you can stroll through the old town amidst colonial architecture and tropical rhythms, amidst Spanish, African, and American influences, along cobblestone streets and pastel-colored houses. But in contrast, the modern neighborhoods reveal a city that is evolving.
For a full immersion in local life, spend the evening in Santurce, among street food trucks and bars where people dance to reggaeton.
In Luquillo, on the north coast, kiosks sell fried fish and Creole dishes. In the mountainous region of Jayuya you can discover Taíno culture through museums and coffee haciendas, where you can enjoy tastings.
Breathtaking landscapes and wild animals
Nature lovers will find paradise in the karst region of Utuado. Rivers, caves, and sites with Taíno petroglyphs, ancient rock carvings carved into the rock with sharp tools depicting animal, human, or geometric figures.
Rincón is the home of surfing and snorkeling. Furthermore, the whale migration route lies off Rincón; cetaceans pass through here in winter.
In El Yunque, 11 hectares of rainforest home to over 240 species of plants and trees. Where rivers, streams and waterfalls flow, you can hike along 37 km of trails. One of the most beautiful and challenging is the one leading to the highest peak in the National Park, El Toro, at 1,100 m above sea level.
Last, but not least, the islands of Vieques, with their almost deserted beaches. Semi-wild horses can be everywhere, on the beach, in the streets, at the port, and in small villages where time seems to have stood still.
Not to be missed in Puerto Rico: Mosquito Bay
Vieques is also known for one of the most spectacular bioluminescent bays on the planet: Mosquito Bay. The Guinness World Records has named it “the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world”. Here, the waters glow with the presence of dinoflagellates, microorganisms that emit a blue-green light when agitated. The adventure is experienced aboard transparent kayaks, gliding through the darkness broken by the magical glow of the oar or the swimming fish. It is an ecosystem as marvelous as it is fragile.
Puerto Rico is a multifaceted universe waiting to be discovered. A jewel made of many different pieces that come together to create an identity, expressed through music.
Dreamers, keep dreaming and working hard to achieve your goals. There are many challenges, but the important thing is to stay focused and persevere.
Bad Bunny