Non-Beach Activity Holidays in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has been a popular holiday destination for US visitors due to it's "commonwealth" status and using the US Dollar as its currency. In consequence, English is widely spoken.

Many holidays are orientated to the beaches and relaxation but it is possible, if you are looking for variety (or exercise), to go horse riding, hiking (foot or bike) and to travel to the inland areas of the island.

Horse riding is available in a number of locations but the most spectacular option is probably to ride thoroughbred "Paso Fino" horses at the Rancho Buena Vista, on the southeast coast as part of the Palmas del Mar area. The horses have a famous four phase gait giving a quite unique riding experience (and that's before you factor in spectacular beaches and scenary). If specialized horse breeds are not your thing, there are a wide range of companies who offer horse riding - and treks lasting anything from a couple of hours to multi-day tours along the island's beaches.

Hiking is available at the El Yunque National Forest (itself just over 20 miles from the capital San Juan) and maintained by the US Forestry Service. The forest has a well maintained and laid out series of trails and maps and information are available at the entrance. The walks are laid out to allow you to see Puerto Rico's incredible diversity of plants and animals. Steps are cut into the steeper parts of the trails and it is possible to camp in the park (with a, free, permit). If you go walking here it is probably essential to bring a waterproof jacket (it is after all a rain forest) and some warm clothing. On the positive side, unlike some other Caribbean Islands, there are no poisonous snakes.

Mountain biking is another popular option on the island. Spectacular day trips include the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge which allows you to combine cycling through salt flats with bird watching. More difficult trails can be found at the Guernica State Forest which has 25 miles of laid out trails.

Finally, you can also have a break from the beaches by hiring a car and driving along the roads in the Cordillera Central. Highlights include the Centro Ceremonial Indigena de Caguana (where there are rare remains of the pre-Spanish Taino civilization) and Maricao with its notoriously strong coffee (but otherwise a very relaxed mountain town).