Colourful colonial streets, rainforest waterfalls and glowing bays on a Caribbean island with a big, lively capital. Here's what Puerto Rico is like, when to go and how long to stay.
Puerto Rico is a US territory, so you need an approved ESTA before you fly, just as for the mainland USA. Check GOV.UK before you book.
Temperatures are the average daytime high in °C.
December to April is the best time to go, with warm, drier and less humid days. Hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking from August to October, so take good travel insurance if you go then. Summer is hot with short tropical showers, and the sea stays warm all year.
Blue cobbled streets and pastel houses inside the old city walls, with plazas, cafés and lively bars after dark.
The huge Spanish fortress guarding the entrance to San Juan Bay, with sea views and kites flying on the lawn.
A tropical rainforest with trails to waterfalls and lookout towers, about an hour from San Juan. Some areas need a timed reservation.
A horseshoe of white sand and clear water on the small island of Culebra, reached by ferry or a short flight.
Kayak at night through water that glows with every paddle stroke, at Mosquito Bay on Vieques or Laguna Grande near Fajardo.
Guided tours into huge limestone caves and sinkholes, about 1 hour 20 minutes west of San Juan.
A laid-back surf town on the west coast, with sunsets and whale watching in winter.
There are no direct flights at the moment. Connect through a US city such as New York, Miami or Orlando to San Juan.
You need your passport and an approved ESTA, the same as for the mainland USA. There's no separate visa.
Not in Old San Juan, but a hire car is the easiest way to reach the rainforest, beaches and the west coast.
Five days to a week covers San Juan, El Yunque and a bioluminescent bay. Add a few days for Culebra or Vieques.
Put Puerto Rico on standby with everyone's other ideas. You each spread your points in secret, get one veto, and the draw picks where you go.