4 day Puerto Rico itinerary : the best trip to have

For those of you looking to discover Puerto Rico, you will not be disappointed by this magnificent archipelago. On the main island there are a ton of things to explore, it holds the only rainforest in the United States and the diversity of the marine life makes it a great spot for all the scuba divers out there. In this 4 day Puerto Rico itinerary, I will share the best places to visit to make your trip perfect and make sure you do not miss the highlights of Puerto Rico. This blog post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

Do you need help planning your Puerto Rico itinerary ? Check out these helpful resources:

• Flights
• Accommodation for all budgets
• Rental car
• Activities, tours, and day trips
• eSIM for international data

Day 1 : Cabo Rojo

Hike at the Reserva Natural Punta Guaniquilla

In my opinion, the best way to enjoy this 4 day Puerto Rico itinerary is to start as far as possible and then work your way closer to San Juan. That is why day on start at the west coast of Puerto Rico. 

The trick for this first day is to wake up early and drive to Reserva Natural Punta Guaniquilla. It’s a little bit more of an off the beaten path experience. While it is something you can easily find on google, it is not really advertise as much as many other activities. 

It is a nice 6.1 km loop that goes trough a mangrove forest. Some part of the trail is a wooden path as you will walk trough marshland. As you walk, you might see iguanas, colorful humming-birds, and many butterflies. Additionally, The hike as an elevation gain of 110m and it can be completed in 1h30 to 2 hours if you do not take your time and do not rest. 

If I had to guess, I think you take a little bit more time than predicted, because in this natural reserve,  you can go in the Cueva Del Pirata Cofresí. There is a dirt path leading to a cave. You can crawl inside and explore a little bit. It a lot of fun, but since there are bats in there, to not put your headlamp at full power. Keep it at a low setting as to not disturb them and to explore safely. 

P.s. The trail is available for mountain bikers too!! 

Visit the Centro Interpretativo Las Salinas

When you go to this visitor center, you can admire salt flats with a beautiful pink hue and learn everything you need to know about this place along the way. You can walk down the path an admire the view and all the birds living in this distinctive environment while, snapping a picture or too , since this is a great place if your are looking for a unique Instagram worthy picture. The best time to visit is early in the day or just before sunset. The colors will be a lot more lovely at these time.

There is an observation tower open from 8AM to 3:30PM if you want to look at the Las Salinas from up above. It’s quite impressive to see as they go really far and you can have a better look at the pink color of the lagoon. 

Relax at Playa Sucia

Of all the beautiful beaches in Puerto Rico, this one, in my opinion, is the most pretty. It’s a crescent shape beach with soft white sand, turquoise water and cliffs on each side. I swam a lot and did a little bit of snorkeling, but I did not see a lot of fish there. It is a beach where you can slow down and evacuate all the stress you might have carry with you. It is so pretty that you’ll want to relax as soon as you put your toes in this sand. So, you will definitely have a great time there.

I visited on a sunny day and it was so hot. You definitely need to have a lot of water with you since there is no shade at all walking to the beach. Usually, there is a vendor, with a little cart full of cold drinks in the parking lot, but when you’re there, nothing else is available for you. On off season, there is a parking lot at a walking distance of the beach, but it is at least a 15-20 minutes walk, so put a lot of sunscreen on! 

Hike the Cabo Rojo LightHouse Trail

It’s an easy hike of 2km long that will take you to the Faro Los Morrillos and Playita Puente de Piedra. You will walk along the cliff on the right side of the Playa Sucia beach. This hike as an elevation gain of 16 meters. It’s a little bit windy and there is literally not an inch of shade since there is only shrubs and small trees up there. But, it’s totally worth your time as the view are stunning from up there and, one of the best things, is that you might spot manatees swimming in the water above you. 

Day 2 : La Parguera 

Book a wall dive with paradise scuba & snorkeling center

From the many dive shops in Puerto Rico that I tried, one that I liked a lot and that I would recommend is paradise scuba & snorkeling center. The people working there are simply amazing. They are always ready to help, give useful advice and make sure you have you have a wonderful time on the boat. 

For this activity, you can expect to dive in crystal-clear waters, swimming along coral reef and maybe sea turtles. With the wall dive, you can experience all the height of a coral reef, with all the living creatures swimming around you. When I dove in may, I was lucky enough to see many thing, such nurse sharks, sea turtles, varieties of soft and hard corals, a bunch of tropical fishes and stingrays. That is why I am certain that you will have a good time with this activity, I can assure you.

You’re not a certified diver? Don’t worry, another good option is to try a discovery dive. You will go underwater and learn about the all the diving basics, while having fishes swimming around you.

Enjoy the official national drink of Puerto Rico

Then, between those two activities, you’ll have enough time to enjoy the official national drink of the island, the pina colada. Head over to Yolanda’s bar & grill for the best piña colada of the city. It’s actually a minute drive and walk from the scuba diving center and, on some nights, they even have live music from local artists for you to enjoy.

Book a kayak tour in the bioluminescent bay

Puerto Rico as a lot of bioluminescent bays on his territory and on of them is at La Parguera. Because of that, many companies offer a tour and they have multiples options available for unique experiences. You can have a boat tour chiliboats, etc. In my opinion, the chiliboat is the best way to have a wonderful experience, because you will be able to put your feet and your hands in the water to see the beautiful glow.

While you drive your waterbike, all the water glows around you. You can see fishes dashing in the water and stingrays slowly swimming. All in a beautiful blue light. Honestly, I felt like we were in Moana and the spirit animal of her grandmother (a stingray) was swimming with her. It was magical.

Therefore, the bio bays tour SHOULD NOT be missed. The captivating glowing water of the bay will be worth your time I promise. 

Tips: 

1- reserve in advance. The places get taken really quick

2- Try to go a day of the new moon. This, way, the sky will be darker and you will see the blue light a lot more. 

3- Keep in mind that the best time of the year to see the bioluminescence is from December to April.

4- If you have the possibility to choose a time frame, go after 8pm. It will be darker outside, making the experience even more enjoyable. 

Day 3 : El Yunque National Forest

Play in the natural water slides of El Yunque National Forest

Looking for different experiences?  Book a waterfalls, waterslides and rope-swing tour. You will explore El Yunque lush rainforest with a guide, that will bring you to many water activities, like the natural water slides, and teach you about the history of this forest. Since it’s probably gonna be a hot and humid day, you will definitely enjoy spending time playing in the water! 

Hike El Yunque Peak via Mt. Britton Trailhead

If you have some energy left, I suggest you this hike. It’s a 5.3 km long hike, with a 365 meters of elevation gain. It takes around 2 hours and a half to complete. As I was getting tired of all the activities that I did in my trip, I found this hike to be a little bit hard and a little bit steep, but the view from the Mount Britton tower and the peak where stunning. You will see all the beauty of this park.

Since it was my first time in a rainforest, I found that this hike was very unique. Many clouds where hiding some peaks, tropical birds where singing in the threes and I could hear the frogs croaking just after the rain. I also saw a lonely orchid in bloom with it’s beautiful purple color. It was definitely an amazing hike and one to remember. 

Day 4 : San Juan

Have a breakfast at El Huevo

I discover this restaurant totally by chance while walking the streets near my Airbnb and I was really happy about my find. The ambience was unique and the food’s portion were generous. I had the Tommy Emparedado. The bread was so moist ans fluffy, the flavors were one point, with three choices of hot sauce of course, and the sandwich was definitely too big for me to eat in one sitting. 

Snorkel with manatees and sea turtles

If you’re Iooking to swim with manatees, this activity is totally your best shot to do it! I booked a sea turtles and manatees snorkeling tour and I was not disappointed. If I’m being totally honest, I was a bit skeptical at first. It is on a small public beach in the heart of San Juan. But, when you go underwater, there are a ton of sea turtles.

In the one hours that I was there, I saw at least five. Plus, you have the possibility to swim with manatees. Since they are wild animals, you have to keep in mind that they are free to roam wherever they want and you might not see them on your tour. Therefore, the guides offer a chance to booked at an other time if you do not see what you wanted.  

Walk in the old San Juan

I would start off by walking on the Calle Norzagaray toward the Castillo San Felipe del Morro. This way, you will have a nice long walk, with a beautiful view, by the water. Then, when you reach the Castillo you can book a tour if you want to visit the inside of this Unesco world heritage site. It is totally worth it. If you do not feel like spending for this activity, you can also enjoy a walk all the way around the castle. Also, there is a free trail on the right side of the castle that go down and round.

I found that it was really impressive to see it from the base of the castle. If you have time on your hand, you should definitely do the tour and the walk around the base of the castle. When you’re done, I suggest that you pass by the small streets, like Calle de la Luna or Calle de San Francisco. This, way you will be able to enjoy the unique and colorful architecture of the houses around you.

Walk to the Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista

As you walk in the old city trough the colorful streets of old San Juan, I suggest that you make a little stop here. This Cathedral was built in 1521 making it the oldest church in the country.  It also holds the tomb of Ponce de Leon

Go to Plaza de Armas

Located at a walking distance of the San Juan cathedral, this place is perfect to soak in all the Puerto Rican life style. If visiting in high season, you might be lucky enough to listen to live music from street performers while sipping a cup of coffee at one of the coffee shops. Additionally, it is one of the best spots for shopping in the old town if you want to bring something to your loved ones. 

Enjoy a wonderful meal at Katsubowl

This is a restaurant that I absolutely loved. The portion were perfect and the food was full of flavors. I had the Mongolian beef noodles and my boyfriend had the Dan Dan noodles. Everything tasted so good and the personnel was really nice. The ambiance was great too. So, if you want an amazing Asian meal, I would totally recommend this place. But, some of the people travelling with you are not fan of this kind of food, the restaurant is sharred La Pizzarra. They offer decadent pizza. Hence, at the same place you have two choices of menus. 

FAQs about Puerto Rico

Where should I stay in Puerto Rico?

While I travelled, I booked a lot of room in Puerto Rico two places that I liked where the Guayacan Guest House at La Parguera. It had everything I needed for my stay. I had a kitchen to cook all my meal, a living room with a tv for a little movie night at the end of the day, a bathroom and and air conditioned bedroom. We could walk to restaurants or to the Laundromat. It was perfect for what I needed. 

Another one that I liked was was La Sabana, en Camuy PR. I loved it for the same reasons than the one above. But it was much more beautiful inside! I felt really cozy and at home in this apartment. It was not near any restaurants or anything, but it was the perfect place for a one night stay. 

What is the best time to visit Puerto Rico?

I visited Puerto Rico in late April and beginning of May. It was exactly at the end of the peak season. I had especially good weather to do all my activities, but I had rain for about 1 hour almost everyday around 3 pm for the 14 days that I was visiting. It did not bother me that much since it was hot tropical rain, but be sure to bring a good raincoat. 

If you do not mind a little bit of rain you will love it. It was hot and sunny the rest of the time. And, since the peak season was over, the beaches were almost empty. It was really nice and I could explore as much as I wanted without being limited by a sea of people. 

How can I get around Puerto Rico?

While it might seem like a small island, do not get fooled, if you want to get out of San Juan, you will need a car.  But, if you intend to stay in San Juan only, you can rely on Uber and Bus. 

For the Old San Juan, I managed to do everything I wanted to see by walking. I was dropped off by a Uber where I wanted for the beginning of my day I walk the rest of the day.

How can I get to San Juan from the Puerto Rico airport?

Bus

You can totally take the bus to go to the airport. But, depending on where your going, you might have to transfer to another bus and it might take up to 1h30 of public transportation. It is the cheapest option, but definitely not the best if you are short on time. 

Taxi

If you do not want to go for the bus option, you can go for a taxi or for a Uber. Both work just fine. Sometimes Uber will connect you to a taxi driver, but it usually is a private driver.

Then, you can opt for the option of scheduling a private transfer if your plane land during the night and you want to be sure to get to your hotel fast.

Car

If you intend on renting a car, you can just grab one at a renting company and be on your way. I rented one from Alamo and I was really please with what I had. Since I did it the day that I arrived, I was lucky enough that there was some cars remaining, because I had to do 3 renting companies before finding one.  I highly recommend that you rent in advance since the guy after me did not get to have one. 

Are the roads as bad as they say?

Well, if you have ever been to the province of Quebec, you no that the roads are not the best, to stay polite. In Puerto Rico, I found that the roads were quite similar we what we have home. Maybe if you come from a city with pristine roads you will find it horrible out there, but in my opinion it was really not that bad. 

However, I did struggle with the mountain roads. You will need a car with enough power, like a jeep, to go uphill. I stalled when I tried to visit a waterfalls. It was not a happy moment in the trip. If you intend to stay on the main roads, you will have no problem!!  

Plus, google maps does not have the right directions to guide you trough the mountains. Many times, I found myself in a dead end with nowhere else to go and with the gps telling me to go forward. 

How do I get cell phone data while I travel? 

The easiest way and the most budget friendly to have mobile data while you travel would be to purchase an eSIM. It is a digital version of a SIM cart. This will allow you to use data abroad without the need for a physical card. Plus, it’s quite straightforward to use. You would be impress how it is user friendly.

I personally use Saily. Just visit their website, choose the country you’re visiting, select the amount of data and duration you need, and complete your purchase. You’ll then receive a confirmation email with easy instructions to activate your eSIM. To save a little bit more money, you can check the internet. There is always a 15% saving lying around somewhere.

Activation takes less than a minute on your phone. Once it’s set up, you don’t need to do anything else—your data will automatically work as soon as you arrive at your destination. In addition, they have a 24/7 customer service available. So, if you ever need help wherever you are, they will be there for you.

Is Puerto Rico safe for a backpacking traveler?

When I checked the infos for my travel, I heard that Puerto Rico was as safe as Florida for travelers and the only real issue was drug dealing in alleys. But, when I was there I had absolutely no problem. I took walk at night on big lighted streets and everything was good. But, I did not take unnecessary risk an venture in dark alley.

I felt safe all of the time that I travelled there and in every city I visited. While I round tripped the island, I visited Vieques and Culebra and there was never a moment where I feared for my safety. I did carry minimal thing with me when I was walking outside. I left everything in the appartement that I rented. 

Do I need cash for my trip to Puerto Rico?

It would be better to bring a little bit of cash if you are going to Puerto Rico. Some places, accept cards, but if you go to smaller villages you might not be able to buy that cute souvenir or the delicious meal from the street food vendor.

P.s. Get your money from the airport if you can. We learned the hard way that some ATM have incredible fees. We tried many different machine and they all have big fees. So, if you can avoid it you totally should. Another trick is to always choose the options to let your bank decide of the converting fees instead of the shop’s machine, when paying for something with your card. The conversion rate will be better with your bank. 

Do I have to tip in Puerto Rico?

You do not HAVE TO tip in Puerto Rico, but not tipping is frowned upon. It is customary to leave at the bare minimum 15% of the bills when you go to the restaurant. It’s highly appreciated and if you think that you had outstanding customer service, you can give a little bit more. Usually I never go higher than 20%. If it was an above average experience, I tip at 18%. It is a way to show your appreciation for the person work. It’s about the same thing as in Canada or the US.

Do I need to book tickets for attractions in advance?

Whatever you do, BOOK YOUR TICKETS FOR THE BIO BAY. These one go really fast. I naively thought that I could just book my ticket during the day that I wanted to go and it di not worked. I had to book for the next night and I had to scroll the internet and call the companies for the experience I wanted and the time I wanted. It was not easy work and it could have been avoided. This is in my opinion the most ”touristy” activity out there and it is worth planning in advance. All the other activities, we managed to book it as we went trough or vacation. 

Do people speak English in Puerto Rico?

In big cities like San Juan they do speak English, but when you go to smaller town, they mostly speak Spanish. 

Here are some useful sentence that you can use: 

• ¿Dónde está la estación de autobuses? — DON-de es-TAH la es-ta-CION de au-to-BOO-ses?
  “Where is the bus station?”
• Quiero ir a [lugar] — KYE-ro eer a [place]
  “I want to go to [place]”
• Una mesa para dos, por favor — OO-na ME-sa PA-ra dos, por fa-VOR
  “A table for two, please”
• El menú, por favor — el me-NU, por fa-VOR
  “The menu, please”
• ¿Qué me recomienda? — KEH me re-ko-MYEN-da?
  “What do you recommend?”
• La cuenta, por favor — la KWEN-ta, por fa-VOR
  “The check / bill, please”
• ¿Dónde está el baño? — DON-de es-TAH el BA-nyo?
  “Where is the bathroom?”
• ¿Cuánto cuesta esto? — KWAN-to KWES-ta ES-to?
  “How much does this cost?”

Click here for my Spanish cheat sheet

Should I consider Puerto Rico as an adventure destination?

I recommend Puerto Rico as an adventure destination. You can do so many different activities on this island that whatever things you’re into right now, I’m pretty sure you will be able to do it in Puerto Rico…. Except if you want to hike on top of a volcano…THAT will not be possible. But, hiking, scuba diving or kayaking can all be done. Plus, since it the only tropical rainforest of the United States, the landscapes are quite unique. It made it so much nice to discover. We especially had a lot of fun exploring the mangrove forest.

Need help for your next trip? Check out some of my other posts.

1 day in San Juan Puerto Rico-how to have an epic day

Vieques day trip : the best things you should do

best beaches in vieques puerto rico : my favorite one

culebra itinerary – how to have the ultimate day trip

Culebra scuba diving guide: all you need to know

mont tremblant refuges : A Qc retreat for backpacking

Eeyou istchee james bay: the best northern lights guide

Eeyou istchee tourism : what you need to do up north