The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a United States territory, located east of the Dominican Republic in the northeastern Caribbean sea. Puerto Rico is the smallest of the Greater Antilles, and includes smaller islands and keys.

The main island of Puerto Rico is mostly mountainous, with large coastal areas for beachgoers in the north and south regions. Some beautiful sandy beaches are Jobos Beach, Maria’s Beach, Domes Beach, and Sandy Beach. The highest elevation point is called Cerro de Punta, located in the main mountain range of “La Cordillera Central”. Another breathtaking peak is El Yunque, nestled in the Caribbean National Forest. The island is home to a great many species of indigenous plants, birds, amphibians and reptiles. A most popular animal, and symbol of Puerto Rican pride, is the Coqui, a small frog recognized for the sound it makes (for which it is named). The Caribbean National Forest is a tropical rainforest, home to one of the top ten endangered birds in the world, the Puerto Rican Parrot.

The seasons remain much the same year round, as the island is located in the tropics. Puerto Rico has wonderfully pleasant average temperature of 82.4F (28C). Hurricane season spans June through November.

Water Sports
Boasting hundreds of beaches and beautiful weather year-round, Puerto Rico is renowned for its wealth of water sports activities. Windsurfing, sailing, deep-sea fishing, kayaking on the Tanama River or the Caribbean sea and body surfing down an incredible, rushing mountain stream are just a few of the nearly-endless possibilities awaiting the water enthusiast.

World class surfing can be found at nearly every turn in Puerto Rico. Waves, in fact, can reach as high as twenty five feet! Rincon is especially famous for its world surfing championships and numerous other competitions.

Island Diversity
Puerto Rico boasts a rich and unique cultural diversity with both Spanish and English being official languages of the island. While Spanish is still the predominant language, visitors may feel free to express themselves in English. It is recommended, however, for a complete Puerto Rican vacation, travelers should make an effort to speak Spanish as well.

Many famous and important athletes have called Puerto Rico home and Puerto Rican teams have participated in international competitions such as the Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics, Pan-American Games, the Central American Games, the World Cup, and the Caribbean World Series. Boxing, basketball, volleyball, and baseball are all very popular games in Puerto Rico and the island has its own professional baseball leagues.

Activities
Visitors to Puerto Rico may commonly come as cruise ship passengers or arrive via airplane and enjoy the many beautiful hotels and resorts on the island. The Puerto Rico Convention Center is the most recent addition to the constructions for tourists.

One can enjoy the arts and culture of the island, participate in the Casals Festival, and also tour the architecture of the island, including El Morro and La Fortaleza. The island offers delicious cuisine at inviting restaurants as well.