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Puerto Rico 2022

A Travel Diary

Puerto Rico 2022

Old San Juan, El Yunque, and the coast — December 2022

60Photographs
9Days
5Places
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La Isla del Encanto

The holidays on Puerto Rico — the great stone fort of El Morro and the painted blue-cobbled lanes of Old San Juan, the sandstone cliffs and hidden coves of the north coast, and El Yunque, the lush tropical rainforest of waterfalls and jungle-clad mountains, with iguanas on the beach and a Caribbean sunset to finish. Tap any photo to enlarge it, or open the map.

The holidays on Puerto Rico, La Isla del Encanto. Old San Juan gave us the great stone fort of El Morro standing over the sea and the blue-cobbled lanes behind it, painted every color.

North of the city the coast turned to sandstone cliffs and hidden coves, and inland we spent a day in El Yunque, a tropical rainforest of waterfalls and jungle-clad peaks. Iguanas on the beach, a Caribbean sunset to finish, and a new year rung in on a warm island.

This trip ran 9 days, December 24, 2022 – January 7, 2023. Along the way we spent time at El Morro & Old San Juan, The rocky coast & coves, El Yunque rainforest, The beaches, and Sunsets & the holidays. The gallery below tells it day by day, in 60 photographs.

Day 1

Sat 24 Dec

The beaches

The beaches
The beachesA palm-shaded beach on the Caribbean side.
The beaches
The beachesDriftwood and surf on an empty stretch of sand.
The beaches
The beachesAn iguana sunning itself by the shore.
The beaches
The beachesRippled sand and warm blue water.
The beaches
The beachesA palm-shaded beach on the Caribbean side.

Day 2

Sun 25 Dec

The beaches

The beaches
The beachesDriftwood and surf on an empty stretch of sand.
The beaches
The beachesAn iguana sunning itself by the shore.
The beaches
The beachesRippled sand and warm blue water.

Day 3

Mon 26 Dec

El Morro & Old San Juan

El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanEl Morro, the great fort guarding San Juan harbour.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanStone sentry boxes more than five hundred years old.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanThe painted lanes of Old San Juan.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanBlue cobbles and pastel houses in the old city.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanThe Atlantic breaking on the fort walls.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanEl Morro, the great fort guarding San Juan harbour.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanStone sentry boxes more than five hundred years old.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanThe painted lanes of Old San Juan.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanBlue cobbles and pastel houses in the old city.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanThe Atlantic breaking on the fort walls.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanEl Morro, the great fort guarding San Juan harbour.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanStone sentry boxes more than five hundred years old.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanThe painted lanes of Old San Juan.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanBlue cobbles and pastel houses in the old city.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanThe Atlantic breaking on the fort walls.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanEl Morro, the great fort guarding San Juan harbour.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanStone sentry boxes more than five hundred years old.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanThe painted lanes of Old San Juan.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanBlue cobbles and pastel houses in the old city.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanThe Atlantic breaking on the fort walls.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanEl Morro, the great fort guarding San Juan harbour.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanStone sentry boxes more than five hundred years old.

Day 4

Wed 28 Dec

El Morro & Old San Juan · The rocky coast & coves

El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanThe painted lanes of Old San Juan.
El Morro & Old San Juan
El Morro & Old San JuanBlue cobbles and pastel houses in the old city.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesThe wild north coast and its sandstone cliffs.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesWaves carving arches out of the rock.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesA hidden cove on the way around the island.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesSand sculpted by the wind into ridges and bowls.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesThe wild north coast and its sandstone cliffs.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesWaves carving arches out of the rock.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesA hidden cove on the way around the island.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesSand sculpted by the wind into ridges and bowls.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesThe wild north coast and its sandstone cliffs.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesWaves carving arches out of the rock.

Day 5

Fri 30 Dec

The rocky coast & coves · El Yunque rainforest

The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesA hidden cove on the way around the island.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesSand sculpted by the wind into ridges and bowls.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesThe wild north coast and its sandstone cliffs.
The rocky coast & coves
The rocky coast & covesWaves carving arches out of the rock.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestEl Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. forest system.

Day 6

Sat 31 Dec

El Yunque rainforest

El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestA waterfall pouring into a deep green pool.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestMountains of jungle rolling down to the sea.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestFerns and palms dripping after the rain.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestThe long view from the top of the forest.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestEl Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. forest system.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestA waterfall pouring into a deep green pool.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestMountains of jungle rolling down to the sea.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestFerns and palms dripping after the rain.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestThe long view from the top of the forest.
El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestEl Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. forest system.

Day 7

Mon 2 Jan

El Yunque rainforest

El Yunque rainforest
El Yunque rainforestA waterfall pouring into a deep green pool.

Day 8

Fri 6 Jan

Sunsets & the holidays

Sunsets & the holidays
Sunsets & the holidaysA beach sunset to close out the day.

Day 9

Sat 7 Jan

Sunsets & the holidays

Sunsets & the holidays
Sunsets & the holidaysHoliday lights on a warm Caribbean night.

Where we wandered