I've been interested in Puerto Rico since I was a child. I'd always appreciated what I understood about Puerto Rican food, music, and culture on the East Coast. I was also reasonably certain that the weather and beaches would be better on average than where I grew up on the East Coast. Furthermore, I enjoy boxing, and the island is regarded for having some of the top training facilities and athletes in the world.
Until recently, I had decided to postpone any trip to Puerto Rico (PR) because Colombia and Peru offered better prospects to achieve my earlier aim of becoming more skilled in Spanish in the shortest amount of time feasible. I thought Puerto Rico wasn't a good area to study Spanish because of the prevalence of Spanglish and slang.
Now, I speak Spanish at a level that I am comfortable with, and because I had the month of January free of "brick and mortar" obligations, I figured it would be the best option, especially over freezing my ass off at my NYC base of operations.
I rented out a furnished flat in one of the most walkable neighborhoods in San Juan. I positioned myself close to the beach and nightlife but far enough away from other tourists to get a sense of how the city really works. The fact that I trained at a boxing club in a town on the outskirts of the San Juan metro area while living in the city center enriched my experience with the city and its people. This allowed me to visit a variety of sites within the metro area on a daily basis.
I also had the opportunity to travel around the east side and interior of Puerto Rico, which was so beautiful that I will definitely return for another vacation just to see more of it.
Everything I've written here is based on my personal experience; I mainly avoid speculation in favor of actionable intelligence that I've witnessed firsthand. If I write about a hotel and don't stay there, I'll at least visit the bar or casino.
Entry
Although Puerto Rico is a separate country with its own culture, it is an American territory, so American citizens do not require a passport to visit here.
Non-American citizens must follow the same regulations and visa procedures as if they were visiting any other region of the United States.
Before You Think of Going
The beaches and landscape are exceptional.
The boxing gyms are phenomenal.
The people, music, and party atmosphere are all easy to appreciate.
These are all wonderful reasons to visit Puerto Rico, and I had enough before I boarded the plane in New York.
In terms of girls, while it is not Colombia, there are plenty of attractive and nice young ladies.
However, if you are a foreign man with no local connections intending to come for a short period of time to meet up with Puerto Rican girls, you need ask yourself two questions before you go:
The first question is, "Do I speak Spanish?"
If the answer is "Yes", proceed to the next question.
If you don't speak Spanish, the odds will be stacked against you here. Every day, they watch a million dull, drunk cruise ship visitors who don't understand Spanish and dance like utter idiots when Salsa comes on. PR girls will naturally throw you in with them till you prove otherwise.
The following question is: "Are you operating at a high level of game, yes or no?"
When I say "game," I mean the entire product in the usual sense. I'm talking about appearance, style, financial resources, global experience, conversational skills, and confidence. If you are not playing strong, you may have a difficult time with the chicks here. Even if you have at least four of these items, I'll be honest: it's not easy.
There are areas in the world where the obese, ugly, broke slob in flip flops can wander around with a pretty attractive woman. Puerto Rico isn't that location.
Language
PR is a Spanish-speaking island, and a few things are worth considering.
English is widely spoken here, but don't expect it.
If you are a natural English speaker who also speaks Spanish, consider the English-speaking Puerto Ricans you will frequently encounter as a treat that makes your life a bit easier. If you demonstrate that you can speak Spanish, they will respect you, maybe more than in any other Latin country I have visited.
People do not expect you to speak or understand Spanish, therefore if they do not speak English, they may avoid speaking with you. When you do speak Spanish, people are usually really happy and open up fast.
Breakdown of Urban Social Geography in the San Juan Metro Area
Tourist Areas
Old San Juan- This is the city's breathtaking colonial heart, which is packed with cruise ship passengers as well as partygoers from all around the metro region and the rest of the island on weekends. A significant part of these people will come from the barrios (bad neighborhoods and public housing). A large percentage of those ladies are hot and pleasant to anyone who disrupts the monotony of the people they are used to.
To make an impression on these girls, you must distinguish yourself from the majority of the non-dancing, non-game-playing, non-passport-holding, non-Spanish-speaking, shorts and flip-flops-wearing visitors she is accustomed to seeing. If you can do so, you will produce a short circuit in her brain.
Condado and Isla Verde are significantly different in location but otherwise quite similar. They have many hotels, some nightlife, a lot of rich Puerto Ricans and Puerto Ricans pretending to be rich, tourists, and beautiful beaches. They are also heavily Americanized, with English being the most often spoken language in these areas.
Wealthy Local Residential Areas:
Ocean Park, located between Condado and Isla Verde. It is a partially gated beachfront development of single-family houses and mansions. It is also my favorite beach in San Juan, for two reasons: the beach itself and the ease with which you may meet attractive local ladies.
Guaynabo- Although I simply went through here, I met many folks from here in other parts of the city. It is essentially a wealthy suburb of San Juan. Although few Americans reside or visit here, a significant number of the signage are in English. Many residents in the Metro area despise this municipality and everyone associated with it.
Santurce:
Santurce- This location deserves its own mention because it is so distinct from the others listed here. Consider it the Brooklyn of modern-day San Juan: This neighborhood has a lot of cultural and nightlife capital, a decent sense of what Puerto Rico is like, and a lot of nice old people and artsy people hanging out, but there are also vast areas where you should not walk around alone at night if you don't have to. If you visit Santurce, make sure you know where you're going before you roam around.
Hato Rey, Rio Piedras, Catano, Bayamon, and the entire island:
First and foremost, let me state that wherever I went in Puerto Rico, I found kind and amazing people. The majority of my interactions with regular Puerto Ricans have been favorable.
Even in my boxing club, which is in one of the roughest parts of the metro area (Bayamon), the guys I trained with were all complete gentlemen.
Housing projects and disadvantaged neighborhoods can be found in nearly every district of San Juan and municipality in Puerto Rico; they dominate the island's topography. These areas have a high murder rate. People get slain on a regular basis. It's simply a reality of life here. Make all of your moves while being conscious of this fact, and you should be fine.
I'll mention any venues that are in a slum or have a harsher crowd.
Transportation
San Juan's public transit system is not great.
The urban area and the rest of the island have been constructed around car culture to the point where not having a personal vehicle or a limo on your payroll is a significant disadvantage.
Taxis:
The sole taxis in the city are utilized mostly by visitors, not locals, and they cost $20 or more every journey just to get from one district to another. There aren't many cabs roaming the streets looking for passengers.
It is best to simply call Metro Taxi at 787-725-2870.
Tell them where you are and where you want to go, and they will dispatch a vehicle.
Tren Urbano
San Juan has a very clean, safe, and efficient train line that serves a considerable chunk of the metropolitan region. Each station has security guards and friendly customer service representatives. If you know Spanish, these customer service representatives will gladly provide you directions to wherever you want to go on foot from the station. It is definitely a change for anyone who is used to NYC's public transportation and the unpleasant or non-existent service there.
The train system's flaw is that it was built long after the city had been built and urban sprawl had set established.
Keeping this in mind, you can still use it to go to many sections of the city if you are ready to walk a little distance from the train station in the desired region.
Car Rental:
This is, hands down, the finest way to explore the island. I rented a car from Hertz at the Marriott for a couple days to go exploring, and it was well worth the money. There are several Hertz car rental locations throughout the city.
Lodging
Hotels:
In Condado, you can stay at the Marriott or La Concha on Ashford Drive. Both have hotel bars and casinos with attractive chicks hanging around downstairs. They are also situated on the seashore.
In Isla Verde, you can stay at El San Juan, which also includes a casino and a club called "Brava," which I shall discuss shortly. This is also located near the seashore.
Hostel:
For those searching for something cheaper and more social, I recommend the San Juan International Hostel in Santurce. This hostel is several blocks from the beach but within walking reach. It is located in the heart of a working-class area near to Condado, so there will be no other tourists around, but you will be able to walk to anything you could do in Condado, as well as take advantage of certain activities in the neighborhood itself.
Nightlife
Here I'll break down which areas I've found to be the best for meeting women on each night of the week (with one exception, which I'll mention). This list is by no means complete; I couldn't be in every location on every day of the month. Furthermore, this list does not cover every location I've been. I left several places out for various reasons.
What I can tell about this list is that if I've written it here, it was at its peak on the night I listed it. If you're visiting the city with the intention of having a good time, this list will provide you with a solid battle plan to get started.
Monday
Monday's "hip-hop" night at La Respuesta in Santurce is well-known across the metro area. This establishment was better on Mondays than most other locations on weekends. A lot of hot, laid-back girls come here. This is one of the places in PR when girls opened me up. This is also the location in PR when I was closest to getting into a fight with a guy because his chick opened me up.
Tuesday
Morenos Spot in Old San Juan - Come here if you want to try to pick up random tourist girls who are "adventurous". The music is a blend of reggaeton, bachata, salsa, and English pop/rap.
Mangos at Ocean Park - This is the only area I have not visited personally. I've had numerous unrelated local sources tell me that this is the spot to go on Tuesdays. They allegedly play electronic music and attract a gathering of gorgeous ladies from various social strata in PR. I was always preoccupied with other things, so if you go, let me know how it went.
Wednesday
Piropo on Calle Canals is an excellent place to go on Wednesday nights if you want to try your luck with upper-class white skinned PR girls. The music will be primarily American, and the customers will speak English with little effort, but you will most likely be the only non-Puerto Rican in the establishment.
Thursday
I'm going to break down two nightlife spots that I know are good places to go on a Thursday. Both of these areas will have a variety of venues to visit. I will name the most important venues, but there will be additional venues that offer opportunities as well. The clientele in both locations will be almost entirely local PR women and guys, with few or no tourists.
Rio Piedras, near the University of Puerto Rico-
"El Ocho" and "El Boricua" are the two spots that stand out to me the most. On a typical Thursday night, both will be packed with about 100 people. Any cab driver worth his salt will recognize one of these, and anyone in the vicinity will know where the other one is once you arrive. In addition, there are a number of additional bars and clubs in the vicinity worth visiting.
El Ocho de Blanco is a three-story reggaeton and Latin music venue with a dance club on the bottom floor, a seating area and bar on the second floor, and a terrace with a great view on the third floor. There will be a lot of attractive and slutty local ladies staring at you if you seem foreign and dress hot, but there will also be a lot of PR gangster type cats hating on you for it, so don't come here unless you believe you can hang.
El Boricua is a more bohemian-styled venue than El Ocho. It plays a lot of salsa, has a pretty groovy ambiance, and most of the crowd flows out into the sidewalk and surrounding streets. People are mingling everywhere, left and right. It reminded me of some of the artsy salsa bars in Cali, Colombia (not the ones with tables in Menga!).
This place resembles what I assume normal Puerto Rican nightlife "used to be like," but this is just guesswork on my part.
La Plaza de Santurce-
This location is freaking great. It isn't as popular with gorgeous young girls as Rio Piedras, but it's still a fun area to hang out on a Thursday night. The party comprises of a variety of open-air pubs and clubs clustered around a central market square. The center of la Placita is an old-school PR market that sells fruits and cigars, among other things, during the day, so it's also worth a visit.
If you want to get your pre-game on, you can come here as early as 5 p.m. There are also a few good restaurants where you may start the night. El Café de La Placita is one of them, while Rubens Café (Dominican food) is just up the street. More information about them can be found in the eateries section.
Until 11, the streets are filled with people singing, dancing, playing instruments, and drinking. The crowd at this point is more mature than the crowd at Rio P, so it's an excellent spot to attend if you're middle-aged or older. In fact, if you are in your forties or fifties, you will feel just at home here. That age group includes some of the most outgoing Puerto Ricans in La Placita. There are certainly plenty of younger, gorgeous ladies around right now.
After 11, the party continues indoors to two noteworthy venues: Vibra Lounge and Fat Tuesday. There are many additional venues that you might discover on your own if you go. Everything is fairly compact, so don't worry if one spot isn't nice; just go around to discover another.
Vibra Lounge- This is a second-floor lounge with a balcony overlooking La Placita. I never saw it filled, but there were always a few groups of girls without guys to approach.
Fat Tuesdays- This place gets crowded on Thursdays. It's a laid-back bar, but chicks will notice you if you dress properly.
Friday
La Plaza de Santurce - See above. It's the same on Fridays as it is on Thursdays, but considerably busier.
Cocobongos in Isla Verde is a reggaeton club that mostly serves the harsher neighborhoods in the surrounding areas. With that stated, there are a lot of boys attempting to be gangsters here, but there are also a lot of open and promiscuous women. If you believe you could hang out at a Bronx club, click here. If not, avoid going here.
El Oceano in Condado is an upscale lounge/bar located right on the beach. The place is stunning. Expect to see attractive and rich residents, as well as a few tourists who comply with the dress code. I give this establishment an A+ for atmosphere alone. Expect the local girls to be attractive and arrogant. That doesn't mean you can't make it happen if you keep your shit together. Get dressed sharply and run the game properly.
If you live in Condado or a nearby location, this is an excellent place to take girls out for a drink on weekdays. Perhaps even better than looking for girls.
Nuyorican Café in Old San Juan is a cool restaurant that hosts live salsa on weekends. Here, you can meet gorgeous local girls as well as tourists. The gals here will not be stuck-up. When I was walking by, a nice-looking PR girl smacked me on the ass because she thought I was sexy. We talked, and I probably would have pulled her that night, but I eventually understood the value of rolling solo.
El Batey in Old San Juan is a cool hipster bar. There are lots of cute artsy and pseudo-educated girls here who are willing to converse.
Morenos location and Morenos booze store in Old San Juan are located exactly next to each other.
The one is a booze store that transforms into a reggaeton party at night. It will be crowded, the girls will be grinding on dicks left and right, and the guys will be prepared to fight. However, if you understand how to handle such situations, it may be a lot of fun.
The other place is like a more expensive version of the booze store, which isn't the most classy place around, but there are some pretty PR girls dancing reggaeton, salsa, merengue, and bachata. If you are clearly not Puerto Rican and have above-average looks/dressing, the girls will practically stare you down in here until you approach.
Small bar in Condado, frequented by both tourists and locals. It's a little bar, but with a good feel and gorgeous gals.
Saturday
The list is almost unchanged from Friday to Saturday. The one exception is La Placita. Don't bother going here on a Saturday; locals don't frequent there for whatever reason.
Sunday
I tend to relax on Sundays, but the only time I went out on a Sunday night was to Brava.
Brava on Isla Verde aspires to be a club in New York City's Meatpacking District. It is not a club in New York City's Meatpacking District. The females here are attractive, but they want to believe they're in a club in New York City's meatpacking district. Take what it's worth. Go hard, or go home.
Day Game/Shopping
Plaza De Las Americas in Hato Rey is the Caribbean's largest mall, and it is full of attractive chicks. Do I need to say anything else?
Ashford Drive in Condado is known as "The Strip" in San Juan. It runs along the beach and features a variety of boutiques, restaurants, casinos, cafes, and bars, as well as gorgeous girls dressed in regular clothing and swimming costumes.
Ocean Park Beach - On any given Saturday, this beach will be packed with gorgeous girls who are eager to talk to you if you are not a completely obese slob and have the nerve to approach them. This is one place when buying a girl a drink will actually work. There are guys roaming about selling beer; if you tell them to send a "Medalla" to a girl (or group of ladies), then go over and approach them 10-15 minutes later, the approach will have already been warmed up, and you will have a fair chance of making some progress. A Medalla costs only $2 on the beach, therefore I believe it is a worthwhile investment.
If your time in-country is short and your game is tight enough to get something out of it, bounce them to the nearby Kamoli Café for an instadate.
Santa Rosa Mall in Bayamon is the underappreciated gem. It's completely out of the way, but I included it for a reason: the girls here are hot, and you never see gringos roaming around. Think Colombia. If you have a powerful presence, you will notice that girls are eyefucking you at a much higher rate than normal. I grabbed a couple numbers here while scarcely trying, just walking around with my gym bag after a hard workout at my nearby boxing facility.
If you are only visiting Santa Rosa for a day game, choose a popular day such as Thursday or Friday evening, or Saturday or Sunday.
Old San Juan offers numerous day game chances. There are always tourists and chicks walking around, and on weekends, there are also many locals.
Festivals
I've just been here from the end of December to the beginning of February, so that'll be all I talk about. During that moment, some exciting things are happening.
I definitely recommend the New Year's Eve party at La Concha in Condado. If you buy your tickets ahead of time and don't know anyone, the cost will be around $100. In this situation, it's actually better to get them at the door, as I arrived around 1030 and was able to get in for $40.
Calles De San Sebastian Festival (middle of January) It appears that half of Puerto Rico's population has converged on Viejo San Juan to drink, sing, and dance. If you want to attract girls at this event, I highly recommend staying in Old San Juan because there are so many people that it takes a long time to get in and out of the region.
Heineken Latin Jazz Festival at La Ventana in Condado - This festival takes place on the last Sunday afternoon/evening of each month. A chill vibe in front of the water, jazz and salsa music playing on stage, and attractive women to be had.
Dining
When I travel to other countries, I prefer to eat at local enterprises (and believe me, Puerto Rico is a country separate from the United States), thus my recommendations are all for Latin-Caribbean restaurants.
Latin Star in Condado- This is a good restaurant on the Ashford Drive strip that serves traditional Puerto Rican cuisine.
Raices- There are two of these restaurants: one in Old San Juan and one in Caguas. I definitely recommend both of them for their delicious Puerto Rican cuisine. They both have a "PR cultural celebration" motif going on inside, and the waitresses are dressed traditionally Puerto Rican. Sounds cheesy, but it's not, and the food is delicious, so go!
El Sabroso in La Placita- If you come here on a Saturday around lunchtime, you may have some delicious Lechon and side dishes.
Barbakoa, outside of El Yunque Rainforest- This was definitely my favorite location to dine during my time in Puerto Rico. It is an outdoor restaurant located on the road leading into El Yunque, next to a little river. If you visit El Yunque, you must stop here on your way in or out.
Ruebens Café in Santurce is a popular neighborhood restaurant serving Dominican and Puerto Rican cuisine. A lot of fantastic nights began here with cold Presidentes or Brugals. It is situated at the corner of Calle Dos Hermanos and Ponce De Leon.
Café de La Placita- This is a nice local restaurant with outside seating in the heart of Santurce's Plaza. On Friday nights, there is a nice bunch of hot 20-something PR ladies with jobs.
Kamoli Café on Calle Loiza near Ocean Park - A beautiful tiny bohemian café/boutique with a cool atmosphere and wonderful food.
Activities
El Yunque rainforest is a must-see if you're staying on the island for more than a week. It doesn't have to take more than a day, but you can stay for a long period if you wish. I recommend hiring a car rather than taking a guided trip. It is only 45 minutes from the downtown of San Juan.
Culebra Island is home to Flamenco Beach, which is often recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches on Earth. You can rent a car or take a tourist van to Fajardo, located on the island's far east side. Then take the ferry to Culebra from there. When in Culebra, I recommend Flamenco Beach for swimming and relaxing, and Tamarindo Beach for snorkeling.
Puerto Rico: Facts and History
http://wikitravel.org/en/Puerto_Rico
Also, I'd like to provide a simple contrast for Americans on the east coast. Your typical Puerto Ricans from New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia represent a subset of Puerto Rican society, but not the majority.
This means that there is far more variety in PR than in the PR villages on the east coast.
There are many Puerto Ricans on the island who wear Abercrombie, hipster clothing, and listen to punk, rock, and pop music. Many Puerto Ricans speak both "proper" Spanish and "proper" English. Many Puerto Ricans are of pure European descent, with blue eyes and blond hair.
Furthermore, many white Puerto Ricans from the lower classes act and dress like gangsters, while many black PRs from the middle class act and dress "properly."
This diversity is far less common on the east coast, where the bulk of Puerto Ricans are the children and grandchildren of those who immigrated from the island's less prosperous strata in the middle of the century. Furthermore, these children grew up as minorities in inner-city America amid the Civil Rights Movement, riots, the New York City budget crisis, neighborhood disinvestment, the advent of hip-hop, and the crack cocaine epidemic.
This has resulted in a distinct subculture in the east coast PR community, one that shares certain parallels with the rest of the island's PRs, particularly the lower classes, but is entirely distinctive.
PR females on the island are generally more feminine and less bitchy than PR girls on the east coast. However, they are much more difficult to have sex with.
They are extremely similar to Colombian ladies in that they enjoy dressing up, looking nice, moving well, and acting attractive.
However, like Colombian girls, an upper or middle-class PR chick known as a slut is a girl who has committed social suicide.
The distinction is that Colombian girls frequently disregard their "morals" when dealing with "interesting" outsiders. High-class public relations girls are much less inclined to do so because they spend their entire lives surrounded by foreigners.
Another point to consider is that prostitution is not as prevalent or condoned in PR as it is in Colombia.
Chicks are also bulkier in PR than in Colombia, because to the prevalence of fast food and the vehicle culture, which causes individuals to appear averse to walking.
If I had to pick a subset of PR females who are most similar to those on the east coast, it would be those from the projects. The difference is that these girls frequently do not speak English, whereas many east coast public relations girls do not speak Spanish.
Until recently, I had decided to postpone any trip to Puerto Rico (PR) because Colombia and Peru offered better prospects to achieve my earlier aim of becoming more skilled in Spanish in the shortest amount of time feasible. I thought Puerto Rico wasn't a good area to study Spanish because of the prevalence of Spanglish and slang.
Now, I speak Spanish at a level that I am comfortable with, and because I had the month of January free of "brick and mortar" obligations, I figured it would be the best option, especially over freezing my ass off at my NYC base of operations.
I rented out a furnished flat in one of the most walkable neighborhoods in San Juan. I positioned myself close to the beach and nightlife but far enough away from other tourists to get a sense of how the city really works. The fact that I trained at a boxing club in a town on the outskirts of the San Juan metro area while living in the city center enriched my experience with the city and its people. This allowed me to visit a variety of sites within the metro area on a daily basis.
I also had the opportunity to travel around the east side and interior of Puerto Rico, which was so beautiful that I will definitely return for another vacation just to see more of it.
Everything I've written here is based on my personal experience; I mainly avoid speculation in favor of actionable intelligence that I've witnessed firsthand. If I write about a hotel and don't stay there, I'll at least visit the bar or casino.
Entry
Although Puerto Rico is a separate country with its own culture, it is an American territory, so American citizens do not require a passport to visit here.
Non-American citizens must follow the same regulations and visa procedures as if they were visiting any other region of the United States.
Before You Think of Going
The beaches and landscape are exceptional.
The boxing gyms are phenomenal.
The people, music, and party atmosphere are all easy to appreciate.
These are all wonderful reasons to visit Puerto Rico, and I had enough before I boarded the plane in New York.
In terms of girls, while it is not Colombia, there are plenty of attractive and nice young ladies.
However, if you are a foreign man with no local connections intending to come for a short period of time to meet up with Puerto Rican girls, you need ask yourself two questions before you go:
The first question is, "Do I speak Spanish?"
If the answer is "Yes", proceed to the next question.
If you don't speak Spanish, the odds will be stacked against you here. Every day, they watch a million dull, drunk cruise ship visitors who don't understand Spanish and dance like utter idiots when Salsa comes on. PR girls will naturally throw you in with them till you prove otherwise.
The following question is: "Are you operating at a high level of game, yes or no?"
When I say "game," I mean the entire product in the usual sense. I'm talking about appearance, style, financial resources, global experience, conversational skills, and confidence. If you are not playing strong, you may have a difficult time with the chicks here. Even if you have at least four of these items, I'll be honest: it's not easy.
There are areas in the world where the obese, ugly, broke slob in flip flops can wander around with a pretty attractive woman. Puerto Rico isn't that location.
Language
PR is a Spanish-speaking island, and a few things are worth considering.
English is widely spoken here, but don't expect it.
If you are a natural English speaker who also speaks Spanish, consider the English-speaking Puerto Ricans you will frequently encounter as a treat that makes your life a bit easier. If you demonstrate that you can speak Spanish, they will respect you, maybe more than in any other Latin country I have visited.
People do not expect you to speak or understand Spanish, therefore if they do not speak English, they may avoid speaking with you. When you do speak Spanish, people are usually really happy and open up fast.
Breakdown of Urban Social Geography in the San Juan Metro Area
Tourist Areas
Old San Juan- This is the city's breathtaking colonial heart, which is packed with cruise ship passengers as well as partygoers from all around the metro region and the rest of the island on weekends. A significant part of these people will come from the barrios (bad neighborhoods and public housing). A large percentage of those ladies are hot and pleasant to anyone who disrupts the monotony of the people they are used to.
To make an impression on these girls, you must distinguish yourself from the majority of the non-dancing, non-game-playing, non-passport-holding, non-Spanish-speaking, shorts and flip-flops-wearing visitors she is accustomed to seeing. If you can do so, you will produce a short circuit in her brain.
Condado and Isla Verde are significantly different in location but otherwise quite similar. They have many hotels, some nightlife, a lot of rich Puerto Ricans and Puerto Ricans pretending to be rich, tourists, and beautiful beaches. They are also heavily Americanized, with English being the most often spoken language in these areas.
Wealthy Local Residential Areas:
Ocean Park, located between Condado and Isla Verde. It is a partially gated beachfront development of single-family houses and mansions. It is also my favorite beach in San Juan, for two reasons: the beach itself and the ease with which you may meet attractive local ladies.
Guaynabo- Although I simply went through here, I met many folks from here in other parts of the city. It is essentially a wealthy suburb of San Juan. Although few Americans reside or visit here, a significant number of the signage are in English. Many residents in the Metro area despise this municipality and everyone associated with it.
Santurce:
Santurce- This location deserves its own mention because it is so distinct from the others listed here. Consider it the Brooklyn of modern-day San Juan: This neighborhood has a lot of cultural and nightlife capital, a decent sense of what Puerto Rico is like, and a lot of nice old people and artsy people hanging out, but there are also vast areas where you should not walk around alone at night if you don't have to. If you visit Santurce, make sure you know where you're going before you roam around.
Hato Rey, Rio Piedras, Catano, Bayamon, and the entire island:
First and foremost, let me state that wherever I went in Puerto Rico, I found kind and amazing people. The majority of my interactions with regular Puerto Ricans have been favorable.
Even in my boxing club, which is in one of the roughest parts of the metro area (Bayamon), the guys I trained with were all complete gentlemen.
Housing projects and disadvantaged neighborhoods can be found in nearly every district of San Juan and municipality in Puerto Rico; they dominate the island's topography. These areas have a high murder rate. People get slain on a regular basis. It's simply a reality of life here. Make all of your moves while being conscious of this fact, and you should be fine.
I'll mention any venues that are in a slum or have a harsher crowd.
Transportation
San Juan's public transit system is not great.
The urban area and the rest of the island have been constructed around car culture to the point where not having a personal vehicle or a limo on your payroll is a significant disadvantage.
Taxis:
The sole taxis in the city are utilized mostly by visitors, not locals, and they cost $20 or more every journey just to get from one district to another. There aren't many cabs roaming the streets looking for passengers.
It is best to simply call Metro Taxi at 787-725-2870.
Tell them where you are and where you want to go, and they will dispatch a vehicle.
Tren Urbano
San Juan has a very clean, safe, and efficient train line that serves a considerable chunk of the metropolitan region. Each station has security guards and friendly customer service representatives. If you know Spanish, these customer service representatives will gladly provide you directions to wherever you want to go on foot from the station. It is definitely a change for anyone who is used to NYC's public transportation and the unpleasant or non-existent service there.
The train system's flaw is that it was built long after the city had been built and urban sprawl had set established.
Keeping this in mind, you can still use it to go to many sections of the city if you are ready to walk a little distance from the train station in the desired region.
Car Rental:
This is, hands down, the finest way to explore the island. I rented a car from Hertz at the Marriott for a couple days to go exploring, and it was well worth the money. There are several Hertz car rental locations throughout the city.
Lodging
Hotels:
In Condado, you can stay at the Marriott or La Concha on Ashford Drive. Both have hotel bars and casinos with attractive chicks hanging around downstairs. They are also situated on the seashore.
In Isla Verde, you can stay at El San Juan, which also includes a casino and a club called "Brava," which I shall discuss shortly. This is also located near the seashore.
Hostel:
For those searching for something cheaper and more social, I recommend the San Juan International Hostel in Santurce. This hostel is several blocks from the beach but within walking reach. It is located in the heart of a working-class area near to Condado, so there will be no other tourists around, but you will be able to walk to anything you could do in Condado, as well as take advantage of certain activities in the neighborhood itself.
Nightlife
Here I'll break down which areas I've found to be the best for meeting women on each night of the week (with one exception, which I'll mention). This list is by no means complete; I couldn't be in every location on every day of the month. Furthermore, this list does not cover every location I've been. I left several places out for various reasons.
What I can tell about this list is that if I've written it here, it was at its peak on the night I listed it. If you're visiting the city with the intention of having a good time, this list will provide you with a solid battle plan to get started.
Monday
Monday's "hip-hop" night at La Respuesta in Santurce is well-known across the metro area. This establishment was better on Mondays than most other locations on weekends. A lot of hot, laid-back girls come here. This is one of the places in PR when girls opened me up. This is also the location in PR when I was closest to getting into a fight with a guy because his chick opened me up.
Tuesday
Morenos Spot in Old San Juan - Come here if you want to try to pick up random tourist girls who are "adventurous". The music is a blend of reggaeton, bachata, salsa, and English pop/rap.
Mangos at Ocean Park - This is the only area I have not visited personally. I've had numerous unrelated local sources tell me that this is the spot to go on Tuesdays. They allegedly play electronic music and attract a gathering of gorgeous ladies from various social strata in PR. I was always preoccupied with other things, so if you go, let me know how it went.
Wednesday
Piropo on Calle Canals is an excellent place to go on Wednesday nights if you want to try your luck with upper-class white skinned PR girls. The music will be primarily American, and the customers will speak English with little effort, but you will most likely be the only non-Puerto Rican in the establishment.
Thursday
I'm going to break down two nightlife spots that I know are good places to go on a Thursday. Both of these areas will have a variety of venues to visit. I will name the most important venues, but there will be additional venues that offer opportunities as well. The clientele in both locations will be almost entirely local PR women and guys, with few or no tourists.
Rio Piedras, near the University of Puerto Rico-
"El Ocho" and "El Boricua" are the two spots that stand out to me the most. On a typical Thursday night, both will be packed with about 100 people. Any cab driver worth his salt will recognize one of these, and anyone in the vicinity will know where the other one is once you arrive. In addition, there are a number of additional bars and clubs in the vicinity worth visiting.
El Ocho de Blanco is a three-story reggaeton and Latin music venue with a dance club on the bottom floor, a seating area and bar on the second floor, and a terrace with a great view on the third floor. There will be a lot of attractive and slutty local ladies staring at you if you seem foreign and dress hot, but there will also be a lot of PR gangster type cats hating on you for it, so don't come here unless you believe you can hang.
El Boricua is a more bohemian-styled venue than El Ocho. It plays a lot of salsa, has a pretty groovy ambiance, and most of the crowd flows out into the sidewalk and surrounding streets. People are mingling everywhere, left and right. It reminded me of some of the artsy salsa bars in Cali, Colombia (not the ones with tables in Menga!).
This place resembles what I assume normal Puerto Rican nightlife "used to be like," but this is just guesswork on my part.
La Plaza de Santurce-
This location is freaking great. It isn't as popular with gorgeous young girls as Rio Piedras, but it's still a fun area to hang out on a Thursday night. The party comprises of a variety of open-air pubs and clubs clustered around a central market square. The center of la Placita is an old-school PR market that sells fruits and cigars, among other things, during the day, so it's also worth a visit.
If you want to get your pre-game on, you can come here as early as 5 p.m. There are also a few good restaurants where you may start the night. El Café de La Placita is one of them, while Rubens Café (Dominican food) is just up the street. More information about them can be found in the eateries section.
Until 11, the streets are filled with people singing, dancing, playing instruments, and drinking. The crowd at this point is more mature than the crowd at Rio P, so it's an excellent spot to attend if you're middle-aged or older. In fact, if you are in your forties or fifties, you will feel just at home here. That age group includes some of the most outgoing Puerto Ricans in La Placita. There are certainly plenty of younger, gorgeous ladies around right now.
After 11, the party continues indoors to two noteworthy venues: Vibra Lounge and Fat Tuesday. There are many additional venues that you might discover on your own if you go. Everything is fairly compact, so don't worry if one spot isn't nice; just go around to discover another.
Vibra Lounge- This is a second-floor lounge with a balcony overlooking La Placita. I never saw it filled, but there were always a few groups of girls without guys to approach.
Fat Tuesdays- This place gets crowded on Thursdays. It's a laid-back bar, but chicks will notice you if you dress properly.
Friday
La Plaza de Santurce - See above. It's the same on Fridays as it is on Thursdays, but considerably busier.
Cocobongos in Isla Verde is a reggaeton club that mostly serves the harsher neighborhoods in the surrounding areas. With that stated, there are a lot of boys attempting to be gangsters here, but there are also a lot of open and promiscuous women. If you believe you could hang out at a Bronx club, click here. If not, avoid going here.
El Oceano in Condado is an upscale lounge/bar located right on the beach. The place is stunning. Expect to see attractive and rich residents, as well as a few tourists who comply with the dress code. I give this establishment an A+ for atmosphere alone. Expect the local girls to be attractive and arrogant. That doesn't mean you can't make it happen if you keep your shit together. Get dressed sharply and run the game properly.
If you live in Condado or a nearby location, this is an excellent place to take girls out for a drink on weekdays. Perhaps even better than looking for girls.
Nuyorican Café in Old San Juan is a cool restaurant that hosts live salsa on weekends. Here, you can meet gorgeous local girls as well as tourists. The gals here will not be stuck-up. When I was walking by, a nice-looking PR girl smacked me on the ass because she thought I was sexy. We talked, and I probably would have pulled her that night, but I eventually understood the value of rolling solo.
El Batey in Old San Juan is a cool hipster bar. There are lots of cute artsy and pseudo-educated girls here who are willing to converse.
Morenos location and Morenos booze store in Old San Juan are located exactly next to each other.
The one is a booze store that transforms into a reggaeton party at night. It will be crowded, the girls will be grinding on dicks left and right, and the guys will be prepared to fight. However, if you understand how to handle such situations, it may be a lot of fun.
The other place is like a more expensive version of the booze store, which isn't the most classy place around, but there are some pretty PR girls dancing reggaeton, salsa, merengue, and bachata. If you are clearly not Puerto Rican and have above-average looks/dressing, the girls will practically stare you down in here until you approach.
Small bar in Condado, frequented by both tourists and locals. It's a little bar, but with a good feel and gorgeous gals.
Saturday
The list is almost unchanged from Friday to Saturday. The one exception is La Placita. Don't bother going here on a Saturday; locals don't frequent there for whatever reason.
Sunday
I tend to relax on Sundays, but the only time I went out on a Sunday night was to Brava.
Brava on Isla Verde aspires to be a club in New York City's Meatpacking District. It is not a club in New York City's Meatpacking District. The females here are attractive, but they want to believe they're in a club in New York City's meatpacking district. Take what it's worth. Go hard, or go home.
Day Game/Shopping
Plaza De Las Americas in Hato Rey is the Caribbean's largest mall, and it is full of attractive chicks. Do I need to say anything else?
Ashford Drive in Condado is known as "The Strip" in San Juan. It runs along the beach and features a variety of boutiques, restaurants, casinos, cafes, and bars, as well as gorgeous girls dressed in regular clothing and swimming costumes.
Ocean Park Beach - On any given Saturday, this beach will be packed with gorgeous girls who are eager to talk to you if you are not a completely obese slob and have the nerve to approach them. This is one place when buying a girl a drink will actually work. There are guys roaming about selling beer; if you tell them to send a "Medalla" to a girl (or group of ladies), then go over and approach them 10-15 minutes later, the approach will have already been warmed up, and you will have a fair chance of making some progress. A Medalla costs only $2 on the beach, therefore I believe it is a worthwhile investment.
If your time in-country is short and your game is tight enough to get something out of it, bounce them to the nearby Kamoli Café for an instadate.
Santa Rosa Mall in Bayamon is the underappreciated gem. It's completely out of the way, but I included it for a reason: the girls here are hot, and you never see gringos roaming around. Think Colombia. If you have a powerful presence, you will notice that girls are eyefucking you at a much higher rate than normal. I grabbed a couple numbers here while scarcely trying, just walking around with my gym bag after a hard workout at my nearby boxing facility.
If you are only visiting Santa Rosa for a day game, choose a popular day such as Thursday or Friday evening, or Saturday or Sunday.
Old San Juan offers numerous day game chances. There are always tourists and chicks walking around, and on weekends, there are also many locals.
Festivals
I've just been here from the end of December to the beginning of February, so that'll be all I talk about. During that moment, some exciting things are happening.
I definitely recommend the New Year's Eve party at La Concha in Condado. If you buy your tickets ahead of time and don't know anyone, the cost will be around $100. In this situation, it's actually better to get them at the door, as I arrived around 1030 and was able to get in for $40.
Calles De San Sebastian Festival (middle of January) It appears that half of Puerto Rico's population has converged on Viejo San Juan to drink, sing, and dance. If you want to attract girls at this event, I highly recommend staying in Old San Juan because there are so many people that it takes a long time to get in and out of the region.
Heineken Latin Jazz Festival at La Ventana in Condado - This festival takes place on the last Sunday afternoon/evening of each month. A chill vibe in front of the water, jazz and salsa music playing on stage, and attractive women to be had.
Dining
When I travel to other countries, I prefer to eat at local enterprises (and believe me, Puerto Rico is a country separate from the United States), thus my recommendations are all for Latin-Caribbean restaurants.
Latin Star in Condado- This is a good restaurant on the Ashford Drive strip that serves traditional Puerto Rican cuisine.
Raices- There are two of these restaurants: one in Old San Juan and one in Caguas. I definitely recommend both of them for their delicious Puerto Rican cuisine. They both have a "PR cultural celebration" motif going on inside, and the waitresses are dressed traditionally Puerto Rican. Sounds cheesy, but it's not, and the food is delicious, so go!
El Sabroso in La Placita- If you come here on a Saturday around lunchtime, you may have some delicious Lechon and side dishes.
Barbakoa, outside of El Yunque Rainforest- This was definitely my favorite location to dine during my time in Puerto Rico. It is an outdoor restaurant located on the road leading into El Yunque, next to a little river. If you visit El Yunque, you must stop here on your way in or out.
Ruebens Café in Santurce is a popular neighborhood restaurant serving Dominican and Puerto Rican cuisine. A lot of fantastic nights began here with cold Presidentes or Brugals. It is situated at the corner of Calle Dos Hermanos and Ponce De Leon.
Café de La Placita- This is a nice local restaurant with outside seating in the heart of Santurce's Plaza. On Friday nights, there is a nice bunch of hot 20-something PR ladies with jobs.
Kamoli Café on Calle Loiza near Ocean Park - A beautiful tiny bohemian café/boutique with a cool atmosphere and wonderful food.
Activities
El Yunque rainforest is a must-see if you're staying on the island for more than a week. It doesn't have to take more than a day, but you can stay for a long period if you wish. I recommend hiring a car rather than taking a guided trip. It is only 45 minutes from the downtown of San Juan.
Culebra Island is home to Flamenco Beach, which is often recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches on Earth. You can rent a car or take a tourist van to Fajardo, located on the island's far east side. Then take the ferry to Culebra from there. When in Culebra, I recommend Flamenco Beach for swimming and relaxing, and Tamarindo Beach for snorkeling.
Puerto Rico: Facts and History
http://wikitravel.org/en/Puerto_Rico
Also, I'd like to provide a simple contrast for Americans on the east coast. Your typical Puerto Ricans from New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia represent a subset of Puerto Rican society, but not the majority.
This means that there is far more variety in PR than in the PR villages on the east coast.
There are many Puerto Ricans on the island who wear Abercrombie, hipster clothing, and listen to punk, rock, and pop music. Many Puerto Ricans speak both "proper" Spanish and "proper" English. Many Puerto Ricans are of pure European descent, with blue eyes and blond hair.
Furthermore, many white Puerto Ricans from the lower classes act and dress like gangsters, while many black PRs from the middle class act and dress "properly."
This diversity is far less common on the east coast, where the bulk of Puerto Ricans are the children and grandchildren of those who immigrated from the island's less prosperous strata in the middle of the century. Furthermore, these children grew up as minorities in inner-city America amid the Civil Rights Movement, riots, the New York City budget crisis, neighborhood disinvestment, the advent of hip-hop, and the crack cocaine epidemic.
This has resulted in a distinct subculture in the east coast PR community, one that shares certain parallels with the rest of the island's PRs, particularly the lower classes, but is entirely distinctive.
PR females on the island are generally more feminine and less bitchy than PR girls on the east coast. However, they are much more difficult to have sex with.
They are extremely similar to Colombian ladies in that they enjoy dressing up, looking nice, moving well, and acting attractive.
However, like Colombian girls, an upper or middle-class PR chick known as a slut is a girl who has committed social suicide.
The distinction is that Colombian girls frequently disregard their "morals" when dealing with "interesting" outsiders. High-class public relations girls are much less inclined to do so because they spend their entire lives surrounded by foreigners.
Another point to consider is that prostitution is not as prevalent or condoned in PR as it is in Colombia.
Chicks are also bulkier in PR than in Colombia, because to the prevalence of fast food and the vehicle culture, which causes individuals to appear averse to walking.
If I had to pick a subset of PR females who are most similar to those on the east coast, it would be those from the projects. The difference is that these girls frequently do not speak English, whereas many east coast public relations girls do not speak Spanish.
