El Yunque National Forest
The National Forest of El Yunque is a tropical rainforest, lush with vegetation and wildlife, where you can explore waterfalls, hiking trails and natural waterslides.
We didn’t have a car for our time on the island, so we booked a day trip to El Yunque through one of the many companies offering this as an Airbnb Experience, although many go there on their own and explore by themselves.
We had a great day with Spot, picked up and returned to the Condado area of San Juan, and with many adventures in between!
If you’d rather see the video of this day in El Yunque, click here!
I loved the nature and wildlife in El Yunque!
Hiking
The trail we hike was not easy, and my understanding is that it’s often wet and muddy, so my first advice would be to make sure to wear good shoes, shoes you don’t mind getting dirty (we put ours through the wash afterwards and they came out fine).
We started in a parking lot and pretty soon crossed a few streams, so your shoes will get wet right away. The point was to go to a natural pool and push on to some natural waterslides, before coming back the way we came.
It was beautiful and fun, but there were some steep sections, and definitely slippery sections. You’ll deal with roots, narrow passageways, and rocks. If you’re used to hiking, you’ll be fine, but if you’re not used to this kind of terrain, just be aware!
Our guide was patient, and no one was in a rush, so it went fine.
WATER SLIDES
We did two waterslides, which were a lot of fun! Make sure to keep your arms close to your bodies and your legs close together and there won’t be a problem! Many people did it before and after us. Some wear a life vest, some don’t, but if you’d feel more comfortable with one, make sure to ask your guide for one before you start hiking (they should offer). Some people in our group did not want to do this, and waited at the water hole, where they could swim and observe people jump off rocks into the water. Everybody was content!
So if you only have one day, don’t want to worry about driving there and parking, and are happy focusing on waterslides, I’d highly recommend a tour like the one we did!