How is San Juan today

[pdc2013]

I love to go to PR and was looking to go back soon maybe take a 3 day cruise if i can find one. All my friends have since left and cannot really get a straight answer.

 

Anyone been there lately. Things back to normal or are there always issues and things missing.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Tapi]

I’m from Puerto Rico. It’s hard to tell that a category 5 hurricane hit the island a few months ago, at least in San Juan and other urban and tourist areas. Mother Nature has been hard at work and the island has regained its deep green lush, although there are certain areas, like the rainforest, that remain closed during the ongoing cleaning effort.

 

Many new businesses have sprouted and old ones have reopened better than before. In many places, things look better than they did before the hurricane. Life, for most people, is back to normal.

 

With all of that said, there are still some people, specially in the more remote rural areas, that haven’t recovered and are still living without water and electricity. Some beaches, specially on the west side of the island, are eroded and will probably never be the same. But unless you explore the island beyond places most frequented by tourists, chances are that you won’t see that.

 

You will still notice some damage from the hurricane in San Juan, but you have to be looking for it. Like torn billboard signs, torn awnings in condo buildings still flopping in the wind, some businesses that are still closed, and some fallen trees with new vegetation covering them. Also, many hotel chains (like Hilton and Ritz Carlton) have taken the opportunity to close their properties long term in order to give them a complete overhaul. Some aren’t expected to reopen until 2019. This has caused a shortage of hotel rooms so you may be surprised at some of the rates currently charged by the hotels that are operating.

 

I wouldn’t hesitate to take a vacation in Puerto Rico. If you loved it before, you’ll love it again!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited June 13, 2018 by Tapi

[njhorseman]

Puerto Rico may never be "back to normal", but there's nothing that would prevent a visitor from having a great vacation .

 

We spent a week there a couple of months ago and encountered no issues that should deter anyone from visiting. Were there a few hotels and other businesses still closed? Sure...but almost everything was open. Were there traffic lights out? Sure...but it's not as if that caused cars to be crashing into each other willy-nilly.

 

Go to Puerto Rico. Enjoy yourself. Support the workers and business people by spending your money .

[Loonbeam]

It's worth noting that there is a lot of the rainforest not yet accessible. This is certainly not a reason not to go, but should be taken into planning. The greenery is recovering, road damage will take a lot longer.

 

 

 

It's also worth noting that a lot of the repairs made are not as robust as they really should be, leaving them vulnerable to storms. Again, not a reason not to go but definitely include trip insurance in case of unforseen circumstances.

 

 

From what I could see, the Old San Juan area was close to 100 percent

[pdc2013]

Thanks all, i figured that they should be almost back to normal. I was just hearing things like things just going as planned more than normal. Going the first week of July and will let you all know what i saw:)