Safety is probably the major concern of tourists when traveling outside of the United States. A popular vacation spot for Americans is Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s vast array of beaches and resorts make it an attractive and somewhat affordable getaway spot for many Americans, particularly those residing on the east coast. One of the most important features to look up before traveling is how safe the destination is and what precautions you should take. Even though you are going on vacation and you want to relax and let your guard down, you still have to be conscious of the dangers of going on vacations. Puerto Rico’s reputation is that it is pretty safe around the resorts, especially San Juan, where most tourists go. Puerto Rico is an American territory located in the Caribbean. If you are from the states, then traveling to Puerto Rico does not require a passport to enter the country.
• English is spoken in the tourist areas so you can relate with many of the people there. People that speak your language is always comforting. Puerto Rico’s problems are like that of any other country. Every place has crime and corruption, and the same holds true for Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a popular pit stop for drug traffickers moving their shipments between South America to the United States. This should not deter you from enjoying Puerto Rico’s beautiful islands however, as this problem is not prevalent in San Juan.
• Puerto Rico’s most common tourist crimes that take place are thefts and muggings. As long as you use some common sense, you can avoid this happening to you.
• Puerto Rico’s island of San Juan is a fairly safe place, although it is recommended not to carry too much cash on you, just as a precautionary measure. There are ATM’s widely available and most stores accept credit cards. Try not to bring any valuable jewelry with you on the trip. Puerto Rico does have thief’s and muggers, and you don’t want to stand out by flaunting any of your gold earrings or necklaces. Puerto Rico’s Old San Juan is outside of the tourist area and has a few places that you should avoid. Towns like La Perla and Puertode Tierra are not tourist friendly and have a higher crime rate.
• Puerto Rico’s beaches can present and opportunity to get into trouble. You will want to stay out of the secluded areas of the beaches, especially at night. The beaches of Puerto Rico during the day are beautiful and completely safe and should be enjoyed.
Puerto Rico’s nightlife is something that should be enjoyed by tourists. Most of the bars and clubs along the tourist strip are safe and have very few problems with crime. Puerto Rico does have unlit areas such as alleyways that you will want to avoid. While staying in Puerto Rico you will want to travel as a group and try not to stray away by yourselves. This applies to single female travelers the most. Puerto Rico’s transportation is safe and travelers do not need to worry about it. Taxis are prevalent in the tourist areas, as well as buses, ferries, and a train.
