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PUERTO RICO: THE ISLAND OF ENCHANTMENT

What began as just another stop on the WWT tour quickly turned into a full-blown love affair for Maria Andres. Drawn in by the island’s vibrant energy and heartfelt hospitality, Maria discovered that Puerto Rico offers a paradise for water sports enthusiasts of all levels. From world-class windsurfing to thrilling wing foiling, the island is packed with epic spots and Maria has explored them all, compiling a detailed guide for fellow adventurers. If you’re dreaming of turquoise waters, warm welcomes and endless adventure, Puerto Rico is more than worth considering…it might just capture your heart too.

Photos by: Mattéo Nativelle, Jorge Figueroa, Denise Blondet, Jerry Valenti, Bernd Roediger, Ardiel Jimenez, Irene Kravitz, Nelson Perez, Discover Puerto Rico

Text: Maria Andres.

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MA: “I had always wanted to visit Puerto Rico. But my 90 days via ESTA were always reserved for Maui, so the island remained on my waiting list. Then, almost overnight, I discovered that the World Tour of windsurf (which I compete in) had added a stop… in Puerto Rico! I had never been to the Caribbean either!

This World Tour stop was the perfect excuse. I flew in full of curiosity, excitement, and all my toys…wind, wing, surfboard…utterly convinced I was landing in paradise. From the first stories they told me, transparent waves, temperate wind and the most active local water sports scene. I understood that this island was a nature playground. A glance from the plane window as we approached San Juan confirmed it: the turquoise blues of the lagoons and reefs contrasted with the white beaches and I could already picture myself flying at full speed over reefs, discovering new waves and beaches! Finally, I was going to visit Shacks, home to World class windsurf events when our spot was at its biggest!

THE RIGHT PLACE, THE BEST EXPERIENCE

Thanks to my friend Charlie (a local waterman from Shacks), I ended up staying at Michael Gutiérrez’s house in Isabela. I didn’t know him or anything about him, but one hug was enough to feel like family. Michael is living history: a pioneer of skate in Puerto Rico and California in the ’70s, a pioneer of Puerto Rican surf, and one of the first to windsurf on the island. His kitchen became the gathering spot for international riders, all of us circling around him, listening to and sharing stories amid retro boards, rusty trophies, and black-and-white photos of a stylish barefoot Mike carving in a pool. Walking with him along the beach “Look, we opened that wave in ’78” …instantly welcomed us with the warmest smiles from locals. Sharing those moments defined my trip: a community that adopts you before you even hit the water, riders offering advice and cold coconut waters as if you were part of the gang.

On top of the local family, I was lucky to share moments with my sea family who were also traveling for the competition. Denise Blondet (Peru)…a whirlwind of energy that lifts everyone up; Taka (Japan), Russ and Bernd (Hawaii); and local Charlie…partners in every adventure, making each session even more special! With them, the days were filled with hidden waterfalls, endless rides, street dinners, foraging fruit from our neighbor and pro surfer Ahmed Pérez, and of course mastering the karaoke at Hobo’s! Every activity turned into a fit of laughter!

ONE ISLAND, INFINITE SPOTS

Puerto Rico is much larger than one imagines on the map: nearly 9,000 km² of land and about 1,125 km of coastline packed with reefs, bays, points and channels. Its rectangular shape (178 km × 65 km) means there’s almost always a working spot whenever the wind blows: alizés to the east, swells to the west and endless combinations in between.

The dominant wind is the NE–E trade wind, especially reliable from December to September with averages of 15–25 knots. The season runs from November to August, with a peak of consistency from December to April. In autumn the breeze plays coy, but even then you can find 10–15 knot sessions. The wave season is from November to March, with regular Atlantic swell. Some beaches also pick up hurricane swells in summer (more sporadic and powerful).

The water holds a pleasant 26–29 °C year-round; I sailed in bikini or a lycra most of the time—pure pleasure! Those consistent temperatures, combined with reefs protecting whole bays, create a natural theme park for wing foil: from world‑class waves to mirror-flat water, and everything in between.

There are iconic spots for the predominant swell and wind directions, but I believe there’s so much more to sail! Locals maintain such a strong favourite spots list that they don’t feel the urgent need to explore. For an adventurous visitor, that means a nearly pristine map where every slight wind shift unveils a fresh frontier ready to be explored! That fascinates me!

The conditions during my stay weren’t “typical”, weather reports sometimes brought showers or capricious directions…but whenever the wind wavered, a mere half-hour drive would reveal a mirror-flat lagoon or a reef bursting to life. That improvised hunt turned the island into a continuous adventure playground.

SPOTS:

THE NORTHWEST

I spent my early weeks around Isabela, with its world‑class waves, pristine beaches, and cheerful chiringuitos. It’s a quiet, residential area with a surfer’s vibe in every corner. Within five minutes lie Surfer’s Beach, Wilderness, Montones, Hobos, Rincón, la Pared and Shacks, names that ignite any water person imagination. Terraces and food trucks invite you to gather after sessions. It is, without question, an ideal base.

Montones gave us one of those magical wind foil sessions with light wind and long, slow waves. We were out with 5 and 6 m² wings and big foils, on a small beach pulsing with Caribbean vibes and laughter in the air. That day, Bernd “se curó”, as the Puerto Ricans say, and I’m dying to surf like him someday!

Wilderness and Surfer’s Beach were my favourite spots for pure regular surf sessions—long beaches with multiple peaks, where I could spend hours in the water. The wind direction is slightly different in these breaks, so you can choose according to it and have an epic session in a long peeling perfect wall wave with sections to do aerials! I found these spots to be just perfection! Unfortunately, I only got to surf them, but I could see the potential when the wind blows! Wilderness is a longer beach where the wave orientations varies a bit from one area to other so you have chances to choose how she on or off you want the ride to be! Pretty epic!

La Pared is downwind from Shacks, reached by a dirt road that winds through lush nature. It offers a more forgiving wave than its neighbor but still breaks hollow and beautifully! I found it a super fun spot!! Where we could enjoy light wind days where Shocks, just a bit upwind, was not windy enough. It has peeling parts and sections too, super fun for both open face carves an aerial game too! In this spot, the days with west winds I manage to convince the locals to go and sail! Haha, it was a first and it was so fun!

Shacks is a monster! Pure power and hollowness in a very mega shallow reef! It is more demanding, with a powerful main wave and a couple “mellower” sections around. You need some level to ride here, but if you’ve got it, you’ll be blown away! It is pure perfection! We got it big to compete, with a more westerly wave direction that made it a bit too much closing out and the wind was a bit too inshore, so the challenge was big! Still during the event, some riders like Bernd Roediger and Takara made it look incredible!

Aguadilla Bay, right in front of the city, delivered on those days when nowhere else had wind. It’s smooth and flat, no reefs or waves, just easy gliding on the wing. If you’re learning or just want a mellow ride with your windsurfing gear, wing foil or kite, this place is super safe and ideal for beginners.

THE NORTH

We ventured to Sarapa to compete there, in Vega Baja, in the north-central zone. This spot is my ideal Caribbean postcard: untouched nature, white sand, turquoise waters, palm trees, and several reefs and islets forming turquoise pools. The reefs are separated from the shore by a flat lagoon where you can build speed to jump in the waves! It truly is a natural amusement park! Just watch the tides for the shallow areas. Great for intermediate and advanced levels and to spend the day on an incredible beach! We had some heats in this spot, and when the wind was on, it was truly a game area!! What a fun location!! No danger, with multiple reefs and a perfect wind/wave orientation for riding and jumping! This was no doubt my favourite spot to have fun!! It was easy to park, with plenty of trees to set up camp and spend an awesome day! Here is where we did the World Tour finals, when I won the event in that final heat, so it is also a special place for me for sure!

THE NORTHEAST – SAN JUAN

My final week was in San Juan, the capital, where I could savour with my new local friends the perfect mix of city and world‑class reef breaks alongside infinite lagoons! Punta Las Marías is a marvel: enormous lagoon areas where you can ride at will, enjoying Caribbean hues with a beautiful city backdrop and palms in the foreground. If you want waves, the reef lies further out…multiple lines with slightly different orientations so you can pick your preferred difficulty. It’s a spot for everyone, each navigating their own challenge level, with any water sport toy! I loved how the riders gathered at the beach and commented and shared their sessions!

One of my best windsurf sessions on the island was at Caballos, guided by Nelson and Irene, the souls of Punta Las Marías. Caballos is a world‑class wave just off the coast, about 2 km from shore. A powerful wave adored by local surfers, and when it peaks, it’s a gift! I was lucky to windsurf it on a small day seeing its immense potential! It is fast, hollow, bending and accelerating as it goes! Pure adrenaline! Definitely one of my highlight experiences in this trip. In Caballos, you can hear the hum of the wave before you even see it…a low, steady sound that gets under your skin and pulls you in. It’s not just the power of the ocean; it’s the rhythm of the place itself. Riding on a break out far in the ocean, with beautiful San Juan right in front… Magical.

THE SOUTH

I didn’t have the conditions to explore it, but it’s packed with lagoons and reefs! With absolutely flat, turquoise waters perfect for shredding fast, without a doubt, still on my bucket list! La Parguera was one of the spots the locals told me about thousand times, a paradise for free ride, freestyle, slalom, wing foil and kiting!

BEYOND THE WAVES: CULTURE, FLAVOR AND JUNGLE

When the forecast said “flat,” the B-plan was just as epic as plan A: wandering around Old San Juan among pastel balconies, perfectly maintained architecture, spotless tropical streets, terraces and timbales at sunset. Old San Juan stole my heart, unbelievably friendly people. Making friends was effortless, natural fun. They gave tips on local tours, invited you to events and shared food! My experience with the people was absolutely unbeatable. What a marvel, Puerto Ricans; the way they welcome and embrace visitors!

If you’re drawn to mountains or forests, getting lost in the waterfalls of El Yunque, wandering beneath fern canopies, or exploring rivers deep in the island’s lush interior is just perfect. Puerto Rico offers all of that and more. At night, you can paddle in complete silence through some of the most breath taking bioluminescent bays on Earth—an experience straight out of a dream.

The nearby islands of Culebra and Vieques are just a short and incredibly affordable ferry ride away. There, sea turtles roam the beaches, and secret spots wait to be discovered. On land, the flavours, the music, and that beautiful local accent wrap you in a warm, vibrant atmosphere that makes you feel instantly at home.

PUERTO RICO ENTERS MY TOP 5!

Puerto Rico slid effortlessly into my list of favourite destinations. It’s impossible not to fall for the mix of diverse spots…from world‑class reef waves to crystal lagoons, the genuine hospitality of a community that embraces you without asking, the simple logistics of pristine roads and direct flights from Europe, the barefoot year-round climate and above all, knowing that hidden corners always remain to be explored. The Island of Enchantment is now unquestionably a Top 5 destination for me.

CAN’T WAIT TO “VOLVEL” – COME BACK – !

Puerto Rico reminded me why I travel: to surprise myself, celebrate the unplanned, and discover that the world is still bigger than I expected. Today, as I write this, I can still feel the foil’s hum beneath my feet, the hum of the wave of Caballos, the thrill of racing across Sarapa’s turquoise water, the laughter after gliding perfect clean waves at Wilderness’s with just Denise and Russ in the peak! and the echo of everyone’s stories in Michael’s living room… Because it’s already in my Top 5, for the waves, for the wind, for the incredible new friends, for those direct flights… I know I will return… and because now, this island pulses on my map like a new home.”

Practical Information

• Status:S. unincorporated territory. Check out VISA needs.
• Currency: US Dollar (USD).
• Languages: Spanish (main), English.
• How to Get There: Direct flights from many US, South and Central America and European cities. Example: Madrid → San Juan (8h 40m). Approximate round-trip price: €400–600 with American Airlines / Iberia.
• Wind Season: December to April, winds from East to Northeast, 15–25 knots.
• Wave Season: November to March.
• Gear Size Needed: Winds usually between 10–25 knots, bring 3m to 6m wings and 3,7 to 5.0m windsurf sail (for me) depending on conditions. Check wind forecast before your trip.
• Water Temperature: 26–29°C year-round.
• Wetsuit: Swimwear + rash guard normally enough; thin shorty wetsuit recommended for early mornings.
• Getting Around: Car rental $25–35 USD/day. Ferries to Vieques and Culebra from Ceiba.
• Gear Rental: Nelson & Irene at Punta Las Marías; wings, foils, SUP, surfboards available for all levels (Instagram: @noidea7665 ).
• Costs to Know: Empanadilla + coconut water $3–5 USD; gasoline ~$1 USD/liter; surfer room in Aguadilla $40–70 USD/night; Asai $12 USD; typical Puerto Rican meal $9–15 USD, Tacos $9–15…
• Don’t forget: Impact vest, leash, booties, helmet, reef-safe sunscreen, pump…