El Yunque
Trip Start
Nov 30, 2011
1
54
55
Trip End
Feb 05, 2012
Lots of people had told us to visit the rainforest at El Yunque, a 45 minute drive to the east of San Juan so we planned a visit there on Wednesday.
Braving the Puerto Rican drivers once more, we jumped in the car and managed to find all of the right roads to get us eastward bound. It was a weird day, with bright sunshine one moment and pouring rain the next. I guess it reminded me that Puerto Rico is actually a tropical island.
Sometimes the signage in Puerto Rico is less than optimal. There is a large brown sign on the highway that tells you where the turnoff is for El Yunque (although even that is a bit ambiguous because it could refer to one of three streets) but after you turn off you kind of have to follow your nose. There is a tiny sign nailed to a lamp post that points the way but it is easy to miss.
When you find the right road, you are driving though the rainforest and it is fantastic. The canopy is above you and the road is like a tunnel of green. We found the visitors centre and sat and watched a short introductory film and then asked at the counter for advice on which of the many hiking trails were recommended. We ended up opting for the Mina Falls trail.
We drove further into the rainforest, climbing all the time, to find the trailhead. We stopped along the way to see a waterfall and to climb an observation tower. The trail itself was a bit of a surprise to us as it was paved all the way. A bit different to bushwalks in Australia and made me wonder what people think when they go for a hike in Aus.
We walked though lush vegetation. It had just been raining so all the birds were singing and we could hear frogs chirping. It smelt great too. The object of the walk is a delightful waterfall where there is a natural pool at the base. When we arrived Georgie was keen to have a splash even though it wasn't the warmest day. We sat and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of the rainforest while Georgie paddled about and then walked back to the car.
It's well worth the effort to visit El Yunque.
Braving the Puerto Rican drivers once more, we jumped in the car and managed to find all of the right roads to get us eastward bound. It was a weird day, with bright sunshine one moment and pouring rain the next. I guess it reminded me that Puerto Rico is actually a tropical island.
Sometimes the signage in Puerto Rico is less than optimal. There is a large brown sign on the highway that tells you where the turnoff is for El Yunque (although even that is a bit ambiguous because it could refer to one of three streets) but after you turn off you kind of have to follow your nose. There is a tiny sign nailed to a lamp post that points the way but it is easy to miss.
When you find the right road, you are driving though the rainforest and it is fantastic. The canopy is above you and the road is like a tunnel of green. We found the visitors centre and sat and watched a short introductory film and then asked at the counter for advice on which of the many hiking trails were recommended. We ended up opting for the Mina Falls trail.
We drove further into the rainforest, climbing all the time, to find the trailhead. We stopped along the way to see a waterfall and to climb an observation tower. The trail itself was a bit of a surprise to us as it was paved all the way. A bit different to bushwalks in Australia and made me wonder what people think when they go for a hike in Aus.
We walked though lush vegetation. It had just been raining so all the birds were singing and we could hear frogs chirping. It smelt great too. The object of the walk is a delightful waterfall where there is a natural pool at the base. When we arrived Georgie was keen to have a splash even though it wasn't the warmest day. We sat and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of the rainforest while Georgie paddled about and then walked back to the car.
It's well worth the effort to visit El Yunque.
