Puerto Rico

1. In Puerto Rico, four centuries of Spanish Caribbean culture comes face to face with the American convenience store. This leads to a strange juxtaposition - parking lots and plazas, freeways and fountains, skyscrapers and shanties. You'll find plenty to see!

2. Citizens of all other countries require a US visa. US citizens do not require visas or passports.

3. Health risks like hepatitis is present. Watch out for sunburn.

4. Some basic information -

Time: Eastern Time (GMT/UTC minus four hours)

Electricity: 110V, 60Hz.

Weights & measures: Mostly metric but some Imperial.

Telephone: From North America, dial 1 + 787 + the seven-digit local number. From elsewhere, dial your country's international direct dialing prefix + 1 + 787 + the seven-digit local number.

5. The peak tourist season is between December and April, but this has more to do with the climate in North America than anything else. During these months the island is swamped by visitors, prices are highest and accommodations can be hard to find.

6. Visit San Juan (Capital of Puerto Rico)-you'll never feel like getting out of the casinos, let alone the city limits.

7. The best time to avoid the crowds is during the official hurricane season (May through November). Although hurricanes are rare, they can ruin your holiday. Keep an eye on weather reports if you're in Puerto Rico at this time.

8. If you intend to travel inland, bring a sweater for the evenings regardless of when you visit - it's much cooler.

9. Every Puerto Rican town celebrates its saint's day, often with a mixture of pagan and Catholic iconography and Indian, African and Spanish traditions. There are solemn religious aspects and plenty of feasting, music, dancing and colorful costumed processions. Get to see this.

10. The currency is US dollar (US$). Puerto Rico is one of the Caribbean's cheaper destinations, but there's no limit to what you can spend if you're in a party mood or on a gambling binge. It's possible to travel very comfortably, on around US$250 a day, staying in ritzier hotels and eating three meals a day in decent restaurants. A moderate guesthouse-and-diner budget would slip somewhere between US$150 and US$200, while budget travelers can get by on less than US$100 a day by bunking up in no-frills hotels, eating at local food stands and taking public transport in preference to hiring a car.

11. Accommodations are cheaper in May (through November).

12. All major credit cards and traveler's cheques are widely accepted and there are plenty of ATMs. Once you leave the cities and touristed areas, it's best to carry cash. The US dollar is sometimes referred to as the peso.

13. Tipping follows North American rules. Restaurants usually include the service charge in the bill, but if they don't, a 15% tip is expected. Some hotels add a 10% service charge, otherwise an equivalent tip is expected. There's a government tax of 7-10% on hotel rooms and some hotels charge an energy surcharge of around 3%. Bargaining isn't common except in artisan markets where you can probably get a discount.

14. Renting a car is the best way to see the island. International car rental agencies are well represented on the island, and there are plenty of local operators. Your home-driving license is valid. Note that local driving habits are erratic (to be kind) though relatively aggression-free (to be fair). Also watch out for the speed limit signs, which are in miles per hour, even though distances are in kilometers. Drive on the right-hand side of the road.

15. If driving doesn't appeal, you can stock up on patience and take public transport. Mini-vans known as públicos link all decent-sized towns on the island. They have no set schedule and usually operate on short hops, so be prepared for several changes if you're traveling a long distance and it's not between two major cities. Públicos are cheap, sociable and recognizable by the 'P' or 'PD' on their license plate. You can flag one down anywhere. Metered taxis are plentiful in San Juan and other major tourist centers.

16. San Juan's Luis Muñnz Marín International Airport is on the eastern fringe of the city. There are car rental agencies at the airport and plenty of taxis and buses for the short jaunt into San Juan. There's a baggage check in Terminal C, which is handy if you're island hopping and want to travel light.

17. Cheap government-operated ferries do the run from Fajardo to the islands of Culebra and Vieques. At least four ferries a day ply either route and the journey to either island is around one hour. It is possible to take a car, including rental cars, on the ferry to Culebra but it's necessary to book well in advance.

18. Puerto Rico is the most accessible island in the Caribbean. San Juan is a major hub for American Airlines, so there's easy access to its US domestic network. There are excellent air connections to a heap of Caribbean islands.

19. The best beaches in San Juan are at Isla Verde and Condado, both backed by a fortress wall of high rises. If you want to get out of the city (though not away from the crowds) try picturesque Luquillo, 30km (19mi) east of the capital. The beaches on the southern coast are more sheltered and have calmer water for swimming than those on the northern Atlantic coast. The west has a whole series of great beaches; the pick of the bunch is popular Boquerón. If you have the time, go in for activities like diving, snorkeling, surfing, yatching, deep sea fighting, hiking, cock fighting, bird-watching and whale watching!

Puerto Rican culture is a mixture of Spanish, African and Taíno traditions overlaid with a century-thick layer of American influence. At times, parts of San Juan can seem like any US city with a large Latino population, but dig a little deeper or get into the countryside and you'll find a complex Creole culture.