A complete yacht charter guide that has everything you need to know about your next sailing holidays in Puerto Rico.
If you are familiar with Puerto Rico sailing vacations and want to look at boat options for your next yacht charter, then skip to: Request a Tailor-made Quote
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Puerto Rico perfectly combines solid jungles with unspoiled beaches and will give you the sense of discovering new lands.
With 480 kilometers of coastline and nearly 300 beaches, sailing Puerto Rico is an ocean lover’s dream.
You can spend your sailing holiday becoming one with nature by hiking in El Yunque Forest, swimming through the Bioluminescent Bay of Vieques, or exploring caves at Parque de las Cavernas del Rio Camuy.
Then the next day, explore the charming and colorful city of San Juan, where you can ride the hop-on, hop-off trolley through Old town and see the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, where you will find the Caribbean’s best and most extensive art collection.
Temperatures in Puerto Rico are classed as tropical and sit between 70-80ºF year-round.
It is cooler inland, particularly in the forests and easterly trade winds provide huge relief when temperatures are high.
The dry season is between January and April and the rainy season is between April and November, with more rain falling in northern Puerto Rico.
The hurricane season is from August to October.
The best sailing conditions for a boat rental Puerto Rico would be between November and January, when you will benefit from north-east trade winds between 15-20 knots, even reaching 30 knots during the X-mas winds.
Winds then move easterly from February and to the south-east by summer. The swell is between three and four feet.
The best way to start your boat rental Puerto Rico is to fly in to the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport / San Juan Airport (SJU). You will land in San Juan airport and set sail starting from Fajardo.
Luckily, getting to San Juan is easy enough - as SJU is a very large regional hub in the Caribbean.
Despite being small, Puerto Rico has many major airlines, like United, American, Delta, JetBlue, Virgin, Southwest, and even Spirit, with cheap, daily flights to the island. The most frequent departures from the US are from Miami and New York.
For any UK and European travelers trying to kick off their bareboat charter Puerto Rico, the trip might be a little longer as there are no direct flights.
However, it will be well worth it! The best way to get to PR is to fly somewhere in North America (you can find direct flights from NYC, Miami, and Toronto) and then down to Puerto Rico. Also - worth looking into - British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are now operating seasonal direct flights to San Juan via Antigua.
Transfer time from the airport to base: 40 mins by car.
For entry requirements on your yacht charter Puerto Rico, you will not need a passport if you are a US citizen - since Puerto Rico is a US territory, traveling there is just like any other state. All other nationalities need a visa to enter Puerto Rico.
As a tourist, the standard 90-day non-immigrant visa is likely what you will need. Be sure to check with your charter broker for more detailed visa requirements.
As mentioned, PR is a US territory so they use USD for their currency.
For moorings during your yacht charter Puerto Rico - you will find anchorages and marinas to be plentiful.
There are many scenic natural anchorages that protect from the swell, but these might get quite busy on the weekend with day-boaters.
You will find that marinas are reasonably priced while sailing Puerto Rico (around $50/night,) and you can find both small and large marinas all over the island.
Lastly, for provisioning, be sure to check out Ralph’s Food Warehouse for an abundant grocery selection and some good deals.
Alternatively, if you’d like - Yacht4Less can arrange your provisioning for you! Then you can arrive at the marina with a fully stocked boat.
Enquire with your charter broker for more details and pricing.
⚓ Day 1. Puerto Del Rey Marina (check-in)
⚓ Day 2. Puerto Del Rey Marina - Culebra (Ensenada)
⚓ Day 3. Ensenada - Culebrita - Las Pelas
⚓ Day 4. Las Pelas - Cayo Luis Pena - back to Las Pelas
⚓ Day 5. Las Pelas - Dakiti
⚓ Day 6. Dakiti - Palomino / Icacos Islands
⚓ Day 7. Palomino and sail back to Puerto Del Rey Marina
It depends. For example, the most important ones are the type of boat you will choose and whether you require a professional crew on board (e.g. skipper, hostess or cook). So, as you can see, there are many factors that can shape a price for a boat rental.
Check our full guide about yacht charter cost and how you can save much money in your next sailing holidays.
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