I'm going to Puerto Rico by myself. Is this a bad idea?

Question

I'm a 26 year old female and want to go on vacation by myself. Will I be safe in Puerto Rico if I have street smarts? Anyone have any input?

Answer 1

In this day and age I wouldn`t advice any female to go anywhere alone, especially traveling overseas. If you are going to stay at your hotel I recomend a resort where you can do beach, pool, SPA`s, guided tours, casino, discoteque, bars, restaurants, boutiques, etc. I also recomend contacting the Tourism Office for their advice. They use to have a hospitality program in which a traveler could stay with a local family. I don`t remember the details too well, anyway just ask them about that as well. The safest places to go would be, in my opinion, Caribe Hilton and Condado Plaza if you`re going to be in San Juan. Here you`re also closer to Old San Juan which is quite pleasant and relaxed. I don`t recomend the bars or discos there if youare traveling by yourself at night. Also if you travel to Old San Juan, never go to a place called La Perla, not a good place at all even for most locals. Isla Verde would be next, a lot of hotels, beaches, casino. Outside metropolitan area there`s Westin Rio Mar, in Rio Grande; Copamarina in Guanica (southwest of metro area). El Conquistador in Fajardo (east coast); Hotel Melia in Ponce (south coast). Good luck and be safe.

Answer 2

27 yr. old female here.  I just arrived to the island to be with my family for the next 3 months.  I am staying on my own this time around and feel anything but unsafe.  I grew up in the island and have to agree with the commentator who suggested that Puerto Rico is as dangerous as any other metropolitan city in the US.  I have lived in various of the main metropolitan cities in the US and traveled both by myself and with friends through other countries.  The general rule, when traveling by yourself or with others, is to be mindful and careful, be prudent.  I think this rule applies to any place you visit.  I have female friends who have traveled on their own to less safe countries in Latin America (think Colombia right amidst not so safe internal strifes).  They have made it back safe and sound.    

Frankly, every single poster advising so harshly against Puerto Rico (with no seeming real evidence) ends up coming off rather bigoted and provincial.  Who goes to another country and only tries to hang out with tourists?  You might as well stay back in your little city/world.  Go to Puerto Rico.  Be careful where you stay, ask friends who have visited before for contacts in the island.  Use these contacts to establish cool relationships with natives who will show you the wonders this little island has to offer.  Keep away from areas that might seem, people will tell you are unsafe.  Use common sense.  These are general rules you should follow wherever you go, no?  Enjoy.

Answer 3

If you are puertorican and know your way around I dont see why not.  If its your first time visiting, you're probably taking a risk simply because you are by yourself.  And that applies to anywhere you go these days not just PR.

Answer 4

Honey please dont flatter yourself, we have women as well;p

Answer 5

Try the area of Ocean Park for hotels. Safe and in the middle of everything.

Answer 6

its safe at day time, but not night time.

in san juan and other cities u could go out and have fun all alone, specially in tourist places at day time. stay away from housing projects called: caserios, en la perla in san juan or el yunque(go in groups or atleast three people) never go alone.

otherwise u will be fine, but i wouldnt recommend u walking late at night in PR all by urself. and if u drive at night keep windows up and airconditioning on.

Answer 7

dont go there by yourself a puertorrican who left the country is tooo dangerous hon dont go watch it

Answer 8

i wouldn't advise it  but if you do   try to stay near other tourist and make it look like your with a group of people.  Avoid going out at nights if at all possible.

Answer 9

Puerto Rico is as safe and as dangerous as any other metropolitan city in USA. San Juan in particular being the hub

of turism there is a heavy concentration of police monitoring

to try and control the criminal activity that a city with heavy turisn encounters.  

The hotels in the motropolitan area have easy access to police and security for their guests.

In today's world no visitor to a location away from their own

home town can be guaranteed total safety from criminal acts.

However be aware that Puerto Rico is a commonwealth island and part of the USA. Federal USA laws apply to PR

like in any other USA state. (This is not Aruba or Mexico).

That is why you could go in and out of the island (if you are a US citizens) like when you travel thru any state in the USA.

If you have "street smarts" and I was your brother or Dad,

I won't be concern with you visiting PR.

Amoung all the spanish-speaking locations in the Americas

I will be less worry about a visit to PR than any other place.

Hope you enjoy your visit.

Answer 10

NO! It's a wonderful idea. No fighting with a friend about where to go when, no waiting for a friend to get ready, or no friend to rush you!

Traveling solo, in my opinion, is freedom to do whatever YOU want to do.

I took my son to PR a few years ago, because he had not visited yet. I planned sightseeing for 7 straight days. We saw all we had planned to see and more. Planning a trip before you go anywhere is paramount, you will spend all your time doing what you want to do once there.

If you have street smarts you'll carry the common sense you use at home and use it in P.R. or any other place for that matter.

Buy a map of PR NOW and study the places where you want to go, become familiar with those areas; make sure you buy one which includes cities' street maps.  Also buy a Sp/Eng phrase book NOW and practice phrases relevant to you.

Basics: keep your expensive flashy jewerly at home, use a f***y pack instead of a purse, carry one or two credit cards max, do not leave anything of value in your car, keep a map with you at all times, carry a Sp/Eng phrase book. Always let the front desk clerk know where you are going, call a friend in the U.S. daily to let them know you are having fun.  Do NOT wonder into areas unfamiliar to you at night. In the U.S. you wouldn't ask a drunk in the middle of the night for directions, don't do it in PR either.

Many tourists in PR are Germans, Asians, and Americans. Most of the solo tourists I have encountered are Germans and Americans, Asians seem to travel in groups and stay close to the capital. A few years ago I met a German girl in her mid 20s' at El Yunque Rainforest. She was traveling by herself, had rented a jeep and went all around the island taking pictures of tropical plants and all the town plazas. She gave me a big smile and said she was going to hide in the rain forest and never return to Germany. I told her she could survive on coconuts and mangoes!

Answer 11

Sadly I have to agree with Justin... stay at your hotel at night. Hopefully there's a casino so you'll have something to do besides watch tv in your room. Make friends with other tourists from the mainland if possible so you can have dinner companions.

During the day, stay in areas that have lots of people around. I was by myself in Old San Juan when I last went (2yrs ago Nov)... I was fine. I did venture to a few streets a bit off the beaten path but only because Iived there when I was in high school so I'm sort-of a native. I do not go out at night at all...  unless I'm with people I know well.

It's not as bad as you think but you have to be very prudent... and a bad ***.

If you like history, you'll love Old San Juan! I took about 250 pictures in one day there.. just the momuments, architecture, art, etc.

Another place to consider if traveling alone in case San Juan scares you... Club Med Cancun. I went alone when I was 27. I never left the village, met tons of people I kept in touch with(from Chicago, France, Ohio, NJ)... just relaxed on the beach for 5 days sipping malibu and oj. Since it's all inclusive, no need to worry about bringing money or tipping. Transportation is included, it was great. Their beach isnt private, but there's very little foot traffic.

Bon voyage!

Answer 12

In our times thing are bad every where, need to stick to all tourist area, large Hotel and casinos. During the day, beach and shopping areas where there are lots of people. Do this and you should be fine. But if you were my daughter you would travel with one of your girlfriend.