El Yunque & Bio Bay: Rainforest Hike, Kayak Tour, Pickup

4.87

(1197 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the sticky sweetness of mango juice on my fingers — we’d stopped at this little roadside stand outside San Juan, and our guide José just grinned while handing out slices. The drive to El Yunque felt like it went by fast, maybe because everyone was swapping stories about past hikes or maybe because the windows were down and you could smell rain on the air. The forest itself hit me all at once: thick green everywhere, frogs chirping (José said they’re called coquí), and mud that clung to my shoes so much I almost lost one crossing a stream. I didn’t expect to laugh so much while slipping around rocks.

We climbed up through roots and over slick stones — not easy if you’re not used to it, but honestly kind of fun. At one point, José pointed out a tiny orchid growing from a tree trunk; he said locals believe they bring luck if you spot them before noon. There were moments when the only sound was water rushing somewhere below us. When we reached the waterfall, everyone just dropped their bags and jumped in. The cold hit like a shock but then felt good after sweating through my shirt. Someone tried the rope swing (not me — maybe next time) and there was this moment where we all just floated in the pool, not really talking.

Dinner was at a local spot — fried plantains, rice, chicken that tasted smoky somehow. We had an hour or so before heading out for the Bio Bay kayak tour in Fajardo. I was tired but weirdly excited; paddling under mangroves in near-darkness isn’t something I do every day. Our guides gave us a quick lesson (“don’t panic if you get stuck on roots” — easier said than done). Then suddenly we were gliding through black water, stars above and these flashes of blue-white light under our paddles every time we moved. It’s hard to describe — like someone shook up glitter in the water. My arms were sore but I didn’t care.