Wide angle photograph of a Puerto Rican beach with palm trees
A Local’s Guide to Off-the-Beaten-Path Puerto Rico

Sponsored by Discover Puerto Rico

“Conversations around a dinner table in the mountains with interesting people, listening to live native music, and drinking coffee in the rain was just a taste of my every day,” says writer and photographer Herson Guerrero of his April 2023 experience traveling in Puerto Rico with AFAR editors as part of the inaugural United Voices by AFAR program. Guerrero was one of four local content creators selected by AFAR editors to journey through the towns of Ponce, Cayey, Adjuntas, and beyond to tell stories about the lesser-known side of the Island, in partnership with Discover Puerto Rico.

From secret beaches to Indigenous history, check out the below articles and videos for inspiring stories about this enchanting Caribbean destination from those who know it best.

Seeing my fellow travelers’ reactions when learning something new about my culture reassured me that Puerto Rico is a little piece of paradise.
Herson Guerrero, United Voices by AFAR Writer and Photographer
VIDEOS
Puerto Rico’s Pork Highway
Puerto Rican Artist Antonio Martorell
The Coffee of Sandra Farms
Puerto Rico’s Mushroom Culture
The Architecture of Ponce, Puerto Rico
ITINERARIES
Journeys: Caribbean + Atlantic
Taste your way around the Caribbean Island—from chocolate and coffee to ice cream and roasted pork—on this self-guided road trip.
Journeys: Caribbean + Atlantic
Journeys: Caribbean + Atlantic
Journeys: Caribbean + Atlantic
Journeys: Caribbean + Atlantic
I’m drawn to the natural wonders of the Island. Taking a glass-bottom kayak on the bioluminescent bay in Vieques during the new moon is pure enchantment.
Jen Ruiz, United Voices by AFAR Writer
PUERTO RICO INSPIRATION
Orocovis is one of the few places where you feel the presence of La Cordillera, [the vast mountain range that runs east to west].
Jesse Echevarria, United Voices by AFAR Photographer
PRESENTED BY
  • Discover Puerto Rico