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Mountain bike parks, vineyard stays, chef-driven dining, and hands-on agritourism experiences are among the many ways to enjoy Puerto Rico beyond sun and sand.

And she can’t help but listen. The poet who read at President Obama’s inauguration is now heading up an arts foundation, and she’s traveling to connect with the creators they support.

For a trip that’s as good for your body as it is for your mind and soul, check out these recommendations from Dr. Veroshk Williams, one of the foremost wellness experts on this Caribbean Island.

The Punta Ventana natural arch was a popular tourist draw in the southwest town of Guayanilla.

Channeling energy usually reserved for elaborate Carnival costumes and headdresses, samba students have begun sewing essential items for healthcare workers.

The resort where the piña colada was invented reopens, helping to celebrate the Caribbean island’s renaissance.

The 2020 pandemic already forced Rio de Janeiro to scrap traditional plans for its second-biggest party, New Year’s Eve, which draws millions of people to Copacabana beach for fireworks.

Puerto Rico Bounces Back

During a visit to Puerto Rico, AFAR cofounder Greg Sullivan witnesses the generosity and the resilience of the island’s people.

The popular Mexican beach destination is also celebrating its centennial in 2018.

Overview

Overview

Thousands of years ago, the entire Yucatán Peninsula was under water, as evidenced by its massive network of rivers that flow beneath the region’s limestone surface. No place better presents the area’s captivating caverns and underground water systems than majestic Río Secreto, a nature park just south of Playa del Carmen that offers adventurous travelers wide-ranging cave tours. Extending for miles, its river system wasn’t discovered until 2006, when a local man accidentally stumbled across an entrance while chasing an iguana through the jungle. When you go, guides lead you through a maze of stalactites and stalagmites that ends with a swim in subterranean waterways that vary based on the path you choose.

The first thing guests notice as they approach the 600-acre Rio Perdido ecolodge is a large wood-and-steel rotunda that, from a distance, resembles a flying saucer, an award-winning design that houses the resort’s open-air restaurant, bar, and spa. The bungalows are just as stylish: 30 prefabricated cubes are suspended on seven pylons (no trees were cleared during the building process) and feature an airy, modern aesthetic, with twin rolling beds, brass fixtures, and terraces with hammocks sited for gentle breezes. Larger suites are moodier and more romantic, with walls of singed wood and volcanic-stone floor tiles. Soak in the property’s natural springs, which are heated by the activity of nearby Miravalles Volcano, then choose your own adventure. If you’ve worked up an appetite hiking, tubing, or canyoneering, the restaurant serves satisfying Costa Rican casados (rice dishes) and ceviches, which guests can arrange to enjoy from a platform that sits 160 feet above the river that gives the property its name.

If you’ve had a tough time finding authentic souvenirs, you might find something suitable in an unlikely place: Cabo’s biggest shopping mall. Puerto Paraiso may be the last place you’d think about going while in Cabo, but it has several stores, including 100% Mexico Hecho a Mano and Mi Mexico Magico, that sell handcrafted and artisanal goods made in Mexico. Look for pottery, textiles, toys, leatherwork, and small-batch food products like organic chocolate and local honey.