When you first think of surfing, you picture luscious golden sand, large clear blue waves, and weather so warm that it makes the cold water feel refreshing. Puerto Rico definitely has all this to offer.
Not only is it a truly beautiful country, but it is also one of the best for catching waves. So, if you are planning a surfing trip, you should definitely consider making the destination Puerto Rico.
No matter whether you’re a seasoned surfer, or new to the sport, Puerto Rico has lots of different surf camps to visit. Let’s take a look at the 10 best surf camps that Puerto Rico has to offer, and how to prepare for your trip.
One of the best surf camps that Puerto Rico has to offer is PR Surf Adventures. The greatest thing about PR Surf Adventures is that they are a small business, so you really get a personal feel when you visit their camps.
They are based in the beautiful city of Aguadilla and utilize this city’s beautiful shores to offer surfing, and other water sports and adventures, every single day.
The company offers reasonable prices, and even has an additional add-on if you want surfing photos. So, if you want lasting memories of your trip, PR Surf Adventures could be the perfect surf camp for you.
In the Isla Verde region of Puerto Rico, you will find Pine Grove Surf Club. If you fancy visiting this area of Puerto Rico, then this surf club is definitely the best for you to visit.
In fact, this surf camp is also a great place to visit if you want a trip where you can complete a variety of water-based activities, as they also offer paddle boarding and snorkeling.
Pine Grove is an excellent choice whether you have lots of experience with surfing or you are a total novice, as they offer both lessons and equipment hire.
The great thing about surf camps in Puerto Rico is that they are scattered all over the country, so you will find that most surf camps are a fair distance from one another. In the Luquillo region of Puerto Rico, you will find Surfing Puerto Rico, a company that utilizes the beautiful North-East coast of the country to teach people to surf.
The company offers a variety of different surf lessons for those of different ages and experience levels, all at a reasonable price with snacks and equipment hire included. So, if you are thinking of visiting this area, this is definitely a camp you should consider.
If you aren’t familiar with Puerto Rico, then one city that you definitely will have heard of is San Juan. This is, of course, the capital city of the country, so you might expect the surf options here to be limited.
However, San Juan has a number of surf schools, and one of the best is Spectrum Surf. This company offers equipment rental, along with surf lessons, and surf tours. So, they really do offer something for everyone, no matter what age or skills you have.
Moving to yet another area of the beautiful country of Puerto Rico, you will find Jobos Venture House in Isabela.
This region is on the North-West coast of the country with plenty of beautiful beaches, coral reefs, underwater caves and coves. Isabela is one of the most beautiful places in all of Puerto Rico, so if you want your surfing trip to be an adventure, you should consider this area.
This area is easily accessible, and Jobos Venture House offers lots of different activities. But, the best thing about this surf camp is that there is no need to pre-book. So, if you wake up in the morning and fancy a surf lesson, this is the perfect place to visit.
On the West coast of Puerto Rico is the beautiful region of Rincón. This is one of Puerto Rico’s oldest towns, and it is home to some of the most beautiful shore lines in the country.
With beautiful golden beaches, and large blue waves, Surf 787 is perfectly located if you want a surfing holiday. This is a firm favorite among eager surfers, as the company utilizes multiple different beaches, so you could spend the whole week surfing with them and never grow bored.
With easy accessibility, and affordable prices, if you want to visit the ‘surf capital of the Caribbean’ then Surf 787 is the perfect camp to choose.
Another excellent surf company that hails from San Juan is Surf with a Pro. This company was founded by a Hawaiian champion surfer, and offers lots of classes for those wanting to start or better their surfing abilities.
They also offer summer schools for those wanting an intense surfing experience that is guaranteed to give them lots of skills. In the San Juan reason, it is clear that this company is a popular choice. So, if you fancy surfing in this region of Puerto Rico, we would recommend checking this company out.
In the beautiful Rincón region of Puerto Rico, you will also find Surf Lessons Puerto Rico. As the name suggests, this company was set up to provide surf lessons to the people in this area, and they do this excellently.
As we have mentioned, Rincón is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, and Surf Lessons Puerto Rico uses these to teach tourists how to surf. So, if you are a tourist visiting Puerto Rico, this could be the perfect surf camp for you.
Another wonderful surf camp in the Rincón area is Rincón Surf School. This company is managed by SASS Global Travel, so you know that you are going to get a good experience if you choose this surf camp.
Additionally, this surf camp is a wonderful choice if you want to stay in one place for the whole of your trip as they offer accommodation, and also utilize lots of different beaches to ensure that you will never grow bored. No matter how long you spend there.
Finally, we would recommend Water World Surfing School in the Carolina region of Puerto Rico. This surf camp is wonderful if you are staying in the city of San Juan but want to explore new areas when you go surfing.
They offer reasonable prices, excellent classes, and an all-round great experience, no matter how much or little you know about surfing. So, if you are staying in this area, you should check out this surf camp.
Budget Planning
But, before you fly to Puerto Rico, it is very important to budget for the trip. Here’s some essential information to help.
Meal Price Range
The cost of food in Puerto Rico is relatively cheap. Generally speaking, you should expect to spend roughly $28 per day on food while you are in Puerto Rico. Depending on where you choose to eat, this might be slightly higher.
Most family-style restaurants will charge roughly $11 a meal, but in higher-end restaurants this might increase to $20 per person. So, depending on what your budget is, choose your cafés and restaurants accordingly.
Equipment Rental
As we have seen by looking at the different surf camps in Puerto Rico, the majority of these companies offer equipment rental. In a lot of cases, equipment rental will be included in the cost of your surfing lessons, so you will not incur an additional cost for renting equipment.
However, if you do not want coaching lessons, and instead would simply prefer to hire equipment and hit the waves on your own, you should expect to spend approximately $25 to rent a board for 2 hours.
Prepaid Sim Cards
If you are traveling anywhere outside your native country, then the cheapest way to cover the costs of your calls and texts is to buy a prepaid Sim card. International roaming charges are not cheap, so buying a prepaid Sim will be much cheaper.
There are lots of different Sim options available in Puerto Rico, ranging in price from $9.99 through to $99.99. You should consider how long you are going to be there, and how often you will be using your cellphone, before choosing a Sim package that works for you.
Public Transport
The costs of public transportation in Puerto Rico are relatively low. The main form of public transportation in this country is buses, but they do also have a train network. Bus fare can cost anywhere from 75 cents to $1.50 and this may increase even further depending on the distance you want to travel.
Public transportation in Puerto Rico is run by individual regions, so you should expect costs to differ slightly depending on the specific place you are staying.
Gas Prices
Of course, gas prices in Puerto Rico constantly fluctuate, just like they do anywhere else in the world. But, these costs are always cheaper than the costs of gas in the USA as the Puerto Rican government buys their gas in crude form and converts it themselves, reducing the costs.
So, you should expect to spend approximately $2.50 per gallon of gas in Puerto Rico, compared to $3.25 in the USA.
Types of Risks
Some countries in South America have a bad reputation for tourists, however Puerto Rico is perfectly safe to visit. In fact, of all the Caribbean islands that you may choose to visit, Puerto Rico is the safest in terms of crime rates.
It is worth noting that some areas of Puerto Rico are troubled by local drug trade, so it is best to research the specific area you want to visit before you travel.
The biggest risk when traveling to Puerto Rico is the risk of natural disaster. Puerto Rico has wonderful weather because it is located just above the Equator line, however this location also increases the risk of natural disasters.
In particular, it is common for Puerto Rico to experience both earthquakes and hurricanes, with the most recent large hurricane being Hurricane Maria which hit in 2017. So, it is worth keeping this in mind when planning your trip.
How to Prepare
But budgeting for your trip isn’t enough, there are lots of other ways you will need to prepare before you travel. So here’s some more information to help you.
Visas
If you are traveling to Puerto Rico as a US citizen, then you do not need to obtain a Visa as Puerto Rico is US territory. All you will need is your passport.
However, it is best to ensure you have at least 6 months validity on your passport before you travel, as this is expected by most countries.
Vaccines
Before you travel to Puerto Rico, you will need to get some vaccinations. In particular, it is very important that your routine vaccinations are all up to date. These include MMR, polio, chicken pox, flu, and Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis.
Additionally, you should speak to your doctor about getting the Typhoid vaccine. Especially if you plan on visiting rural areas.
Language and Currency
The island of Puerto Rico has 2 official languages: Spanish and English. Spanish is widely spoken, but a lot of natives also speak English, as Puerto Rico is US territory. Additionally, as the country is US territory, the official currency is US Dollars ($).
Checking Surf Forecast
Most surf camps will complete a surf forecast check for you, but if you want to take a look for yourself, we would recommend using a website to do this. To check the surf forecast in Puerto Rico, Surf line is one of the best websites to get accurate information.
Travel/Surf Insurance
Travel insurance isn’t essential for Puerto Rico as it is US territory, however it is best to take a policy out.
Especially when you are going on a surfing trip. There is no way of knowing what potential injuries and illnesses could sneak up on you, so it is always best to take out a policy to cover your back.
