As you plan your summer vacation, some Puerto Ricans want you to travel to their island.
You may think it's not ready after Hurricane Maria but they say you will not only still have fun there, but also help them in their recovery.
“The best contribution is to visit the island,” Frankie Aponte from Puerto Rico Tour Desk said.
His company has taken a hit after the hurricane. They used to have full tours six days a week. Now, they’re lucky if they can fill three.
So they hope word gets out so he can take more tourists to Puerto Rico’s hidden gems, like a waterfall at the end of a 20-minute hike in the town of Cayey.
“Sixty percent of the island is mountains, so that’s why I like to show them the real Puerto Rico,” Aponte said.
But his company also offers tours to the more common destinations like El Yunque rainforest and Culebra island.
And if you want a more relaxed walking tour through Old San Juan with delicious food and the island’s history, Evy Collazo from Flavors of San Juan has you covered.
“You eat, you drink, and you learn,” she said.
At SeePuertoRico.com, you can book local hotels. Airbnb is also an option.
And if you’re interested in tours where you actively help the island in its recovery, Para la Naturaleza has plenty of options. For more information visit See Puerto Rico, which has a feature to help you plan your trip.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10 News app now.
Have a news tip? Email tips@wtsp.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
