The very idea of traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic is stressful (we have a tincture for that!). There are many more factors to consider when planning for the safety of yourself and others. In 2020, as serial wanderers, we have found many ways to stay safe and socially distant. What felt scary, at first, is now a new normal that we've embraced. Adventuring can be done safely!
To begin, check all COVID-19 restrictions at your destination. If there are none, plan to visit at a later point in time. If they are strict, rest assured that you have selected a great place to visit. You may have extra preparations to consider, such as PCR testing. Lab testing can take 3-4 days to deliver your results. Destinations that require PCR testing may enforce a quarantine period if you do not have your test results upon arrival. It is of utmost importance to respect the requirements of your host destination.
Keep reading for more COVID-19 travel tips!
Day 1
Throughout 2020, we've explored opportunities to safely travel. Obviously, destinations that keep you outdoors are ideal... and the only ones of real consideration in our minds.
During this year of social distancing, we've stayed in an earthen dome house in the desert, a dairy barn in Kentucky, and quiet cottages on remote beaches. We've masked up and ordered meals to go, took itineraries at a slower pace, slept long hours, and breathed in a lot of clean, fresh air.
Puerto Rico holds a very special place in our hearts. We have long-desired to make a return visit! But it wasn't without careful consideration and planning that we finally made the decision to travel to the island in December 2020. We settled on the western side of the island, incredibly beautiful and much less populated.
Puerto Rico is currently under very strict COVID-19 restrictions, which include a state-wide curfew of 9:00 pm. This curfew impacts all plans that a visitor might make, especially eating meals and visiting attractions.
Our flight arrived in San Juan (the only international airport open) after midnight so we didn't begin our trek to Rincón until the next day. It took 4 hours to travel 81 miles! But between great conversation, a real-life game of Frogger, and the many sites that greeted us along the way, the time flew by.
We booked accommodations through AirBnB with a wonderful host family. Their family compound, Lion's Gate, was a true retreat! We were their only guests for most of the week. Our hosts remained masked (as did we) during most of our interactions. Our villa was sparkling clean and stocked with all essentials.
Because of our later arrival in Rincón, we set out far too late to find a restaurant for dinner. We were turned away at every place we stopped in. The 9:00 pm curfew means that the last table is seated at 7:00 pm, to ensure that the kitchen and restaurant is thoroughly cleaned and all staff are home by curfew.
At the last minute, we managed to score a couple of deli sandwiches at a local chain, Ricomini Bakery. We must have looked desperate enough (we were!) to be served. While awaiting our sandwiches, all cell phones, including ours, began to literally scream the alert that curfew was approaching. We had just enough time to grab our sandwiches and a few essentials from the grocery and make it back to the villa for the evening.
Day 2
Without much of an agenda, we slept in every single day during our stay in Rincón, though we had plans to see all that we could. Our biggest priority for the second day was figuring out the food situation. We were determined not to go hungry.
Our first stop was Domes Beach, a very popular spot for surfing. When we arrived, we parked in the parking lot, but noticed that a lot of visitors had driven their cars down the embankment, into the shade of trees closer to the shoreline. Worried about sunburn, we found a nice shady spot to ourselves, right under a palm tree full of large coconuts.
A quick survey of the shoreline revealed that we were the only ones parked under a palm tree full of coconuts. Confirming our fears, a passerby shouted out, "Those look pretty heavy and they sure are swinging!" Yes. Leave it to the gringos to set up camp in the most dangerous spot on the beach.
Needless to say, we didn't stay at Domes Beach for too long - and spent most of that time walking the shoreline. Alex mentioned a few times that his foot was a bit sore... and we had no better shade to rest beneath than under the potentially deadly palm tree. So, we gathered our things and set off to find food.
We usually gravitate towards local favorites, off the well-beaten tourist route, but The Beach House was like a beacon signaling home for us. Just up the road from Domes Beach and just off the 413, this Rincón staple was exactly the place we needed for lunch! Overlooking the ocean and perfect for people watching, we set up camp in a far corner and feasted on pinchos and fish tacos.
When in PR, always order the churrasco. Always.
The rest of the day was spent at Sandy Beach, just down the road from Lion's Gate.
Day 3
We had grand plans for a planned excursion that involved a long hike, zip-lining, rock jumping, and cave tubing. Fate, as it turns out, had other plans.
Alex awoke with a horrific gout flare-up, which made walking very challenging. To make matters worse, he didn't pack any flip-flops, which meant his shoe-bound foot was screaming in pain. Thank goodness for the relief that HippieShine delivered!
If 2020 has taught us all anything, it's that we can pivot at a moment's notice. We canceled our excursion and quickly came up with a list of "drivable" sites to see on the western side of the island. We wanted to see what we could see and gout wasn't going to stop it all.
Our first stop was a replica Mayan pyramid in Aguada, which was listed online as a "must-see." We arrived to the location and were promptly chased away before a single photo could be snapped! Be aware - this location is not open the public!
We made our way down several very steep rural roads to find our next stop - El Ultimo Brinco Waterfall. The biggest appeal for these wanderers was the journey to find it. The short hike was doable for Alex and the view was a nice reward.
Our last destination was one of Puerto Rico's national parks, Parque Nacional Tres Hermanos. After a drive that involved backtracking more than once, we pulled up to the gates and cringed. It looked like the second installment of Jurassic Park, completely overgrown and unmanned. The gate was open, but it really didn't appear that the park was. Out of respect, we turned the car around and headed back towards Rincón.
After a relatively disappointing morning, lunch made up for it... and then some! We stopped in at Kaplash for the most amazing meal of mojitos, fried delicacies, and empanadillas. We feasted at our table that overlooked the ocean and recouped from the morning's adventure.
We spent the rest of the afternoon, once again at Sandy Beach, but the wind was too strong to rest comfortably. We called it a day and went home to clean up for dinner.
Even seasoned travelers have bad days. Even on the worst days, we are grateful for each other! We have the memories and a lot of laughs to share about what was and what could have been! Oh! And that iguana we dodged...
Day 4
With only 2 days left, we were determined to get this adventure back on a good track. We decided to do NOTHING but relax for the last day of the year.
Pools Beach provided essential respite for the morning, with Jack's Shack right across from the beach! We dozed and walked and ate seafood and it was perfect.
Other than the essential R & R, Karibe Kombucha was the MVP on this fourth day of our stay in Puerto Rico. We are nearly religious about brewing kombucha and we had been without for a few days. This was the most delicious kombucha we've ever had. We discovered Karibe at Jack's Shack and learned that it was brewed and distributed in Rincón!
It was New Year's Eve! We were on a beautiful island in the middle of the Caribbean with a 9:00 pm curfew. We called it an early evening and made our way back to The Beach House. Simplicity was our hero on this trip. We carved out our 12-foot bubble and literally watched the sun set on 2020.
Day 5
Our last full day in Rincón was an intentional repeat of the day before. We wanted this day to last as long as possible. There were a couple of beaches that we hadn't visited yet, including Steps Beach. We were told that Steps Beach is a prime location for snorkeling, due to its gorgeous coral reefs.
When we arrived, there were only a small handful of other sunbathers along the shoreline. We picked our shady spot (not under any palm trees) and settled in to watch the snorkelers kick around the shallow pools.
We explored the shady groves along the beach and stopped to examine intricate coral patterns, all the while cautiously watching the beach become more and more crowded.
Due to COVID precautions, one of the hardest things for social travelers to adapt to is not offering to take photos for strangers. It is such an automatic reaction to want to help others capture their special moments! There were so many times we had to stop each other before reaching for someone's cell phone. And vice versa! It was so hard to decline the offer when others wanted to help us take the perfect pic.
We had one of these encounters while at Steps Beach and the individual truly looked crestfallen that we declined her assistance. We thanked her again and again for her kind offer and reminded each other that it's okay to say, "no, thank you." Safety is our top priority.
The beach became quite crowded so we packed our things and headed back over to Pools Beach for the rest of the day.
There is a perfect beach for every activity in Rincón... swimming, surfing, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and topless sunbathing. Apparently Pools Beach is best for the latter. Alex offered to have a conversation with nearby couples about the dangers of the sun... Rachel suggested we mind our own business.
Day 6
We weren't quite ready to go home when the day arrived. But, we dutifully packed our things, said goodbye to our amazing hosts, and headed east towards San Juan.
On the way to Rincón, we spotted a gigantic stone face right along the side of Hwy. 2. We made plans to stop for a closer look on the way back to San Juan.
Carved in 2002, Monumento al Cacique Mabodamaca is the bust of a Taino chieftan from the 16th century. It was awe-inspiring to see it so close.
Our flight home was delayed by nearly two hours so we made good use of our extra time. We went back to our favorite spot, El Nuevo Acuario, for lunch. We then stopped by Kasalta for café con leche and a few treats to take home.
We full bellies and full hearts, we made our way back to the mainland. We spent the three-hour flight making plans for our next visit. We love Puerto Rico!!
We realize that travel of any kind carries risk during this unusual time in our world history. We are grateful to Delta for making it safer to fly, to Airbnb for proving a way to match us with conscientious hosts, and to the Island of Puerto Rico for taking COVID precautions so seriously.
Wander more. Breathe peace. Live Happy.