By Zain Deane
Puerto Rico Travel Expert, about.com
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Whether you prefer land, sea or air, Puerto Rico has an adventure and an
experience for you. Sure, there's great golf and terrific sightseeing
on the island. But you can also try a variety of water sports, unique tours and adventures. And if you like to take to the air, Puerto Rico has five thrilling activities you can enjoy.
1. Ziplining
Ziplining has, forgive the pun, really taken off in Puerto
Rico. Every time I visit the island there seems to be a new outfit
offering zipline tours in the mountainous interior, over marshy mangrove
wetlands or across forest valleys.
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But there's one zipline
destination that I recommend above all others, and that's Toro Verde.
This eco park boasts one of the longest ziplines in the world, a
thrill-ride 600 feet in the air in a custom harness. If you prefer
traditional ziplines, there's plenty of those as well.
2. Hang Gliding
Full disclosure; I haven't tried hang gliding in Puerto Rico. But I have tried hang gliding, and I have to say, El Yunque Rainforest is a pretty majestic setting for a trip to the clouds. The green carpet of Puerto Rico's interior stretches before it, all the way to a ribbon of blue that is the Atlantic Ocean.Hang gliding is one of the most enjoyable experiences I've ever tried, and I'd happily take to the air in Puerto Rico with the good folks at Team Spirit.
3. Parasailing
I could have filed this under water sports, but let's face it; the fun of parasailing is taking to the air and letting a boat drag you across the water as the wind puffs out behind you and lifts you higher into the air.There are a few options if you want to parasail in Puerto Rico. A&J Adventures sails out of Fajardo; in Rincón, check out Flying Fish Parasail; in San Juan, look for San Juan Waterfun right on Isla Verde Beach.
4. Skydiving[post_ads_2]
Skydiving is one adventure I have yet to try, but I'm eager to jump out of a plane and see where the wind takes me! If you've never tried it, Puerto Rico offers two options for you to take to the air. You can go for a tandem skydive, which requires little training and is the safest way to go, as your instructor is strapped to your back.Your other option is an accelerated free fall, which you'll do without the assistance of an instructor. You'll have to train for 4 to 6 hours and do a solo jump with two professionals jumping with you.
If you want to try skydiving, check out Puerto Rican Skydiving, which has agents around the island, or Xtreme Divers, located in in Arecibo.
5. Helicopter Tours[post_ads_2]
For those who want to follow the path of least resistance, let someone else do the driving and take a helicopter tour of the island. Puerto Rico is a small territory, with incredible vistas that range from beach to forest to colonial fortifications. A helicopter tour will give you panoramic views of the island. You can choose a city tour, mountain tour, coastal tour or for something special, an aerial trip to the Arecibo Observatory, home to the largest single-dish radio telescope in the world. From the air, this massive marvel of engineering ensconced in the mountains must be quite a sight.Whatever you do, don't forget your camera. You'll see for yourself how incredibly picturesque and photogenic Puerto Rico is from the air. Vertical Solutions and Puerto Rico Helitours are two options if you want to fly on your next visit to the island.
