Puerto Rico came by its name honestly. It was---still is---the richest port in the Caribbean. This was no secret to the buccaneers who besieged it nor to the colonizers who sent its gold home to Spain. The United States took over in 1898, tried alternate policies of neglect and confusion then finally named it a Commonwealth in 1952.

It's a nonstop flight from the east coast of the mainland, and most visitors come for the sun and the beaches. What do they not know? That 65% of Puerto Rico is mountains and hills; that it rains (second only to Hawaii in wetness, but pay no attention to those downpours; you'll dry off), that half the population lives in metro San Juan; that Old San Juan is the oldest city in the New World (1521); that the chirp of the evening is the tiny frog, the coqui forever saying its name (ko-KEE)? It's said the coqui removed from the island refuses to speak at all.

If you stay in a 5-star resort it is tempting never to go beyond the hedges of bougainvillea and hibiscus. El Conquistador Resort & Country Club in Las Croabas, for example, occupies 500 acres on the top of a bluff where the Atlantic Ocean crashes on one side and the Caribbean Sea laps on the other. It has five restaurants, six swimming pools, tennis courts, a golf course (with a second on the way), shops, salons, a casino and its own private island where guests can ride horses, try every known watersport or simply watch the iguanas play.

Yet there is so much more to Puerto Rico especially for the eco-tourist. Whether you join a tour or simply rent a car and drive then hike in, half a day is the minimum to set aside for each one of the nature reserves. For those who dote on historic preservation, Old San Juan with its 16-18th century battlements and streets paved with shipsí ballast stones, has become one of the most charming restored districts in the hemisphere.

Guanica Dry Forest Reserve is a State Forest that covers 1640 acres and is officially a United Nations Biosphere Reserve. It is one of the best examples of a tropical dry coastal forest in the world as well as the best bird-watching place on island. Pick up Herbert Raffaele's Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands before you go.

Twelve major trails have 700 species of plants (48 endangered and 16 that exist only here); land crabs, toads and a species of shrimp found nowhere else on earth. Trails range from easy to rugged and are 1 to 5.5 kilometers long. Granados Trail is just over half a mile and mostly along roadway, but 40 species of birds have been recorded here and youíll see many coral fossils too. Guanica is in the southwest between Mayaguez and Ponce. Open 9 to 5 daily, entrance is free, but hikers should wear protective clothing and carry drinking water. With more than 1000 species of insects, repellant is a good idea too. Dept. of Natural & Environmental Resources, 724-3724, 724-8874.

Guajataca Forest in the northwest corner consists of 25 miles of charted trails through a pure karst landscape (small, rugged and lush limestone hills and sinkholes). Open daily free. Info: 724-3724. Guajataca Lookout Point on Hwy 2 in Quebradillas has a spectacular view of the Atlantic.

Rio Camuy Cave Park, is part of a 300-acre network cut through limestone eons ago by the 17-kilometer Camuy River now one of the longest underground rivers in the world. Two 45-minute guided tours are offered. The park is 1-1/2 hours west of San Juan on Route 129, and the caves are open Wednesday through Sunday. Admissions are limited and tours cost $10. Call first: 898-3100.

Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park was built by Taino Indians 1000 years ago for recreation and worship and is circled by mountains outside the town of Utuado near Tanama River. Bateyes (ball courts) are bordered by carved stone monoliths decorated with petroglyphs. There is also a small museum. Take Rte 129 to Rte 111. Open Wed-Sun, 9-4:30. More information 895-7325.

Arecibo Observatory with its 20-acre dish is the largest radio-telescope in world. It is operated by Cornell University, and the visitor center has explanatory displays and special exhibits. Located on Rte 625 it is open afternoons Wednesdays through Sundays. Telephone 878-2612.

The 316 acres of Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve cover a peninsula on the northeasternmost corner of the island and are a warren of ecological communities. Threatened and endangered species of birds and turtles thrive here, and the waters are full of coral and life. Laguna Grande is a bioluminescent wonderland wrapped in mangrove forest, and there is even a restored 19th century lighthouse. Tours Wednesdays through Sundays are by appointment only. Call 722-5882 or 860-2560 (weekends).

To see Puerto Rico as it was when the first Europeans came, visit El Yunque, officially the Caribbean National Forest and the United States' only tropical rain forest. The 28,000 acres includes four forest types and has 240 species of trees, more than 50 kinds of orchids and 150 different ferns. It is home to the endangered Puerto Rican parrot among other rare creatures. Recently opened is the El Portal Tropical Forest Center with a theater, pavilions and displays. The forest is 45 minutes from San Juan and only a few minutes from the resorts of the Luquillo Beach corner near Fajado and Las Croabas Bay. Admission to the forest is free; to El Portal $3.00. Many tours from hotels and San Juan. Call 888-1810, 766-5335.

While these are the major eco attractions of Puerto Rico, they are not the only ones. The offshore islands of Culebra (for sea turtles) and Vieques (for its phosphorescent bay) can be visited, and smaller isles are accessible by boat. Since the island is only 35 miles wide, hikers on the interior ranges can see the ocean as they climb, while anyone strolling the west coast beaches such as Rinconís El Faro Park, is likely to sight passing whales.

Tourism is helping give Puerto Rico the highest per capita income in the Caribbean, and the variety of leisure facilities, luxury hotels, guesthouses and hostels seems infinite. Just be sure your visit doesn't stop at the gate or the beach. For the eco-traveler, these are only the beginning.

Go to ECOTRAVEL in Africa & Europe
Go to ECOTRAVEL in the United Kingdom & Ireland
Go to ECOTRAVEL in the United States
Go to ECOTRAVEL in the Western Hemisphere

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