This small Caribbean island pulses with passion and zest for life. The exuberant people who live here seem to believe that having fun is one of the reasons they were born on this amazing yet troubled island.

Much of the island lives in poverty, but Puerto Ricans have a lot to be proud of. Their islands are blessed with 420 kilometres of sandy beaches, sparkling blue water, the only rainforest in United States territory, the third-largest underground cave system on earth, some rare and beautiful wildlife, and the world's largest radio telescope, which sends signals into outer space 24 hours a day.

Affectionately referred to as the “Island of Enchantment”, Puerto Rico maintains an impressive nine nature reserves with species of wildlife you cannot find anywhere else in the world. It is home to fifty bird species, including one on the top ten endangered birds in the world, the Puerto Rican Amazon.

Offering an abundance of beauty and wildlife, the Puerto Rican archipelago consists of several islands which includes the main island of Puerto Rico which is the smallest by land area but third largest by population. A number of smaller islands and keys, fall under the umbrella of Puerto Rico, the largest of which are Vieques, Culebra, and Mona.

Situated in the Caribbean Sea, this US commonwealth has been a key trading and shipping hub for hundreds of years and as a result has seen many outsiders settle here and penetrate the culture. The Puerto Rican culture as we know today is a hotpot of ethnicities and multi-cultural influences.

Those who explore the island's mountainous interior or roam its undeveloped coasts come across majestic hill towns where the locals in the plaza seem to have been feeding the same pigeons for decades, and pristine white sands where lively reefs teem with colourful fish. Puerto Rico is a Caribbean jewel ripe for discovery.