Robber takes cash from man at Carolina ATM then asks for ride to Río Piedras
The victim reported the incident to Carolina Norte precinct police in the early hours of Sunday after the Saturday night robbery at Plaza Escorial.
Plan your Puerto Rico trip
The best beaches, things to do, places to eat and stay, plus live weather, sea conditions and island news, all in one place.
The newsroom
Latest from Puerto Rico
All stories
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from several published reports and official statements. Every story lists and links its sources.
Titulares en español · other outlets
Noticias en españolEl Nuevo DíaTrump afirma que candidato independiente al Senado en Alaska está en paradero desconocido
El Nuevo DíaKim Kardashian se somete a cirugía tras diagnóstico relacionado con la muerte de su padre
Primera HoraEn condición de cuidado bebé que cayó a una piscina en Encantada
Primera HoraFlojo fin de semana de Halloween en el cine
Feature
P. Hughes / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Betxypr / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
JacksonvilleDistrict / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Living on the island
Start with the moveP. Hughes / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Guide
Moving to Puerto Rico
Residency, the first 90 days, and what a decree does not do for you.
Betxypr / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.02026
Cost of living
Power, IVU and the car excise, each figure dated and sourced.
JacksonvilleDistrict / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0Towns
Where to live
Who Dorado, Condado, Ponce and Rincón actually suit.
Act 60 guide
Puerto Rico 2027: the HNWI relocation guide
What the 4% rate, the six-year non-residency rule, and a decree actually require before you move. A long-form guide, not a slogan.
Read the guide
Free tools
jamidwyer (Flickr) / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Doreeno from San Jose, USA / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
NOAA/NASA / Wikimedia Commons · PDNOAA/NASA / Wikimedia Commons · PD
Breezy Baldwin / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Nils Huenerfuerst / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0JacksonvilleDistrict / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Luis Ramos / NOAA / Wikimedia Commons · PDBetxypr / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Yarfpr / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Daderot / Wikimedia Commons · PDP. Hughes / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mtmelendez / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Nils Huenerfuerst / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0Luis Ramos / NOAA / Wikimedia Commons · PDP. Hughes / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Mtmelendez / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answers for life on the island
Each tool runs on published data and tells you where the numbers come from.
jamidwyer (Flickr) / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0Live data
Puerto Rico right now
San Juan weather, sea temperature, earthquakes and the tropics on one page.
Doreeno from San Jose, USA / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0Calendar
Puerto Rico holidays
Every official holiday through 2030, with countdowns and a calendar file.
NOAA/NASA / Wikimedia Commons · PDTracker
Hurricane season
Active Atlantic storms from NHC, the outlook and a prep checklist.
NOAA/NASA / Wikimedia Commons · PDLive tracker
Hurricane tracker
Active storms, distance from San Juan and NWS alerts for Puerto Rico.
Breezy Baldwin / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0Schedule
Vieques & Culebra ferry
Every Ceiba departure, fares and boarding rules from the official itinerary.
Nils Huenerfuerst / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0Calculator
Trip cost calculator
Add up your quotes with the official room tax and ferry fares.
JacksonvilleDistrict / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0Power & water
Outages
Where to check power and water outages live, and the latest stories.
Luis Ramos / NOAA / Wikimedia Commons · PDLive marine
Beach & surf conditions
Modeled waves, swell and water temperature at 12 beaches.
Betxypr / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Calculator
IVU sales tax
Add or remove Puerto Rico's 11.5% sales tax, with the reduced rates.
Yarfpr / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Calculator
Driving distances
Distance and drive time between any two of the 76 mainland towns.
Daderot / Wikimedia Commons · PDLanguage
Spanish phrases
100 phrases for visitors, with the boricua expressions you'll actually hear.
P. Hughes / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Guide
Moving & Act 60
Residency, taxes, the 2026 Act 60 changes and the practical steps.
Mtmelendez / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Directory
Government guide
Search licenses, CRIM, Hacienda, certificates and LLCs with official links.
Nils Huenerfuerst / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0Culture
Inventions & famous Puerto Ricans
Patents, NASA, salsa, reggaeton, sports and sourced firsts — filter by category.
Luis Ramos / NOAA / Wikimedia Commons · PDPublic data
Beach water quality
Latest Enterococcus samples vs EPA’s recreational STV.
P. Hughes / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Calculator
Moving budget
First-month costs with the reported residential power rate.
Mtmelendez / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0How-to
Step timelines
License renewal, LLC filing and Act 60 orientation, step by step.
Start here
New to Puerto Rico? Where to begin
Most trips begin in San Juan, a city founded in 1521 and the oldest European-founded city under US sovereignty. From there, the island opens up in every direction: El Yunque and the Fajardo and Vieques bio bays to the east, surf towns to the northwest, and the Caribbean coast around Ponce to the south.
- San Juan, Old San Juan, Santurce and Condado
- East: El Yunque, the bio bays, Culebra and Vieques
- West: Aguadilla, Isabela, Rincón and Mayagüez; south: Ponce
- Before you go: things to know, money, drinking age and safety
The island
Places to visit in Puerto Rico, from El Morro to Mosquito Bay
All destinationsThe main island has about 3,424 square miles of land, and a full drive around the coast takes about 7 hours without traffic, yet it packs a rainforest, a dry forest, karst caves, three glowing bays and two island municipalities off its east coast. Each picture opens a full guide.
Interactive map
78 municipalities, one map
Tap any municipality to see its 2020 Census population, density and drive time from San Juan, or jump to a destination guide from the pins.
Coming up
Holidays on the calendar
Full calendarVeterans Day
Día del VeteranoWednesday, November 11, 2026
Puerto Ricans have served in the U.S. armed forces since World War I.
Federal & Puerto RicoDiscovery of Puerto Rico Day
Día de la Puertorriqueñidad (Descubrimiento de Puerto Rico)Thursday, November 19, 2026
Columbus reached the island on November 19, 1493, on his second voyage.
Puerto Rico holidayThanksgiving
Día de Acción de GraciasThursday, November 26, 2026
Fourth Thursday in November; often turkey stuffed with mofongo ("pavochón").
Federal & Puerto RicoChristmas Day
Día de NavidadFriday, December 25, 2026
Part of a holiday season that runs from late November into mid-January.
Federal & Puerto Rico
Quick facts
Puerto Rico at a glance
Short answers that link to the full guide or tool. Every figure is sourced on the destination page.
Time zone
Atlantic (AST), UTC−4. No daylight saving.
Time zone guide →
Capital
San Juan — port, metro hub, Old San Juan.
Capital facts →
Currency
US dollar. Cards widely accepted.
Currency guide →
Drinking age
18 on the island (not 21).
ID & clubs →
Holidays
18 official days (11 federal + 7 PR).
Holiday calendar →
Map
78 municipalities, Census pops & drive times.
Interactive map →
Ferry status
Vieques & Culebra sailings from Ceiba.
Ferry board →
Calculators
Tip, packing list, IVU and more.
All calculators →
Before you go
Puerto Rico essentials
Short answers to the questions people ask most about Puerto Rico. Each links to a full guide with its sources.
Is Puerto Rico part of the US?
Yes, it is a US territory, not a state. Puerto Ricans have been US citizens since 1917, and US citizens do not need a passport to visit.
Money, language and rules
The currency is the US dollar. Spanish and English are both official languages, but Spanish dominates daily life. The drinking age is 18.
Is Puerto Rico safe?
Yes, for most visitors who take normal precautions. The usual problems for travelers are petty theft, rip currents, heat and mosquitoes.
Getting around
Uber and Lyft both operate, and both serve the San Juan airport. Driving the full coastal loop takes about 7 hours without traffic.
Weather and hurricanes
It is warm all year. Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so check the tropics before you travel in those months.
Bioluminescent bays
Puerto Rico has three glowing bays. Mosquito Bay on Vieques is the world’s brightest, according to Guinness World Records. Go near the new moon.
Puerto Rico in numbers
Puerto Rico at a glance
Sources and more figuresOfficial figures with the source under each card. Numbers count up as you scroll (honors reduced-motion settings). Linked sources live on the figures page.
0
residents in the 2020 Census
U.S. Census Bureau
0
residents (July 1, 2025 estimate)
Census QuickFacts V2025
0
municipalities, including Vieques and Culebra
U.S. Census Bureau
0
of land (about 8,870 km²)
Census land area, 2020
0
Cerro de Punta, the highest point (1,338 m)
USGS
1917
Puerto Ricans became U.S. citizens (Jones–Shafroth Act)
Library of Congress
UTC−4
Atlantic Standard Time all year, no daylight saving
IANA: America/Puerto_Rico
0
official holidays (11 federal + 7 Puerto Rico)
OATRH official list