The full-day trip on the 62’ sailing catamaran for $55 per person is a great deal. For $12 more, a van picked us up at our hotel at 8:15am on the dot. We then drove for an hour and a half to the east side of the island, picking up more passengers along the way. The driver was a certified tour guide and he gave an informative commentary on the countryside and mountains-–this is a great way to see some more of the island without renting a car! As a special treat, he even took us off the main road to a cave where archaeologists are reputed to have found some of the oldest remains of the Taíno Indians, the native inhabitants of Puerto Rico.

We arrived at the boat by 10:00am (make reservations ahead of time just to make sure you have a spot) and were soon sailing out to sea. The boat was filled with all kinds of people, natives and tourists, children and adults, making it a safe choice for beginners. After marveling at the view of the El Yunque mountains and the Fajardo coast, we soon anchored at a gorgeous "desert island," where we donned our snorkeling equipment (provided by East Wind), listened to a quick instructional lecture, and were soon swimming with the fish. The beach was lovely too, and some people sunbathed instead. But snorkeling is tiring and everyone got hungry-–good thing too because the lunch buffet was all-you-can-eat and delicious! Sandwiches, pasta salad, and watermelon just hit the spot. The virgin pina coladas tasted incredible and I certainly took advantage of the open bar, drinking about 10 of them over the course of the trip.

The next stop was a deeper reef, where we saw a wider variety of coral and fish, especially blue tanners and parrot fish. Two other snorkeling boats showed up too, so there were a lot of people in the water. The waterslide was great fun once I got tired of snorkeling, but when it was time to begin the sail back to Puerto del Rey, I was ready to leave and we were back at the port by 3:30pm.

This trip is wonderful and I would highly recommend it, especially to beginners. The crew is friendly and knowledgeable, the food delicious, the snorkeling fun. Be sure to bring a towel, sunscreen, and sunglasses. The boat sells underwater cameras, but I would suggest buying your own before you come. And if you start feeling seasick, look to the horizon and breathe deeply.

The sailing place we went through was called East Islands Excursions (http://www.eastwindcats.com/.) I’m going to plug them because that was the highlight of the trip. For $60 per person you go out on a 4-hour sail; have all the free rum drinks you want (yes, I said free), along with lunch; visit two snorkeling spots, where you can view some coral reefs; and stop at a desert island to explore the beach or go swimming. The staff was very friendly and funny, and it was a great time. On the sail you can also see the Virgin Islands and St. Martin off in the distance. I highly suggest this place as a top to-do on your list.

The sailing place is located in the city of Fajardo, which is about an hour or so east of San Juan. You can rent a car, and they do have a shuttle that picks you up and drops you back at the hotel for $20 a person. If you drive out there, beware the traffic in and out of San Juan. Try leaving in the early morning or late evening. Traffic in and outside of San Juan is horrible.