February 11, 2026, 1:46 pm | Read time: 7 minutes
With his halftime show at this year’s Super Bowl, musician Bad Bunny not only triggered the U.S. president and his supporters. His colorful celebration of dance and American diversity also brought Puerto Rico, his homeland, into sharper focus for many travelers. This is reflected in the numbers. TRAVELBOOK provides an overview of the travel destination Puerto Rico and explains why a visit to this U.S. territory is worthwhile and what to consider when traveling there.
Unless you’re ultra-conservative and prefer to stay in your own backyard, the sight of Bad Bunny’s celebrated joie de vivre and his hundreds of dancers in the Super Bowl 2026 halftime show likely sparked at least a small longing for Latin America. Puerto Rico, in particular, has surely climbed higher on many travel lists with this performance. And this was directly reflected in the numbers: According to Skyscanner, searches for the capital San Juan in Germany alone shot up by 237 percent the day after the Super Bowl. This placed San Juan “seventh among the most searched destinations worldwide from Germany,” the flight portal explained to TRAVELBOOK. So, the question arises: Is a trip to Puerto Rico worth it?
Overview
Caribbean Island of the USA
First, some context: Puerto Rico is an 8,870-square-kilometer island with a 501-kilometer coastline in the Caribbean. It lies between the Dominican Republic to the west and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands to its north and southeast. At the same time, Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory. This means Puerto Ricans have U.S. citizenship (along with several associated pros and cons). For travelers to Puerto Rico, it primarily means that the same entry rules as the U.S. apply. For example, Germans can participate in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program and enter with an ESTA instead of a visa. Additionally, the currency in Puerto Rico is the U.S. dollar. The official languages are Spanish and English.
Culture, Lifestyle, Dance
That’s the basic framework. But what exactly defines Puerto Rico? What is special about the homeland of Bad Bunny and many of the nearly six million Puerto Ricans in the U.S., as well as more than three million people on the island itself? First and foremost, it’s the unique blend that shapes Puerto Rican culture: Here, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the U.S. meet and intertwine into a unique culture visible in cuisine, music, and architecture.
The lifestyle of Puerto Rico and the love of dance were just showcased by Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl two days ago. The tourism site Discover Puerto Rico describes the country’s culture as “characterized by warmth, festivity, and togetherness” and raves about its “energy that captivates you and makes the experience very personal.” This naturally includes dancing and celebrating, at festivals as well as in nightclubs—or simply because music is playing and the body and mind crave movement. Dancing is part of the culture, as is zest for life and joy.
Capital San Juan
Experienced culture is especially promised by the capital San Juan, which invites you to celebrate day and night, while also offering white sandy beaches and green hills. San Juan is particularly impressive for discovering Puerto Rico’s colonial past, such as in the historic old town with its colorful and sometimes flower-adorned colonial buildings, cobblestone streets, and the 43-meter-high Castillo San Felipe del Morro. San Juan’s old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is sometimes considered the most beautiful in the entire Caribbean.
Beach and Surfer’s Paradise Puerto Rico
In addition to its unique culture, it’s naturally the island itself, its nature, that attracts all kinds of travelers. The Caribbean island boasts hundreds of beautiful beaches, offering almost endless opportunities for relaxing, sunbathing, and various beach and sea activities. According to the tourism website visittheusa.de, among the most beautiful beaches is the palm-lined and reef-protected Luquillo Beach with its calm snorkeling waters and stands selling items such as piña coladas and seafood. Also worth visiting, according to the info site, are the colorful fishing boat-lined Crashboat Beach in northwest Puerto Rico and the white sandy Buyé Beach in the southwest near the cliffs of Cabo Rojo. These are just three of Puerto Rico’s numerous dream beaches.
If you’re less interested in the beach and more in the waves breaking nearby, you should head to the west coast. Especially to the legendary Rincón, which is considered the surf capital of the Caribbean. Besides surfing, snorkeling is also popular in Puerto Rico, as well as kayaking, diving, and other water sports.
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Tropical Rainforest El Yunque
In addition to the beaches and the sea of the Caribbean island, its green interior also fascinates visitors and attracts active vacationers. Chief among them is the El Yunque National Forest in eastern Puerto Rico, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. According to Discover Puerto Rico, El Yunque is a sanctuary of Puerto Rican culture. Its name is attributed to the indigenous Taíno people. It is said to refer to the white clouds gathering at the forest’s mountain peak or to Yúcahu, the Taíno fertility deity.
As a travel destination, the dense rainforest promises a deep immersion in nature. Numerous hiking trails wind through the forest, past many waterfalls, where you can sometimes enjoy a wonderful swim. A zipline ride through green treetops is also offered in El Yunque.
Another natural highlight that excites many visitors is the bioluminescent bays of the Caribbean island. The fascinating natural phenomenon of the shimmering water at night can be experienced in three locations: Mosquito Bay on the island of Vieques, according to the Guinness World Records, the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world, and, according to Fodor’s, the fourth most surreal beach in the world. Also in Laguna Grande in Fajardo and La Parguera in southwestern Puerto Rico.
Is Puerto Rico a Safe Vacation Destination?
Yes and no, with a slight tendency toward yes. Looking at the current Risk Maps for 2026, the picture for Puerto Rico is not entirely clear. While the risk map from the company A3M Global Monitoring marks the country’s risk in yellow, indicating it as elevated, the companies Safeture and Riskline assess the risk as low.
The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorizes Puerto Rico in security category 1 and explains that tourist areas are generally safe, though petty crime is common. According to the office, violent crimes are often related to drugs.
The German Foreign Office focuses on natural hazards in Puerto Rico regarding safety. The office notes that Puerto Rico is “repeatedly hit by hurricanes,” and earthquakes are also a concern in the region. For context: The months from May/June to November are considered hurricane season in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico.
Additionally, the Foreign Office informs that there are risks of dengue fever in Puerto Rico. According to the Austrian equivalent, sufficient medical facilities and medications are available, though they are expensive. Puerto Rico’s tap water is drinkable.
So much for the risk. But is a trip to Puerto Rico worth it? Based on her research, the author of this article says clearly: “Yes”—and is making initial plans for her own trip to Puerto Rico.