1. The Puerto Rico Trench at 27,480 feet deep is the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean
The Puerto Rico Trench, also known as the Milwaukee Deep, has a depth of 5.2 miles or 27,480 feet deep. That makes it the 8th deepest ocean trench in the world and the deepest trench in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Puerto Rico Trench is located at the boundary between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, just north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Here are the top ten deepest ocean trenches:
Deepest Ocean Trenches in the World
2. Puerto Rico boasts one of the brightest bioluminescent bays in the world
Mosquito Bay in Vieques, Puerto Rico is the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world, according to the Guinness World Records. The water lights up at night due to the presence of tiny microorganisms called dinoflagellates. There are up to 700,000 of the dinoflagellates in every gallon of water, creating a spectacular light show.
I swam in other bioluminescent bays in countries like South Korea, and nothing quite describes the feeling of a trail of lights following your every move. Puerto Rico is a fantastic place to visit a bioluminescent bay as it is home to three of the top bays in the world:
- Mosquito Bay – Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
- Laguna Grande – Fajardo, Puerto Rico
- La Parguera – Lajas, Puerto Rico
According to legend, Mosquito Bay is named after the famed, Robin-hood style pirate Roberto Cofresí and his ship, the Mosquito. Thankfully, the bay is not known for its 700,000 mosquitos swarming the oceans.
3. El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System.
El Yunque National Forest in Puerto is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. due to its tropical climate and average annual rainfall of 120 to 240 inches per year. It is home to over 200 species of trees and plants, including 16 endemic species only found in Puerto Rico.
El Yunque National Forest also houses 13 out of the 16 endemic species of coquí frogs in Puerto Rico. The coquí is Puerto Rico’s national animal and is known for its distinctive “co-kee” call, especially at night. Good luck sleeping in the rainforest at night. The call of coquí frogs is nearly as loud as a lion’s roar, reaching up to 90 decibels.

The beautiful jungle of the El Yunque national forest in Puerto Rico is a wonderful place to explore.
4. Puerto Rico has more than 300 miles of coastline and over 300 beaches.
Puerto Rico has a LOT of coastline, 311 miles to be exact. Along this coast are at least 300 unique beaches, with the Puerto Rican government officially recognizing 248 of them and while some list up to 1,000 when including small and private beaches. Amongst the most popular beaches are Flamenco Beach on Culebra Island and Luquillo Beach on the main island. These beaches share the same renown white sand that is characteristic of the U.S. Virgin Island beaches.
Popular beaches in Puerto Rico include:
- Flamenco Beach
- Luquillo Beach
- Condado Beach
- Playa Luquillo
- Playa La Chiva
- Playa Sucia
![Tropical beach in Puerto Rico with palm trees]()
There are endless beaches to explore in Puerto Rico.
While often considered an Island, Puerto Rico is actually an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea consisting of the main island, two other inhabited islands, and hundreds of small islands, cays and islets. The island of Puerto Rico is the main island and is the smallest island of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean. It’s about 100 miles long and 35 miles wide. The highest point on the island is Cerro de Punta, which stands at 4,390 feet above sea level.
These are the three islands that make up Puerto Rico:
»Learn more about other island nations in the Caribbean with 11 Fun Facts About The Dominican Republic
5. San Juan is the oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in the United States
San Juan is the capital city of Puerto Rico and holds the crown as the oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Puerto Rico and the United States. San Juan was founded as a Spanish Colony by settlers in 1521, but its name dates back to the first European expedition to the island.
When Christopher Columbus arrived in Puerto Rico in 1493, he named the island San Juan Bautista in honor of St. John the Baptist. 16 years later, Juan Ponce de León founded the capital city of Caparra and became the first governor of Puerto Rico.
Much like the later attempts of Juan Ponce de León at colonizing Florida, Caparra was soon abandoned and moved to the nearby port city that was called Puerto Rico, or rich port. Finally, in 1521 the island and city named swapped, with the capital becoming San Juan and the country taking the name of Puerto Rico.
In 1898, Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States and took the spot for oldest established European settlement in the United States. The archipelago joined the U.S. after the Spanish American War where Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines to the U.S. as a part of the Treaty of Paris.

The Old Town of San Juan is like stepping back into the past with its cobblestone streets and old architecture.
6. Puerto Rican citizenship doesn’t exist
There is no such thing as Puerto Rican citizenship even though Puerto Rico has its own constitution. It is not a sovereign state but became a U.S. territory after the Spanish American War in 1898. This means that everyone born in Puerto Rico is a U.S. Citizen.
However, Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory, meaning Congress has decided only parts of the constitution apply to U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico. For example, Puerto Ricans can not vote for representatives in Congress and do not have any electoral votes for the president of the United States.
On the bright side, Puerto Ricans do not pay United States federal income taxes. They pay other federal taxes like customs taxes, federal commodity taxes, and federal payroll taxes (Social Security, Medicare, and Unemployment taxes). So much for that “no taxation without representation”.
7. Puerto Ricans use ‘Spanglish’ slang like “Hanguiar” for “hanging out”
Puerto Ricans have unique ‘spanglish’ slang since both Spanish and English languages are the official languages. These spanglish words can only be found in Puerto Rico. Like the word “Broki” which originates from the English word brother. Broki means friend, like “No hables así de mi broki”, or “Don’t talk like that about my friend”.
Other spanglish slang you might come across in Puerto Rico include:
Puerto Rican ‘Spanglish’ (Spanish & English Slang Words)
8. The song “Maria” from West Side Story helped support Puerto Rican recovery after Hurricane Maria in 2017
The song “Maria” from the Broadway show West Side Story is probably not on your list of the top ways Puerto Rico recovered from the devastating Hurricane Maria in 2017. One of the most famous Puerto Ricans known for creating and starring in musicals like Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, took inspiration from the song to co-write “Almost Like Praying”.
“Almost Like Praying” featured 22 Puerto Rican and Latin artists and quickly rose to number one of the Billboard Digital Songs Sales chart, selling 111,000 downloads and getting 5.2 million streams in the first week of its U.S. release. All proceeds from this song were donated to victims and survivors of Hurricane Maria.
9. La Fortaleza is the oldest executive residence in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere
La Fortaleza is the official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. Also known as The Fortress or Santa Catalina Palace, it is the oldest executive residence in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere. What is an executive residence you might ask? It’s the official home of the head of state, government, governor, or other senior figures of a government.
La Fortaleza was built between 1533 and 1540 as a defensive fort to protect the recently founded capital city of San Juan from sea invasions. Despite its many modifications and expansion, La Fortaleza still retains most of its original architecture, leading it to be a popular site of tourists and visitors. It is located in the historic district of Old San Juan and is one of the oldest executive mansions in continuous use in the Americas.
The White House in the U.S. on the other hand didn’t start construction in 1792. That means The Fortress of San Juan has a 259 year head start. Good luck taking that crown.
10. Puerto Rico is the only country in the world that American citizens can travel to with only a government ID
Puerto Rico is the only country that an American citizen can travel to by air or sea with only a government issued ID card like a driver’s license.
The only places outside the U.S. that do not require a passport are:
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Puerto Rico
- Mariana Islands
- The U.S. Virgin Islands (St Croix, St John and St Thomas)
Puerto Rico is the only one of these countries that does not require a government ID and a birth certificate. So, if you haven’t renewed your passport and are looking for a great place to visit, Puerto Rico can be on the top of your list!
Ready to immerse yourself in the unique history and culture of the archipelago of Puerto Rico? Explore our available student travel programs for this summer!