There are many other kinds of active adventures to be had in Puerto Rico. Here are a few I didn't have time for.
ROCK CLIMBING:
There are challenging cliffs to scale both along the sea and up in El Yunque. Some new routes run to 5.12 in difficulty on the YSD (Yosemite Decimal Scale, which rates technical climbs from 5.0 to 5.14d, the latter being the hardest). Contact Aventuras Tierra dentro, 787-766-0470; fax: 787-754-7543.
WINDSURFING:
Winter is hard-core windsurfing time, but the sailing is generally good year-round. Board sailers can preen on the crowded beaches at Isla Verde and Condado near San Juan, and all the surf beaches mentioned in the story also offer good windsurfing. La Parguera Bay is another hot spot. Many of the major resorts such as the Hyatt Dorado Beach and Hyatt Regency Cerromar Beach, El Conquistador and the Westin Rio Mar Beach Resort offer windsurfing lessons for beginners.
CYCLING:
There's a solid road-biking infrastructure in Puerto Rico with local and Caribbean-wide open races held throughout the year. Contact the Puerto Rico Cycling Association at 787-784-3609. Mountain biking is also catching on, as well it should - the interior of the island offers great terrain and lots of dirt roads for cycling. Mountain bike rentals are available, but serious cyclists would do best to bring their own bikes.
Posted online 08/01/98.
