I have been to both places in the time I loved traveling around the world and that is why I thought to compare these two places for those who are looking for a good comparison to help them select one place for their next trip.
Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico, which you are likely viewing, is similar to Miami in terms of its high-rise hotels, activity, and hustle and bustle. It offers a taste of the tropics along with the standard all-service hotel ambiance.
Although there are alternatives to the general hubbub in other parts of PR, you will find everything you need and want in the Virgin Islands (and of course I’m prejudiced).
The Virgin Islands.
The Virgin Islands have a lot to offer besides beaches, but you might discover that beach and sailing excursions have the most variety. The British Virgin Islands and St. John are both close by and are all very different.
There are many restaurants and pubs on St. Thomas, so there is something for everyone, from the discerning gourmet to the person who wants to sample local cuisine to the person who wants to enjoy very wonderful home-cooked food. The Virgin Islands are a real melting pot of cultures and people, with tremendous diversity.
Table of Contents
- What can you do and visit in Puerto Rico?
- What can you do and visit in US Virgin Islands?
- Puerto Rico vs. US Virgin Islands: Comparison.
- Conclusion.
- Some related FAQs.
That is a short comparison of the two places, and in this article, we compare everything you need to know about those places. Welcome to Travo Love, and I invite you to stick around until the end to find out what you’ve been looking for.
What can you do and visit in Puerto Rico?
Flamenco Beach.
Nobody takes a plane to Puerto Rico to visit the island’s cool government buildings. You seek outdoor recreation. Flamenco Beach will surpass your expectations, which is wonderful news.
Along with having white sand and horizon-shimmering blue ocean, it also has restrooms, lifeguards, food stands, volleyball nets, and tourist information centers where you may rent equipment for activities like snorkeling and scuba diving.
Puerto Rico is a tropical paradise where you may pretty much have whatever kind of vacation you want.
The best beach in Puerto Rico and one of the best beaches in the world is Flamenco Beach. The beach is accessible from the town of Dewey and contains lifeguard towers, food booths, and shops selling beach gear (where the ferry boat arrives).
Laguna Grande.
Fajardo’s Laguna Grande resembles other bays along the tropical Puerto Rican coastline during the day.
The pyrodinium bahamense, a minute plankton that thrives in the lagoon’s shallow Caribbean waters and glows when disturbed, is what gives it its brilliant glow at night.
Old san Juan.
The San Juan National Historic Site is located in Medieval San Juan and has structures from the 16th century, such as the San Felipe del Morro and San Cristóbal fortifications and the old city walls.
The Spanish adventurer Juan Ponce de León’s tomb is located in the Bautista Cathedral. Along with hip cocktail lounges and renowned Caribbean fusion restaurants, brightly colored buildings border cobblestone walkways and shaded plazas.
El Yunque National Park.
Tropical rainforests can be found in northeastern Puerto Rico at El Yunque National Forest. A walkway extends from the El Portal Visitor Center through the nearby treetops.
There are hiking trails that lead to the La Mina waterfall, Mount Britton, and the high-altitude dwarf forest.
Ancient petroglyphs created by the region’s native Ta’no people can be found in the south. The coqu tree frogs’ nighttime calls bring the woodland to life.
Icacos Island.
Off the coast of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, is the small, uninhabited island of Cayo Icacos. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment has control over it because it is a part of the La Cordillera Reef Nature Reserve. From Fajardo, the water taxi voyage takes fifteen minutes.
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What can you do and visit in US Virgin Islands?
A collection of Caribbean islands and islets make up the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a U.S. territory famed for its white sand beaches, reefs, and lush mountains. Charlotte Amalie, the nation’s capital, is located on St. Thomas Island.
The majority of the island of St. John, which is located to the east, is part of the Virgin Islands National Park. To the south is the historic island of St. Croix, which includes the cities of Christiansted and Frederiksted.
Honeymoon islands.
On St. John’s northern shore, in the US Virgin Islands, is Honeymoon Beach. Its shoreline is made of fine, white sand. The beach’s upper and close shore areas have a gentle incline, which causes the water to gradually get deeper.
Virgin Islands National Park.
A U.S. Virgin Island named St. John is mostly taken up by Virgin Islands National Park. Coral reefs round a large number of the beaches.
They include Francis Bay, whose tranquil waters are inhabited by sea turtles, and Trunk Bay, which is surrounded by trees.
Ruins of a sugar plantation from the 18th century can be found at Annaberg Plantation. The ruins of Reef Bay Sugar Mill are in the south and can be reached through trails through tropical vegetation.
Water Island
The stunning views and untamed beauty of Water Island are well recognized. John Boyd Water Island, a stunning, isolated island just off St. Thomas, is renowned for its untamed beauty and breathtaking views.
The island, which has a population of only 200, lacks hotels, cabs, gas stations, shops, and a main town.
Buck Island.
A total of 19,015 acres, including Buck Island, a tiny, uninhabited island of 176 acres that is 1.5 miles off the northeast coast of Saint Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 18,839 acres of submerged lands, are protected by Buck Island Reef National Monument. The U.S. originally designated it as a protected area.
Cruz Bay.
If you’re fit, you could go as far as Trunk quite easily because the public road is not too horrible for walking on with a little caution around traffic (3.5 miles from Cruz Bay). Because of the steep slopes and the time of day, the difficulty can be substantially increased. Like Cruz Bay, trekking is excellent in the early and late hours.
The largest settlement on the island of Saint John in the U.S. Virgin Islands is Cruz Bay. Cruz Bay had 2,743 residents as of the 2000 Census.
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Puerto Rico vs. US Virgin Islands: Comparison.
| Feature | Puerto Rico | US Virgin Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Puerto Rico isn’t particularly inexpensive compared to other Caribbean islands, but a week in San Juan will cost a single traveler $700 and a couple $1,200. Cooking their own food and taking off-season trips might help visitors on a budget save even more money. | Typically, a weeklong vacation to the US Virgin Islands costs $1,394 for one person. Therefore, a weeklong trip for two people to the US Virgin Islands costs about $2,789 in total. In the US Virgin Islands, a two-week trip for two persons costs $5,577. |
| Best time to Travel | Mid-April to June, immediately following the busy winter season and just before the rainy summer, are the finest months to visit Puerto Rico. In the spring, temperatures seldom rise above the mid-eighties on most days. | The U.S. Virgin Islands are at their best from April through June, when you can anticipate pleasant temperatures and little rain. From December to March, when the USVI is at its busiest, temperatures range from the mid-70s to the upper 80s, with windy evenings. |
| Night Life | The nightlife on Puerto Rico’s island is incredible. The largest city on the island, San Juan, boasts a vibrant nightlife.La Placita de Santurce in San Juan, a favorite among residents, is packed with eateries, nightclubs, and pubs. Distrito T-Mobile is a one-stop destination for nightlife, offering everything from drinks to shows at Coca-Cola Music Hall. Chinchorros will occasionally feature live music, including salsa, plena, and bomba. | Visitors should focus their attention on four important places on the island for nightlife: Charlotte Amalie, the capital and largest city of the island; Frenchtown, which is nearby and famous for its eating scene; Red Hook, which is famed for its block-style parties; and Havensight (plentiful live music). |
| How long do you need? | In general, visitors to Puerto Rico need between 7 and 10 days to see the island’s top attractions, although longer stays, like two weeks, are preferable to see the island’s coast, central region, neighboring islands, and cays. | I advise staying in the US Virgin Islands for one week if you intend to travel to St. Thomas and St. John. You get 5 days on the islands plus 2 days for travel, giving you a total of 7 days, which is more than enough time to visit the beaches, go snorkeling, take a boat tour, and go on a short hike. |
| Safety | Due to its lower crime rate than many other American states, Puerto Rico is a relatively safe destination for tourists. One of the safest Caribbean islands is this one. Drug trafficking and gang activities are major factors in Puerto Rico’s violent gun crime, which rarely affects tourists. | Visitors to the US Virgin Islands can feel secure. As with any other vacation destination, common sense safety precautions should be followed, but we have never felt endangered when exploring the islands. |
Conclusion.
In my experience, Puerto Rico was better than the Virgin Islands when compared to the cost of traveling. But when it comes to the places to visit and the nightlife there, the Virgin Islands were the best. So finally, as I had enough money to spend and enough time to spend, the Virgin Islands was my choice forth those two.
But for you, things can change depending on the resources you have as well as the places you love to visit and the things you like the most to do.
Some related FAQs.
Which is the prettiest of the US Virgin Islands?
Thomas. St. Thomas is one of the U.S. Virgin Islands and is a tropical haven, possibly the most well-liked. It is the ideal location for stunning vacation photos because it has access to the glistening oceans, abundant coral reefs, and immaculate beaches of other nearby islands.
Is Puerto Rico better than St Thomas?
Puerto Rico is ideal for tourists looking for entertainment, white sand beaches, and opportunities to swim in bioluminescent bays. St. Thomas, on the other hand, is ideal for those who want to visit the BVI, enjoy white sand beaches, and shop duty-free.
Are U.S. Virgin Islands worth visiting?
The U.S. Virgin Islands have an enormous wealth of ecological and cultural attractions for visitors of all kinds to enjoy, including beach hopping throughout the islands and making friends with natives and other visitors.
Is it worth visiting Puerto Rico?
PR is a highly varied island that offers a variety of things, including beaches, nightlife, history, and natural beauties. If you do your homework and make a decision based on your travel preferences, you’ll discover that Puerto Rico is a fantastic location.
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