A friend won a stay at two small places outside of San Juan. We have heard that the crime rate is very bad and that tourists are not safe. Has anyone been there recently? Was it dangerous or safe? We would be going to Quebradillas and Lajas and traveling by car.

Hi! I've lived in Puerto Rico for 25 years so I speak from experience. Yes we do have a high crime rate, just like other major U.S. cities. But unless your're planning on visiting a public housing project where most of the major crimes are committed you are safe. There are a lot of drugs on the island, but they have their "puntos" where they distribute them and are far away from the tourist zones. Quebradillas is a sleepy, little town on the north/west coast of the island. Will you be staying at the Parador Guajataca? I stayed there about three months ago and it was very nice. However, if you're looking for a beach to swim in this is the not place to stay--it's "open sea" at this Parador. You might look into the Horned Dorset Primavera hotel near Rincon. This is a five star establishment with great staff, food, service, beach. But also no night life in either of these places. If you want night life, i.e. discos, casinos, shows, you should stay at one of the hotels in San Juan, i.e. El San Juan, Caribe Hilton, Condado Plaza, Marriott, etc...all are very safe, but expensive. Meals are separate and can be high. If you want lower cost restaurants I recommend the Metropol in San Juan, La Borincana in Santurce and "La Casita Blanca" in Santurce. Old San Juan has numerous restaurants, small hotels and are very safe. The new mayor has contracted more city police which are on the job 24 hours. Let me know if you need more information and I will be glad to help you. Have a great time!

We were in Puerto Rico in November 1996 and it was a great place. We walked around the town and took advantage of many tourist places and felt very safe. The thing to remember is to always be cautious but that is advice you would be using in any big city; just use common sense and you should have a great time.

My husband and I visited Puerto Rico a week ago. We stayed in the Lajas district (La Parguera). Great place! People were friendly. Didn't experience any crime whatsoever. We had also heard about the crime rate in Puerto Rico, but most of it, apparently, is based in San Juan and/or the other big cites (we had to drive through Ponce once; got lost and got a VERY bad local vibe while doing so). Once out in the country, though I felt VERY safe.

If you must be aware of something, be aware that the rest of the island is only now experiencing the kind of mass tourism encountered at San Juan. Bring a Spanish/English phrasebook, and a good attitude. Also note that parts of the island are heavily industrial, so along with the flora and fauna, expect some smokestacks as well.

Have a great trip

One more thing: Don't leave ANYTHING in your car. If you must, stuff it in the trunk. The guy at the rental car agency in Mayaguez couldn't stress this enough.

Hello- I couldn't help noticing you had mentioned that you lived in Puerto Rico for 25 years. My wife and some friends would like to take a trip to Puerto Rico. However, we are interested in staying somewhere non-commercialized (if possible) and on the water. We have interest in hiking in the national rain forest. Also, do you know where the huge satellite is located and is it open to the public? Do you have any suggestions/advice and insights? Thank you