When to Go

The towns of Patillas, Guánica, and La Parguera are popular with Puerto Ricans during Easter and Christmas and during summer, when children are out of school, and Ponce's spirited pre-Lenten carnival, held the week before Ash Wednesday, draws many visitors. For the rest of the year, much of the south is quiet and receives only a fraction of the number of visitors as other parts of the island, though the weather is equally superb and most facilities remain open. It's not unusual for hotels to close for two weeks to a month during October and November, when tourism slows down. Hotels tend to lower rates from May through November, so check ahead for deals. Some paradores—small, government-sponsored inns—and hotels require a minimum two- or three-night stay on weekends.