Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Medical Tourism

Puerto Rico Medical Tourism - Highly ranked healthcare system, top quality medical centers, & advanced imaging centers make the island very attractive to health travelers

By the northeastern Caribbean Sea, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, a short 2.5 hours flight from Miami, Florida you will find the "gatekeeper" of the Caribbean Sea, Puerto Rico. A multifaceted island with Spanish Caribbean culture found in the architecture and attractions within. Plentiful beaches provide water activities such as diving, sailing and surfing. Hiking opportunities abound particularly in the rainforest of El Yunque (2011 New7Wonders of Nature Official Finalists); bird and whale watching can also bring a thrill for any seasoned traveler.

Puerto Rico Medical Tourism Fame

Due to Puerto Rico’s relationship with the United States (territory),  congress legislates over many fundamental aspects of Puerto Rican life, including citizenship, currency, postal service, foreign affairs, military defense, communications, labor relations, the environment, commerce, finance, health and welfare, and many others.   Political stability, highly ranked healthcare system, state of the art private health facilities and Advanced Imaging Centers plus a high standard of living compared to other Caribbean countries make Puerto Rico a prime destination for medical tourists seeking specialized care for a wide range of medical issues such as, but not limited to, general preventive medical care up to cancer diagnosis and treatments.

Language

The official languages are Spanish and English with Spanish being the primary language. English is taught as a second language in public and private schools from elementary levels to high school and at university levels; making this a well spoken and understood language especially in capital of San Juan and popular tourist areas. 

Climate

Puerto Rico is a tropical country, which means that much of what you dream about a tropical paradise is true:  dense green rainforests with wildlife galore and luxurious palm tree-lined white sandy beaches with pristine waters worthy of being recognized by The Traveler Magazine as one of the countries with the  best beaches in the world (PLAYA FLAMENCO, CULEBRA, PUERTO RICO).   Temperatures range from 70 to 90 °F (21.1 to 32.2 °C) in the lower elevations, while higher elevations in the central part of the island experience temperatures between 60 and 80 °F (15.6 and 26.7 °C) year round.  

Persistent trade winds move from east to west across the island year round. In lighter wind regimes, sea breeze and land breeze circulations dominate.  Due to the island's topography, rainfall varies greatly across the island with a pronounced rainy season from April to November.

Currency

The currency of Puerto Rico is the United States dollar (USD).

Visa / Entrance Requirements

U.S. citizens do not need a valid passport/ Visa in order to enter Puerto Rico; however there are requirements for those international visitors entering the island.

International travelers come to the U.S. for a wide variety of reasons, including tourism, business, medical treatment and certain types of temporary work. The type of visa needed is defined by immigration law, and relates to the principal purpose of your travel. For an overview of the types of nonimmigrant visas available under immigration law, please contact the American Consulate in your country. The Consular Officer at the U.S. embassy or consulate will decide what kind of visa you’ll need.

Nonimmigrant visas are for international travelers (citizens of other countries), coming to the U.S. temporarily. The visa, placed in your passport when issued, allows you to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (airport, for example) and request permission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection immigration officer to enter the U.S.

Most Canadian citizens and many citizens from Visa Waiver Program countries can come to the United States (U.S.) without a visa if they meet certain requirements. All Visa Waiver Program travelers must present a machine-readable passport at the U.S. port of entry to enter the U.S. without a visa; otherwise a U.S. visa is required.

Airlines Servicing Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has 19 airports throughout the island.  Pertinent to Medical Tourism the island counts with the : Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, located in San Juan, the Isla Grande Airport,  also located in San Juan, the Rafael Hernández International Airport located in Aguadilla, and the Mercedita International Airport located in Ponce. 

The following airlines service Puerto Rico:

•  Mayor Airlines
• American Airlines/ American Eagle
• Copa Airlines
•  Continental Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• Jet Blue
• Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España
• Northwest Airlines
• USAirways
• United Airlines
• America Trans Air
• Air Canada
• Spirit Airlines
• Regional Airlines
• ALM Airlines
• Cape Air
• Air St. Thomas
• Vieques Air Link
• Flamenco Airlines
• Liat / Dominair
• Carib Air
• American Eagle
• Air Guadaloupe
• Air ST. Barthelemy
• Tol Air
• FLY BVI Airlines
• M&N Aviation
• Vieques AirLink
• Air Santo Domingo
• Air Culebra
• Charter/Other
• Canada 3000
• Sun Country
• Sun Jet
• Champion Air
• Miami Air

Hotels

Puerto Rico receives annually hundreds of thousand tourists to enjoy the wonderful sceneries of our Island, therefore is fair to say that we have a hotels for every accommodation need.  Whether you prefer the calmness of the country, the magical breeze of the sea or the busy lifestyle in the city; Puerto Rico has a hotel to accommodate you.  Bed and Breakfast Hotels ranging from $75 – $90 per night up to 5 star luxury resorts with SPA’s, Gulf Courses, Fine Dining and other amenities with prices ranging from $150 - $1,500 per night.

Communicating Home

The country code for Puerto Rico is 787.  In order to call Puerto Rico from anywhere in the US you should dial 1 – 787 and the number to call.  This procedure is the same for land lines and for mobile numbers.

In order to call Puerto Rico from Canada or another international country you should dial 011 then 787 and then the phone number.

As a technological country almost every public place in Puerto Rico has Internet WIFi connection, from the mall to your hotel room you can connect from the internet to the outside world with ease.

Emergency Telephone Numbers

Puerto Rico’s Emergency System 24/7 dial 911

Sightseeing

Puerto Rico offers an amazing variety of experiences. Tourist attractions to suit many tastes, from beautiful beaches to natural rain forests there’s an adventure waiting to happen everywhere. But there is also a richness of history and culture to be found nowhere else.  Historical Sites at Old San Juan, over 20 museums all over the Island, and even our own Rum Factory, makes every visit a diversified one.

Shopping

From the small traditional shops in Old San Juan to the Caribbean's leading shopping center and the third largest in Latin America, Plaza Las Américas with over 300 stores within the 2.173 million ft² of  total retail floor area the savvy shopper can find local, American and European stores for every taste and need.

Nightlife and the Arts

Daily events, such as theaters, art galleries, and live shows can be found in mayor newspapers.  Puerto Rico has its own performing arts center dedicated to the promotion of local and visiting opera stars, ballet and theatrical companies as well as popular singing idols from all over the world.

If partying is more your style you can find casinos, bars and discotheques all over the island, making Puerto Rico one of the happiest countries all over the world (#23 out of a 155 – Forbes.com – 07/14/2010).