Baseball, the king of sports
Baseball is extremely popular on the island. There is a professional league, which usually plays during the winter, but no Puerto Rican team participates in the prestigious MLB, the North American league. Puerto Rico has one World Baseball Championship title (1951). The two most famous Puerto Rican players are Roberto Clemente and Orlando Cepeda. They are among the best players in the history of world baseball. Today, dozens of Puerto Ricans play in MLB, including Carlos Beltrán (ex-New York Yankees). Puerto Rican television broadcasts a lot of baseball and young people often trade balls in the street.
Popular basketball
After baseball, basketball is undoubtedly the second favorite team sport of Puerto Ricans. Its popularity grew especially when the national team beat Team USA at the Athens Olympics in 2004. It was a worldwide earthquake and an unforgettable night for all the Puerto Rican people. If the American NBA is a dream for all players, there are not many Puerto Ricans in history who have played in the league; the most famous is probably Carlos Arroyo, who played for the Orlando Magic.
An island reference of boxing
Ah boxing! On a big night, when a Puerto Rican fights somewhere on the planet to defend or win a world title, it's not worth hoping to see people in the streets. The entire population is glued to the television screen. It was thanks to boxing and the exploits of Juan Evangelista Venegas that Puerto Rico managed to win its first Olympic gold medal. It was in 1948 in London. This success probably conditioned the popularity of this sport on the island. However, it was mainly in the 1970s that boxing took off. This period is considered the golden age of Puerto Rican boxing by all experts. Mohammed Ali, Roberto Duran or Alexis Arguello came here to win or defend their world championship titles. Long gone are the days when illegal fights took place in the fields of the haciendas to see who was the best fighter. In the men's category, Puerto Rico no longer counts its world championship belts. Many athletes have left their mark on the mentality of their fellow citizens in this sport, such as Sixto Escobar, the first Puerto Rican world champion in history, Wilfried Benitez, the youngest world champion in the history of boxing at the age of 17, John Ruiz, the only local to have won the supreme heavyweight title, Ada Velez, the first woman from the island to win a world crown in 2001, Félix Trinidad, who faced the legend Oscar de la Hoya..
Corals and tropical fish
As for the other islands of the Caribbean, Puerto Rico has a sumptuous natural coral park. However, global warming is constantly deteriorating this exceptional heritage. Whether you are a seasoned diver or a simple amateur, there is something for everyone. Divers can enjoy themselves around Fajardo (las Cabezas de San Juan or el Diablo), as well as around the islands of Vieques (Angel Reef) and Culebra (Wit Power, a wreck from 1984). The very small island off Ponce, Caja de Muertos, in the south of Puerto Rico can also be a good opportunity to discover the Puerto Rican bottom. The amateurs can also enjoy a trip around Mona Island (Carabinero Rock), west of Mayagüez. It is not difficult to find operators to rent equipment and organize trips to the different dive sites.
Long live sliding!
Surfing. Along with Costa Rica, Puerto Rico is undoubtedly one of the best places in the Caribbean to surf in winter. The city of Rincón, in the west of the island, is the hub. It seems to live only for that, between early December and mid-April. Logically, most of the good spots around the island are located on the Atlantic side. The northwest is to be preferred, with many sites. Rincón of course, but also Surfer's Beach, Jobos and Shacks around Isabela; Gas Chamber, Crash Boat and Table Rock near Aguadilla; Sandy Beach, Punta Gorda, Spanish Wall, Domes, Maria's, Tres Palmas and Steps around Rincón. You can also enjoy the spot of La Pared in Luquillo, in the northeast of the island.
Kitesurfing and windsurfing. The trade winds of the Atlantic Ocean make the practice of sailing sports more than favorable on the north coast. The beaches of Ocean Park and Isla Verde are home to various schools and clubs that offer kitesurfing and windsurfing lessons for all levels. For the more experienced, you can go to Pozuelo Bay in the south of the island, between Salinas and Guayama, but you will have to bring your own equipment.
Beautiful hikes
Despite the closure of some parks such as the San Cristobal Canyon or part of the protected reserve of El Yunque National Forest (reserve in advance for excursions on the open trails), hiking trails remain numerous on the island. Whether you decide to hike along the beaches of the east coast or climb the Cerro de Punta mountain, you'll have a choice of paths to take. The Bosque Estatal Toro Negro , for example, is a very nice hiking option. The majority of the trails are accessible to everyone. You don't have to be a great sportsman to put on your walking shoes. Be careful, don't forget water and hat!
Work on your swing
Americans love golf. And since they also enjoy the Caribbean air for vacationing, Puerto Rico was bound to become one of their favorite destinations to hit the little white ball. The first golf courses were built in the 1960s and today the island has more than 20. And many have already hosted at least one international competition. Some of the greatest contemporary golf architects have built in Puerto Rico. Greg Norman (Rio Mar Beach Resort & Golf Club), Robert Trent Jones Sr.(Bahia Beach Golf Club), Gary Player and Rees Jones(Palmas del Mar Country Club). To make matters worse, the courses are often located in breathtaking natural settings, with views of the sea or the mountains.
