The Tainos Indians were a well established trading peoples long before the Spanish settled the island in the early 1500s. The Spanish wanted what the Taino's wanted, Puerto Rico's strategic location in the middle of the caribbean island chain, and its deep natural harbor.
The Spanish conquistadors created the city of San Juan principally as a military outpost, building massive fortifications over three centuries to protect and enlarge Spanish interests throughout the New World.
In Puerto Rico, you can enjoy over 279 miles of golden-sand beaches facing the deep blue Atlantic Ocean or white-sand beaches facing the turquoise Caribbean Sea. Puertan Rican surfing beaches rank among the best in the world. Snorkelers will find hundreds of reefs teeming with marine life.
