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What is there to do when you are on a Caribbean island and practically surrounded by beaches? If you’re a perfectly rational human being, then the ideal answer would be to throw off those shoes and go crazy in the water.

In San Juan, Puerto Rico, there’s so much room for beach adventures. For one, the tropical climate is on your side. The average annual temperature is 82 F (28 C) and it almost never goes below 64 F or above 97 F. With a great weather, it’s almost impossible not to enjoy San Juan’s clear waters and white sand.

Isla Verde is the premier beach destination in San Juan. Stretching for miles along the city coastline, Isla Verde Beach lies in front of numerous luxury hotels, condominiums, restaurants, clubs, guesthouses, upscale apartments, parks, and even a cemetery.

Although you can still read or take a nap here, this beach is not your ideal location if you’re looking for a tranquil and deserted getaway. There’s not much crowd on weekdays but people come in droves during the weekends and Isla Verde becomes a hub of water activities. The surf is good enough for body surfing or you can venture further into the sea with parasailing, jetskiing, and water skiing. Nearby sports shops offer equipment for rent. Beachfront hotels and resorts in Isla Verde also feature various facilities for water sports.

Fishing is another popular water sport in San Juan. Most anglers here practice the catch-and-release system though so the farthest you can get for a souvenir catch is a picture of the fish. A common style here is deep sea fishing. The most abundant species in these parts of the Caribbean are allison tuna, sailfish, wahoo, and mackerel. Thanks to the island’s tropical climate, fishing is good all year you have more chances of catching tuna, dolphin, wahoo, sailfish and other species during the months of October to early March.

San Juan has a lot of marine charters that offer a half-day or full day fishing trip. Boats often range from 32-50 feet and can take in about six passengers along with two to four fishing crew. Deep water is close to shore so you can usually start fishing within half an hour of leaving port. A half-day tour package can cost $480-$500, a six-hour trip ranges from $650-$700, and a whole day of fishing costs anywhere from $850 to $1,000. These fees are already inclusive of fishing equipment, beverages, and services of captain and mate.

For those who would rather stay out of deep waters but still want a great fishing experience, light tackle fishing in the bays and lagoons is a good alternative. There are marine charters as well that offer smaller boats, around 16-18 feet, for a half-day or full day trip.

Scuba diving and snorkeling are must-do activities as well in Puerto Rico. The visibility is at least 60 to 75 feet in areas nearer to the beach but it can be up to 100 feet offshore. Diving sites in San Juan feature awe-inspiring marine diversity and picturesque geographical formations. Other impressive dive sites are 50 miles west of Mayaguez, near Desecheo Island off Rincon, off Mona Island, and off Culebra and Vieques. There’s no reason to panic even if you’re a newbie in diving. Some hotels and resorts offer diving lessons for beginners. As for snorkeling, the shallow reefs in San Juan are more than enough to dazzle you with awesome underwater scenery. A good snorkeling location is in the bay marina near the Caribe Hilton hotel.

The Caribbean islands are the best place for people who enjoy water sports. Whether your own preference is on the water or below it, Caribbean water sports have something to offer you including swimming, waterskiing, sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, and so on.

Snorkeling

Snorkeling is probably the most popular of Caribbean watersports because swimmers of all ages can enjoy it. Going snorkeling means getting personal with the wonderful and colorful marine life found in the Caribbean. Due to the immense popularity of this activity, there are many well-marked snorkeling trails across many islands in the Caribbean. Most of the better resorts and hotels in offer snorkeling equipment as well as instruction.

Board watersports

Windsurfing, surfing, and kiteboarding are all forms of board sports. These Caribbean watersports enjoy a lot of popularity because the trade winds in the Caribbean provide unlimited opportunities for them. Kiteboarding is actually the same as windsurfing except that it uses a relatively smaller board. As to surfing, if you are not going to Hawaii then you had better go to the Caribbean. The water is warm, the surf is good, the bays are sheltered and there is always one trade wind or another making waves, what more could you possibly demand? Due to the combination of ideal conditions, the Caribbean attracts surfers from the world over. Instruction and equipment is available through most hotels or through vendors along the beaches.

Parasailing

If you are not the type for on-water or below-water sports then you have this third option among Caribbean watersports. Facilities for training and equipment are available through your hotel or through vendors along the beach. Going parasailing means getting a unique view of the Caribbean with the whole vista of white beaches, clear waters, blue skies, and the wildlife spread below you as you soar on the wind.

Waterskiing

Waterskiing or jetskiing has become quite popular recently. Jetskiing is especially very convenient with many people renting jetskis for a single rider experience or wave runners that can take on 2-4 riders at one time. As usual, your hotel or the beach front can offer you the vendors for this Caribbean watersport.

Canoeing and Kayaking

There are several guided tours for people who prefer the calm and tranquility of canoeing or kayaking to the other motorized means of traveling on water. The Caribbean is liberally supplied with mangroves and lagoons.

Sailing

Spend a day on a powerboat, catamaran, sailboat, or trimraran and enjoy sailing in the Caribbean. You can opt between bare boat and crewed boats and there are even special charters for people who are interested in learning how to sail.

Scuba Diving

If you wish to go a step beyond snorkeling then go scuba diving and you will see yet another unique perspective of the Caribbean. There are several popular diving spots in the Cayman Islands and Curacao. Go swimming with tamed stingrays in Stingray City. Do not forget the Buck Island Reef National Monument that has 250 species of fish.