Vámonos Tours San Juan, Puerto Rico

Excerpt from Courier Magazine, July 2011 page 74

For Jorge Pardo, taking groups to his native Puerto rico is more than a way to earn a living, it is his passion. “I’ve been taking friends and family around Puerto rico ever since I was in high school,” said the founder and president of Vámonos tours. “I started this company by taking my own students to my island.”

Thanks to the knowledge Pardo and the other staff members at Vámonos tours have, travelers get an insider’s experience of the island’s culture. He said the five-day Aguaviva Tour combines a lot of cultural immersion and some adventure.“First, we stay where Puerto Ricans stay: only Puerto Rican paradores and locally owned professional hotels. and we eat where Puerto Ricans eat, which means our customers will be eating lots of rice and beans, as well as pinchos (grilled meat kabobs).”

As part of the Aguaviva Tour, groups learn to salsa at one of Puerto rico’s most acclaimed dance studios and visit a rural fishing village where they go on an eco-boat tour, hear from a local fisherman and take a late-night swim with glowing fish. The last half of the trip combines active pursuits such as ziplining and hiking in the tropical rainforest with some relaxing beach time and a morning of exploring Old San Juan.

“Puerto rico is a lovely u.s. caribbean island full of history, adventure and rich culture,” Pardo said. “our peculiar fusion of indigenous, European, African and American roots is quite unique and easily visible in our daily traditions, food and culture.”