San Juan Rainforest Excursion (El Yunque)

[Loretta777]

After cruising to Mexico at least 5 times, we're ready to broaden our horizons and try the 7 Day Eastern Caribbean. We'll be traveling with our teen so I'm looking for more active excursions and was checking out the rain forest tour in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I'm wondering about how many bugs/critters we can expect to encounter? Are we talking Indiana Jones bug tunnel or no bugs if you don't look for them? While I understand that rain forests, and any forests really, have critters in them I don't want to pay for this and then end up sitting on the bus waiting for everyone else because things keep landing on me. Thank you for any insight!

[satxdiver]

We did a self land tour before our cruise and went to the rain forest one day.  It was in the spring and the bugs/insects were not a problem even at the springs.  We did not have a bug problem.  

[skynight]

I have been to El Yunque, the Yu is pronounced as a Ju by the locals. I drove there when I was in P.R. It is interesting. As you drive up the mountain the surrounding area is fairly dry. Shortly after entering the National Forest the area turns lush. The park ranger provided an umbrella and I walked down to the waterfall area. There were people there swimming. It rained on and off some heavy. It is dense tropical forest. I don't remember being bothered by bugs. 

 

[Lady Arwen]

Family reunion cruise 5 years ago and 10 of us took the cruiseline excursion.  One of our party has a profound fear of spiders, so she stayed on the bus when everyone else did the trek through the forest.  It rained the entire time, but no one saw any insects that were bothersome and certainly no large spiders.

 

That being said, it is a rainforest and it’s always possible you will spot some large critters.  They are usually shy creatures and the noise of a large group will usually send them into hiding.  But, you just never know.

[Rick&Jeannie]

While not the same scenario as the OP asked (Puerto Rice), earlier this year on a partial Panama Canal transit we di a river raft excursion in Jamaica.  I was VERY surprised that we had no issues at all with insects.

 

[Lady Arwen]

57 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

While not the same scenario as the OP asked (Puerto Rice), earlier this year on a partial Panama Canal transit we di a river raft excursion in Jamaica.  I was VERY surprised that we had no issues at all with insects.

 

We saw a tarantula in Ocho Rios that lives in an outdoor bar.  They named it Burt and it was huge.  It hid behind a crate and only came out of hiding occasionally.  I did not sit at the bar, thank you!

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 minute ago, Lady Arwen said:

  I did not sit at the bar, thank you!

I don't blame you! 😄

[Mike45LC]

I’ve visited El Yunque three times and never had an insect problem.

[Loretta777]

Thanks everyone, sounds like I should be more careful around bars than rainforests!