Puerto Rico is an American territory located in the Caribbean. This comes with great advantages, including not needing a passport to enter the country (as long as you're from the states), and English is spoken in the tourist areas. It is one of the more safe destinations in the region, with a visit to San Juan Puerto Rico being no more dangerous than a trip to Atlanta. However, there is still an enormous drug problem, with most of the crime stemming from it, in some shape or form. Puerto Rico is a popular pit stop for drug traffickers moving their shipments from South American en route to The United States. Despite the presence of the FBI and the DEA, drugs are still heavily prevalent.
Don't let this news discourage you though, because the tourist areas are extremely safe and have very few problems. The most common tourist crimes that take place are thefts and muggings. But as long as you use some common sense, you can avoid these events.
San Juan is a fairly safe place, although it is recommended not to carry too much cash on you, just as a precautionary measure. ATM's are widely available, and most stores will accept credit cards. Also, do not bring your valuable jewelry with you on the trip. You don't want to draw attention to yourself with a three carat diamond hanging from your finger.
Outside of San Juan, there are a few places to avoid. Old San Juan has a few neighborhoods that are not as tourist friendly and have a higher crime rate. These are the La Perla and Puertode Tierra neighborhoods.
During the day, most beaches are completely safe and welcome visitors. However, try to avoid secluded areas where muggers can find you alone. Also, it is best to skip the midnight strolls down the beach. After the sun goes down, do not venture into these areas.
Most of the bars and clubs along the tourist strip are safe and have very few problems with crime. However, when you have left the facilities, do not wander down unlit areas or alleyways. And do not walk alone. You are always safer in a group --- this especially goes for single female travelers. But if you are traveling by yourself, make sure to stay where there are groups of people, and when going back to your hotel, always take an officially marked taxi.
Transportation in Puerto Rico is safe and travelers do not need to worry about it. Taxis are prevalent in the tourist areas, but there are also buses, ferries and an urban train.
There are a few other helpful facts that will help make travel to, around and from Puerto Rico more safe and enjoyable. The first is that you don't need vaccinations or shots before you depart. Also, learning even a little bit of Spanish can prove to be helpful. There are places outside of the tourist hot spots where few will speak English, which will make travel more difficult.
Lastly and possibly most important, if a situation does arise where you need emergency help, 911 does work and is available.
