Puerto Rico is rectangular, sandwiched between the bulk of Hispaniola and the tiny archipelagoes of the leeward islands. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The mainland measures 175km by 56km (100mi by 35mi), about the size of Corsica, and is roughly bisected by the rugged Cordillera Central, whose high point is the 1340m (4400ft) Cerro la Punta. The hills drain into Puerto Rico's lush northern coast and the drier southern region. The small islands of Vieques and Culebra (to the east) and Mona (to the west) are also Puerto Rican territory.

The rainforest of El Yunque, in Puerto Rico's northeast, is its steamy pride and joy. Birds, reptiles and plantlife thrive in this sodden national park that receives over a

Puerto Rico's native frogs, known as

Puerto Rico is balmy year round with daily highs between 75-85°F (24-30°C). Hurricane season is between May and November and, as the terrible destruction wrought by Georges in September 1998 showed, it's worth keeping an eye on weather reports if you're heading to Puerto Rico at this time of year. Usually, hurricane season means that the weather is a fraction hotter, wetter and gustier than at other times, not that debris routinely flies through the streets. The mountains are significantly cooler than the coast but forget about building snowmen even at the height of winter.

Puerto Rico is one of the Caribbean's cheaper destinations, but there's no limit to what you can spend if you're in a party mood or on a gambling binge. It's possible to travel very comfortably on around US$250 a day, staying in ritzier hotels and eating three meals a day in decent restaurants. A moderate guesthouse-and-diner budget would slip somewhere between US$150 and US$200, while budget travelers can get by on less than US$100 a day by bunking up in no-frills hotels, eating at local food stands and taking public transport in preference to hiring a car. Note that accommodations are cheaper in the May through November low season.

All major credit cards and traveler's checks are widely accepted and there are plenty of ATMs should you prefer to access your home bank account directly. Once you leave the cities and touristed areas, it's best to carry cash. The US dollar is sometimes referred to as the peso.

Tipping follows North American rules. Restaurants usually include the service charge in the bill, but if they don't a 15% tip is expected. Some hotels add a 10% service charge, otherwise an equivalent tip is expected. There's a government tax of 7-10% on hotel rooms and some hotels charge an energy surcharge of around 3%. These extras can really add up - find out what you're in for when you make your booking to save a nasty surprise at settle-up time. Bargaining isn't common except in artisan markets where you can probably wrangle a discount.

The peak tourist season is between December and April, but this has more to do with the climate in North America than anything else. During these months the island is swamped by visitors, prices are highest and accommodations can be hard to find. The best time to avoid the crowds is during the official hurricane season (May through November). Although hurricanes are rare, they're able to do more than put a dampener on your holiday. Definitely keep an eye on weather reports if you're in Puerto Rico at this time. If you intend to travel inland bring a sweater for the evenings regardless of when you visit - it's much cooler in them thar hills.