Who I Am, The Short Version
I was born in Santurce in 1990, raised between the blue cobblestone streets of Old San Juan and the green hills around El Yunque. My grandfather drove a público, one of those shared vans that crisscross the island, and I spent summers riding shotgun, learning every back road between San Juan and Fajardo. My mother worked at a small hotel in Condado, which meant I grew up hearing tourists ask the same questions over and over: where should we eat, what's worth seeing, is that tour actually good?
At 22, after two years of coursework and field training, I earned my tour guide certification from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. The license exam covers everything from island history and ecology to first aid and customer service standards. Passing it isn't a formality, about 30% of candidates fail their first attempt. I passed on my first try and started guiding rainforest hikes within a month.
Since then, I've led more than 3,000 excursions across Puerto Rico: rainforest waterslide tours, snorkeling trips off Escambrón Beach, bio bay kayak paddles in Fajardo, walking food tours through Old San Juan, cave explorations in Arecibo, catamaran sails to Culebra, and private custom itineraries for everyone from solo backpackers to three-generation family reunions. I've worked for large operators and small family crews. I've seen tours go right and I've seen them go wrong, sometimes dangerously wrong, and I've learned exactly what separates a good tour operator from one that's cutting corners.
I still guide part-time, mostly private rainforest and snorkeling trips, because I enjoy the work and because it keeps my information current. When I write about trail conditions at El Yunque, I was there last month. When I tell you which snorkeling spot has the clearest water this season, I've been in it. This isn't a site written by someone who visited once in 2019 and wrote a blog post. It's maintained by someone who is still on the trail, in the water, and talking to other guides every week.
How I Got Here, The Long Version
Growing Up in Santurce
Raised in a working-class neighborhood most tourists never see. Learned to snorkel at Piñones before I could ride a bike, my grandfather would float on his back and point out parrotfish by their Spanish names. Spent weekends hiking the foothills of El Yunque with my uncle, who worked trail maintenance for the Forest Service. By 16, I knew the rainforest better than most adults. Started helping my uncle's small tour company as a junior assistant, hauling fins, untangling mask straps, filling water bottles, and absorbing everything I could about how tours actually work on the ground.
Training and Certification
Enrolled in the Puerto Rico Tourism Company's guide certification program. Two years of coursework covering Puerto Rican history (Taíno, Spanish colonial, American), ecology (rainforest ecosystems, marine biology, cave geology), first aid and CPR, customer service standards, and legal requirements for operating tours on public and private land. The final exam has a significant failure rate, it's designed to filter out people who aren't serious. I passed in 2013 and received my official PRTC tour guide license.
Learning the Trade
Started as a junior guide with a mid-sized operator running El Yunque day trips. Carried the heavy stuff, learned crowd management, watched senior guides handle emergencies. Within a year I was leading my own groups. By year three, I was training new guides. Learned which operators treated their guides well (better tours, happier customers) and which ones burned through seasonal hires (inconsistent quality, worse reviews). This pattern recognition became the foundation for how I evaluate tours today.
Expanding Across the Island
Branched out beyond El Yunque. Got trained on snorkeling protocols at Escambrón and Condado Lagoon. Led bio bay kayak tours in Fajardo. Did a season running day trips to Culebra by catamaran. Guided cave tubing in Arecibo and waterfall hikes in Charco Azul. Worked with three different operators during this stretch — which gave me a view into how different companies handle safety, pricing, guest experience, and guide treatment. The differences are bigger than most travelers realize.
Going Independent
Started taking private bookings directly, small groups, custom itineraries, the kind of tours where I could actually talk to people instead of herding them. This is when I began to see how badly the online tour marketplace serves visitors. Viator listings with misleading photos. Hotel concierges booking guests onto tours they'd never personally taken. Cruise passengers getting charged double because they didn't know they could book direct. The frustration built up until I decided to build something that actually helps.
Building San Juan Excursions
Launched this site to give visitors the honest guide I wished existed when I started. Every tour listed here is one I've either led personally or vetted by working alongside the operator. I still guide part-time to stay current on conditions. I update pages when trails change, when operators improve or decline, and when seasonal conditions shift. This isn't a static blog, it's a living reference maintained by someone who still shows up to work in the rainforest.
How I Work, The Methodology
There are travel sites that list every tour under the sun because they earn a commission on all of them. That's not what I do. I'm selective. A tour only appears on this site if it passes three filters:
- Firsthand Experience: I've either led this exact tour, worked alongside the operator, or observed their operation in person. If I haven't done it myself, I tell you that explicitly on the page.
- Verified Review Threshold: The operator must maintain a minimum 4.0 rating across Viator and TripAdvisor, with enough reviews that the average is statistically meaningful, not 12 reviews from the operator's friends. Most tours on this site have 1,000+ reviews.
- Operational Integrity: Clear cancellation policy. Safety equipment provided. Licensed, insured, and permitted where required. Guides who are trained and compensated properly. No history of bait-and-switch or deceptive marketing.
When I rank tours against each other, I weigh four factors:
- Review quality and volume (40%): A 4.9 with 15,000 reviews is a fundamentally different signal than a 4.9 with 80 reviews.
- Guide quality (30%): Are the guides knowledgeable, personable, and safety-conscious? Do they show up on time? Do they adapt to the group's needs?
- Value for money (20%): Does the price match what's delivered? A $180 tour that underdelivers gets flagged. A $45 tour that overdelivers gets highlighted.
- Operational consistency (10%): Does this operator deliver the same quality on a Tuesday in September as they do on a Saturday in March? Consistency matters more than most travelers realize.
I re-evaluate tours at least quarterly. When an operator changes ownership, loses key guides, or starts receiving a pattern of negative reviews, I update the site. If I remove a tour that was previously recommended, I explain why.
What I Don't Do, The Red Lines
✗ I Don't Accept Payment for Placement
No tour operator has ever paid me to be listed on this site. No operator gets better positioning because they offered me money or free tours. The rankings you see are based on the methodology above, not on who bought their way in. If I ever change this policy, I will announce it prominently and explain why. I don't expect to change it.
✗ I Don't Publish Tours I Haven't Vetted
If a tour appears on this site, I have direct experience with it. I don't scrape Viator listings and rewrite descriptions. I don't publish recommendations based on a press release. If a tour is new and I haven't had time to evaluate it, I won't list it, even if it's trending. I'd rather have fewer recommendations than compromise on this.
✗ I Don't Use Fake or Purchased Reviews
Every review count and rating on this site comes directly from Viator and TripAdvisor's public data. I don't fabricate testimonials. I don't pay for positive reviews. I don't suppress negative information about tours I recommend. When a tour has a weakness, I name it, because hiding it would waste your time and money, and that's worse for everyone.
✗ I Don't Oversell or Exaggerate
You won't find marketing fluff on this site unless I'm quoting someone else. I describe what actually happens on a tour, the waiting times, the mud, the crowds, the variables that affect your experience. I describe what actually happens on a tour, the waiting times, the mud, the crowds, the variables that affect your experience. If a bio bay isn't glowing because the moon is full, I tell you. If a snorkeling spot has poor visibility after rain, I tell you. Marketing copy doesn't help you make decisions. Honest information does.
✗ I Don't Hide My Affiliate Relationship
Every page on this site includes a disclosure that I earn commissions through Viator when you book through my links. This is not buried in 8-point font at the bottom. It's placed where you'll see it. I explain exactly how it works, that it costs you nothing extra, and that it doesn't influence my recommendations. Transparency isn't a legal checkbox for me, it's the foundation of whether this site is trustworthy.
How This Site Makes Money, Full Transparency
San Juan Excursions generates revenue exclusively through the Viator affiliate program. Here's exactly how it works:
- When you click a tour link on this site and book through Viator, I earn a commission, typically 5–8% of the booking value.
- The commission comes from Viator's marketing budget, not from the tour operator. The price you pay is identical whether you use my link or book directly.
- Viator handles all payments, cancellations, and customer service. I never touch your money or your booking details.
- I have no financial relationship with any individual tour operator. No operator pays me directly. No operator gets better placement in exchange for a higher commission, Viator's commission rates are standardized and I don't negotiate side deals.
In 2025, this site earned approximately $12,000 in affiliate commissions. That covered hosting costs, the time I spend researching and writing, and contributed to my household income. It did not make me rich. I still guide tours part-time because I enjoy it and because this site alone doesn't pay a full San Juan living wage. If that changes and this becomes a highly profitable venture, I will update this page and continue to be transparent about the numbers.
Why am I being this specific? Because travel recommendation sites have an earned reputation for being slimy. Some are. I want you to know exactly what's happening when you click a link on my site. No dark patterns. No hidden incentives. If you'd rather book directly, go ahead. I built this site to help people make better decisions, not to trap anyone into a commission.
Where I Guide, The Tours I Still Run Personally
I still take a limited number of private bookings each month. These are small-group trips (typically 2–6 people) where I'm your guide for the day. I do this partly because I enjoy the work, partly because it keeps my knowledge current, and partly because it helps me evaluate other operators, when I'm on the same trail or at the same beach as another company's group, I watch how they operate.
The tours I personally guide:
- Private El Yunque Waterslide & Waterfall Tour, Full day, 6 people max, includes transport from San Juan, all safety gear, lunch stop at a local restaurant.
- Private Turtle Snorkeling at Escambrón, 90 minutes in the water, GoPro video included, I'm in the water with you the whole time.
- Custom Combination Days, Rainforest morning + Old San Juan afternoon, or snorkeling + food tour. Built around what you want to see.
If you're interested in booking me directly, reach out using the contact information below. Fair warning: I'm usually booked 2–4 weeks out during high season (December–April), and I'm selective about which bookings I take, if your group isn't a good fit for the tour you're requesting, I'll tell you and suggest a better alternative.
My Credentials, The Paper Trail
- Puerto Rico Tourism Company Certified Tour Guide, License obtained 2013, renewed and in good standing. This requires ongoing continuing education credits in Puerto Rican history, ecology, and safety standards.
- CPR and First Aid Certified, Current certification, renewed every two years. I've used it twice in the field, once for a dehydrated hiker at El Yunque, once for a snorkeler who panicked and swallowed water at Escambrón. Both situations resolved without escalation because training kicked in.
- Water Safety Trained, Trained in open-water rescue techniques specific to the conditions at San Juan's beaches and offshore reefs. Comfortable in rough water.
- USDA Forest Service Orientation, Completed the required orientation for guides operating inside El Yunque National Forest boundaries.
- Bilingual (English/Spanish), I guide comfortably in both languages. Most of my groups are English-speaking visitors, but I've led Spanish-speaking groups from across Latin America and Spain.
Get in Touch
I answer reader emails personally. If you have questions about a specific tour, need help deciding between options, or want to check current conditions before you book, I'm happy to help. I typically respond within 24–48 hours.
Contact Mateo
For tour questions, private booking inquiries, or feedback about the site:
Email: mateo@san-juan-excursions.com
I don't have a contact form because I prefer email, it keeps a record and makes it easier for me to follow up. I read every message. If you don't hear back within 48 hours, check your spam folder.
For tour operators: I don't accept solicitations for placement. If you're a tour operator in San Juan and believe your tour should be evaluated for inclusion, you can email me, but I make no promises about timelines or outcomes. I evaluate tours on my own schedule and criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Site
Who runs San Juan Excursions?
Mateo Rivera, a San Juan native born in Santurce, raised between Old San Juan and the foothills of El Yunque. Certified tour guide since 2013. Over 3,000 excursions led across Puerto Rico. I still guide part-time to keep information current.
How does San Juan Excursions make money?
Through Viator affiliate commissions. When you click through and book a tour, I earn a small commission (5–8% of booking value) at no extra cost to you. No tour operator pays me directly for placement. Rankings are based on real traveler reviews combined with my firsthand experience. More detail in the "How This Site Makes Money" section above.
Does Mateo accept payment from tour operators for better placement?
No. Never have, no plans to start. If a tour is on this site, it's because I genuinely believe it's worth your time and money. If I ever change this policy, I will announce it prominently.
How are tours selected and ranked?
Three filters: (1) I have firsthand experience with the tour or operator, (2) verified review threshold of 4.0+ with statistically meaningful sample size, (3) operational integrity, clear cancellation policy, safety equipment, licensed/insured. Tours are then ranked by weighted factors: review quality/volume (40%), guide quality (30%), value for money (20%), and operational consistency (10%).
Can I book Mateo as my personal guide?
Possibly. I take a limited number of private bookings each month. Email me with your dates, group size, and what you're interested in. I'm typically booked 2–4 weeks out during high season. If I can't take your booking, I'll recommend an alternative guide or operator.
How often is this site updated?
I review and update pages at least quarterly. When conditions change, trail closures, new operators, seasonal shifts, I update sooner. The last-modified dates on each page reflect actual update dates, not auto-generated timestamps.
