Puerto Rico may be a small Caribbean island, but its beaches, tropical rainforests, mountains, and breathtaking waterfalls rival the world’s most famous natural wonders. Whether you’re a native or an average backpacker, a Puerto Rico tattoo can be a simple sign of love and respect for this rich Caribbean culture. Inspired by the island’s rich history, culture, and natural beauty, these tattoos create an attractive piece of body art that’s sure to impress. If you’re looking for ideas for just that, scroll down this article and check out our compilation of innovative tattoo ideas. Keep reading!
Puerto Rico Tattoo Meaning
A tattoo of the small island territory of the United States represents a people’s pride in their culture and heritage. There are several symbols that a Puerto Rico tattoo can be inspired by to express one’s attachment to the country, whether it is the geographical shape of the island, the historic Taino tribal culture, the gods of the land, the diverse flora and fauna, or the unique indigenous music genres.
If you are not a resident of Puerto Rico but are completely in love with its culture, heritage, spirituality and people, you can get a Puerto Rican tattoo to remember the unforgettable time you had there.
Continue on to discover the dynamic ways the classic symbols can be incorporated into a tattoo to show one’s patriotism or deep love for one’s country. Scroll down for more!
8 Cool Puerto Rico Tattoo Designs
Puerto Rico is a diverse culture and traditional customs, all of which can be expressed through beautiful body art. Scroll down to find the best Puerto Rico tattoo ideas on the internet, right here in our catalog.
1. Puerto Rico Taino Tribe Tattoo
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
The Tainos are a historical indigenous tribe, native to Puerto Rico, who were severely affected by Spanish colonization and have lost much of their identity today. However, thanks to the continued efforts of descendants and revivalists to preserve their culture through historical evidence, many of the indigenous tattoo styles are inspired by patterns found in ancient pottery and cave walls. These patterns are primarily geometric with nature-inspired iconography, animal motifs, and facial markings depicted in Taino art.
2. Puerto Rico flag tattoo
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
A Puerto Rican flag tattoo is a simple sign of patriotism and love for the island. The flag itself has many symbolic meanings, with the red stripes representing fallen heroes, the white stripes indicating new beginnings and hope for a peaceful future, while the blue represents the clear skies and seas of the Caribbean. It represents a resilient tribe that has thrived despite the hardships of a colonial past and is a celebration of a fun and vibrant culture.
3. Puerto Rico tattoo sleeve
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
A sleeve tattoo allows you to showcase multiple elements and concepts at once. So if you’re not sure which aspect of Puerto Rican heritage you’re most attached to, you can get them all! This tattoo features an intricate design that begins with a portrait of a Taino chief wearing a captivating feather headdress, followed by geometric patterns that are further combined with nature-inspired motifs. Likewise, you can depict locals participating in indigenous dance genres, with vibrant outfits and lively facial expressions.
4. Puerto Rico Outline Tattoo
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
If you’re a Puerto Rican in the diaspora, a Puerto Rico outline tattoo can serve as a sweet reminder of home. It acts as an anchor, helping you through the tough days, pushing you forward to accomplish everything you set out to do and get back home soon. You can also pair this outline with the Puerto Rican flag or surround it with your favorite flowers from home.
5. Puerto Rico forearm tattoo
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
A forearm tattoo is the best way to show your Puerto Rican pride. Shaped like an amulet that encircles the wrist and forearm, this mural-style tattoo has a great balance of fine, bold, and rough lines. The use of varying shades of gray and black gives the design a realistic depth and a photo-like finish. As you can see, the design is inspired by tropical plants and paints a meaningful silhouette. You can add a flower with a vibrant color to make your tattoo stand out.
6. Puerto Rico Frog Tattoo
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
Nights in Puerto Rico are accompanied by the sound of croaking frogs all over the island. They are called coqui and are the unofficial national animal of Puerto Rico. They are known as tough creatures that can overcome any challenge. So this design speaks to the resilience and identity of Puerto Rico. You can design this frog in the native Taino art style or in an animated version where he strums a guitar and wears a pava on his head, as if his croaking is a serenade to the islanders.
7. Puerto Rico chest tattoo
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
The placement of the chest itself has deep symbolic meaning. For many people, getting a tattoo on the chest, where the heart is located, speaks of a deeper attachment to the subject of the tattoo. So if you want to convey how deeply you feel about Puerto Rican culture, get a chest tattoo with one of the various cultural or patriotic symbols. This tattoo features a Taino art pattern in the form of a neck adornment, instantly drawing attention when paired with a scoop neck top and serving as a permanent accessory.
8. Puerto Rico leg tattoo
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
The leg, being one of the largest parts of the body, offers scope for larger, more intricate and elaborate designs. You can choose the thigh, knee, shin, calf, ankle or foot area for your tattoo to add an extra oomph to your style when paired with a suitable length outfit. This thigh Taina art tattoo, placed just above the knee, would look perfect paired with a short summer dress or shorts, ideal for tropical beach weather. Go for intricate geometric patterns or colorful flowers to enhance the look of your Puerto Rico tattoo in this location.
A Puerto Rico tattoo can be done in a number of creative ways, beyond the basic tribal iconography we’ve seen in the designs above. However, if you simply want a subtle reminder of home that keeps you grounded and aware of your roots, a simple tattoo of the island’s geographic outline or its vibrant flag can make great tattoo subjects. The placement you choose for your tattoo also plays a huge role in conveying how emotional you are about your homeland. Furthermore, even if you’re not a native, you can still get a tattoo to pay homage to the island, its vibrant culture, and warm people. We hope these designs and ideas have inspired you to get a Puerto Rico tattoo of your own. Salud!
Was this article helpful? 
ReviewerAuthorEditorFact Check
Eve Phillips is an experienced artist in a variety of tattoo styles, although she specializes in fine detail and floral tattoos. She has owned studios in both Australia and the UK for 20 years and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of tattoo art, health, licensing, trends, current issues and history.
Read Eve Phillips’ full biography
Manjari is a beauty and lifestyle writer with over three years of experience writing across various niches including beauty, health, wellness, and technology. She first discovered her passion for writing in school and has been honing her craft ever since.
Read the full biography of Manjari Uppal
Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hair and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these areas. She has 7 years of experience and her philosophy on hair and skin care is simple: if you love it and take care of it, it will be healthy.
Read Anjali Sayee’s full biography
Joyce Joyson is a beauty and lifestyle writer with over a year of experience in creating short-form content for the beauty, fashion and lifestyle niches. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in History, Political Science and Geography from IIS University and a Master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Kristu Jayanti College.
Read Joyce Joyson’s full biography
Leave a Reply