Travel to the beat of merengue

 

General informations

Who does not know Santo Domingo? His image printed on postcards made of palms, white beaches and turquoise waters represents the ultimate and last classic "tropical paradise".
But the Dominican Republic is not only sea: to discover in this island is also history, culture and people (warm and hospitable). Outside of the fantastic tourist resort scrolls quiet life, to the rhythm of merengue, searching for the prosperity that this population now sees only on television, the welfare of neighbouring United States or the Europeans that each year invade this place, but who said that the true welfare is ours and not their?
However, the sea remains the real attraction: the splendid hotels have maintained a relationship between quality and price that is difficult to find in other parts of the world, whose quality, flanked by the beauty of the place, makes the holiday an unforgettable memory.

VIVA DOMINICUS BEACH!

It is, without any doubt, the most famous resort by Italian customers. Built directly on a long white beach, facing perhaps the most beautiful coastline of the island (the Caribbean) it is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, a few kilometres from the village of Bayahibe, on the south-east side of the island. It is divided into two structures connected directly and with some services in common: the Palace, the most well-appointed, and the Beach, the most informal.
Surely in the island there are more luxurious accommodations, but I can assure you that the Dominicus has all the requirements needed for a wonderful holiday.
The rooms are made up of bungalows scattered in the garden (the most characteristic and economic ones, but without air conditioning), but with a modest supplement, I recommend to book the superior ones who are in masonry buildings, more spacious, with air-conditioning and satellite TV. Both accommodations are not luxurious but certainly comfortable.
The sea is truly fantastic: intense turquoise blue, clear and low waters, sea always calm and pleasantly hot (at least has been so for 15 days).
One drawback is that the beach is a little crowded, but just a bit further from central you can have a little more privacy.
In some areas, a few metres from the shore, there are rocky areas, with some small corals where, throwing a bit of bread, you can admire a good deal of fish, even colorful. With a mask, you can discover an interesting marine environment (certainly not comparable to the best coral reefs to which someone can be used), but snorkelling, in short, is quite pleasant.
For those who want, with 10 dollars, you can go by boat to the reef in front of Bayahibe (few corals but many fishes) or to the most remote islands of Saona or Catalinita. There are also 3 swimming pools, but with a sea of its kind ...
Speaking about the kitchen that there is no choice:
-- central Buffet Restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner (always from 3 to 5 varieties of pasta, rice, meat and grilled fish, etc.).
-- Grill Restaurant: open at noon for grilled meat and fish (but gets a little crowded and the same things are cooked on the main restaurant with multiple choice). In the evening, however, by reservation, dinner "a la carte" with paella, fisherman's linguine, grilled meat or fish and salad buffet and desserts, all by candlelight. Lobster on Supplement (22 dollars).
-- Mexican Restaurant: nice and excellent cuisine: by appointment, dinner "a la carte" with a tequila sunrise, choice of appetizers, main course and desserts, to finish with tequila boom boom and Mexican coffee.
-- Italian restaurant: on reservation with additional 5 U.S. dollars to enjoy the classics of Italian cuisine food with table service.
-- Eastern Restaurant: by appointment with additional 5 U.S. dollars, located at the Palace.
-- Pizzeria: different types of cutted pizza from 7 pm until morning.
The village is, of course, all inclusive, and the whole day you can taste the delicious cocktails prepared in various bars.
The evening instead, in a large covered amphitheater, the beautiful animation shows are played consisting in really well prepared musicals .
A word about the climate: in January, apart from two days in which it was partly cloudy with two downpours of 1 hour, it was always quite beautiful, fine in the morning and partly cloudy in the afternoon, with a very pleasant temperature at any time of day, slightly breezed but never windy.
A village really useful advise: Booking in January I paid 70 euros per day with all inclusive service, which, lifted the discount of 10% of Blue Holidays, become 63 euros per day ... less then Rimini. I Hardly succeed in finding another place with a value for money of this kind.
I suggest also book with Teorema: At least in 2004 was significantly lower price than Alpitour and others; service and assistance were the same, they also enabled us to occupy the room until 9pm on the day of departure .
In addition, booking at a Blue Holidays, is entitled to 10% discount on the total circulation (except insurance, airport taxes and registration).

Santo Domingo

Teorema, in collaboration with the hotel, organized a bus trip to Santo Domingo: cost $ 55, children half price.
Since we prefer to organise things for themselves only, when possible, we took a taxi (7 seats) for the whole day at a price of $ 110, according with a taxi driver outside the village. We were only 3, but if we had been 5 the price would have been the same (for 7 people he asked $ 150).
So we were more comfortable, we spent less time, and we preferred to visit the pleasant botanical garden instead of the aquarium as required by classical excursions (after seeing Genoa and Sea World we do not think that it would have been more interesting, given that this one is smaller).
After about two hours we arrived in the capital, the taxi left us in front of the Cathedral, in the Colon park, in the heart of the colonial city, and we made an appointment after 3 hours and a half.
After visiting the beautiful Cathedral (the first built and still existing in America), we set out for El Conde, the pedestrian street that crosses the entire old town, with nice shops, clubs and restaurants.
So we have forwarded walk in the streets of the centre to reach the "Modelo" market, so we have seen closely the daily lives of Dominicans, their homes and shops.
The market is made of tourist shops with all usual equal colorful paintings (typical of Santo Domingo), souvenirs and cigars. The morning is not very popular, but in the afternoon becomes really chaotic with the arrival of all groups. Frankly, we could avoid this visit, to enjoy more time for everything else. We went back to the sea until we came to Calle Las Damas, the historic street where in 1500 the Dominicans have settled.
Here, in a few hundred metres, you can visit the most important monuments of the city: the Fortaleza Ozama (where you can climb the tower), the casa de Bastidas, the Pantheon Nacional (with the changing of the guard), the Royal Home Museum and the Alcazar de Colon in Plaza de Espana, which was the residence of Diego Colombo and presents interesting interiors of the period.
At 12.30 we started in taxis and in half an hour, along the famous Malecon (seafront), we reached the Botanic Garden, where you can make a picnic under the shade of palm trees, and then began a tour with sightseeing train of about 30 minutes, with a guide explaining in Spanish (but we understood almost everything) all species of botanical park. In mid-street we stopped to cross on foot an evocative Japanese garden in a point where can be observed, with a single glance, mountain pines, lawns, tropical palms, bamboos and Japanese bonsais. Here in the heart of Santo Domingo, the chaos of the city is a distant memory.
Entry fees: about two U.S. dollars a head for entering in the city, and other two U.S. dollars for the botanical garden with the train ride.

Altos de Chavon

The excursion with theorem, half a day, costs 35 U.S. dollars per person and includes a visit to a cigar factory in La Romana, the visit of Altos de Chavon, and a brief motorboat surfing on the spectacular river Chavon.
Alternatively you can reach Chavon by taxi in about 30 minutes on the spot and organize a boat trip.
The visit to the factory is not very interesting at all, since we came in Saturday, that here is not a working day. There are a couple of people who explain the process to get the manufacture of the famous cigars. Then time available for purchases at factory prices. Frankly, for us, an avoidable stop.
We continue therefore to Altos de Chavon, owned by the luxurious complex of Casa de Campo.
This is the reconstruction of a typical Spanish village of XXV century, with beautiful homes, a church, and a grand amphitheatre in Roman style, all built as a movie set. Of course, one has to enter in all this buildings remembering these are reconstructions, certainly not comparable to the splendid genuine ruins that can be visited by us, but the visit is however pleasant. In addition, this area was built overlooking the Chavon River, with truly spectacular views.
After the visit we descend to the river along 300 steps in the middle of lush vegetation, and then with motorboats, we navigate on the river where Rambo and Apocalipse Now were shot, with the vicissitudes of the "masters" who enjoy to tap the banks and palms that touch the water.
After a stop in the middle of the river for a nice vitaminic drink (rum and coke), we descend on the shore where we wait for the minibus to go back to the hotel.

Saona Island

A great convenience for those staying at Dominicus, is that you can reach the beautiful Saona island with boats departing directly from the hotel beach.
A clarification: the organised excursion costs 55 U.S. dollars each person with lunch. According directly with the boatmen, however, you can rent a boat with 25 seats for 300 dollars (and even less) or for the entire day, spending a lot less. The difficulty is however represented by the fact that it is not easy to find a group of 20-25 people, the more, the only way to reach the village of Bayahibe is to take a boat.
Worn the mandatory life jackets, starting at full speed and after about 30 minutes we stop for the first time: a bath-water grass in the company of huge starfish. The recommendation is of course to treat them gently, not pulling them outside of the water and replacing them correctly on the bottom.
It is yet the first occasion to admire the beautiful coast, then crossing an area where the mangroves live, then getting to the famous natural pools, where the water takes unreal colors thanks to coral sand on the bottom.
Even a short stretch of navigation before reaching the Saona island, in the heart of the Europe National Park.
On the island there are no accommodation options, so it is a destination which can be reached only during the day. Here a long beach has been divided into several zones, each reserved for a hotel that uses it exclusively for these trips, so we reach ours, equipped with beds between the palms and a small improvised open bar where you can safely quench thirst.
Despite the beach facilities, the sense of tranquillity and "wild" appears evident, with a long beach available for no more than thirty people. Certainly comes to mind about how it would have been a few decades ago when this area was completely virgin.
The place is fantastic: the white sand is impalpable, lush palms born and arrive almost to the sea, the water coloured of an exceptional turquoise.
For lunch we reach the only town on the island, a small village where the main road is the beach itself, with colored homes and some shops for handicrafts: the restaurant is simple, directly on the beach. Then time to wander in the village or to relax on the beach, before returning to the hotel.