Dominican Republic
I escaped the winter “bomb cyclone” in my new hometown of
New Haven for a 10 day trip to the Dominican Republic, replacing blizzards and
wind with sun and sea. I traveled with two friends from my MBA program without
many plans, but ended up crafting a phenomenal adventure-packed week.
Days 1-3
The first few days were low-key and spent in Punta Cana –
the country’s most popular and accessible airport, and the location of the
majority of the All-Inclusive resorts. The beaches were pristine, and
activities bountiful, but because of the extreme volume of tourists the deals
were awful. Meals were expensive, every ticket had a mark up of 28% between
service and tax, and scams were plentiful (unfortunately). There were nice
locals, and an attitude of “don’t worry, be happy” still availed, but it wasn’t
the vibe that really sings to my soul. Nevertheless, the few days we spent
there were enjoyable. We read books by the pool, walked the beach, and went on
a party boat cruise with snorkeling and endless rum! There were certainly some
characters on our boat, and I enjoyed making new unlikely friends. Sadly, one
of our travel companions had to return to New Haven for interviews, so after
she left we decided to hit the road.
I learned after the fact that there are public buses that
run town-town and between major tourist cities (qua-quas, Caribe Tours, etc.),
but to facilitate our transportation we decided to rent a car. The rates online
were awesome – for $160 we could have a car for 7 days! At least that’s what we
thought… when we got to the rental counter we were notified that insurance was
required. No problem, I thought, since my credit card covers accidents and
collisions, but we were advised that we also needed to purchase a third-party
liability insurance for an additional $100 / week. That blew, but we thought
our alternative was a $120 taxi one-way to the place we hoped to go next, so we
bit our lip and made the purchase.
I’m glad we did, because the car afforded us incredible
mobility and we had the chance to turn the next 7 days into a whirlwind of
adventures. It was also really fun to drive in the DR – kind of like a video
game of Frogger to be honest, there are dogs, people, motorbikes, parked cars,
pot holes, and vehicles driving down highways the wrong way all presenting
obstacles. Don’t worry mom and family, we were safe.
Day 4
Our first stop was in Bayahibe. We stayed at a cute bed and
breakfast called Bayahibe Guest House (Christian is great!) for a whopping $45
/ night (or $22.50 per person). After checking in we immediately found a dive
shop and registered for a night dive with Coral Point Divers. We then proceeded
to hunt for ATMs that would allow us to withdraw enough case to cover the
dives, which proved difficult as they only released about $40 per transaction
(ugh). The DR is a cash-based economy for EVERYTHING, so if you plan to make a
trip that isn’t to an all-inclusive resort, I highly recommend bringing a lot
of cash with you or having a visa or mastercard debit card that you can use in
a bank (at the teller) to do one large withdrawal. We eventually managed
enough, and returned to the shop to get suited up. Our dive was at the Atlantic
Princess, which is a sunk ship. It started before sunset so we had the chance
to see it in the light before it transitioned to pitch black and we needed our
flash lights to be able to see the wildlife. The two most exciting moments were
swimming in the dark through the enclosed hallways of the ship (that got my
heart pumping!), and spotting and observing an octopus. It moved quite a lot
and had the most colorful reactions to our lights! Before we surfaced we had to
do a 3 minute safety stop at 3 meters, and during that time our guide had us
all hold onto the rope anchoring the boat and turn off our torches. Then, in
the pitch black, he started hitting at the water and all of a sudden thousands
of flecks started illuminating. They were plankton with bright green lights! It
was a very cool experience. My favorite, however, was shortly after when we
breeched the surface and inflated our BCDs. The night was pitch black and the
stars above were just absolutely stunning. It was a wonderful sight.
That night we grabbed a quick dinner and hot chocolates from
a café (Kathy loved hers while I thought mine tasted like dirt from the real
cacoa…), then called it a night.
Day 5
The next day we woke up early to do a horse back riding trip
to a cave. It was epic. They let us trot and cantor on the horses up the path,
and the cave was abandoned besides us and had crystal clear water that we could
all swim in. The only bad thing was that I forgot to wear long pants and rubbed
the insides of my thighs from the saddle (I know I know, a Texas should know
better!). I bought the CD of the photos because our photographer was a badass
and climbed trees to get the best shots, but my mac ate it when it decided to
die while I was looking through them. Maybe one day I’ll recover them and can
include a photo here.
Our second night in Bayahibe was uneventful, and we stayed
inside while it rained. I forgot to get dinner so I improvised and prepared the
pack of ramen I had on me inside the coffee pot in our room. #Resourcefulness.
Day 6
We woke up early the next morning to hit the road and drive
to Boca Chica for an afternoon of diving at the reefs. We went out with
Tropical Sea Divers and managed to join a group that contained 3 instructors, a
master diver, and a rescue diver. I was a total newb with only the open water
certification. However, because of the caliber of the group, our dives were
super long! We saw eel, cool sponges, pretty fish and a ton of lobsters and
crabs. The second dive was truly a record for me at 79 minutes long on one
tank! I’m really looking forward to
doing some more diving soon in the future.
After the dives we hit the road again and decided to head up
the Samana peninsula. We had some crazy road conditions before hitting the
major highway that cut through the country to the north, but after that it was
smooth sailing (and lots of tolls 😐 ). We did have a small freak out when we
started driving through mountains and stopped to make sure that the elevation
didn’t exceed our allowance after diving, but we were in the clear and
proceeded. Our destination for the night was Samana Ecolodge and hostel,
located in the small town of Limon and close the El Limon Waterfalls.
Unfortunately it had just turned dark before we got into town, and apparently
the power went out in town so it was pitch dark and we couldn’t find our turn
for the place. It was a tricky situation, but then I saw a young white girl who
looked like a traveler walking down the street so I rolled down my window and
asked if she was staying at the hostel. We got lucky, because she was actually
a volunteer there and hoped into the back seat to direct us all the way back
down a dirt road to the property. There’s no way we would have found it on our own.
The hostel was great. There were 3 dogs (including a tiny
puppy named Jessie), a sweet cat, and a nice group of travelers that we got to
meet over dinner. Everything in the hostel was 100% sustainable, and the huts
were thatch roofed. The best part was the outdoor shower shared by everyone on
the property. It was a HUGE enclosure, only had cool water (which felt great in
the heat), and allowed you to look up at the stars while scrubbing clean.
At dinner we met some other travelers that had plans to wake
up the following morning to leave for the waterfalls at 5 a.m. to catch the
sunrise and arrive before all the other tourists. I happily added my name to
the list (and offered to drive us to the entrance).
Day 7
The 4:45 a.m. alarm was rough, but I made it out and joined
the other 4 for the best adventure of the trip (in my opinion). We drove to the
entrance and parked our car in a restaurant parking lot, sneaked past the
closed and unmanned park entrance in the dark, then used our flashlights and
phones to light the path ahead. We spent about 45 minutes walking in silence
through the mud up to a peak before sitting down and waiting for the sunrise.
Our group comprised of two travelers from France, two Catalonians
(self-described), and myself. We enjoyed sharing experiences from home and
travel with one another as we gazed out to the horizon to watch the sun rise in
the sky. After satisfying ourselves with the view, we got up and continued our
trek to the waterfall. We walked through more mud (sometimes barefoot when our
shoes got stuck), crossed the river 4 times, and finally walked through an
unopened restaurant at the top of a hill to catch the view of the falls for the
first time. It was breathtaking. From there, it was a short path down to the
water and we all stripped down to our swimsuits and jumped in. I love
waterfalls, and getting to swim beneath one was a dream-come-true type of
moment. We splashed for hours, and ended up exploring a second falls as well
before starting the trek back home (and past all the incoming tourists on
horseback). It was such a treat to get there before the crowds.
The falls would have been adventure enough for the day, but
we rounded it out with a great group lunch and hours spent at an isolated beach
with dark brown sands. Kathy and I made a sandcastle, a local gave us all free
coconuts to sip on, and I befriended a stray dog that followed me up and down
the beach on my walk. It was the definition of a tranquil afternoon, and I felt
so at peace and restored. That night I took another cold shower under the
stars, spent half an hour alone gazing at the constellations, then crashed into
a deep slumber.
Day 8
We left the Ecolodge early the next morning after booking a
boat tour through the national parks based out of Samana. I drove myself and
Kathy and our two friends from France, and the rest of the girls who joined the
tour from the hostel took a cab to port in Samana. I didn’t know what to expect
with the tour, but we ended up joining a really big group on a big speed boat that
took us across the bay. On the ride we got rained on, but the bright side was
getting to see a beautiful rainbow afterwards. When we arrived in the park we
encountered some dolphins! They were playing in packs, and were a beautiful
sight to see. The tour took us around different islands packed with birds,
interesting cave formations, and mangrove trees. They also stopped the boat at
two different caves to let us go inside and explore. The group size was a
little too big to really enjoy the caves, but they were pretty nonetheless. The
boat also included some coke and rums, and the tour included lunch and time at
a white-sand beach on one of the islands. Post-lunch was the best nap ever. After
the tour we continued our drive to Las Galeras, which is a beach town on the
north east corner of the peninsula. We had a delicious dinner of crepes and
called it a night pretty early. That night I managed to read a whole book in
one sitting! I guess I had missed using my brain 😊
Day 9
Day 9 was phenomenal and so chill. After breakfast at our
little B&B (Palm 21 – would recommend), we went to the resort beach next
door and spent the morning wading in the water and snorkeling. I didn’t get out
of the water once. At lunch time we decided to make a location switch, and so
we loaded up the car and headed towards Playa El Rincon – one of the most
famous beaches in the country known for being the location of many Captain
Morgan commercials. We had heard from our friends of a nice restaurant on the
beach, and we managed to get a table ON THE WATERFRONT where we sipped on $5
pina coladas that were served in whole pineapples. Paradise found. Also,
because of the weather and the time of day, we were some of the only people on
the beach, which was a feat since it’s typically teeming with tourists. Such a
win.
That night I started a new book and stayed in for the night.
It was very relaxing.
Day 10
We only spent 2 nights at Palm 21, so after our breakfast at
the hotel we hit the road and headed to Santo Domingo, the country’s capital
and a historic location known for being the first port of call for Columbus
when he discovered the Americas. Our drive was approximately 2 hours, but
unfortunately we incurred a ton of tolls along the way (~$20). When we made it
to the city, we checked into our hostel, the Island Life Backpackers Hostel.
The hostel was great – probably the only one on the island that managed to
uphold that traditional backpackers feel. There were travelers from across the
world (although heavy in European and Australian travelers), great beer deals,
and a family dinner that you could buy into for something like $5. We splurged
for a 2 person private room (perks of getting older!), and had a tiny little
space just big enough for 2 bunk beds and a bathroom. Nonetheless, it was nice
to have our stuff locked in a room without having to cram it into a locker.
After checking in we took a tour around the city and
followed the walking guide for the Old Town that took us past the forts and
churches that were prominent in the 1500s. The architecture was beautiful, and
there were a couple of parks and city squares along the way that were vibrant
with life and energy. I also happened upon THE COOLEST coffee shop in the
world. It was a mixed purpose space for co-working, retail, and coffee that was
located in a building with a small courtyard and complemented by all sorts of
greenery – hanging plants, wall plants, fountains, you name it. Unfortunately
we didn’t have much time before dinner, but I would have loved to make that my
daily spot for reading and writing. It was beautiful. We also happened across a
chocolate store and splurged on a chocolate milkshake that made our taste buds
scream with delight. It was magical.
We continued our tour and stopped by some of the government
memorials. In particular, we really enjoyed the independence memorial that
recognized the citizens that were critical to the DR’s efforts. One thing that
really struck me and Kathy was the prevalence of women – of the 50 or so statues
it seemed like 20 or more were of women, which is something we definitely don’t
see in our own government or memorials. It was truly inspiring to see so much
respect.
The streets were filled with shops and galleries, and every
few stores boasted a number of paintings of fish, beaches, and the local
architecture. It was nice that we had the chance to get to meet a number of the
artists. We also ventured into the local Chinatown, which resembled many of the
other Chinatowns from around the world that I have visited. We did get a little
bit outside the tourist zone in our explorations, so we hustled back to the
hostel as the sun set for a yummy dinner of lasagna where we got to share our
travel tips and exchange stories with other travelers.
Day 11 – Homeward
Bound
Our final day was uneventful, and after breakfast we packed
our bags and hit the road. It was about a 2 hour drive back to Punta Cana,
where we both had departing flights. Kathy’s flight was earlier, so I dropped
her off, then took care of the rental car and had one final meal before heading
to the airport myself. Instead of flying directly back to New Haven I had the
chance to fly to Chicago and spend one night there, so I took the opportunity
to catch up with good friends from work who were studying up in Evanston. It
was the perfect cap to a wonderful trip. I can’t wait to get back to the island
life again!
