Wyndham Wisdom
AWAY FOR THE DAY IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Quick trips to the colonial capital, a mountain getaway and a secluded, beachy peninsula
By Josh Dean
The Dominican Republic is the most popular vacation destination in the Caribbean, known for its spectacular white-sand beaches. Another defining characteristic is size: In a region of beautiful but tiny Gilligan's islets, the D.R. is gigantic, second only to Cuba in area and population. And that means plenty of options for exploration. Here are three such diversions, each one perfect for an all-day outing, depending on where you're based.
Santo Domingo
The Dominican Republic's buzzing beehive of a capital is the oldest city in the Americas, founded in 1496 by Bartholomew Columbus, brother of the famed Italian who discovered the D.R. and thus the Americas four years earlier. Santo Domingo is sprawling, with all the conveniences--and traffic--of a modern city. But its cultural heart, the Zona Colonial, is a warren of cobbled streets and 400-year-old stone buildings. It's also home to the oldest cathedral in the Western hemisphere, the Cathedral of Santa Maria. (UNESCO has designated the area a World Heritage Site.) Activity centers on Parque Colón, which is bisected by the pedestrian- only Calle El Conde (aka El Conde), lined with shops, restaurants and bars--many in hidden courtyards behind nondescript stone façades. For lunch, stop at Mesón de Bari (302 Calle Hostos; 011-809-687-4091; lunch for two, $40*). It's known for the crowd of after-work businessmen at the bar and its excellent stewed crab, doused in creole spices and served up with rice and plantains to tame the heat.
As you wander the old city, you're likely to be besieged by affable men offering to guide you. The $25 charge for a half-day tour is a good investment, as it includes a free pass to most sites. Just ask to see their government badge before you sign on.
The Details: Santo Domingo is a 3½-hour drive from Punta Cana on good roads. It's only 1½ hours by major highway from La Romana and Bayahibe. If heavy traffic and erratic driving make you nervous, ask your resort to arrange a taxi or direct you to bus service. Once in Santo Domingo, you won't need a car; the old city is eminently walkable.
Jarabacoa
Set in a central mountain valley at 1,700 feet, the town of Jarabacoa is sometimes called the adventure capital of the D.R., and for good reason: It's within striking range of the four highest peaks in the Caribbean, including 10,417-foot Pico Duarte, the tallest of them all. Dominicans even refer to this rugged region as Los Alpes. From Santo Domingo, it's an easy 1½-hour drive up the country's biggest and best-maintained highway (DR-1); Santiago, with its own international airport and access to the north coast, is a little over an hour away.
The road that climbs up to Jarabacoa from Highway DR-1 passes through the home of Dominican arepas, or corn cakes. (It's just outside La Vega, but you'll know it by the tourism board signs that say "Zona Arepas.") Women sell the snacks at roadside stands--$1 will buy you more than you can eat.
Outfitters in Jarabacoa offer trekking, canyoning, horseback riding and whitewater rafting on the Yaque del Norte, the only river in the Caribbean where such a thing is possible.
The Details: Jarabacoa's best outfitters are Rancho Baiguate (ranchobaiguate.com) and Rancho Jarabacoa (digitalsdesigns.com/ranchoj/ingles/index.htm). Rafting trips cost about $50 per person for three hours. Prices for horseback rides vary from $10 an hour to several hundred for overnight treks, including tents and food.
Samaná
It's easy to imagine that the Dominican Republic has always been a country of large, all-inclusive resorts. But to see it the way it used to be--endless stretches of white-sand beaches lined with swaying palms--make the trip to the northeast corner, where the Samaná Peninsula juts into the sea. In winter, pods of humpback whales convene in Samaná Bay to give birth, but the peninsula is just as alluring any other time of year. Prior to the new highway from Santo Domingo, christened just two years ago, Samaná was a four-hour drive on bad roads from the capital. Now it only takes 2½ hours, and the drive from Puerto Plata is about the same.
The peninsula's primary town is Las Terrenas, a French enclave of thatched beach bars and cabana hotels. Sadly, development is starting to move in here, but change has yet to reach the tiny town of Las Galeras, farther out on the peninsula, or Playa Cosón, an enormous horseshoe-shaped beach 15 minutes west of Las Terrenas. There you'll find little more than solitude-seeking sunbathers and the occasional beach restaurant or bar. The best of these is Luis, named for its proprietor, a cheerful man who grills up whatever fish his guys have caught that morning. Just look for the word "Luis" on a faded wooden sign along a road that has few other landmarks.
The Details: If you want to see whales, go in January or February. You can arrange for a boat through one of the outfitters in Las Terrenas or online (whalesamana.com, run by a Canadian biologist, is a good one). Or you can simply show up at the harbor in the town of Samaná and book there. For a great meal, visit the tiny Fisherman's Village--a collection of renovated fishing shacks--along the beach road in Las Terrenas. A good bet: La Terrasse (809-240-6730; dinner for two, $30) for whatever was caught that day (say, dorado) cooked in a typically Dominican way, with French, Spanish and Creole twists.
Value: Beach Bite
Head to Luis on Playa Cosón for the freshest fish around (lunch for two, $20).
Stay
RCI affiliated resorts in the Dominican Republic include:
The Coconut Palms Resort
Guests at this hilltop resort can walk 10 minutes to the beach, go riding from the onsite stables or lounge by the pool. One- to three-bedroom units available. Vista del Caribe, Cabarete
Member Reviews:
"Dinners were to die for."
"The staff was amazing and the pool was great."
Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana
This all-inclusive resort on the D.R.'s eastern side offers a range of units, from hotel rooms to two-bedrooms, plus three pools, nine restaurants, seven bars and nightly entertainment. Bávaro, Higüey
Member Reviews:
"We enjoyed the evening shows, beach volleyball, tennis."
"On the Jurassic Safari you go horseback riding, swim in a cave, see how the locals live and more."
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana
All-inclusive hotel units with balconies, satellite TV and double jacuzzis. The resort also has a spa, casino, eight restaurants, nine outdoor pools, a cyber café and 24-hour room service. Blvd. Turístico del Este, Km. 28, Higüey
Member Reviews:
"The spa is 10-star."
"New rooms with modern decor; a big soaking tub near the balcony that had a gorgeous view!"
VVC @ Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace
This all-inclusive resort 17 miles west of the La Romana airport has a beach bar, two lounges, five restaurants, a pool, spa and an off-property excursion program for day trips. La Romana, Bayahibe
Member Reviews:
"Great resort to relax and sunbathe. Drinks were plentiful."
"There is a scuba shop on site and they were terrific."
For more information, including complete member reviews (as member reviews have been condensed), visit RCI.com or call 800-338-7777 (Weeks) or 877-968-7476 (Points). Club Members, please call your specific Club or RCI telephone number.
