Trifter

If the hustle and bustle of New York is getting to you, keep an eye out for one of the many cheap deals to the Dominican Republic. A mere three hour flight away from JFK is the oldest settlement in the New World. Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the island is jam packed full of history, culture, noise and music. My advice, go beyond the gated enclaves, stay away from the honeymoon resorts and discover the vivacious home of nearly nine million Dominicans. 

Take a bus or guagua. The price is always right and the onboard music is guaranteed to make you jiggle around in your seat. Outside is a lush world of green sugar canes, shanty towns, quaint villages, golden beaches or cobbled streets. If you’re after something a bit more ‘wind in your hair’ type of thing, take a motoconcho. These small motorbikes are an ideal and cheap way to travel around any of the cities. You won’t find any of these options at the resorts.

Punta Cana is the quintessential honeymoon spot and understandably so. The beaches are white gold, the turquoise ocean palm fringed and beckoning. It is here that Europeans flock in their hundreds, ready to celebrate married life with the all inclusive buffet specials and free spirits they can drink. If they feel really adventurous they might wonder hand and hand up the small commercial plazas, and faux cobbled streets that link one resort with another.  A few braver souls test their bathers out at the water park Manatí Park. Plaza Bolera Punta Cana lures a few shopping and a handful have even been spotted at the Marina or scuba diving at Saona Island.

Image via Wikipedia

If this sounds idyllic then Punta Cana is probably the place for you. If not, pack you bag and catch the local bus to Higuey. From Higuey head to Santo Domingo – the capital of the Caribbean, and home to America’s first cathedral, Catedral Santa María La Menor, America’s first castle Alcázar de Colón, the ruins of the first monastery in America, Monasterio de San Francisco , the first convent in America, Iglesia del Convento Domini and probably uncountable more. Understandably Santo Domingo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and at the heart of it all is the Zona Colonial and Parque Colón.

Image via Wikipedia

Head here to see, taste and smell the Caribbean’s answer to Barcelona, only bathed in heat, humidity and noise. Somebody will undoubtedly approach you offering a walking tour. If the guide looks respectable, then it’s a worthwhile option. The history of this place is too much to discover el solo. Explore times gone by and the five hundred year old architecture of the old colonial quarters, see funky boutique shops perched on ancient cobblestone streets, watch as luxury cars navigate the streets alongside beat up old scooters, witness cigars being rolled by hand, eat at a hip restaurant or buy snacks from a street vendor. You simply can’t leave without eating at one of the cities premier destinations, El Mesón de la Cava. Be prepared to descend down a perilous iron stairway to enjoy an extravagance of local and international dishes. The restaurant is an actual limestone cave, romantically lit and deep down in the ground. Dine along side jagged stalactites and stalagmites while the waiter tells stories of pirates who utilized the cave centuries ago.  The chef recommends grilled salmon fillet in ginger and maple sauce or Rice Abanda with lobster and mixed seafood.

If El Mesón de la Cava has wet your appetite for underground fantasies, then Guácarataína should be next on the agenda. Situated inside a sprawling grotto, Guacarataina is a disco that dares to be different. Boogie away until the small hours in this cavernous wonderland.

Back in the hub of Santo Domingo, the city changes pace to the Merengue, bachata or salsa, after all Santo Domingo is the birthplace of the Merengue. The capital boasts many vibrant nightclubs, all excellent value, with that wonderful Caribbean rhythm and some of the best moves in Latin America. El Malecon, the seafront promenade, is lined with bars and restaurants where shaking, bopping and grinding are infectious and continue into the wee hours of the morning. However, everything comes with a price, and while Santo Domingo may not be the most expensive city in the world to visit, visitors still need to be careful of their wallets. Most of the Dominican Republic’s crime is concentrated in Santo Domingo. Be sensible, don’t carry vast amounts of cash, let your hotel know your itinerary and remember the old saying, safety in numbers.

Come morning and a refreshing dip might be just the ticket to wash away any hangover. Nearby Boca Chica might not be Punta Cana, but its close enough to Santo Domingo and you’ll find more locals here than at any resort. Love it or hate it (the beach vendors can be painful) Boca Chica is certainly an interesting place. If you are on a tight budget find some fried chicken and tostones. The locals recommend pescado frito (fried fish) from any of the stalls that line the beach front. Order a portion and while away an hour or two in front of the turquoise ocean. There is also some snorkeling to be had out on the natural horse shoe shaped reef. The water is clear and continuously filtered by a series of natural underground springs.

A word to the wise, if possible avoid Boca Chica on Sundays, as the shores are always crowded with locals heading out of the capital.

The Dominican Republic is a fascinating place to visit. Mountains, jungles, idyllic beaches, an enviable history and an extraordinarily exciting capital. Do your research before you go, combine a stay at a resort with some freedom traveling, experience the real Caribbean and one of the liveliest places on the planet.

Image via Wikipedia