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Welcome back! In our last installment we begin a series of tours through the regions of the Dominican Republic, which is a continental country. Today we move to the southern coast of the country, which for Dominicans is all that is “west” of the capital city Santo Domingo. It doesn't matter where you stay, whether in the Eastern region of Bávaro-Punta Cana, in the Samaná peninsula, the Northern region of Puerto Plata-Sosua, in La Romana or in any other destination, we will depart from the capital city, after taking advantage one day to meet her.
Remember that we suggest doing these trips by car, we have many options for rental companies. These routes are made on roads or highways in good condition. It is important that you come prepared, there will be many opportunities to take photos, shop and collect souvenirs.
Route 2 – Touring the South of the Dominican Republic in 5 days (leaving from Santo Domingo)
This second round is a 5-day trip through the southern region of the country, which is very dry and arid in most cases with spectacular microclimates. We will focus on the coast, but we will go a little inland, what the locals call the “Deep South”. We will cross the provinces of San Cristobal, Peravia, Azua, Barahona and Flints.
DAY 1
We leave early for Santo Domingo, no matter where it is, whether north or east, the transfer time does not exceed 1 hour and a half to 4 hours, the maximum. We will arrive at the capital and first city of America. There are varied options to spend the night, from small hotels in the colonial zone to 5-star chain hotels in the center, depending on your budget. We recommend having lunch at a typical restaurant such as “Adrian Tropical” or “El Conuco” and in the afternoon going to see the Colonial Zone. Unmissable are knowing the Cathedral of Saint Mary, primate of Americahe Alcázar of Colon and Spain Squarewalk down the street The Ladies to the site of the Ozama Fortress. Get lost in the surrounding streets of the Colonial Zone and the neighborhoods of New City, Saint Michael and Santa Barbara. It is worth moving to National Palaceseat of government.
The night in Santo Domingo is exciting, visit the emblematic restaurant “Mesón de la Cava” (prior reservations required) and decide whether to try your luck in one of the Casinos or visit the bars in the Colonial Zone or the Center (District).
Day 2
We go directly south on the “6 deNovember” highway towards San Cristobal and Baní. In less than an hour we will enter the land of mango, the Peravia province and its capital Bani are great producers of this fruit and if you are lucky and it is season, you can visit the Mango Festival or expomango, Held in mid-June each year, it is unique! After a stop in the community of Paya, where we will taste some of their famous coconut treats, we will cross this beautiful city of Bani to head to the resort of “Punta Salinas” or simply “Salinas”.
Punta Salinas is a beach that has beautiful grayish sand, where you can swim in its crystal-clear waters, it is exceptionally large and rather desert-like, it is an ideal place for surfing. In fact, it is one of the most unusual places in the Dominican Republic, both for its exoticism and its beauty. To get there you have to travel the 27 km that separates it from the city of Baní. One kilometer away is Salinas, a town that has received its name from the exploitation of salt flats. Before arriving, we will observe the naval base and we must visit the famous “Baní Dunes”, an almost impossible desert microclimate in the middle of the Caribbean (you must wear closed-toe sports shoes to avoid being burned by the burning sands). Lunch of fish or seafood in the small town and in the afternoon we continue to Azua and Barahona. At the exit and just past the military base you can see dozens of rhinoceros iguanas coming out of the bushes to sun themselves on the pavement.
Trip 3
We slept in the city of Barahona. Early in the morning we leave for the town of Neyba and take the road around Lake Enriquillo, which is the largest body of water of all the Caribbean islands and is saltwater. There are points where we can stop and observe crocodiles, iguanas and flamingos in their natural habitat. In the center of the Lake is Cabritos Island, but it is difficult to access and is a protected national park. Passing Neyba, we will arrive at the “Las Marias” spa with sulfurous and crystalline waters, they are said to be medicinal. Turning around, we will reach the Polo intersection and briefly climb to the “Magnetic Pole” where the cars in neutral mysteriously go up a hill. We return to Barahona and rest in the afternoon.
Trip 4
Leave early for Pedernales. This wonderful tour will take us along one of the most incredible and beautiful scenic roads in the country. We will stop at Patos Beach, where instead of sand there are pebbles that create an impressive atmosphere. Then there is the spa of San Rafael, the “shortest river in the world”, that's right, and its mouth is an exotic place to enjoy nature. After cooling off in the cold waters of the tributary, we continue our trip and pass the picturesque town of Enriquillo and Oviedo, where there is an opportunity to take photos with the gigantic wind energy mills.
Our journey continues and we decided to visit the tourist spot of Laguna de Oviedo to observe the local fauna and flora, the explanations of the local guides are very satisfactory. We continue and arrive at Cabo Rojo and the crossing to Bahía de las Águilas, our final destination.
What can we say about Bahía de las Águilas, the most beautiful beach in the world? For many it is like that. A quasi-virgin beach in the Caribbean Sea with lime-white sand and turquoise water of unreal transparency. A place to forget about the world, barely touched by humans, a sunny climate almost all year round. There are great ecological hostels that are in tune with the environment and that give us added value to the experience. Don't forget to bring your snorkeling mask.
Day 5
Many decide to spend time exploring Bahía de las Águilas and its surroundings, we cannot stop saying how incredibly beautiful this destination is. But if time is a factor, you may decide to return to Santo Domingo after lunch. The trip is long, about 6 hours, so you will have to spend the night in the city if your vacation destination is further north or east.
That's all for now! I hope you are encouraged and organize something similar to our proposal of what we believe are the best routes through the Dominican Republic by car and… have a good trip!
What are you waiting for to go out and discover the country's treasures!
By Eduardo Houellemont
