Dominican Republic 2021/2022
We recently took a trip to the Caribbean Island Nation of the Dominican Republic. We had been there one time before on a cruise but this time we stayed on the island itself. Most people only think of the Dominican Republic as a great water and beach destination. It is definitely great place to relax on the beach as we did during our stay at our beautiful Hilton La Romana All Inclusive Resort but there is also a lot of history, culture, friendly people and unique food. Its also a country of great contrasts. You go from fancy all inclusive resorts to seeing poverty in their large cities such as Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata. Here is our experience in the Dominican Republic and what we learned while we were there.
Our Experience getting to the Island
On our most recent trip to the Dominican Republic we flew Southwest Airlines from Fort Lauderdale to Punta Cana International Airport that is on the far Eastern tip of the Island. Before we went to the Dominican Republic we needed to fill out immigration and health forms called the E-Ticket that gives a QR code. This is mostly due to Covid-19 and you must fill it out at the earliest 72 hours ahead of your flight. No Covid testing is needed to enter the Dominican Republic. When we arrived the passport control process was relatively normal and after we got our stamp we headed out. The Punta Cana International airport is an interesting one as the ticketing and other areas of the airport are open air (a roof but no closed in walls). We booked a transfer service that was waiting with my name on it and we were off on our 45 minute drive to our resort.
Dominican Music
From the time we walked through the airport to us leaving we heard the Dominican Music called Bachata. Its a lively Latin music that is meant for dancing. It is very popular in the country and I enjoyed listening to it. Our driver did not know much English but I was able to speak to him in Spanish a bit and he told me about the Bachata and I can tell you he was excited about the music including doing little dances while driving through the many sugar cane fields. We could hear small boats playing Bachata from the beach and when they started playing Bachata at the Casino all the card dealers started dancing immediately. Its a big deal in the Dominican Republic and an interesting different type of music.
The Hilton La Romana
After 45 minutes driving through the beautiful countryside where you could see mountains in the distances and miles of sugar cane fields we got to our resort. Tourism is a huge boost to a country that struggles financially so resorts like ours are common around the Island. Our resort was located on the Southern Coast that looks into the Caribbean Sea. From the second we got there the hospitality was amazing. Our bags were taken to our rooms even though I had planned on taking them myself. We were given priority check in being Diamond Hilton Honors members in a special area full of chocolates and fruit. Our room was great as well. We had a balcony that looked over a pool area and we could watch the birds building huge nests in the Palm Trees. We had a “rain” shower, our own sinks and plenty of room. Being an all inclusive we had ten different restaurants to choose from and like a cruise ship all the food was included. The hotel is split into Adults only and family. We were in the Adults only section but we were allowed to visit the family area. The hotel had French, Italian, Greek, Japanese, Dominican, seafood, an expansive buffet and a few other types of foods including a grill. We had the French, Greek, and Dominican sit down restaurants while there. We were able to order an appetizer, soup, main course and desert. They also brought fresh mixed drinks with local fruits. The buffet we had for breakfast was also great with a crepe, yogurt, egg, and smoothie stations and then plenty of other types of foods. There were many bars where we got the local beer Presidente, mixed drinks, sodas, coffee and one of our favorite Cinnamon Hot Tea with Honey in it. We had a mini bar the re-filled each day that was included. It was good they kept it re-filled as we used the water to brush our teeth as being a developing country its not a good idea to drink the water.
The resort had plenty to do as well and we spent a couple days only at the resort and not touring. That is not our usual way of doing things but we wanted to enjoy the resort. The resort has a pretty large white sand beach with crystal clear turquoise water. There are ample beach chairs and the water is very calm as the resort is in a cove. At the resort itself there were no coral reefs so the snorkeling was not great but the water was still nice and it was relaxing. The hotel also has a great water park in the family area that has a few water slides and a great lazy river we spent time relaxing in. There are also multiple very nice pools around the resort in both the family and adults only area. There is a small casino you can visit and other things like foosball tables. Its nice just walking through the tropical resort on the many paths and enjoying just being outside. At night they had different shows like a Michael Jackson Tribute, Disney Princess Tribute, and retro music. The entertainment was nice.
One thing that was really interesting to us was the fact that so many people from around the world were at the resort. Walking around we heard German, Italian, French, languages from Eastern Europe, and of course Spanish being spoken. We talked to a couple from Germany and from the United Kingdom while we were there. Talking to the staff they say the resort is very popular with Europeans and not as many people from the US visit. We met a few other people from the US but not as many as we did Europeans. Thats a shame as its a great resort and we were very safe. They had security guards throughout the hotel so we never felt in danger.
The Dominican Cuisine
While we were in the Dominican Republic we tried a wide variety of the food and drinks in the country. At our resort we had a traditional Dominican breakfast that included Mangu which is mashed plantains that kind of reminded me of mashed potatoes that also included onions on top. For dinner we had plantain chips with pico de gallo, a Dominican soup called Sancocho that was like a stew that contained pork, chicken, beef and vegetables, and mofongo. Mofongo is a tropical dish that is also mashed plantains mixed with spices. In Puerto Rico they added chicken or another type of meat to “stuff” the mofongo but in the Dominican Republic they did not. We had a sweet buttermilk type item for desert. While in Santo Domingo we went to a Dominican food buffet that had other typical dishes like chicken, rice and beans. In regards to other food like most tropical countries the fruit is about as fresh as you can get it and much better than you can get it back home. For drinks most of the mixed drinks and juices were fresh squeezed. Most mixed drinks contained rum that is made in the Dominican Republic. They also have a drink called Mama Juana that is a spiced drink with rum, red wine and local herbs. It is a very tasty beverage we tried a few times. Their local beer Presidente is very good as well and it was served at the resort.
A Day Trip to Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo is the Dominican Republic’s capital and largest city in the country. It was about an hour and a half drive from La Romana and we passed through more of the Dominican countryside. The freeway was comparable to a US freeway which you do not see as often in developing nations. As we reached the outskirts of Santo Domingo you sadly see the poverty many people live in. Homes with rusting metal rooves and some partially built homes. The Dominican Republic is one of the poorer countries in the Caribbean/North America but its economy is growing. We first stopped at the Tres Ojos (three eyes) National Park where there are several crystal clear water sink holes you can walk down to. There is a lot of tropical vegetation around the area and fish swimming in the sink holes. After the visit we went by a craft market where as we expected the selling was vigorous and intense. In many developing countries we have found the vendors with heavily push you to make purchases and will haggle with you on prices. We always buy things as we want to help the locals. Our next stop was the impressive Faro Colon which is a huge cross shaped building built around what is said to be the remains of Christopher Columbus. Inside there is a mausoleum holding the remains and a museum where every country in the Americas and some beyond have the opportunity to have an exhibit showcasing their country. It was very interesting seeing all the different countries and how they wanted to represent their country. From ancient artifacts, pictures or displays about “El Pais de futoro” (the country of the future) we spent time looking through the museum. While we felt safe during our entire time in Santo Domingo, the city is known for having crime issues and you will see as we did at the museum and other areas Dominican military with shotguns or machine guns guarding areas. We are extra careful to not show signs of wealth like flashing money or having our more expensive camera.
After the museum we visited the capital and Presidential Palace that was built to look like the US White House. It was built earlier in the 1900s by a brutal dictator who renamed the capital city after himself but it was eventually changed back. It is a very elaborate capital that is for sure. We finished out our day after lunch walking in the Unesco World Heritage site Colonial district. Santo Domingo is the oldest city in the America’s and is full of fortresses and very old buildings. We visited the first cathedral in the Americas built in the early 1500s. Inside was the oldest know painting brought to the Americas also in the early 1500s. At the Cathedral a wedding was being prepared for with a full symphony and choir. Their music made the tour even nicer. We walked pass European style squares, a home of Christopher Columbus, the National Pantheon, the original capital and we ended by touring Christopher Columbus’s son’s home. It was an elaborate palace with many rooms, painted woodworked ceilings and artifacts. We got a private tour as we were the only English speaking members of the tour. That was the end of our tour and we started to head back to the hotel. I was glad to be on a tour as the driving is rather intense in Santo Domingo as we saw a motorcycle get hit by a car backing up (there were no injuries just angry people), we saw a bus with people hanging out the door and dirt bikes with 3 adults riding on it while carrying wood.
We really enjoyed the tour and were glad we took it. We were the only American’s on the tour as everyone else was from Chile or Brazil. Its a shame more American’s do not go and see cities like Santo Domingo or travel internationally as you can learn so much.
Leaving the Dominican Republic
Just as we arrived in the Dominican Republic we had to fill out an immigration form online, we did so again for departure. It did not ask health questions but asked about flight and other information. It was quick to fill out. We also for US entry took an antigen Covid test that we brought with us that was proctored by video with a nurse. The resort also offered testing if we wanted to go there. We filled out our form stating we did not lie about the test and contact tracing form. While many countries are removing such testing requirements, the US still makes them somewhat painful for re-entry into the country. I personally believe its time for them to go as they have not prevented any variant from entering the US but they are still here for the foreseeable future. After our 45 minute drive back to Punta Cana, Southwest checked all our documents and we went through automated passport control gates where we scanned our passport, had a camera scan our face, and we were allowed to exit. The airport is relatively small for so many flights so it was very crowded. We waited for our flight and went by bus to the outdoor gate and headed back home.
Puerto Plata Cruise Stop
In December of 2021, we made our first visit into the Dominican Republic. We visited the Northern coast city of Puerto Plata. We were only the second cruise ship to use the brand new port in the city. Donna and I were one of the first people off the ship and the city rolled out the red carpet for us. When the band saw us coming they started playing Dominican music. Everyone was all smiles and very friendly as the port brings in more good paying jobs for the locals. The port had many restaurants, shops and nice pools for visitors. We took a city and historic tour of Puerto Plata that was very interesting. We went to a local rum distillery where we got to try different local rums, we went by a historic fortress by the sea at a very nice park, and we went into downtown to see their cathedral, a bright pink street dedicated to breast cancer victims, and a street with colorful umbrellas above our heads. Our final stop on the tour was to the Amber museum. In this very nice museum they have amber with many different ancient insects, lizards and plants trapped inside. Jurassic Park used amber from this museum. The tour guides were excited to have people coming through again. The city also has a aerial tramway up to a mountain that has a Christ the Redeemer statue similar to Rio De Janiero or Lisbon. After our tour we ended up taking a cab back to Fortress San Felipe to tour the fort and spend a little more time touring the fort. It was also built in the 1500s to protect from invasion and pirates. It was not a huge fort but had some neat exhibits. Our cab driver was willing to wait for us for the hour or so visit. When we came back he was there. All over the Dominican Republic people are selling the larimar stone (a turquoise colored stone) that is only found in the Dominican Republic. Near the fortress they definitely wanted to sell us pieces of it. The cab driver told us he had not worked in 2 years due to Covid and our tour guide said there was at that time over 40% unemployment due to tourism being hit. The cruises and tourists in general are vitally important for their livelihoods in countries like the Dominican Republic.
In Conclusion
We have really enjoyed our time in the Dominican Republic from a relaxing and snorkeling perspective and a cultural and historic perspective. The food and culture is unique and definitely worth exploring while in the country. While at the resorts the food is great and you might opt to get steak everyday, I recommend taking some time to try the local food and drinks. You won’t be disappointed. Many people and especially my fellow Americans only go to the resorts and never venture out into the cities like Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata. That is truly a shame as you miss out on some truly great history with the oldest city in the Americas and a lot of Christopher Columbus history. I know there is a lot of concern about safety but as long as you stay vigilant, do not flash signs of wealth (fancy camera, a wallet) and you are not out and about at night you will be ok. We go on tours so we have a guide that will avoid any bad areas. A lot of people worry about the dangers of traveling abroad in the US but in all reality we have plenty of violence and crime back home. In some cases its safer abroad that back home so give it a chance. Take a balanced trip where you relax at the resort but also go out into the country.
Another sad side is if you travel outside of the resorts you will see some of the poverty that exists in this poorer nation. It made me feel bad in some ways enjoying my fancy steak while knowing people on the island are not doing well. Once I got home I made donations to causes that help the poor as we all need to try to help the poor of the world through donations and our travel abroad also helps provide good jobs. Even though people struggle I found all the people we encountered where friendly and warm towards us. They were always willing to help inside and outside of the resort.
Go give the Dominican Republic a try through a cruise or staying on the island itself. You will be rewarded by a great culture and a wonderful and relaxing trip!