DR is all about?

So this is my 2nd post here but its separate from another one. Arriving to Amber Cove port later in November by Carnival cruise. I like to ask.

What is Dominican Republic all about. Is it the beach and water to be seen? jungle? some culture?

What you recommend or can just say would give a good first impression of the country? thanks

I did an all inclusive 2 years ago on the Punta Cana side. We really enjoyed it. The beaches are gorgeous! The DR drink is the Mamma Juanna...it's very good.

It's a very poor country. The locals I met were very nice and appreciative of any tip I gave.... They make close to nothing there.

thanks so much, that be helpful

I've been to the DR many times over the past 30 years, mostly on the north coast which is where the new Carnival port is. Here are my thoughts.

I'm going to start with an explanation of Dominicans (as I have found them). They are music and dance-loving. In fact, no Dominican wants a reputation as a bad dancer - it's like being a big nerd. They find North Americans terrible dancers, but they are not unkind about this. If you have a chance, get onto a dance floor and let 'er rip, enjoy, get into it. They'll respect you for trying. They are also terrible flirts, and will make love to you on the dance floor - be careful, they are not serious. Every Dominican is also an entrepreneur, they all want to make a deal, and a good deal for a Dominican is one where you get fleeced. They expect to bargain - if you can get them down to 50% of the asking price, they will still make a good profit. I hear people talking about how dangerous the country is, but in all my travels, I've never had a bad experience there. I was once stuck in a small village alone for many hours (long story). I was very frightened as a woman alone, but those people took care of me, fed me, and were very kind until help came. I'm sure there are bad guys in the DR, as there are anywhere, but in general the people won't hurt you - it's not in their culture to hurt you, although they will fleece you if they can. As well, around Puerto Plata, there is a whole industry of fast-talking Dominicans who will pester you trying to sell you stuff, take you on a taxi ride, guide you someplace, and so on. They are harmless. Just tell them no, and walk away purposefully. If they keep after you, get a little huffy and yell NO, - that will do it.

Make no mistake, the Dominicans are connected and they know more about the outside world than you know about them. They all have cellphones and WIFI. They order stuff from Amazon and even from websites in China. The country has Costco and IKEA. They are not country bumpkins.

The beaches are among the best in the Caribbean. They are beige sand, usually very long and pleasant to walk, usually fringed with trees for people (like me) who need some relief from the sun. There are reefs offshore so the waves are usually not powerful - good for kids and people who want to float around. The exception is Cabarete, a world-class kite and board beach, where the waves are powerful. Swimmers there also need to beware the strong rip-tides. Cabarete is certainly do-able as a day-trip from the port, but it would be a full day, with an early start. If all you want is to lie on a gorgeous beach, almost anywhere on the north coast of the DR will make you happy.

Inland from the beaches, the cordillera mountains rise up quickly, and there are many beautiful places in those mountains. There are freshwater rivers and waterfalls, beautiful views and interesting small villages. You would need an excursion or private tour, but there are many possibilities for day trips from a ship. There is a well-established tourism industry around Puerto Plata serving the all-inclusive hotels. You can find jeep tours, all-terrain adventures, horse riding tours and plenty more. As well, there are catamaran trips, fishing trips, snorkelling, and so on. You will probably find people near the dock selling these services. Try to bargain them down. The very best strategy I've found in the DR is to bargain hard for one thing, then, when the end is near, suddenly introduce a second thing. "But what if I bought two? What can you do for me?" So you could bargain for a tour for 2 people, and then suddenly say, "But what if I got you another 2 people? What would it cost then?"

It is an amazingly beautiful, amazingly varied country. I'll be going back for a week in late November - can't wait.

If you have any other questions, please ask away. My niece is married to a Dominican man and lives there. Please don't ask me questions about specific tour providers. Do your research, and look at Trip Advisor.

Lindy

I will add, if you are looking for visual art (paintings, sculpture, etc) you probably won't find much. There is some good Dominican art, but you won't find it in a day. Most of what you will see is cheap, mass-produced Haitian art, being re-sold by Dominican entrepreneurs. As my daughter always tells me though, most of us are not true art collectors. If you see something you love and will be happy to look at on your wall, buy it.