According to the Ministry of Environment, the 2016 humpback whale season set a new record in terms of visitor numbers. Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez said that 55,519 tourists went on whale watching trips, which is 19% more than 2015 when 44,900 tourists took the excursions.
Tourists watched whales in Banco de la Plata, Banco de la Natividad and Samana Bay, a 32,892 square kilometer marine mammal sanctuary in the Atlantic Ocean, the largest protected area in the Dominican Republic.
Of the visitors, 42,056 took boat trips in Samana Bay.
The whale watching season started on 15 January and ended on 15 March 2016. The whales migrate to the warm Dominican waters from Iceland, Greenland, Canada and the east coast of the United States to mate and give birth to calves.
 

Travel & Leisure online magazine is promoting Dominican beaches with a selection of what they call “the best beaches” in a slideshow. The beaches in the slideshow include Boca Chica, Rincon, Playa Grande, Punta Cana, Bahoruco, Cabarete, Sosua, Minitas, Cayo Levantado, Juan Dolio and Bahia de las Aguilas. http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/beach-vacations/best-beaches-in-the-dominican-republic
 

Cocoa and chocolate experts from all around the world will be gathering in Punta Cana for the World Cocoa Conference from 22-25 May 2016. The leading event for the cocoa and chocolate sector brings together the major players from the value chain. The meetings will take place at the Barcelo Bavaro Convention Center. The Dominican Republic is a world leader in cocoa production, now gradually beginning to produce chocolate, too.
More than 1,500 cocoa farmers, chocolate makers, government and private sector farming and sustainability experts are expected to attend the event from over 40 countries. This is the first time the event will have been held in Latin America.
The event is being organized by the International Cocoa Organization and the Ministry of Agriculture and National Cocoa Commission are hosting the event for the Dominican Republic. The agenda includes discussions for the Cacao Global Agenda.
President Danilo Medina will be giving the opening address at the conference, which will include talks on changing trends in cocoa production, consumption and global trade. It will also focus on the progress made in the implementation of the Global Cocoa Agenda with updates from major producing countries and the industry.
Information on adding value to cocoa, including differentiation, specialty products and branding will be discussed. The issues of improving cocoa farmers and improving farmer incomes, and finance and insurance solutions to manage risk across the value chain are also on the program.

Source: http://dr1.com/travelnews/archive/2016/tnews022316.html

Starting today, Tuesday, 23 February 2016, the sails will unfold under the skies of Playa Encuentro in Cabarete for the celebration of the Master of the Ocean.
The Master of the Ocean, the only water sports competition featuring surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) continues until 28 February 2016.
The annual event makes the most of the exceptional conditions for these watersports in the Cabarete area.
Founded by Marcus Bohm in 2013, the competition consists of 12 teams of four athletes. Each rider competes in a discipline, and the top 15 competitors move to a final stage where they compete for the Master of the Ocean title.
Cabarete is the perfect location as there is no wind in the morning for surfers and SUP enthusiasts, and consistent incoming trade winds from noon onwards, perfect conditions for windsurfers and kitesurfers.
The 2016 Master of the Ocean organizers say they will be hosting 2015 champion Zane Schweitzer and many other international riders including Samuel Perez-Hultz, Fiona Wylde, Luciano Gonzalez, Michael Gebhardt and Brian Talma.

Source: http://dr1.com/travelnews/archive/2016/tnews022316.html

The La Aurora tobacco manufacturing company has announced the opening of a tobacco education facility, the La Aurora Cigar Institute, coinciding with the celebration of ProCigar Week (21-26 February 2016) in Santiago de los Caballeros. The tobacco school is on the second floor of the La Aurora cigar factory in Santiago, the Dominican Republic’s cigar country capital.
As the new institute’s main attraction, the courses on all aspects of cigars and tobacco education will be taught by some of the Dominican Republic’s leading experts in the field. There will be sessions on tobacco plant varietals, soils and cultivation, as well as more theoretical topics like the history of tobacco and its socio-economic role in the Dominican Republic. Practical coursework will include lessons on rolling, blending, cigar tasting and food-and-drink pairing, reports Cigar Aficionado.
The lecturers will include Angel Daniel Nunez (former president of General Cigar Co.), Benjamin Menendez, (former senior vice president at General), La Aurora president Guillermo Leon and La Aurora master blender Manuel Inoa.
As reported, typical courses run three days, with students eligible to receive a certificate of accreditation upon successful completion of the coursework and a final knowledge assessment. However, shorter courses have also been designed for students with only a few hours to spare.
The first block of full-day courses at the new La Aurora Cigar Institute will run from February 29 to March 2. More will be scheduled throughout the year.
The cigar and tobacco museum on the La Aurora site are also part of its factory tour program. The museum showcases not only the history and milestones of the La Aurora Cigar Co., but also the Dominican cigar industry as a whole.
Taking a course at the new institute is a way of combining a vacation with the learning experience about cigars.

Source: http://dr1.com/travelnews/archive/2016/tnews022316.html

At a signing ceremony at the PGA TOUR headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida on 28 October 2015, the PGA TOUR and representatives of Puntacana Resort & Club announced that the Web.com Tour will be played in Punta Cana next year.
The Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship will be the Web.com Tour’s first tournament in the Dominican Republic as well as the first to be played on any of the Caribbean islands.
Frank Elias Rainieri signed the three-year agreement on behalf of Puntacana Resort & Club. The first of three annual tournaments will be played from 30 May-5 June 2016.
The Tom Fazio-designed “Corales” course at Puntacana Resort & Club will be the host venue.
Opened in 2010, the course plays along the natural cliffs, bays, ocean coves and the inland lakes and coral stone quarries of the Caribbean Sea. The layout features six oceanfront holes and culminates with its last three holes known as the “Devil’s Elbow”, with the striking 18th hole requiring a dramatic forced carry over the cliff-lined Bay of Corales.
The Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship will feature a 156-player field, with an eligibility component similar to that used at other Web.com Tour events in Latin America. The purse will be US$625,000.
Sport Link of Bogota, Colombia, organizers of two other Web.com Tour events in Bogota and Cartagena, Colombia will be managing the event.
It is expected to continue to strengthen the sport in the Latin American region.

Source: http://dr1.com/travelnews/archive/2015/tnews112415.html

The president of the Hotels & Tourism Projects Association in the East, Ernesto Veloz has predicted that for the first time, Punta Cana will have hosted three million visitors by year’s end. He said that another 4,000 hotel rooms are under construction. Veloz is forecasting that this will be one of the best seasons of the past 10 years with an approximate 10% growth rate this year. The Dominican Republic is expected to surpass the five million-tourist-mark this year.

Source: http://dr1.com/travelnews/archive/2015/tnews112415.html

The only water sports competition featuring surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) known as the Master of the Ocean will take place in Cabarete from 23 to 28 February 2016. The annual event takes advantage of the exceptional conditions in the Cabarete area for these watersports.
Founded by Marcus Bohm in 2013, the competition consists of 12 teams of four athletes. Each rider competes in a discipline, and the top 15 competitors move to a final stage where they compete for the Master of the Ocean title.
Cabarete is the perfect location as there is no wind in the morning for surfers and SUP enthusiasts, and consistent incoming trade winds from noon onwards, the perfect conditions for windsurfers and kitesurfers.
The 2016 Master of the Ocean organizers say they expect to host 2015 champion Zane Schweitzer and many other international riders including Samuel Perez-Hultz, Fiona Wylde, Luciano Gonzalez, Michael Gebhardt and Brian Talma.

Source: http://dr1.com/travelnews/archive/2015/tnews112415.html

The Dominican Republic has been included on two of the Best of Caribbean travel lists of the US News & World Report publication.
Puerto Plata and Punta Cana are both included the “Best Affordable Caribbean Destinations” list. Interestingly, the destinations are given the same weight as countries such as Puerto Rico, Curacao, Jamaica, Grenada, Dominica, US Virgin Islands, Barbados, and St. Kitts and Nevis.

The publication recommends a trip to Punta Cana:
“Thanks to a wealth of all-inclusive resorts, Punta Cana is an affordable haven for sun-worshippers. This resort town offers everything from pristine beaches and turquoise water to challenging golf courses and top-notch cuisine.”

And to Puerto Plata:
“This Dominican Republic beach town offers plenty for those seeking off-resort activities. Here, you can enjoy water sports in Cabarete and jaw-dropping sights like the Damajaqua Cascades [sic]. And with daily nonstop flights from the U.S., getting to Puerto Plata is a cinch.”
In the “beach bum” category, Punta Cana is on the Best Caribbean Beaches list.

Source: http://dr1.com/travelnews/archive/2015/tnews111015.html

The arrival of the Carnival Victory cruise ship marks the opening of the Amber Cove Cruise Center in the Bay of Maimon near Puerto Plata, the newest cruise ship port in the Caribbean. The ship is scheduled to be in port from 8am to 4pm on Tuesday, 6 October 2015. The second ship to arrive will be the Carnival Fantasy, again from 8 to 4pm.

The project is designed to re-establish the Dominican Republic’s North Coast as a popular cruise destination. The last cruise ship to call at Puerto Plata was nearly 30 years ago.

The new two-berth Amber Cove Cruise Center will be able to accommodate up to 8,000 cruise passengers and 2,000 crew members daily.
A transportation hub allowing visitors easy access by land and sea to the surrounding destinations and attractions will be included, as well.
Tourists can choose from a wide selection of excursions, ranging from trips to Punta Rucia’s Paradise Island (Cayo Arena), La Isabela (the first European settlement in the New World), Puerto Plata city tour, Cabarete beach for windsurfing, kiteboarding and beach-eating, deep-sea fishing tour, inner country adventures, ATV adventures, Puerto Plata tradition and local flavor tour, dolphin swim and Ocean World day pass, deluxe catamaran sail, two-tank dive, mega truck adventure, and trips to several beaches.

Source: dr1 Travel News

Source: dr1 Travel News

Non-resident air arrivals to the Dominican Republic are now up 7.9% from January to August 2015, which promises to be a bumper year for tourism in the Dominican Republic.
After a record 10.4% in arrivals in July, August turned in another strong month with 9.7%, according to statistics compiled by the Central Bank.
In August 2015, 465,806 non-resident air arrivals were up 41,091 compared to the same month in 2014. The number of non-resident foreign tourists was 396,091, up 8.9%, equal to 32,445 more tourists. The number of Dominican non-resident arrivals was 69,175, up 14.2%, or 8,646 more visitors this August compared to last year.
Most tourists continue to come from the United States and Canada. From January to August 2015, non-resident visitors totaled 3,892,892 passengers, 87.2% of whom were foreigners and 12.8% non-resident Dominicans.
The Central Bank also notes significant growth in the South American market from January to August 2015 compared to last year with increases in tourists coming from Brazil (24,377), Venezuela (15,329), Argentina (12,343), Colombia (7,582), Chile (3,945) and Peru (3,177).
More tourists arrived from Europe, with the exception of Russia. Spain was up 14,816, UK 12,770, Germany 9,584, Portugal 5,137, Italy 4,381, the Netherlands 2,477, Poland 1,982 and France 1,651. But there was a marked decline of 80,459 visitors from Russia, reflecting the economic crisis affecting the country.
Central Bank analysts concluded that the increase in visitors was due to the improvements in the US economy and strategies implemented by the Ministry of Tourism working closely with the private sector to consolidate the DR’s leading position in tourism in the Caribbean.
From January to August 2015, resident and non-resident arrivals totaled 4,254,119.
Most tourists arrived via Punta Cana International Airport with 66.6% of total foreigner air arrivals, for 2,261,546 arrivals from January to August 2015, up 8.5% compared to the same period last year.

Source: dr1 Travel News

Central Bank Governor Hector Valdez Albizu says that July 2015 was a record month for non-resident travel to the Dominican Republic. A record 568,323 visitors, including foreigners and non-resident Dominicans (10.4% annual growth) arrived in the country in July 2015. Travel in August 2015 is also showing a strong increase of 9.7%. Based on the strong summer month figures, Valdez is forecasting a record year for Dominican tourism. It is also worth mentioning that tourism will receive an additional boost later this year with the maritime arrivals via the Carnival Amber Cove port in Puerto Plata, scheduled to open on 6 October 2015.

Source: dr1 Travel News

The new Carnival Corporation cruise port in Maimon, Puerto Plata province in the north of the Dominican Republic is expecting its first ship on 6 October, 2015. The port is a US$85 million investment on a site that is about 15 minutes from the city of Puerto Plata. The pier has the capacity for docking two of Carnival’s largest ships at once. A parking area and transportation hub has been included for buses and taxies, and there is a large area for bars, restaurants and shops.
An estimated 350,000 cruise ship passengers are expected to arrive in Amber Cove in its first year. Carnival ships that will be making stops at Amber Cove in its first year include:
Carnival Victoria (Miami, Grand Turk, Amber Cove)
Carnival Splendor (Miami, Amber Cove, St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk)
Carnival Valor (Orlando, Amber Cove, St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk)
Carnival Glory (Miami, Amber Cove, St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk)
Carnival Sunshine (Orlando, Amber Cove, St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk)
Carnival Breeze (Miami, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Thomas, Amber Cove)
Carnival Conquest (Fort Lauderdale, Grand Turk, Amber Cove, Half Moon Cay)
Costa Deliziosa (Fort Lauderdale, Nassau, Amber Cove, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel)
Queen Mary II on a 13, 20 and 28-night Caribbean cruise departing from Manhattan.
Queen Mary II on its 23, 38, 53, 60, 62, 78, 87, 98 and 120-night world cruises
Eurodam (Fort Lauderdale, Half Moon Cay, Falmouth, Grand Cayman, Key West)
Excursions include a city tour of Puerto Plata, Cabarete beach, Ocean World, Paradise island, Punta Rucia, Catamaran tours, La Isabela first European settlement site, Lifestyle Resort visit, scuba diving, Outback Safari, Santiago city tour and deep sea fishing.

Source: USA Today

PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic — Cruise fans are just weeks away from having somewhere new to go in the Caribbean.

Amber Cove, a new port development along the north coast of the Dominican Republic, is well on track to open as scheduled next month for the first of what is expected to be more than 100 cruise calls a year.

Under development by cruise giant Carnival Corp. at a cost of $85 million, the 25-acre complex near the town of Puerto Plata is being billed as one of the biggest Caribbean port projects of the past decade and will feature a large area of bars, restaurants and shops — all of which appeared near completion this week during a sneak peek for cruise writers.

Amber Cove also will have a sprawling pool area with a swim-up bar, water slides, zip lines and private cabanas that also are quickly coming together.

Still, the complex’s main role will be as a gateway to the region’s many historic sites, beaches and adventure activities. Nearly half of the site’s acreage is devoted to a massive transportation hub where cruisers will find taxis and buses to take them to area attractions. More than 40 organized shore excursions will be available from the port, and Carnival executives say they expect an unusually high percentage of cruisers to sign up for the outings.

“Amber Cove, the port, is not the destination,” David Candib, the Carnival Corp. manager for the project, stressed during the tour. “The region of Puerto Plata really is what the cruise port is about.”

Long a tourist destination with resorts and timeshare developments, the area around Puerto Plata offers a wide array of attractions including beaches, golf courses, and wild areas that can be explored by horseback and ATV. It’s also home to one of the first Spanish forts in the Americas; one of the best-known rum distilleries in the Dominican Republic; a marine adventure park where visitors can swim with dolphins and sharks; and a museum dedicated to amber, which is mined in the region (hence the name Amber Cove).

The government of the Dominican Republic has been working with Carnival Corp. to prepare for an expected cruise boom to the region over the coming year. In a private tour of improvements under way around Puerto Plata’s historic district, the country’s vice minister of tourism, Julio Almonte, showed USA TODAY upgrades in the works to a waterfront area that connects the historic Fortaleza San Felipe to the town’s central square. The government also is widening the road from Amber Cove to Puerto Plata to make transportation to the historic district more efficient.

Almonte said locals are excited about the arrival of ships full of thousands of vacationers. “We’ve waited almost 30 years for a project like this,” Almonte said. “The future of Puerto Plata is … with Amber Cove.”

The north coast of the Dominican Republic hasn’t seen cruise ships since the 1980s, when the typical passenger vessel was much smaller than today. The main port for the region, in Puerto Plata, isn’t big enough to accommodate today’s larger vessels.

Located on a mountain-ringed bay about six miles from Puerto Plata, Amber Cove features a 1,280-foot pier with a channel dredged to 36 feet that is capable of handling two of the largest ships in the Carnival Corp. fleet at once. Candib told USA TODAY it even could handle vessels as large as those in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class — the world’s biggest cruise ships.

Amber Cove is expected to draw 350,000 cruisers in its first year in operation from such Carnival Corp. brands as Carnival, Holland America, Princess and Costa. It’ll also be the destination for bi-weekly “social impact” cruises to the Dominican Republic from Miami planned by Carnival Corp.’s new fathom brand. The trips start in April.

The first ship to arrive at Amber Cove, on Oct. 6, will be the 2,754-passenger Carnival Victory.

Located just 679 miles southeast of Miami, Amber Cove will fit into a wide range of Caribbean itineraries, including shorter-than-seven-night sailings from Florida, Candib said. It’s just 100 miles from Carnival Corp.’s port on Grand Turk and 276 miles from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Among already-announced itineraries that include the port are seven-night Carnival sailings from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean that also include stops in San Juan, St. Thomas and either Grand Turk or Half Moon Cay, a private island in the Bahamas.

Carnival also is selling an eight-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary from Miami that features calls at Amber Cove as well as St. Maarten, Antigua and St. Thomas. Another eight-night Carnival itinerary from Miami to the Southern Caribbean adds Amber Cove to stops in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Curacao; and Aruba.

Source: DR1 Travel News

Government spokesman Roberto Rodriguez Marchena says that the Dominican Republic is the most popular vacation destination in the Caribbean, highlighting the fact that five million tourists from around the world visited the country last year.

As reported by the Presidency, he said: “We have the best beaches and the best atmosphere for resting and for enjoyment.” Rodriguez Marchena praises the services provided by hotels and restaurants, along with the music and the people, which he said are what turn a stay in the Dominican Republic into a delicious and memorable experience. He also stressed the impact of tourism on the national economy. One of the main sectors that benefits is farming and Rodriguez Marchena points out that US$500 million in fruit and vegetables as well as meat were consumed by these five million tourists who visited last year.

On his Twitter account @RodrigMarchena, the government spokesman posted a video and a statement in which he says that the Colonial City of Santo Domingo is being beautifully restored in order to present its streets and mansions in all their historical beauty.

The statements are made by the Presidency as part of reviews of the first years of the Medina administration. President Danilo Medina is seeking re-election in the 2016 national elections.

Source: DR1 Travel News

Puerto Plata is hosting Discover Puerto Plata once again this year. The event takes place from 6 to 10 October 2015. Discover Puerto Plata is the north coast destination’s leading marketing event. Travel agents, tour operators and tourism product suppliers from the north coast will be taking part along with key Ministry of Tourism officials.

Discover Puerto Plata’s official opening takes place on Wednesday, 7 October with a cocktail reception at the Hotel Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort, which is hosting the event. On Thursday, 8 October, a Fiesta Puerto Plata will be held, also at the Hotel Lifestyle, with a performance featuring the variety of dance styles that are part of Dominican history.

According to the organizers, there will be a choice of pre-and post tours on 6 and 10 October to World Adventure Park, Puerto Plata city tour, and a Sosua and Cabarete tour including a visit to Cabarete caves.

The closing date for registration for Discover Puerto Plata MarketPlace is 1 September 2015. For more information, see http://www.discoverpuertoplata.com.

Source: dr1 Travel News

The casino at Ocean World in Cofresi, Puerto Plata is open again to the public, 7pm to 4am daily. The casino is now under Kviar, a company that operates several casinos on the island.
Also new at Ocean World entertainment complex is the Ocean World Bistro, just behind the Ocean World Terrace. The bistro will be open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm to 11pm. While it is designed for dinner for Bravissimo show guests, it is open to the general public. A 3-course dinner with two to four choices in each round goes for RD$950 inclusive of all taxes and gratuities (drinks are extra). The options include grilled steak and lobster medallions in herb and garlic sauce.
There is outside seating and also a lounge/bar for drinks at the Bistro, overlooking the marina.

Source: dr1 Travel News

Cunard Cruise Line is promoting its Queen Mary 2 fall-winter cruises that include the newest port in the Caribbean, Amber Cove in Puerto Plata. The cruises will be in November and the first part of December. In addition to Amber Cove, other stops on the luxury cruises are Southampton, New York, then St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Tortola. Amber Cove is the last stop prior to the return trip to New York.
In Puerto Plata, the cruise line promotes dolphin swim and other attractions at the Ocean World, the excursion to Paradise Island (Cayo Arena) by speedboat for snorkeling and Outback Dominican Adventures for safari-style touring. Other attractions highlighted by the cruise company are visits to the San Felipe Fort, the Puerto Plata Malecon and shopping for amber in Puerto Plata.
Amber Cove is a Carnival Cruise Line investment located in Maimon, a 10 minute drive from Puerto Plata City.

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Sources: www.elcaribe.com, www.diariolibre.com, www.diariolibre.com

According to reports in the Dominican sports media, 82 Dominicans are on the Major League Baseball rosters. Dominicans make up the largest group of foreign-born players in the league. The team with the highest number of Dominican players is the Pittsburgh Pirates with seven: Antonio Bastardo, Arquimedes Caminero, Radhames Liz, Francisco Liriano, Pedro Alvarez, Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte. Next follows the Milwaukee Brewers with six, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and New York Mets with five apiece. Only three MLB teams do not have any Dominicans on their rosters: the Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals.

Diario Libre reports that wages of Dominicans in Major League Baseball adds up to US$423 million in 2015.

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Source: www.ozy.com

Most people visiting the Dominican Republic jump straight to La Romana or Punta Cana, the Cozumel and Cancún of the DR. But if you’re not keen on all-inclusive high-rises and vacations seen from a golf cart, there’s another, delightful option. Sticking off the northeast of Hispaniola like a strange little mutant crab claw, the Samaná Peninsula offers a taste of the Caribbean as it was, pre-Señor Frog’s.

This historic locale has been the home to a long line of independent thinkers. The Caribbean’s most feared pirates tromped around on the coast. And some of the resident Dominicans descended from escaped American slaves whose boat ran aground in 1864. The peninsula is “considered the jewel in the crown of the Dominican Republic,” says Andy Brachhold, who lived there 13 years and runs a website dedicated to the peninsula. “It evokes a reverence among many Dominicans when mentioned.”

Gringos love it too. Bumping down the road to one of the pincers of the crab claw, you’ll find an expat outpost called Las Galeras, squeezed between some of the most beautiful beaches in the country — including the acclaimed Playa Rincón. Many of the French and Italians who live here came to get off the grid, yet they’ve managed to put Las Galeras back on it, running a community of posadas and restaurants serving European cuisine with Dominican ingredients. Blue cheese fondue and steamed lionfish, anyone?

Nevertheless, “there’s no enclave of gringos,” says Cindy Neill, a 45-year-old Californian who came 11 years ago and never left. “The Dominicans outnumber the tourists, but we’re all here together, interacting.” It’s a sharp contrast from the sequestering that goes on in the resorts of Punta Cana.

But despite the European air, the real reason to go is much more rustic. Samaná is a place where horses roam the beaches and fish are sold out of truck beds, where dirt roads lead past fruit stands to deserted turquoise waters, where the smoke of grilled street meat billows on lazy Saturday nights. It’s easy to make friends in a place like this, and it’s easy to not leave. And that’s not even mentioning the spectacular whale watching or the diving.

However, the typical drawbacks of off-the-beaten-path tropical hideaways apply. Neill points to the increasing stink of sex tourism. And even after the four-hour bus ride across the country, “it’s still like the outback a little bit,” she says. Cellphones rarely work, and water is only “almost always” available (they used to only occasionally have water, but got a new aqueduct). She says the people who enjoy it most are those “who don’t need everything working perfectly.” For that reason, the place attracts a younger, adventurous crowd of independent travelers.

But the magic might not last forever. In 2006, an airport opened on the peninsula, followed in short order by a $150 million toll road, further linking the crab claw with the capital. So we suggest going soon, and dodging the beaten path by reverting to the bumpy local roads to get there. Few tourists see the sprawling interior of the country: the variations of green in the banana and pineapple fields, the ramshackle farming communities, the barefoot children racing the bus, the blue mist on the mountains. The real DR.

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