Most stunning scenery, coastal and mountainous routes in RD

The infrastructure in Samana is pretty good these days. Lush vegetation, large selection of great cooking and the ocean views all make a trip around the peninsula worthwhile

Try the Barahona / Paraiso / Bahia de Las Aguilas / Pedernales route if you've never been there. Easily the most scenic part of the country (Don't forget your passport or Dominican ID as there are roadblocks on the way back and they can hassle you).

Another route I like is from San Francisco de Macoris through Moca (beautiful mountains), Jamao, yasica, and then on to Puerto Plata.

Another choice is Samana area (Greenest part of the country). I haven't been via the new highway but from what I've seen even that's a nice drive.

Another vote for Saman?.

Some other suggestions:

For stunning coastal scenery: the coast road past Barahona to Pedernales, especially Bah?a de las Aguilas.

Mountains: Sierra de Bahoruco.
The road up to Cambita and on to Los Cacaos in the mountains behind San Cristobal.
San Jos? de Ocoa, Constanza and Valle Nuevo.

what is wrong with a tour of the entire country. it is all so beautiful with so much diverse scenery. even the infrequent disappointing areas only serve to make one appreciate the other areas even more.
then you can let everyone else in on the trip

Anastacio said:

I have photos of some big cliffs somewhere, they look like the end of the island has just dropped off, I'd love to know where this place is. Apparently an Australian guy has a retreat there somewhere in the brash, second hand info but the photos are real! I'd like to camp a couple of nights somewhere different, and of course I will end up in Sosua to end it all where I first started.
But the cliffs are something I'm interested to see, but have no idea, I presume Northcoast?

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Post the pics...there are cliffs in Barahona and Samana areas and I think Montecristi as well.

Cliffs in the DR

The cliffs could be the following ones:

1. Boca del Diablo, past the village of Cuevas de Agua: Road from Samana (Santa Barbara de Samana) to Las Galeras. Turn right at the small wooden ?Collisseo gallistico? (rooster fight arena) on left hand side of street, continue then 20 minutes and last 5 minutes on very bad road in bush. Here you have also a beautiful view on the Bahia of Samana, and you can take a difficult 1 hour walk to Playa Fronton.
2. Monte Cristi: White cliffs at the beach Playa del Morro behind the table mountain ?el morro?
3. Cliffs near golf course of Playa Grande

I have some photos from 1 and 2 to add, but unfortunately I did not figure out yet how to add images to a post.

List of stunning scenery roads

My personal best of stunning scenery roads (in order of preference):

1. The coastal road to Pedernales, and especially the 1 hour stretch between Barahona and Oviedo gives you stunning mountain and beach views.
Don't miss the viewpoint near Playa San Rafael from the small parking space, one of the postcard views of the DR.
I recommend to eat seafood for lunch Los Patos and to take a boat trip at sunset to see the flamingos on the Laguna de Oviedo. If you go till Pedernales visit Hoyo del Pelepito for the mountain view and Cabo Rojo/Bahia de los Aguilas for the sea. And don’t forget to eat the cheapest lobster of the D.R. in restaurant Jalisco in Pedernales!

2. The road along the higher Yuma river (Rio Yuma Alto) near Bonao. From Bonao go to Los Quemados and take the road along the Yuma to Blanco and beyond till the lakes for hydro energy (Presa del Alto Yuna).

3. From San Jose de Ocoa to Constanza (only with a 4 wheel drive). Near the statue along the road (I forgot the name) you have a cross to remember the place were Caama?o died.

4. From Moca to Sabaneta de Yasica, halfway the you have two restaurants with splendid view on the valley near Moca. You can take this road to go from the capital to Cabarete.

5. From Loma de Cabrera to Rio Limpio ear the border with Haiti, but very bad road the last 2 kms (only for die hards). Rio Limpio and the nearby twin mountain tops reminded me a little bit to the Andes in Peru.

6. From Dajabon to Mao through the valley of the Cibao, passing through Loma de Cabrera, El Aguacate, El Pino, Sabaneta and Las Caobas.

7. Road to Los Dajaos near Jarabacoa. On the main road to Jarabacoa take a small road to the left, around 10 km before Jarabacoa.

Here is a pic of the view from Barahona to Pedernales. That is a fabulous drive. Plus over the mountain from Sabaneta to Moca is also spectacular.



matilda

Scenery to die for

Hi

If you have the stomach take the International.

You start in Monte Cristi cross the Y del N and see cactus next to the river, Dajabon Loma de Cabrera, Restauracion the tar ends at Villa Anacaona.
Then a well graded road in dreadful condtion takes you over to Banica, you can stay with the border to Elias Pina or go via las Matas From Elias Pina you can again stay near the border to cross over to Hondo Valle or go round. Hondo valle is stunning. When i last did it by bicycle the worst strech was Hondo Valley to Angel Felix but the landscape is unbelieveable. Then it is down to la Descubierta and lago Enrequillo.
Then around to Duverge for the highest section over the 2500m Toro and down to Pedernales and the carbbean. It is wonderfull.

There are military forts every 8 to 10 km so you are never alone. This is for trail bikes or a very robust 4WD

The road out Pedernales, Oviedo Barahona is itself a gem.

It is a journey you will never forget. My wife and I have cycled it twice, ten days each time. I shall do it again.

I'd like to take a nice long few days drive through some of the more beautiful routes on the Island, most will be of which I have never been, kind of a sicken myself before I go.
I've never done the touristy thing and so never really done the scenic thing, I've gone A to B and then only around A and B until I relocate elsewhere.
So what are good routes to take? I'll try and link them up myself once I know what is what.

Anastacio said:

I'd like to take a nice long few days drive through some of the more beautiful routes on the Island, most will be of which I have never been, kind of a sicken myself before I go.
I've never done the touristy thing and so never really done the scenic thing, I've gone A to B and then only around A and B until I relocate elsewhere.
So what are good routes to take? I'll try and link them up myself once I know what is what.

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Why do we gotta tell you? Why dont you do it and tell us. Make sure you got plenty of fresh batteries in your camera. And make sure the lens is clean also. I dont know how people clean the lens here but their pictures always look hazy and blurry.
Photos or footage even better, make it the best of the lot!