Aloha!

HwnRadioMon

New member
Jun 25, 2017
9
0
0
Greetings all fellow Dr1 expats.

I'm from Hawaii, was raised in California, lived in a few more U.S. states and countries over the years from Mexico, UK, and Europe to Norway. In 2015 I relocated to Punta Gorda and Key West, Florida as I began touring from Key West to Galveston on the Trop Rock and Parrothead circuits. I also programmed a number of Internet radio stations from 2007 - 2016 and hosted an Americana program on Radio Haugaland 102.3 FM in Haugesund, Norway: The beer was exceptional if unimaginably expensive.

After a particularly inspired booze session at the bar of the Blue Dog Cafe, I got a writing gig. I hung up my guitar, packed my ukulele, stashed my cajón, and have been writing for three of the most-read printed publications in Lake Charles, Louisiana. A few weeks ago a friend from my Trop Rock circuit days asked me to help him with a radio station in Sosúa. So I'm on my way - older and worse for the wear but no wiser.

Thanks for all the highly enlightening, useful, often downright entertaining posts.
I am sure that the information, tips, and suggestions will come in very handy when I get down there in August.

I must also thank Lebawit Lily Girma - talented author of the Moon Dominican Republic (Moon Travel Guides) among others for pointing me toward this site and the wealth of insider knowledge it contains.

Hopefully, I will also be able to contribute some helpful information or queries as time goes on.

Looking forward to a few philosophical beers and meaningful rounds of rum. :pirate:
 

ExDR

Member
Jul 31, 2014
421
0
16
Hola and best wishes. I spent 3 years in Hawaii in the late 70's. Hang loose bra!
 

oldschool

Active member
Oct 9, 2004
536
22
38
Greetings all fellow Dr1 expats.

I'm from Hawaii, was raised in California, lived in a few more U.S. states and countries over the years from Mexico, UK, and Europe to Norway. In 2015 I relocated to Punta Gorda and Key West, Florida as I began touring from Key West to Galveston on the Trop Rock and Parrothead circuits. I also programmed a number of Internet radio stations from 2007 - 2016 and hosted an Americana program on Radio Haugaland 102.3 FM in Haugesund, Norway: The beer was exceptional if unimaginably expensive.

After a particularly inspired booze session at the bar of the Blue Dog Cafe, I got a writing gig. I hung up my guitar, packed my ukulele, stashed my cajón, and have been writing for three of the most-read printed publications in Lake Charles, Louisiana. A few weeks ago a friend from my Trop Rock circuit days asked me to help him with a radio station in Sosúa. So I'm on my way - older and worse for the wear but no wiser.

Thanks for all the highly enlightening, useful, often downright entertaining posts.
I am sure that the information, tips, and suggestions will come in very handy when I get down there in August.

I must also thank Lebawit Lily Girma - talented author of the Moon Dominican Republic (Moon Travel Guides) among others for pointing me toward this site and the wealth of insider knowledge it contains.

Hopefully, I will also be able to contribute some helpful information or queries as time goes on.

Looking forward to a few philosophical beers and meaningful rounds of rum. :pirate:

Sent you a PM
 

Ecoman1949

Born to Ride.
Oct 17, 2015
2,806
1,309
113
Welcome to a sweet land of cultural craziness, diverse music, and great people. Been listening to Jimmy Buffet and Lucinda Williams music for years. I definitely have a thing for Lucinda. Your checkered musical past will serve you well down here. The decibel level of the music played in cars and in public here will amaze you. Mutual respect and sharp eye on your personal safety will also serve you well here. Enjoy your time here.
 

Blueceo

Member
Nov 1, 2015
192
22
18
Aloha RadioMon, welcome to the DR. I too was raised in California (Sacramento) and lived in Tijuana Mexico for 7 years as well as many trips to Hawaii. When Dominicans ask me what Hawaii is like I tell them to imagine if all the roads in the DR were in perfect condition and there was no trash on the side of the road or on the beaches, and there was abundant animal life such as big beautiful birds that are not killed for food and the air instead of smelling polluted, or worse, smelled like fresh sweet flowers and everybody obeys all the laws, that is what Hawaii is like. They can't believe it and all want to go there after hearing my description. Anyway, enjoy your time here in this crazy country that I love and maybe we'll run into each other somewhere. Most of my time is spent on the South side of the Island from Barahona to Punta Cana and I live in the Capital. Good Luck...
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,715
7,976
113
Welcome to Wonderland!

Spent most of my adult years in New Orleans, lived a few places since then.
Know the LC area well. Only Blue Dog I know is out there in Lafayette. Crab cakes and
mudbugs, nothing else quite like it thats fo show.
 
Jul 28, 2014
1,718
0
0
Greetings all fellow Dr1 expats.

I'm from Hawaii, was raised in California, lived in a few more U.S. states and countries over the years from Mexico, UK, and Europe to Norway. In 2015 I relocated to Punta Gorda and Key West, Florida as I began touring from Key West to Galveston on the Trop Rock and Parrothead circuits. I also programmed a number of Internet radio stations from 2007 - 2016 and hosted an Americana program on Radio Haugaland 102.3 FM in Haugesund, Norway: The beer was exceptional if unimaginably expensive.

After a particularly inspired booze session at the bar of the Blue Dog Cafe, I got a writing gig. I hung up my guitar, packed my ukulele, stashed my cajón, and have been writing for three of the most-read printed publications in Lake Charles, Louisiana. A few weeks ago a friend from my Trop Rock circuit days asked me to help him with a radio station in Sosúa. So I'm on my way - older and worse for the wear but no wiser.

Thanks for all the highly enlightening, useful, often downright entertaining posts.
I am sure that the information, tips, and suggestions will come in very handy when I get down there in August.

I must also thank Lebawit Lily Girma - talented author of the Moon Dominican Republic (Moon Travel Guides) among others for pointing me toward this site and the wealth of insider knowledge it contains.

Hopefully, I will also be able to contribute some helpful information or queries as time goes on.

Looking forward to a few philosophical beers and meaningful rounds of rum. :pirate:

So you are hooking up with Brian/Cheese of Gorditos in Sosua to be at his radio station he wants?
 

jeb321

Bronze
Dec 12, 2008
738
4
0
Good Luck🙄

Greetings all fellow Dr1 expats.

I'm from Hawaii, was raised in California, lived in a few more U.S. states and countries over the years from Mexico, UK, and Europe to Norway. In 2015 I relocated to Punta Gorda and Key West, Florida as I began touring from Key West to Galveston on the Trop Rock and Parrothead circuits. I also programmed a number of Internet radio stations from 2007 - 2016 and hosted an Americana program on Radio Haugaland 102.3 FM in Haugesund, Norway: The beer was exceptional if unimaginably expensive.

After a particularly inspired booze session at the bar of the Blue Dog Cafe, I got a writing gig. I hung up my guitar, packed my ukulele, stashed my cajón, and have been writing for three of the most-read printed publications in Lake Charles, Louisiana. A few weeks ago a friend from my Trop Rock circuit days asked me to help him with a radio station in Sosúa. So I'm on my way - older and worse for the wear but no wiser.

Thanks for all the highly enlightening, useful, often downright entertaining posts.
I am sure that the information, tips, and suggestions will come in very handy when I get down there in August.

I must also thank Lebawit Lily Girma - talented author of the Moon Dominican Republic (Moon Travel Guides) among others for pointing me toward this site and the wealth of insider knowledge it contains.

Hopefully, I will also be able to contribute some helpful information or queries as time goes on.

Looking forward to a few philosophical beers and meaningful rounds of rum. :pirate:



Hawaii and DR?  Hope you first turn your head around a few times.  Your DR experience will no doubt leave you dumbfounded.  There is no preparation for this.  Learn on the spot.  The Hawaiian islands are some of the Most Beautiful span of islands anywhere on earth, clean, tranquil and magnificent.  The air smells of orchids, the roads pristine and the feeling of layback permeates.  DR is Nothing like that. But with your travels in so many parts of the world you might like DR.  You might hate it in DR for soooooo many reasons. DR the complete opposite of everything of beauty in Hawaii (any of the islands, Oahu, Big Island, Maui, Lanai).  People have no pride of most anything of culture in DR.  "A few philosophical beers"...I think very few Dominicans will talk with you philisophical anything.  So being the well traveled person you appear to be I wish you well in Sosua.  Be careful and be prepared for a different experience. DR can not now ever compete with Hawaii.  
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
Welcome to HwnRadioMon, maybe the first Hawaiian poster on DR1. May the force be with you as you begin your stay in this land of the Spanish Caribbean.

May I, in some kind of way, hijack your welcome to address the deterministic statement by fellow poster Jeb321: “DR can not now ever compete with Hawaii.”

For starters, perfectly agree with previous posters who point out that travel is about experiencing diversity. It is about appreciating, not comparing. But could not help writing to disagree with Jeb321 when he says that the Dominican Republic cannot compete in tourism with Hawaii.

The DR for years has been competing, especially for the traveler from the US East Coast. Hawaii is close to me as I enjoyed much of what Jeb321 mentions when visiting Kauai, “the paradise island” in March of this 2017. I am not familiar with other Hawaiian islands.

Here are my thoughts…

Music… I loved the way Hawaiian music is piped all over. It was a lullaby for the senses. If only we could get people in the Dominican Republic to play more soft bachata…

Security… again, my experience was Kauai. Safety-wise, felt like I was in Casa de Campo or Punta Cana Resort & Club when driving around. No bars on windows there, very laid back.

Driving... the roads in Kauai were practically two-lanes (such as the Samana to Sánchez road), but there is no zig-zagging from lane to lane here, and people actually keep to consistent speeds of 50 miles or less. I had rented the car with full insurance, and on day two removed the extra insurance. Driving there was a no brainer. Here I recommend anyone who drives to purchase full insurance.

But to get to places on the island, the Dominican Republic can compete with Hawaii and is competing with Hawaii. The country's excellent roads make it easy to drive to one place and another. Waze and Google Maps make up for signage deficiencies. Driving in the tourist areas is doable here by car rental, or commuter bus. For the congested cities, there is Uber or many other very efficient taxi services. The tourism industry is set up for groups, and big buses take tourists quickly to their tour destinations.

And remember, here you have a variety of destinations, each with their own worthwhile attractions – Santo Domingo, Samana, La Romana, Barahona, Jarabacoa, Constanza, Santiago, La Vega, Bonao, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana… all easily connected by ground transport. To commute in Hawaii you need to pay for expensive airlift.

Hotel rooms… Hawaii is a very old tourism destination; the DR is relatively new. In the 1990s, Hawaii already had 57,000 hotel rooms, back then the DR had around 10,000 hotel rooms. Hawaii still has the same 57,000 hotel rooms. Air travel to Hawaii is up to 8.5M in 2016. Travel to the DR has grown consistently. In 2007 there were 3.9M air arrivals. In 2016, the number had risen to 5.9M air arrivals.

Today, in the Dominican Republic there are over 70,000 hotel rooms; tourism is growing past the 6-million tourist mark; most of these are US travelers. Hawaii learned early not to depend on one country for travelers and has diversified attracting Japanese, Australian, South Korean, Chinese and Taiwan tourists. The DR also learned early to diversify markets and hotels make sure they allot rooms to a variety of tour operators from diverse destinations for the same reasons. Tourists come from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Latin America.

The DR has an open skies policy, the main reason for the boom in Dominican tourism. Every year new airlines begin to fly here, or others have added frequencies. The open skies policy has made the difference. It is relatively easy to get here and easy to plan a multi-destination vacation.

The Dominican Republic (Punta Cana) has the most diverse airlift in the Caribbean, and Punta Cana International should be at least in the top 3 airports for the Latin American and Caribbean region. Diversity of source markets and traffic is growing consistently.

Location, location, location. We can compete because of location. The DR is a 4-hour flight or less from most east coast destinations in the US, the main travel market. It is a no-brainer to get on a flight to get here for a long weekend, versus around a 12-hour flight to Hawaii.

We can compete in swimmable beaches, the main draw to Hawaii and the Caribbean. The country’s many fine sand beaches and the turquoise color of the waters (characteristic of the Caribbean) makes for better swimming and photographs than the Kauai’s southern beaches, said to be the best in Kauai. I stayed at the Sheraton Kauai and was told it had the best beach on the island. I doubted it and went looking around the island. It was the best beach. No comparison to many many beaches in Punta Cana, La Romana, Puerto Plata, Samana…

Dominican hotels cost much less and deliver more. Again, at the hotel where I stayed, the Kauai Sheraton, conference rate was US$400 for a double room that included two cups of coffee to be brewed in the room. In addition an activities rate of US$30 each was added to the bill for a daily rate of more than US$460 (conference group rate), regardless of whether one did activities or not. The activities were limited. Of these, just did a yoga class. My sister, who was there for a medical conference, got nothing for her obligatory US$30 a day resort charge. For that kind of money you can get a big suite at a 5-star resort with all meals, drinks and bunch of activities included.

I doubt overall the quality of the hotel rooms in Hawaii can compare to those at the Punta Cana resorts, or even those in La Romana. By Dominican resort standards, the Kauai Sheraton was a three-star hotel charging a five-star price. From what I read, the hotel capacity in Hawaii, under 60,000 hotel rooms, has not changed over more than a decade or two and it shows. No comparison with the contemporary decor and large sizes of many rooms at the resorts in Punta Cana.

Shopping... again, in Kauai, at one of the largest shopping centers, one of the best jewelry shops, if not the best had its largest display dedicated to Larimar jewelry. The good news is that they tell you when you enter the store that the stone comes from Barahona, in the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean, actually the only place where the stone is found. The store sold lovely jewelry made with the Dominican stone using their designs.

In Kauai, expats have taken over the goods and services and they do good. They make and bake foods using locally grown fruits and vegetables. There are many who have moved from continental US and engage in multiple small business, especially in the food and wellness business, pushing authentic Hawaiian products.

Weather… Hawaii can get cold by Dominican standards, more Florida-kind weather. With the exception of tropical rains, weather in the DR is good for touring and beach-going all year round.

Value for money. There is no comparison. I would think that what happens in Kauai is true for other Hawaiian destinations. Everything there is expensive. Tourism prices here are 25% or 50% less. And it is not that Punta Cana and the rest of the Dominican Republic is cheap, it is that Hawaii is expensive even by US standards.

Yes, the DR can be chaotic. There are now more than 10M people living on the island’s 48,000 sq. km. And that number does not take into consideration the hundreds of thousands of tourists at any given time, and the thousands of immigrant laborers. Hawaii has it easier. Only 1.4 M people live on the 28,000 square km of Hawaiian islands and they do not have a poor neighbor. But there are a lot of people working in the DR to make the living and visiting experience better and this is showing.

Summing up… for quality of beaches (unless one is a surfer), variety of excursions, water sports, kids vacations, rest and relaxation, quality and variety of hotel rooms, weather, and less airlift time if coming from eastern US, the DR bests Hawaii. Hawaii is USA, so there is the “comfort zone” factor. But travel is about going out of the comfort zone to appreciate the different experience. The DR is never boring, and yes, it is competing, and doing well.
 

Expat13

Silver
Jun 7, 2008
3,255
50
48
Big problem with the DR competing with Hawaii is, bad news spreads far and wide and gringos have long memories. The stories of crime/murder and kidnapping makes the news in our first world countries as does the fact the enforcement of these crimes are very weak, if nothing at all. It's that message the travel agents continue to spread about the DR. "Go to Punta Cana and do not risk your life by going outside the walls". Garbage on streets and beaches! Well thats another sore spot! You are correct on affordability, thats probably the driving factor for increased tourism. Living here, I would argue the affordability factor is getting worse yearly.
Dolores and Robert, I will say that your website does make things much easier to manage the chaos. Congrats!
 

RDKNIGHT

Bronze
Mar 13, 2017
2,715
1,435
113
Welcome to HwnRadioMon, maybe the first Hawaiian poster on DR1. May the force be with you as you begin your stay in this land of the Spanish Caribbean.

May I, in some kind of way, hijack your welcome to address the deterministic statement by fellow poster Jeb321: “DR can not now ever compete with Hawaii.”

For starters, perfectly agree with previous posters who point out that travel is about experiencing diversity. It is about appreciating, not comparing. But could not help writing to disagree with Jeb321 when he says that the Dominican Republic cannot compete in tourism with Hawaii.

The DR for years has been competing, especially for the traveler from the US East Coast. Hawaii is close to me as I enjoyed much of what Jeb321 mentions when visiting Kauai, “the paradise island” in March of this 2017. I am not familiar with other Hawaiian islands.

Here are my thoughts…

Music… I loved the way Hawaiian music is piped all over. It was a lullaby for the senses. If only we could get people in the Dominican Republic to play more soft bachata…

Security… again, my experience was Kauai. Safety-wise, felt like I was in Casa de Campo or Punta Cana Resort & Club when driving around. No bars on windows there, very laid back.

Driving... the roads in Kauai were practically two-lanes (such as the Samana to Sánchez road), but there is no zig-zagging from lane to lane here, and people actually keep to consistent speeds of 50 miles or less. I had rented the car with full insurance, and on day two removed the extra insurance. Driving there was a no brainer. Here I recommend anyone who drives to purchase full insurance.

But to get to places on the island, the Dominican Republic can compete with Hawaii and is competing with Hawaii. The country's excellent roads make it easy to drive to one place and another. Waze and Google Maps make up for signage deficiencies. Driving in the tourist areas is doable here by car rental, or commuter bus. For the congested cities, there is Uber or many other very efficient taxi services. The tourism industry is set up for groups, and big buses take tourists quickly to their tour destinations.

And remember, here you have a variety of destinations, each with their own worthwhile attractions – Santo Domingo, Samana, La Romana, Barahona, Jarabacoa, Constanza, Santiago, La Vega, Bonao, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana… all easily connected by ground transport. To commute in Hawaii you need to pay for expensive airlift.

Hotel rooms… Hawaii is a very old tourism destination; the DR is relatively new. In the 1990s, Hawaii already had 57,000 hotel rooms, back then the DR had around 10,000 hotel rooms. Hawaii still has the same 57,000 hotel rooms. Air travel to Hawaii is up to 8.5M in 2016. Travel to the DR has grown consistently. In 2007 there were 3.9M air arrivals. In 2016, the number had risen to 5.9M air arrivals.

Today, in the Dominican Republic there are over 70,000 hotel rooms; tourism is growing past the 6-million tourist mark; most of these are US travelers. Hawaii learned early not to depend on one country for travelers and has diversified attracting Japanese, Australian, South Korean, Chinese and Taiwan tourists. The DR also learned early to diversify markets and hotels make sure they allot rooms to a variety of tour operators from diverse destinations for the same reasons. Tourists come from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Latin America.

The DR has an open skies policy, the main reason for the boom in Dominican tourism. Every year new airlines begin to fly here, or others have added frequencies. The open skies policy has made the difference. It is relatively easy to get here and easy to plan a multi-destination vacation.

The Dominican Republic (Punta Cana) has the most diverse airlift in the Caribbean, and Punta Cana International should be at least in the top 3 airports for the Latin American and Caribbean region. Diversity of source markets and traffic is growing consistently.

Location, location, location. We can compete because of location. The DR is a 4-hour flight or less from most east coast destinations in the US, the main travel market. It is a no-brainer to get on a flight to get here for a long weekend, versus around a 12-hour flight to Hawaii.

We can compete in swimmable beaches, the main draw to Hawaii and the Caribbean. The country’s many fine sand beaches and the turquoise color of the waters (characteristic of the Caribbean) makes for better swimming and photographs than the Kauai’s southern beaches, said to be the best in Kauai. I stayed at the Sheraton Kauai and was told it had the best beach on the island. I doubted it and went looking around the island. It was the best beach. No comparison to many many beaches in Punta Cana, La Romana, Puerto Plata, Samana…

Dominican hotels cost much less and deliver more. Again, at the hotel where I stayed, the Kauai Sheraton, conference rate was US$400 for a double room that included two cups of coffee to be brewed in the room. In addition an activities rate of US$30 each was added to the bill for a daily rate of more than US$460 (conference group rate), regardless of whether one did activities or not. The activities were limited. Of these, just did a yoga class. My sister, who was there for a medical conference, got nothing for her obligatory US$30 a day resort charge. For that kind of money you can get a big suite at a 5-star resort with all meals, drinks and bunch of activities included.

I doubt overall the quality of the hotel rooms in Hawaii can compare to those at the Punta Cana resorts, or even those in La Romana. By Dominican resort standards, the Kauai Sheraton was a three-star hotel charging a five-star price. From what I read, the hotel capacity in Hawaii, under 60,000 hotel rooms, has not changed over more than a decade or two and it shows. No comparison with the contemporary decor and large sizes of many rooms at the resorts in Punta Cana.

Shopping... again, in Kauai, at one of the largest shopping centers, one of the best jewelry shops, if not the best had its largest display dedicated to Larimar jewelry. The good news is that they tell you when you enter the store that the stone comes from Barahona, in the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean, actually the only place where the stone is found. The store sold lovely jewelry made with the Dominican stone using their designs.

In Kauai, expats have taken over the goods and services and they do good. They make and bake foods using locally grown fruits and vegetables. There are many who have moved from continental US and engage in multiple small business, especially in the food and wellness business, pushing authentic Hawaiian products.

Weather… Hawaii can get cold by Dominican standards, more Florida-kind weather. With the exception of tropical rains, weather in the DR is good for touring and beach-going all year round.

Value for money. There is no comparison. I would think that what happens in Kauai is true for other Hawaiian destinations. Everything there is expensive. Tourism prices here are 25% or 50% less. And it is not that Punta Cana and the rest of the Dominican Republic is cheap, it is that Hawaii is expensive even by US standards.

Yes, the DR can be chaotic. There are now more than 10M people living on the island’s 48,000 sq. km. And that number does not take into consideration the hundreds of thousands of tourists at any given time, and the thousands of immigrant laborers. Hawaii has it easier. Only 1.4 M people live on the 28,000 square km of Hawaiian islands and they do not have a poor neighbor. But there are a lot of people working in the DR to make the living and visiting experience better and this is showing.

Summing up… for quality of beaches (unless one is a surfer), variety of excursions, water sports, kids vacations, rest and relaxation, quality and variety of hotel rooms, weather, and less airlift time if coming from eastern US, the DR bests Hawaii. Hawaii is USA, so there is the “comfort zone” factor. But travel is about going out of the comfort zone to appreciate the different experience. The DR is never boring, and yes, it is competing, and doing well.

Very nice post and finally some truth.... i enjoy reading the facts and the truth..
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Welcome to HwnRadioMon, maybe the first Hawaiian poster on DR1. May the force be with you as you begin your stay in this land of the Spanish Caribbean.

May I, in some kind of way, hijack your welcome to address the deterministic statement by fellow poster Jeb321: “DR can not now ever compete with Hawaii.”

For starters, perfectly agree with previous posters who point out that travel is about experiencing diversity. It is about appreciating, not comparing. But could not help writing to disagree with Jeb321 when he says that the Dominican Republic cannot compete in tourism with Hawaii.

The DR for years has been competing, especially for the traveler from the US East Coast. Hawaii is close to me as I enjoyed much of what Jeb321 mentions when visiting Kauai, “the paradise island” in March of this 2017. I am not familiar with other Hawaiian islands.

Here are my thoughts…

Music… I loved the way Hawaiian music is piped all over. It was a lullaby for the senses. If only we could get people in the Dominican Republic to play more soft bachata…

Security… again, my experience was Kauai. Safety-wise, felt like I was in Casa de Campo or Punta Cana Resort & Club when driving around. No bars on windows there, very laid back.

Driving... the roads in Kauai were practically two-lanes (such as the Samana to Sánchez road), but there is no zig-zagging from lane to lane here, and people actually keep to consistent speeds of 50 miles or less. I had rented the car with full insurance, and on day two removed the extra insurance. Driving there was a no brainer. Here I recommend anyone who drives to purchase full insurance.

But to get to places on the island, the Dominican Republic can compete with Hawaii and is competing with Hawaii. The country's excellent roads make it easy to drive to one place and another. Waze and Google Maps make up for signage deficiencies. Driving in the tourist areas is doable here by car rental, or commuter bus. For the congested cities, there is Uber or many other very efficient taxi services. The tourism industry is set up for groups, and big buses take tourists quickly to their tour destinations.

And remember, here you have a variety of destinations, each with their own worthwhile attractions – Santo Domingo, Samana, La Romana, Barahona, Jarabacoa, Constanza, Santiago, La Vega, Bonao, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana… all easily connected by ground transport. To commute in Hawaii you need to pay for expensive airlift.

Hotel rooms… Hawaii is a very old tourism destination; the DR is relatively new. In the 1990s, Hawaii already had 57,000 hotel rooms, back then the DR had around 10,000 hotel rooms. Hawaii still has the same 57,000 hotel rooms. Air travel to Hawaii is up to 8.5M in 2016. Travel to the DR has grown consistently. In 2007 there were 3.9M air arrivals. In 2016, the number had risen to 5.9M air arrivals.

Today, in the Dominican Republic there are over 70,000 hotel rooms; tourism is growing past the 6-million tourist mark; most of these are US travelers. Hawaii learned early not to depend on one country for travelers and has diversified attracting Japanese, Australian, South Korean, Chinese and Taiwan tourists. The DR also learned early to diversify markets and hotels make sure they allot rooms to a variety of tour operators from diverse destinations for the same reasons. Tourists come from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Latin America.

The DR has an open skies policy, the main reason for the boom in Dominican tourism. Every year new airlines begin to fly here, or others have added frequencies. The open skies policy has made the difference. It is relatively easy to get here and easy to plan a multi-destination vacation.

The Dominican Republic (Punta Cana) has the most diverse airlift in the Caribbean, and Punta Cana International should be at least in the top 3 airports for the Latin American and Caribbean region. Diversity of source markets and traffic is growing consistently.

Location, location, location. We can compete because of location. The DR is a 4-hour flight or less from most east coast destinations in the US, the main travel market. It is a no-brainer to get on a flight to get here for a long weekend, versus around a 12-hour flight to Hawaii.

We can compete in swimmable beaches, the main draw to Hawaii and the Caribbean. The country’s many fine sand beaches and the turquoise color of the waters (characteristic of the Caribbean) makes for better swimming and photographs than the Kauai’s southern beaches, said to be the best in Kauai. I stayed at the Sheraton Kauai and was told it had the best beach on the island. I doubted it and went looking around the island. It was the best beach. No comparison to many many beaches in Punta Cana, La Romana, Puerto Plata, Samana…

Dominican hotels cost much less and deliver more. Again, at the hotel where I stayed, the Kauai Sheraton, conference rate was US$400 for a double room that included two cups of coffee to be brewed in the room. In addition an activities rate of US$30 each was added to the bill for a daily rate of more than US$460 (conference group rate), regardless of whether one did activities or not. The activities were limited. Of these, just did a yoga class. My sister, who was there for a medical conference, got nothing for her obligatory US$30 a day resort charge. For that kind of money you can get a big suite at a 5-star resort with all meals, drinks and bunch of activities included.

I doubt overall the quality of the hotel rooms in Hawaii can compare to those at the Punta Cana resorts, or even those in La Romana. By Dominican resort standards, the Kauai Sheraton was a three-star hotel charging a five-star price. From what I read, the hotel capacity in Hawaii, under 60,000 hotel rooms, has not changed over more than a decade or two and it shows. No comparison with the contemporary decor and large sizes of many rooms at the resorts in Punta Cana.

Shopping... again, in Kauai, at one of the largest shopping centers, one of the best jewelry shops, if not the best had its largest display dedicated to Larimar jewelry. The good news is that they tell you when you enter the store that the stone comes from Barahona, in the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean, actually the only place where the stone is found. The store sold lovely jewelry made with the Dominican stone using their designs.

In Kauai, expats have taken over the goods and services and they do good. They make and bake foods using locally grown fruits and vegetables. There are many who have moved from continental US and engage in multiple small business, especially in the food and wellness business, pushing authentic Hawaiian products.

Weather… Hawaii can get cold by Dominican standards, more Florida-kind weather. With the exception of tropical rains, weather in the DR is good for touring and beach-going all year round.

Value for money. There is no comparison. I would think that what happens in Kauai is true for other Hawaiian destinations. Everything there is expensive. Tourism prices here are 25% or 50% less. And it is not that Punta Cana and the rest of the Dominican Republic is cheap, it is that Hawaii is expensive even by US standards.

Yes, the DR can be chaotic. There are now more than 10M people living on the island’s 48,000 sq. km. And that number does not take into consideration the hundreds of thousands of tourists at any given time, and the thousands of immigrant laborers. Hawaii has it easier. Only 1.4 M people live on the 28,000 square km of Hawaiian islands and they do not have a poor neighbor. But there are a lot of people working in the DR to make the living and visiting experience better and this is showing.

Summing up… for quality of beaches (unless one is a surfer), variety of excursions, water sports, kids vacations, rest and relaxation, quality and variety of hotel rooms, weather, and less airlift time if coming from eastern US, the DR bests Hawaii. Hawaii is USA, so there is the “comfort zone” factor. But travel is about going out of the comfort zone to appreciate the different experience. The DR is never boring, and yes, it is competing, and doing well.

i wish everybody here could produce responses like this..factual, knowledge filled, and well thought out.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Greetings all fellow Dr1 expats.

I'm from Hawaii, was raised in California, lived in a few more U.S. states and countries over the years from Mexico, UK, and Europe to Norway. In 2015 I relocated to Punta Gorda and Key West, Florida as I began touring from Key West to Galveston on the Trop Rock and Parrothead circuits. I also programmed a number of Internet radio stations from 2007 - 2016 and hosted an Americana program on Radio Haugaland 102.3 FM in Haugesund, Norway: The beer was exceptional if unimaginably expensive.

After a particularly inspired booze session at the bar of the Blue Dog Cafe, I got a writing gig. I hung up my guitar, packed my ukulele, stashed my cajón, and have been writing for three of the most-read printed publications in Lake Charles, Louisiana. A few weeks ago a friend from my Trop Rock circuit days asked me to help him with a radio station in Sosúa. So I'm on my way - older and worse for the wear but no wiser.

Thanks for all the highly enlightening, useful, often downright entertaining posts.
I am sure that the information, tips, and suggestions will come in very handy when I get down there in August.

I must also thank Lebawit Lily Girma - talented author of the Moon Dominican Republic (Moon Travel Guides) among others for pointing me toward this site and the wealth of insider knowledge it contains.

Hopefully, I will also be able to contribute some helpful information or queries as time goes on.

Looking forward to a few philosophical beers and meaningful rounds of rum. :pirate:

you sound like the quintessential bon vivant and raconteur. man about town, and citizen of the world. you have been warned to lower your expectations as you encounter the DR, but the paradox in all of this is that your exposures might help you put things into a workable perspective..

hope you had a chance to hear Larry Coryell play in Galveston before his untimely passing. welcome aboard.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
Greetings all fellow Dr1 expats.

I'm from Hawaii, was raised in California, lived in a few more U.S. states and countries over the years from Mexico, UK, and Europe to Norway. In 2015 I relocated to Punta Gorda and Key West, Florida as I began touring from Key West to Galveston on the Trop Rock and Parrothead circuits. I also programmed a number of Internet radio stations from 2007 - 2016 and hosted an Americana program on Radio Haugaland 102.3 FM in Haugesund, Norway: The beer was exceptional if unimaginably expensive.

After a particularly inspired booze session at the bar of the Blue Dog Cafe, I got a writing gig. I hung up my guitar, packed my ukulele, stashed my cajón, and have been writing for three of the most-read printed publications in Lake Charles, Louisiana. A few weeks ago a friend from my Trop Rock circuit days asked me to help him with a radio station in Sosúa. So I'm on my way - older and worse for the wear but no wiser.

Thanks for all the highly enlightening, useful, often downright entertaining posts.
I am sure that the information, tips, and suggestions will come in very handy when I get down there in August.

I must also thank Lebawit Lily Girma - talented author of the Moon Dominican Republic (Moon Travel Guides) among others for pointing me toward this site and the wealth of insider knowledge it contains.

Hopefully, I will also be able to contribute some helpful information or queries as time goes on.

Looking forward to a few philosophical beers and meaningful rounds of rum. :pirate:

If the rum doesn't get ya it will be the cold embrace of the sea. Walk the plank me hartie! Good luck in Sosua and try to behave yourself. If you look for it, trouble will find you in the DR. Stay well and good luck.