Reading through these message boards I notic there are a lot of expats with a lot of DR experience and insight. Hopefully I can get some reality to work with before going down in December.
A friend of mine just came back from staying in Playa Dorada. He told me that his rep said they should be very careful leaving the resort. He has traveled a bit and was skeptical because he was warned: don't take any unofficial tours - yet the only 'official' ones seemed to be the tours offered by his rep. They told him to be careful of local restaurants, something about restaurants that aren't 'crystal.' They told him not to rent motorcyles or cars. Anyway, he has traveled to different countries and ended up buying a jeep safari tour from a beach vendor (not his rep, and it was half the price) that goes to a river with 7 steps or chutes that you climb up and slide down like a natural waterslide. He said he had the time of his life and it was beautiful and he couldn't figure out what was so dangerous.
However he said that other guests in his hotel were so paranoid that they wouldn't dare step out of the resort to go anywhere. They ended up hanging out in the resort the whole time, and also got real bored.
What's the scoop? Is the Dominican Republic really dangerous once you go outside your hotel?
A friend of mine just came back from staying in Playa Dorada. He told me that his rep said they should be very careful leaving the resort. He has traveled a bit and was skeptical because he was warned: don't take any unofficial tours - yet the only 'official' ones seemed to be the tours offered by his rep. They told him to be careful of local restaurants, something about restaurants that aren't 'crystal.' They told him not to rent motorcyles or cars. Anyway, he has traveled to different countries and ended up buying a jeep safari tour from a beach vendor (not his rep, and it was half the price) that goes to a river with 7 steps or chutes that you climb up and slide down like a natural waterslide. He said he had the time of his life and it was beautiful and he couldn't figure out what was so dangerous.
However he said that other guests in his hotel were so paranoid that they wouldn't dare step out of the resort to go anywhere. They ended up hanging out in the resort the whole time, and also got real bored.
What's the scoop? Is the Dominican Republic really dangerous once you go outside your hotel?