In a departure from our Semana Santa tradition of staying put and enjoying the capital without the capitale?os, the Chirimoyas headed southwest to Palenque and Rancho Campeche, an 'ecological camping site' 30 minutes away from Santo Domingo.
For the 'All Inclusive' rate of RD$750 per person (RD$650 for children) you get a large tent and three meals. You can take your own tent and negotiate a lower rate.
We arrived on Thursday evening, after a pleasant drive without much evidence of Semana Santa driving madness. Defensa Civil were in evidence all along the route. Once you get off the San Cristobal-Bani highway you drive through sugarcane fields and we were lucky enough to see the ancient-looking train chugging past, transporting cane to the nearby processing factory.
We got our things sorted out before nightfall. We were lucky that our night there coincided with the full moon, so it never quite got dark. Mr C took a lot of arty photos in the moonlight.
We were served supper, and spent the rest of the evening drinking a couple of frias in hammocks, enjoying the cool air, the silence and the moonlight.
The next day we set off to the beach after a Dominican-style breakfast with a choice of coffee, lemon grass tea, mangu, scrambled eggs, cheese, bread, fruit and cornflakes. We went to Palenque beach which is a 5-10 minute drive. We were hoping to avoid the Good Friday crowds by arriving mid-morning, but there was already a sizeable crowd there. The beach is almost all taken up by businesses charging RD$400 for you to sit at their tables, so we found a small space on the shore and spent a couple of hours in the 'piscina natural' part of the beach formed by a breakwater. By the time we were leaving, just before midday, the Semana Santa cliches were out in force - like a large group of men and women were sitting round a table tackling economy sized bottles of Brugal and McAlbert with a determined air.
The Red Cross and Defensa Civil volunteers seemed to be taking their roles seriously, patrolling the beach, reminding people to keep an eye on their children, and telling some older children not to climb on the breakwater.
Our next stop was the bathing area on the Nizao river which was a depressing place. The idea of washing the salt off in the river's fresh water seems like a good one until you came face to face with the piles of rubbish heaped on the riverbank and the constant stream of disposable plates and other debris floating past the bathers. An emphatic thumbs-down.
After that we appreciated the peace and cleanliness of Rancho Campeche even more. So, what's 'ecological' about Rancho Campeche? Apart from giving city people a chance to commune with nature and engage in healthy activities like cycling, horseriding a walking, they have rules about respecting the environment, and a ban on any disposable utensils. No loud noise or music is allowed. These small details make a vast difference. Having said that, it is not austere or spartan in that you can buy alcoholic drinks and spend the entire time there slobbing out in a hammock if you wish.
It is great for kids. While we adults were engaging in the afore-mentioned slobbing, the children were running around the site, under supervision of one of the employees, taking turns to ride a horse. Others were using bicycles available at the site. Some other adults then organised so-called 'non-competitive' games for the children, which sounded anything but. They had a fantastic time, and there was an age-range of 4-11 all playing together. Later in the afternoon a group of us went on a short trek to the 'Taino cave' nearby, and then it was time to pack up and go home.
The food is typical Dominican with options for vegetarians. For example, the supper on the night we arrived was pasta with vegetables, green salad and chickpea salad. Lunch on the second day was a choice of seafood or vegetarian paella accompanied by aubergine stew, salads and caramelised platano maduro. It is served buffet style and you can go back for seconds.
Facilities are simple but nicely finished toilets and showers. They provide toilet paper but you have to take your own soap and towels. They also ask that you take your own drinking water and bedding.
You can keep to yourselves or socialise with other people staying there - there is a basketball court and board games like dominoes are available.
For more information:
www.ranchocampeche.com
For the 'All Inclusive' rate of RD$750 per person (RD$650 for children) you get a large tent and three meals. You can take your own tent and negotiate a lower rate.
We arrived on Thursday evening, after a pleasant drive without much evidence of Semana Santa driving madness. Defensa Civil were in evidence all along the route. Once you get off the San Cristobal-Bani highway you drive through sugarcane fields and we were lucky enough to see the ancient-looking train chugging past, transporting cane to the nearby processing factory.
We got our things sorted out before nightfall. We were lucky that our night there coincided with the full moon, so it never quite got dark. Mr C took a lot of arty photos in the moonlight.
We were served supper, and spent the rest of the evening drinking a couple of frias in hammocks, enjoying the cool air, the silence and the moonlight.
The next day we set off to the beach after a Dominican-style breakfast with a choice of coffee, lemon grass tea, mangu, scrambled eggs, cheese, bread, fruit and cornflakes. We went to Palenque beach which is a 5-10 minute drive. We were hoping to avoid the Good Friday crowds by arriving mid-morning, but there was already a sizeable crowd there. The beach is almost all taken up by businesses charging RD$400 for you to sit at their tables, so we found a small space on the shore and spent a couple of hours in the 'piscina natural' part of the beach formed by a breakwater. By the time we were leaving, just before midday, the Semana Santa cliches were out in force - like a large group of men and women were sitting round a table tackling economy sized bottles of Brugal and McAlbert with a determined air.
The Red Cross and Defensa Civil volunteers seemed to be taking their roles seriously, patrolling the beach, reminding people to keep an eye on their children, and telling some older children not to climb on the breakwater.
Our next stop was the bathing area on the Nizao river which was a depressing place. The idea of washing the salt off in the river's fresh water seems like a good one until you came face to face with the piles of rubbish heaped on the riverbank and the constant stream of disposable plates and other debris floating past the bathers. An emphatic thumbs-down.
After that we appreciated the peace and cleanliness of Rancho Campeche even more. So, what's 'ecological' about Rancho Campeche? Apart from giving city people a chance to commune with nature and engage in healthy activities like cycling, horseriding a walking, they have rules about respecting the environment, and a ban on any disposable utensils. No loud noise or music is allowed. These small details make a vast difference. Having said that, it is not austere or spartan in that you can buy alcoholic drinks and spend the entire time there slobbing out in a hammock if you wish.
It is great for kids. While we adults were engaging in the afore-mentioned slobbing, the children were running around the site, under supervision of one of the employees, taking turns to ride a horse. Others were using bicycles available at the site. Some other adults then organised so-called 'non-competitive' games for the children, which sounded anything but. They had a fantastic time, and there was an age-range of 4-11 all playing together. Later in the afternoon a group of us went on a short trek to the 'Taino cave' nearby, and then it was time to pack up and go home.
The food is typical Dominican with options for vegetarians. For example, the supper on the night we arrived was pasta with vegetables, green salad and chickpea salad. Lunch on the second day was a choice of seafood or vegetarian paella accompanied by aubergine stew, salads and caramelised platano maduro. It is served buffet style and you can go back for seconds.
Facilities are simple but nicely finished toilets and showers. They provide toilet paper but you have to take your own soap and towels. They also ask that you take your own drinking water and bedding.
You can keep to yourselves or socialise with other people staying there - there is a basketball court and board games like dominoes are available.
For more information:
www.ranchocampeche.com