Just got back from yet another trip to Boca Chica 2 days ago. All and all...i must say that it was a very very positive experience.
Business seems to be booming as all the hotels have very high occupancy. THere is still a slight honky tonk feeling about the town, but efforts over the past few years have really cleaned things up a bit and there are pleanty of singles as well as families and couples hanging out.
THe beach was slightly more crowded than in years past...but mid-week is still fairly quiet. SUre there are the usual beach vendors...but after a couple of days they pretty much leave you alone.
I gotta say...sunday is my favorite day on the beach, as it seems like all of santo domingo comes out to party durring the day and since i had a big argument with my travel companion...and i ended up solo...i was totaly welcomed in by the dominican families and groups that were celebrating around me.
The only downside of the beach is the view of the newish mega port...but you soon learn to just ignore it. (i am sending a photo of that view to the photo section here...as well as many other photos).
A plus about the beach (for family travelers) is that the water is clean and very calm and shallow...families can wade out quite a way and have fun with their younger kids. One day i sat next to a french family with a little boy...and they let him share his beach toys with one of the little homeless street/beach kids on the beach. I thought that was totaly cool...the kids come from totaly different lives...spoke different languages...but it was so cool to watch them play as if there were no differences at all. '
THere are other beaches near by (my favorite Playa Carribe)...tiny beach with HUGE waves and boogie boards for rent. 30 pesos for a gua gua to get there. THere are other beaches around...but i found it hard to find a really good beach for snorkeling and looking at some bigger fish that isla matica has to offer in boca chica.
Night life has been cleaned up a bit in Boca Chica. Sure..this is one disco where all the "working girls" hang out and the chica chassers that follow them. But the rest of the five block strip is pretty quiet..with mainly euro's hanging out with themselves. My favorite place to hang out is not at one of the discos or restaurants with street seating...but rather this little market on a corner. Grab a presidente or a small bottle of brugal...and mix and mingle with locals as well as some tourists. NOthing too exciting...but kinda fun.
My only real complaint about boca chica...is that there isnt much to do as far as night life if you arent there chasing after the chicas. Even tho the chica scene has quieted down (i heard most of them moved to sosua)..they are still there if thats what the guys are looking for. IF you ARE looking for a more diverse night life...you can always book a night or two over the weekend in santo domingo..then head back to the beach.
As always...Petteri & Guissepi and the entire staff at El Candil were great! (tho they have raised their prices a bit...but its worth it as its one of the prettier hotels and has great security). I did wander by Costalunga a couple of times (i stayed there last year)...and they seemed to have cracked down on the "frat boy" environment the pervaded last year and cost me a few nights sleep.
I also noticed that there seems to be a small construction boom going on...many small properties going up...and i met a few ex pats who are investing in the area. I have a feeling that boca chica's popularity is only going to increase over the next few years.
Most of my dinners were at my old stand by Fernando's. Pollo Guisado w/rice and beans $RD 175, Camarones (jumbo) Creola $RD 275. Also...the restaurant in the center of town (plaza bonita) medium sized pizza with 3 toppings, 2 presidentes...fed two with leftovers to take home $RD 400. THen there is always the chinnese place. 2 pieces of fried chicken with tostones $RD 40. Plate of fruit on the beach $150 RD. A chair rental on the beach $150 RD. Presidente Grande $70 RD. Boogie Board Rental at Playa Carribe $100 RD. Non AI hotels $30-50 USD. Gua Gua to Santo Domingo $40 RD. Taxi to Santo Domingo $700 RD. Large good quality beach towel (they asked for $1,000 pesos...i got him down to 400). Sunglasses on the beach (i broke mine) Asked 600...paid 100. Larger bottle of Brugal Extra Vejo $170 RD. Cig's (marlboro lights) $425 a carton. Days of snorkeling and boogie boarding with my friend Jesus...PRICELESS!!!
Hmmm...i think that about covers it. Oh...someone once said dont walk home late at night. I stumbled home at 2 AM many nights...with never a hassle. Occasionaly a moto would pull over to see if i wanted a girl...or..uh..time with him...but never a real hassle.
For the Gay traveler...there is nothing much to recommend in B.C. A few years ago...there was quite a jumping underground/discrete scene....but there is little to nothing going on there these days. (there is SOME...but not a heck of a lot.) seems like most of the guys are hanging out in the capital....for me its not a big deal..as i have been traveling there for years...and i have the numbers of who i want to hang out with...and i am not a big "nightlifer" the days...but rather a total beach bum when i am there.
Ok..i think that covers about everything. Been horribly depressed ever since i got back on friday night. There never seems to be enough time to do all the things i want to do when i get there....and i just really love some of the friends i have made over 6 years of traveling there. I just hope i dont have to wait a whole year to get back there!!!! waaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!
To those who are going there....have a president and some brugal for me!:cheeky:
Business seems to be booming as all the hotels have very high occupancy. THere is still a slight honky tonk feeling about the town, but efforts over the past few years have really cleaned things up a bit and there are pleanty of singles as well as families and couples hanging out.
THe beach was slightly more crowded than in years past...but mid-week is still fairly quiet. SUre there are the usual beach vendors...but after a couple of days they pretty much leave you alone.
I gotta say...sunday is my favorite day on the beach, as it seems like all of santo domingo comes out to party durring the day and since i had a big argument with my travel companion...and i ended up solo...i was totaly welcomed in by the dominican families and groups that were celebrating around me.
The only downside of the beach is the view of the newish mega port...but you soon learn to just ignore it. (i am sending a photo of that view to the photo section here...as well as many other photos).
A plus about the beach (for family travelers) is that the water is clean and very calm and shallow...families can wade out quite a way and have fun with their younger kids. One day i sat next to a french family with a little boy...and they let him share his beach toys with one of the little homeless street/beach kids on the beach. I thought that was totaly cool...the kids come from totaly different lives...spoke different languages...but it was so cool to watch them play as if there were no differences at all. '
THere are other beaches near by (my favorite Playa Carribe)...tiny beach with HUGE waves and boogie boards for rent. 30 pesos for a gua gua to get there. THere are other beaches around...but i found it hard to find a really good beach for snorkeling and looking at some bigger fish that isla matica has to offer in boca chica.
Night life has been cleaned up a bit in Boca Chica. Sure..this is one disco where all the "working girls" hang out and the chica chassers that follow them. But the rest of the five block strip is pretty quiet..with mainly euro's hanging out with themselves. My favorite place to hang out is not at one of the discos or restaurants with street seating...but rather this little market on a corner. Grab a presidente or a small bottle of brugal...and mix and mingle with locals as well as some tourists. NOthing too exciting...but kinda fun.
My only real complaint about boca chica...is that there isnt much to do as far as night life if you arent there chasing after the chicas. Even tho the chica scene has quieted down (i heard most of them moved to sosua)..they are still there if thats what the guys are looking for. IF you ARE looking for a more diverse night life...you can always book a night or two over the weekend in santo domingo..then head back to the beach.
As always...Petteri & Guissepi and the entire staff at El Candil were great! (tho they have raised their prices a bit...but its worth it as its one of the prettier hotels and has great security). I did wander by Costalunga a couple of times (i stayed there last year)...and they seemed to have cracked down on the "frat boy" environment the pervaded last year and cost me a few nights sleep.
I also noticed that there seems to be a small construction boom going on...many small properties going up...and i met a few ex pats who are investing in the area. I have a feeling that boca chica's popularity is only going to increase over the next few years.
Most of my dinners were at my old stand by Fernando's. Pollo Guisado w/rice and beans $RD 175, Camarones (jumbo) Creola $RD 275. Also...the restaurant in the center of town (plaza bonita) medium sized pizza with 3 toppings, 2 presidentes...fed two with leftovers to take home $RD 400. THen there is always the chinnese place. 2 pieces of fried chicken with tostones $RD 40. Plate of fruit on the beach $150 RD. A chair rental on the beach $150 RD. Presidente Grande $70 RD. Boogie Board Rental at Playa Carribe $100 RD. Non AI hotels $30-50 USD. Gua Gua to Santo Domingo $40 RD. Taxi to Santo Domingo $700 RD. Large good quality beach towel (they asked for $1,000 pesos...i got him down to 400). Sunglasses on the beach (i broke mine) Asked 600...paid 100. Larger bottle of Brugal Extra Vejo $170 RD. Cig's (marlboro lights) $425 a carton. Days of snorkeling and boogie boarding with my friend Jesus...PRICELESS!!!
Hmmm...i think that about covers it. Oh...someone once said dont walk home late at night. I stumbled home at 2 AM many nights...with never a hassle. Occasionaly a moto would pull over to see if i wanted a girl...or..uh..time with him...but never a real hassle.
For the Gay traveler...there is nothing much to recommend in B.C. A few years ago...there was quite a jumping underground/discrete scene....but there is little to nothing going on there these days. (there is SOME...but not a heck of a lot.) seems like most of the guys are hanging out in the capital....for me its not a big deal..as i have been traveling there for years...and i have the numbers of who i want to hang out with...and i am not a big "nightlifer" the days...but rather a total beach bum when i am there.
Ok..i think that covers about everything. Been horribly depressed ever since i got back on friday night. There never seems to be enough time to do all the things i want to do when i get there....and i just really love some of the friends i have made over 6 years of traveling there. I just hope i dont have to wait a whole year to get back there!!!! waaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!
To those who are going there....have a president and some brugal for me!:cheeky:
