I've never bought or used any of these guides
Hello all of you DR-lovers,
Quick question: Which guidebook would you recommend to backpack this country and why?
Muchas gracias!
I've never bought or used any of these guides, although after about 15 trips I did skim through some in the library, to see if I was missing anything. My conclusion was that I didn't miss a thing.
The internet and DR1, and knowledgeable friends, are far better and more up to date resources.
I emailed Rocky before my first trip (we had not met yet he answered dozens of questions, most of which were really silly in hindsight
), listened to his guidance after I arrived and then wandered around on my own getting my bearings. While doing that I met a few friends, that I keep in contact with to this day, and learned more about the area. I just kept building on that trip after trip. I've now been to many places on the island from Punta Cana to Sabaneta with many stops along the way. I've vacationed in the North and South and know my way around, the basics at least, in Santo Domingo and Santiago. I've also been to Higuey, La Vega, Boca Chica, Villa Altagracia, and tons of other places.
My point?
There's no substitute for referrals from friends, those that live there and are "in the know", as well as first hand experience.
You don't need an outdated book when you have DR1, a brain and some cojones... (or are huevos more appropriate?)
whether you are going to Sosua or exploring the Island solo.