montreal said:
I appreciate all your comments. Perhaps for a first visit 3 days will be good. maybe next time i'll stay longer. I think next time i'll definitely travel with my dominican friend ; )
As for dancing. from previous visits to the dr I realized the obsession of merengue and bachata, and the lack of salsa. That's ok with me as merengue and bachata are my preference too.
As has been stated, 3 days is the bare minimum needed to explore the city.
There is plenty to see and do in Santo Domingo, both in the colonial core and in the modern sectors.
If interested in culture and the country, please visit the Museo del Hombre Dominicano (Museum of the Dominican Man) in the Plaza de la Cultura. It's the best museum of the history of the country anywhere and it's a very nice introduction. While you are at it, visit the Museo de Arte Moderno within the same park area which will give you an insight into Dominican and international art (some of which is fantastic). Also, there is a museum of natural history and the national library, both of which are of less interest to tourists.
For more wonderful Dominican art displays, visit the Museo Bellapart and there are plenty of galleries that sell very good Dominican and Haitian art dotting Naco/Piantini as well as the Colonial Zone. Be forewarned that Haitian art sold in the streets is faux and not good. For serious Haitian art, visit the galleries.
I know you guys are in your twenties and twenty-somethings don't usually have a taste for art, but who knows, maybe you will find something you like.
For serious shopping, head over to Plaza Acropolis or Plaza Central. Those shopping malls are great for shopping for fashion conscious people or simply to people watch, since those centers are frequented by middle class and upper class Dominicans.
If shopping on the discount is more of your thing, many shops along Avenida Mella and Duarte will suffice such appetite. However, those areas tend to be congested with pedestrians and cars and with the tropical heat and all, visiting Plaza Lama on Ave. 27 de Febrero might be an air conditioned option, though the atmosphere of the Mella/Duarte area is lacking there.
If only for curiosity, visit the Guacara Taina nightclub. It's a nightclub like nothing you have ever seen, guaranteed. Just visit the place and you will see why, very nice.
Enjoy your visit!
-NALs