Boca Chica police raids?

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james

Guest
I heard that Boca Chica had police raids last week and most of the downtown clubs and discos were closed down. They apparantly haven't re-openned and the police are arresting Dominicans at night if they venture out in this part of town. Any word on what the raids are about? In the past I know they have cracked down on bars that let minors in (and well that they should), but I didn't get the impression this was the case this time.
 
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Jim Hinsch

Guest
The raids were to clean up the town. They were looking for drugs, minors, prostitutes (which apparently they say is illegal now, per the newspaper reports). Yes, nightlife in Boca Chica is virtually non-existent at the moment. I'm in Boca Chica now. Business owners are not happy. Many of the businesses are closed, but not by obligation. They are closed because there is no business. Some are open in the day only. The locals are afraid to come out at night, and with the town empty, the tourists are either staying in the hotel, going to be early, or heading to the capital. There is a heavy uniformed police presence at night, more so than in the past, and it really stands out with so few tourists out at night.

There is a conflict. Which detracts/attracts more from tourism: The locals that populate the town or the lack of locals due to police arrests and raids?

This isn't the first time this has happened, but I haven't seen it this dead in years. On the bright side, the beach is a lot more fun. I see more locals during the week and up earlier than in the past.
 
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james

Guest
putting asside the night life...

This just prepetuates the all inclusive resorts getting richer and the local merchants taking the heat.

I know dollar wise the money taken in from the downtown is a drop in the bucket compared to the money earned at the inclusive resorts, but for those of us who enjoy getting out and interact with the locals, it pretty much takes away any incentive for traveling there.

As much as I love vacationing in DR, I think I'll take my vacation dollars elsewhere.
 
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Sarah

Guest
Re: putting asside the night life...

As I'm sure you're aware, Boca Chica is not the only destination in the entire Dominican Republic! Why not try another part of the island? Barahona, for example!! :)
 
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Kevin

Guest
Re: putting asside the night life...

you both have a point . without the night life there is not much else happening in boca chica outside of the all-inclusives BUT there is a whole lot more to SD than those 5 short blocks in boca chica
 
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Garv

Guest
Re: putting asside the night life...

Well I have airline reservations for Santo Domingo on the 24th. I am going to stay two days in Boca Chica since I was there once before and enjoyed the lively evenings on Duarte. I guess it is just a case of unlucky timing since I booked the tickets three months ago. On the third day I will be heading to Puerto Plata (which I have never been to). Perhaps the night life there will be more conducive to the tastes of non all inclusive tourists as myself.
 
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Joey

Guest
Re: putting asside the night life...

I really think we should call a spade a spade
I've spent many a happy time in boca chica talking and cavorting with the young hookers--this takes place in all the bars and in central park--come on--the place is on a lot of web sites as being the place to go for great sex--it's this reputation that draws numerous male tourists to boca chica--the restaurants know this and have always counted on it for business.
contrary to what some of you think, i've always felt sorry for the couples and families that come to boca chica and stay and the all inclusive places--being exposed in the day and evening to obovious sexual exhibitisionism both on the beach and downtown, i'm certain that there can't be any couples of families that want to return to boca chica--the businesses thrived on the sex trade and they can die with it--don't feel sorry for them
 
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Jim Hinsch

Guest
Re: putting asside the night life...

Police raids have been happening all around the country for as long as I've been visiting (7 years). Most of those detained are released without charges. Things get quiet for a while and then pick back up. Hot spots change, as do the people that frequent them. This is not a "Boca Chica" thing. They happen all around the country, especially in Santo Domingo. It is really no big deal.

Boca Chica is much more than a few bars on Calle Duarte from 1-4am. In fact, thousands of couples and families come to Boca Chica and LOVE it. There is a mix of everything in Boca Chica. Kind of like a mini NYC on the beach. Expensive or cheap, classy or casual, mostly tourists or mostly locals. Tourists from all parts of the world come here. It has a high concentration of excellent restaurants, a fantastic beach, some great big hotels and some really nice small ones. I spent a fantastic day on the beach today and if it hadn't been closed, I would have played a round of golf as well (Los Marlins).

One can find whatever they seek - be it non-stop fun or peace and quiet. The beach is 1.5 miles long from the Marina to the Hamaca and the town of Boca Chica proper extents 1/2 mile to the highway. There are a variety of businesses throughout. What you described hardly defines this town of more than 10,000 people.

Rumor is, that the Boca Chica area is poised to be the largest and most developed destination in the Dominican Republic, with the 4 mile strip of land from the new electric plant to the Marina, to be developed into a strip of executive level hotels. The largest port in the country is to be built there, along with a huge free-zone and multiple stops daily by cruise ships. The helipcopters were surveying just yesterday. The beach is to be expanded as well to reinact the 60-meter law since there has been much erosion over the years, leaving a few businesses with as little as 30 feet of frontage.
 
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Eddy

Guest
To James

Boca Chica is not the only place in the DR. Give the north coast a thought. North Coast: Always has been the best. In Sosua, no problem. It was time that they cleaned up Boca Chica.
 
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james

Guest
Well said Jim!!

Exactly. There is an atmosphere around BC that I haven't found in other DR locations. I like the fact that everything is so close.

To Joey, yes there is sex there, but if it was only sex that attracted me, I could have stayed home and saved the airfare and hotel. I agree with Jim that more and more couples and families are comming to this part of the island. People that don't feel comfortable in BC at night are the type that would probably spend most of their time in the all-inclusive resort anyway.

Thanks Sarah for your thought but as you can tell I prefer BC over all the other DR destinations I've been to. I'm sure I'll be back (some day) when things lighten up. In the meantime I'll take my vacation money to some other Latin destination or elsewhere.
 
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Doug

Guest
Joey

Joey if you think Boca Chica is only a sex trade area.......you have missed so so so much.....I suggest you go back and take another look! You can find any type of dinning, be it expensive or cheap, or be it Italian or French,American....whatever. Also there is deep sea fishing,scuba diving, horse back riding, the Arizona Diamondbacks have their feeder system there just across the hiway, the beach is terrific (not the best in the DR, but very nice!)And as Jim said all kinds of wonderful hotels! Plus many more things to do and see, it all depends what you make of it!