We just returned from a week on the North Coast and had a ball. We have traveled to most of the islands and the D.R. is one of the most, if not the most beautiful and interesting of all. The diversity of the land and the stunning beaches set with the backdrop of the mountains reminds us more of the south Pacific rather than the Caribbean. We found the Dominicans to be friendly especially if you tried a little Spanish. We can see why you moved here.
As we said in our first post, we found the info on this board very helpful. We didn't take all of your advice however; we rented a car which was an experience. We felt like we were being attacked by mopeds. Got the hang of it quickly and we were able to explore around the north coast. Interestingly, as you warned, we were stopped by armed men dressed partially in police uniforms outside of Sosua. After a couple of round of " no hablo", we were waved thru.
We wouldn't want to drive in a major city.
A couple of shoutouts. Hotel La Catalina in Cabrera; beautiful location, great food and most importantly a great bar with incredible views. Monkey Jungle; a zip line that was a kick, monkeys that were all over you, and most importantly all proceeds went to a dental clinic to help poor Dominicans and Haitians. While we were there, Drs. were performing oral surgery; their fee appeared to be a couple of beers after they finished.
We are already planning to come back next year. Thanks for the info.