52 best places to go in 2014

gas

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Jul 28, 2013
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In Sunday's NY Times, Barahona made the list at #37. I wanna go! Fyi, Cape Town was #1. Atlanta and Indiana made the list. Hmmmm.

37. Barahona, Dominican Republic
A scenic, low-key destination
on the verge of discovery.
Most vacationers to La Republica hole up in the all-inclusives north and east, overlooking the rarely traveled southwest. The port town of Barahona is the gateway to the cactus-strewn region?s riches, like the hauntingly beautiful Bahia de las Aguilas beach and the eight climate zones at the geological depression Hoyo de Pelempito, both blissfully devoid of people. But there are signs of the government?s vision to develop the area. The abandoned former Barcelo Bahoruco Beach Resort will partly open in 2014, and two separate 300-room projects ? near La Canoa and San Rafael Beach ? are in the final stages of design approval. For now, you can experience the quiet life at the thatch-roofed Casa Bonita, or at Rancho Platon, which has a tree house raised between the palms. ? SANJAY SURANA

The complete article is at http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/01/10/travel/2014-places-to-go.html.
 

Mountaintrout

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Feb 9, 2013
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In Sunday's NY Times, Barahona made the list at #37. I wanna go! Fyi, Cape Town was #1. Atlanta and Indiana made the list. Hmmmm.

37. Barahona, Dominican Republic
A scenic, low-key destination
on the verge of discovery.
Most vacationers to La Republica hole up in the all-inclusives north and east, overlooking the rarely traveled southwest. The port town of Barahona is the gateway to the cactus-strewn region’s riches, like the hauntingly beautiful Bahia de las Aguilas beach and the eight climate zones at the geological depression Hoyo de Pelempito, both blissfully devoid of people. But there are signs of the government’s vision to develop the area. The abandoned former Barcelo Bahoruco Beach Resort will partly open in 2014, and two separate 300-room projects — near La Canoa and San Rafael Beach — are in the final stages of design approval. For now, you can experience the quiet life at the thatch-roofed Casa Bonita, or at Rancho Platon, which has a tree house raised between the palms. — SANJAY SURANA

The complete article is at http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/01/10/travel/2014-places-to-go.html.

I'm not sure I would step out of an electric chair to move to Atlanta or Indiana!:eek:
 
Aug 6, 2006
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Barahona itself does not seem to me to be ready for an influx of tourists. Not many of the local businesses accept credit cards, and it is very rare to run across any foreigners apart from the occasional Peace Corpsmen and missionaries. The local beaches need some sort of trash pickup system, and there are no signs in any language but Spanish. That is not to say that it does not have a unique charm, a sort of relaxed decadence. The scenery on the highway to Paraiso is beautiful, the people are the friendliest and most helpful in my opinion of any in the DR.

Of course, the fancy resorts are vastly different, and from the outside, look beautiful and are in very scenic locations.
 

frank12

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Sep 6, 2011
11,847
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In Sunday's NY Times, Barahona made the list at #37. I wanna go! Fyi, Cape Town was #1. Atlanta and Indiana made the list. Hmmmm.

37. Barahona, Dominican Republic
A scenic, low-key destination
on the verge of discovery.
Most vacationers to La Republica hole up in the all-inclusives north and east, overlooking the rarely traveled southwest. The port town of Barahona is the gateway to the cactus-strewn region’s riches, like the hauntingly beautiful Bahia de las Aguilas beach and the eight climate zones at the geological depression Hoyo de Pelempito, both blissfully devoid of people. But there are signs of the government’s vision to develop the area. The abandoned former Barcelo Bahoruco Beach Resort will partly open in 2014, and two separate 300-room projects — near La Canoa and San Rafael Beach — are in the final stages of design approval. For now, you can experience the quiet life at the thatch-roofed Casa Bonita, or at Rancho Platon, which has a tree house raised between the palms. — SANJAY SURANA

The complete article is at http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/01/10/travel/2014-places-to-go.html.[/QUOamat

Fantastic article. Great pictures. Thanks!

FRank
 

Julia31

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Jan 4, 2012
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I guess I am trendy ;-) lol..in the last 12 months I have been to Barahona, Atlanta and Frankfurt ;-)


Frankfurt is probably the ugliest big german city we have...the city center looks like an average american bigger city center..they have a HUGE red light district and there are hardly any old and historic buildings like in most other german cities...

Barahona itself didnt look interesting to me but of course the southwest was stunning!!

Atlanta looked like a good place to live with lots of green but not a lot of things to visit as a tourist
 
Aug 6, 2006
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All these destinations would be interesting to me. This is a very well-done article. I suppose one could quibble about the order in which they are mentioned, but since that is a matter of taste, and quibbling over it is absurd, I won't do that. I am very fond of Barahona as well, and whatever problems rich tourists might have there would be far more difficult in any part of Cuba and may other places.
 

bluemoonnyc

New member
Oct 4, 2007
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I guess I am trendy ;-) lol..in the last 12 months I have been to Barahona, Atlanta and Frankfurt ;-)


Frankfurt is probably the ugliest big german city we have...the city center looks like an average american bigger city center..they have a HUGE red light district and there are hardly any old and historic buildings like in most other german cities...

Barahona itself didnt look interesting to me but of course the southwest was stunning!!

Atlanta looked like a good place to live with lots of green but not a lot of things to visit as a tourist

Huge red light district you say? frankfurt it is,,lol
 

ROLLOUT

Silver
Jan 30, 2012
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Downtown Atlanta, Indianapolis, and Nashville also made the list. I'm just going to say, "WTF?", and move on.