Getting Out & About...

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
These observations are directed to those who live here or visit for extended periods -

Living in Cabrera, one can feel a bit restricted...socially, gastronomically, you name it.
The need to roam/wander strikes at times.

Typically, for day trips (not including Sto Dom) we venture to Sosua/Cabarete for the obvious... Playero, CMC for health POP airport
It too becomes a bit boring

Once in a while - today for example - we strike out in the other direction... Las Terranas and the Samana Peninsula

Like another world.... we hadn't done it since last March/April

French pastry, restaurant selections, Europeans and their 'Je ne sais quoi' (if you like that)

I will be returning there more often
Lunch was superb (La Terasse) but there were many other options...

The shoreline little places are relocated to the land side of the road... but still exist
Not too busy this time of year...

Not that cheap...
Plates from 350 to 650 pesos depending
We grazed on plate after plate of appetizers...

3 people .....
Salad, 3 appetizers... with a bottle and 2 glasses of wine and a Leyenda was $100US
With the quality - a relative bargain

And sooo many choices

I make the mistake of staying too close to home sometimes
Today was an effort to occupy my easily bored wife before her imminent departure - Friday
Success on that front !!

My point ??
Get out and explore a bit...
there are places to visit within an hour of wherever you may be

There are other cultural experiences to be had.

Soak it up !!
 
How about a trip over the mountains to Salcedo on the road from Gaspar Hernandez,,quick stop at the pool in the mountain if its open for some cold beers and maybe take a dip in that cold mountain water, then onto the town of Salcedo to See the mirabal museum, Then maybe a drive out to San francisco marcoris and up the road to pimentel and onto Nagua and back home. Nice day trip. See some mountains, farmland museum etc...
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
I have heard often about that road but never done the trip...

It was talked about a lot here when the Moca road was washed out
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
WW have you been to the Cave that you can swim in? I forget the name, but as I remember east of Cabrera, not too far from you. Also Blue Lak, which I might be confusing with the caves name. But it is a large lake. Also east.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
One is Lake Dudu and the other is Lago Azul

I forget which one BatMan swung on a rope and flew into.... it was on the news.

One is free , the other has a fee... forget which

No, never been to either
 

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
5,591
781
113
WW have you been to the Cave that you can swim in? I forget the name, but as I remember east of Cabrera, not too far from you. Also Blue Lak, which I might be confusing with the caves name. But it is a large lake. Also east.

Laguna Gri Gri in Rio San Juan?
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
that's a lagoon... not a cave type thing

it's a small inland safe harbor in RSJ.... filled with docking space and leads out thru a mangrove channel to the ocean
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
One is Lake Dudu and the other is Lago Azul

I forget which one BatMan swung on a rope and flew into.... it was on the news.

One is free , the other has a fee... forget which

No, never been to either

OK, the one with the rope is free, the cave charges an admission. Have not been to either for many years, but I took a toss on the one with the rope. Goes pretty high over the lake. The cave is really a must see if you are in the area. It is dead quiet and eery to swim in.
 

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
5,591
781
113
that's a lagoon... not a cave type thing

it's a small inland safe harbor in RSJ.... filled with docking space and leads out thru a mangrove channel to the ocean

I've never been, but I thought somebody had said they went in a cave there.
 

drstock

Silver
Oct 29, 2010
4,502
2,086
113
Cabarete
There seems to be some confusion here. I went to the place signed as Laguna Dudu a couple of years ago and you have to pay to enter. There is a largish lagoon with a rope that you can jump from (not me!), another lagoon with a smallish cave and another bigger cave where you can walk and hit your head (as I did!). When I was there, there were also some large birds - ostriches if I remember rightly. There is also a restaurant, so overall it's worth a visit. It's a few miles past Rio San Juan on the right (heading east), and not very well signposted.

Laguna GriGri is the inland dock at Rio San Juan, form where they do boat trips down the river out to sea, passing or visiting Playa Caleton.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
How about a trip over the mountains to Salcedo on the road from Gaspar Hernandez,,quick stop at the pool in the mountain if its open for some cold beers and maybe take a dip in that cold mountain water, then onto the town of Salcedo to See the mirabal museum, Then maybe a drive out to San francisco marcoris and up the road to pimentel and onto Nagua and back home. Nice day trip. See some mountains, farmland museum etc...

done it many times...Gaspar to Joba Arriba, then onward to Tenares, and then Salcedo. very rural, all cacao. crappy roads, campesino country.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,694
8,124
113
done it many times...Gaspar to Joba Arriba, then onward to Tenares, and then Salcedo. very rural, all cacao. crappy roads, campesino country.

For many years while I had my Wrangler I would take every 2 week Christmas vacation and drive all the way around the island. Yank the top off, cooler in the back, turn on the radio and go. No destination other than driving. I've been to every town (except northwest) at least 5-6 times.
My only regret is not taking more pictures.
A lot of the experiences I've encountered have been mentioned here on the board over the years.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
For many years while I had my Wrangler I would take every 2 week Christmas vacation and drive all the way around the island. Yank the top off, cooler in the back, turn on the radio and go. No destination other than driving. I've been to every town (except northwest) at least 5-6 times.
My only regret is not taking more pictures.
A lot of the experiences I've encountered have been mentioned here on the board over the years.

i bet you have a lot of stories to tell..

i have never seen a town in the DR like Joba Arriba. i stand in the square where the buses stop, and i get this surreal feeling like i am in a fiction movie. eerie...
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,694
8,124
113
i bet you have a lot of stories to tell..

i have never seen a town in the DR like Joba Arriba. i stand in the square where the buses stop, and i get this surreal feeling like i am in a fiction movie. eerie...

Try going to Los LLanos or El Puerto on a late Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Another one is road 47 from La Descubierta to Elias Pinas. You wanna talk about the middle of no where...
 

ZC1

Member
Dec 8, 2013
179
6
18
These observations are directed to those who live here or visit for extended periods -

Living in Cabrera, one can feel a bit restricted...socially, gastronomically, you name it.
The need to roam/wander strikes at times.

Typically, for day trips (not including Sto Dom) we venture to Sosua/Cabarete for the obvious... Playero, CMC for health POP airport
It too becomes a bit boring

Once in a while - today for example - we strike out in the other direction... Las Terranas and the Samana Peninsula

Like another world.... we hadn't done it since last March/April

French pastry, restaurant selections, Europeans and their 'Je ne sais quoi' (if you like that)

I will be returning there more often
Lunch was superb (La Terasse) but there were many other options...

The shoreline little places are relocated to the land side of the road... but still exist
Not too busy this time of year...

Not that cheap...
Plates from 350 to 650 pesos depending
We grazed on plate after plate of appetizers...

3 people .....
Salad, 3 appetizers... with a bottle and 2 glasses of wine and a Leyenda was $100US
With the quality - a relative bargain

And sooo many choices

I make the mistake of staying too close to home sometimes
Today was an effort to occupy my easily bored wife before her imminent departure - Friday
Success on that front !!

My point ??
Get out and explore a bit...
there are places to visit within an hour of wherever you may be

There are other cultural experiences to be had.

Soak it up !!

Good advice. On the subject of places to eat and drink there is a really nice cafe that opened about a week ago in the Zona Colonial on Arzobispo Nouel and the corner of Duarte called El Buho Cafe. Have not seen a website yet but they are on Facebook. We each had a plate of the day (200 pesos) and a really great cappuccino and a delicious Irish Coffee. Large Spanish patio and the best playlist of music I have heard anywhere.
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
12,570
6,325
113
that's a lagoon... not a cave type thing

it's a small inland safe harbor in RSJ.... filled with docking space and leads out thru a mangrove channel to the ocean

There are caves there just outside the lagoons, and some crazy boat drivers will risk the waves to go into them. Most danerous if they capsize...