Day Trip to Santo Domingo?

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Vanessa (Canada)

Guest
Hi,
We are travelling to Punta Cana in December. We were wondering if it would be worth taking a day trip in to Santo Domingo? Is there shopping, history, or anything interesting to see. We've been to Dominican Republic already this year...in fact we are staying at the same resort. We have done most of the day trips offered, but not to Santo Domingo. So we are just looking for new things to see outside the resort.

Your opinions and suggestions are appreciated!
Thank you.
 
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Natasha

Guest
History in Santo Domingo? Are you kidding me :)

The capital is not called the Cradle of the Americas for nothing. Here you will find the oldest European settlement in the Western Hemisphere with structures and buildings that have been there for at least 500 years. The Colonial Zone, the old city, is replete with extremely interesting sites. You will be in a place where major decisions that affected the rest of the Americas took place. So, to quote the tourist ad, Santo Domingo IS where everything began.

Aside from the "live" history lessons you will get, SD is great for shopping. I have not been to the north coast in a while, but in my opinion SD is the best place to shop. There are great boutiques, malls, and inexpensive shops where you can buy a lot of the local wares and crafts. If are in the mood for crowds and to really take a peak at a Dominican open market, then head straight to Mercado Modelo, where else you'd you find a butcher and a jewlery store side by side? All Dominicans go there to shop for something - the rich, the poor, the middle class.

If this is not your cup of tea, then a stroll in El Conde St. in the Colonial Zone will provide ample shopping. Or, you can head to the shopping plazas - where you will find anything from Cartier to locally made Larimar jewlery, and fashions from world renowned designers to local fave such as Jenny Polanco. Artwork and art gallaries also abound everywhere in the city.

Keep in mind that it is possible to do a day trip to Santo Dominigo from Punta Cana, but you will wish you had a two day trip instead. The drive to SD from Punta Cana is about 3 hours, so that will take 6 hours out of the day trip. I would linger in SD longer, if it's feasible. I would stay the night in one of the cozy and inexpensive small inns in the Colonial Zone. Even these inns might be a couple of hundred years old! Hope this helps.

Regards,
Natasha
 
K

Keith

Guest
Natasha,

Although you covered extremely well many of the reasons for a side trip to SD in your excellent post, you omitted one or two! :) First off, I happen to like museums and history, and there are several pretty good ones in SD. Second, there are often great concerts or shows to see these days at the Teatro Nacional. Third, there's the best night life in all the DR! Where else can you go to a club and see and dance to such merengue stars as Milly or Fernandito or Los Rosario or Sergio Vargas? Fourth, if one has children, they LOVE a visit to the National Aquarium, which is really quite good and features many things you will not find in other aquariums elsewhere in the world. Children also love climbing around Fort Ozama in the Colonial Zone, and you might manage to get a history lesson or two in while they're having fun (now you know what one of my twins' favorite places was!).

I'm sure I'm forgetting something -- perhaps it'll occur to me later.
Regards,
Keith
 
V

Vanessa (Canada)

Guest
Well,
You certainly know your stuff. Do you live in the DR? We were thinking of taking one of the trips to SD offered at our resort, if we were to go by taxi on our own...would this be a safe thing to do? Any idea how much that would cost? Thanks for your information.
 
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Natasha

Guest
Thank you Keith for adding to this! All that you say is right on. And, you are right that the night life in SD is the BEST in the entire DR. The options are just about limitless. What about the restaurants? The best in the DR are here too. Even though I have lived right in the heart of the Colonial Zone (Isabel La Catolica St.), it never ceases to amaze me the new things that I learn about my country everytime I visit one of the museums. Sometimes, when I go home, I just stroll these streets and try to imagine what it must have been like back then, and I think WOW!

I am sure I am forgetting other things too ;-)

Regards,
Natasha
 
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Natasha

Guest
I was born and raised in the DR. I have only been in the US for several years now, but I go back home every time I get a chance to :)

You can cartainly hire a taxi, perhaps through your resort and negociate a price, but most of these resort taxis will probably have a fixed fare. If you want to hire someone not affiliated with the resort, ask around to get recommendations from the resort workers. You would be surprised how much they know. When my hushand and I honeymooned in Punta Cana two years ago, we were picked up by the resort and I could not even tell you how much it cost.

Regards,
Natasha
 
L

Lyse

Guest
I agree with you that Santo Domingo has the best nightlife but you wrote "Where else can you go to a club and see and dance to such merengue stars." Well I did in Higuey with those you mentionned and with Alex Bueno, El Chaval, Frank Reyes, Quico Rodriguez, Joe Veras, Luis Segura, Anthony Rios and the list goes on..
 
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Keith

Guest
Well, ok, yes those guys do play at clubs and functions all across the DR from time to time. In SD, however, you can see and dance to a different star close-up every week, if not every day. The scale and frequency are a bit different, Lyse.
Regards,
Keith
 
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Lyse

Guest
You're right I'd say outside Santo Domingo, the vacation ou trip timing must be perfect if you want to see one of those great artists.
 
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Michael Fitzpatrick

Guest
Could you provide some information regarding the department store in Santo Domingo named Gonzalez Ramos? Our family has connections going back many years to this family. We have not heard from them in a long time. There were two girls and one brother. Ana Maria Gonzalez/Ramos now married and her husband took over the business. His name is (Berlioz?) We also had a close friend who was Bishop of San Juan de Malaguana now deceased. Bishop Thomas Reilly was well known in the DR. Any information would be helpful in getting in touch with this family. Michael Fitzpatrick, Arlington ,TX
 
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Natasha

Guest
Michael,
I am afraid I don't know this family and the dept. store itself doesn't sound that familiar to me. Maybe you can ask Dolores directly for information about this store? Natasha, in Arlington, VA ;-)
 
C

CharlieW

Guest
Re: Need Santo Domingo help

Can anyone tell me where geographically in Santo Domingo, where I would find Manzana 37, Parte Atras Las Caobas. Is this a safe area of Santo Domingo? I'd like to surprise visit a friend.
Thanks for any help.
 
R

Roberto

Guest
Re: Need Santo Domingo help

Exactly where are the Manzana 37
I have to be Honest
it is to complicate fore me to tell you since that I have not being in Las caobas fore over 10 years and I dont have the map in my memory
but Las Caobas are not so big as some others Part in Santo Domingo so it would not be Dificult just need to ask any Local

now it is safe?
well I was very young wen I was there I Remember that I could go any time out play with The Rich/Poor kids From the neighbohood with out any Trouble

it is safe today?
well the all country have being growing very fast with People Coming From deferent town/Country I can not Guaranteed you
but I know that if you are cool you dont gett in panic wen you see A bizarre situation you would be OK
that is the way I do it works

Good look feel Free to E-mail me

Regards

Roberto
 
C

CharlieW

Guest
Re: Las Caobas section -Santa Domingo

Thanks Roberto for the comments on Las Caobas section. Maybe I will give it a try and surprise my friend with a visit. If anyone else has knowledge of Las Caobas area of S.D., please comment. Thanks.
 
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