Not like a Tourist

[Phil]

I am planning to travel to the DR in September and want to try something different then the resort route. Could anyone suggest some interesting out of the way towns where I can meet local people. Nice discos, bars, food establishments ,ect.Any input would be welcome . Thanking in advance Phil

 

[Susanne]

Almost all of the Samana Peninsula would be a good place to go. Las Galeras is small but very beautiful, Las Terrenas is larger, Samana itself is also nice and not very touristic at all. The market is great.

If you want to see pictures of the region, try the webpages of these hotels:
<A HREF="http://www.club-bonito.com">www.club-bonito.com</A>
<A HREF="http://www.elmarinique.com">www.elmarinique.com</A>

You could also try on <A HREF="http://www.samana.org.do">www.samana.org.do</A>

Consider a journey to mountain regions of Jarabacoa, Constanza etc. south and inland from Puerto Plata. The whole area by Lake Enriquillo is supposedly fantastic and not commonly travelled by tourists.

Enjoy your journey

Regards,
Susanne

PS: You WILL be a tourist, whether you like it or not;-)

 

[charly]

The last sentence of Susannes posting is thrue in any case, but the other points i do not agree.
I would suggest the big Cities, like Santiago, Puerto Plata, La Vega or the Capital St. Domingo. Puerto Plata for exemple is a natural grown city since almost 500 years. It dont belongs to the tourist industry with one of the oldest harbour in the "New World".
If you dont want to meet other tourists you dont have, because the percentage of tourist is much smaller than in little places like Susanne say.
And there you can stay in a little dominican Hotel or apartment and have a crowdy surrounding of local people/Dominicans. And even local restaurants/food (Comedores etc.)local nightlive, bars, dicos a.s.o..
Just the state how I would do it.......
Good luck & nice vacation!
cu/charlyloco

 

[Hillbilly]

Re: Not like a Tourist *PIC*

It depends on whether you are travelling alone or not.
Santiago , as well asthe other cities mentioned are great for people that know where the action is, but most partying is done with friends, so it would be better to come with someone you can talk to.
Just a thought. heck you can have a ball just outside of Boca Chica if you know where to look...
Hb

 

[Susanne]

It depends on whether you put emphasis on nature or city life or both. I agree with Charles that big towns are great for meeting people - my suggestions are based on my own love of nature. Fortunately, in the DR you can have it both ways!

By the way, if you want to stay close to Puerto Plata but want a more relaxed atmosphere and lots of little places Costambar may be the thing. It is a township immediately West of Puerto Plata. You will meet local people there - mainly middle class - as well as ex-pats of all origins. If you bring a family this is a great place to stay. For a single guy in need of some action 25 hours a day there are better places.

Regards,
Susanne

 

[D.D.]

I can't tell you about the "nice disco" part simply because I am not familiar with discos. As for the rest, I suggest Las Galeras as first choice.

Regards,

D.D

 

[ECH, M.D.]

And, you can probably have fun in Cabin Creek or Matewan if you know where the hell to look, huh, HB!!! LOL

 

[Phil]

Thanks for the great response to my posting....Hey ,this is a great place for anyone interested and in love with the DR. Keep up the great work DR1 and its contributers.You have been a great help with your postings. Thanking all again Phil

 

[Sarah]

Try this link for an alternative...

 

[louise]

Phil - You should consider spending a wekeend in Jarabacoa, in the mountains. It's about 2 hours drive from either Santo Domingo or Puerto Plata. The nighelife is great (!) on Saturday and even Sunday. You'll meet only locals... or at least onmy very few tourists. The action is around the towns square 'El Parque' with some bars, restaurants, pool rooms and couple of discos: Galaxia and Antilla 2 are the places where everyone goes to dance on Friday night. But there are also a couple of Karaoke bars with plenty of local action if you like Karaoke. Olimpia is one of them.
During the day take a look at the beautiful surroundings - go river rafting, mountain biking, whatever. There are plenty of options. Places to stay are Rancho Baiguate (where they arrange a lot of the day activities) or some of the small hotel on the road to Constanza. Hotel California is cheap (20us$)and simple but clean. Sorry, but I don't have their phone number. For a closer look at Rancho Baiguate - just follow the link...
Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Gunnar]

Agree fully with louise, but I'm biased - living in Jarabacoa...
After moving around, looking for the nicest place, JB
is my choice. Be back after the afternoon wheather...