Might be going, in March, any feedback would be aprreciated?

Mark, I went to the north coast to the Bahia Principe (well something like that) enjoyed the 2 weeks nut didn't do any trips. My sister did and really enjoyed them. The diving was good and I'd go back.

 

David

Had 4 weeks R&R there

 

Was great in teh resort, contryside is awsome with a guide. But you dont half get pestered and you gota watch your step in some places.

 

All that said, its no different to anywhere else in the world.

 

 

If you want safety, go to CUba, but the food and equipment standard is a bit lacking.

 

food in dominica was awsome. I put on a stone

spent 3 week there, loved it we stayed in the north purto plarta or something like that. very clean resort. did a few trips, all very good. good diving if you can dive already. cant knock the food at all. you got to try the dominican gasolene if you go, but take the headache pills. only had one down pour of rain, lasted about 2hour's but saw quite a few lightning stroms. amazing

Could you bring me back some cigars, please? ;)

i went a few years back, i'll post a full report later

Yeah we went for our honeymoon two years ago, we stayed at the ahmsa marina in pueto plata, its a lovely country but a bit scary outside of the hotel!! they had an armed guard on ours, you have to rent a jeep though and go and see the countryside, its like jurrasic park (don`t rent a car the potholes in the road are 6 inches deep,) and you have to go diving. you`ll have a great time.

Went for a week for my honeymoon last year, stayed in the Riu Mambo at Puerta Plata. Didn't do much but would recommend the 'Monster Truck' trips into the country's interior, good day out. Food was great, but don't drink the water - gives you the famous 'Puerto Plata Splatta' ;). Didn't leave the resort, but staff were extremely friendly and helpful people.

Our room had it's own row of optics in too - proper Carribean Rum, mmmmmmm :duffer:

i went to the bahia principe too, was good apart from it rained very heavy for the first week and alot of the local dies in there homes and things. the second week was lovely though. really enjoyed it.

went on the jet ski's loads, :dance:

 

oh and learnt a great dance too :nana2:

sorry for the delay..

Right, I went there about 2.5 years ago, we went to the North of the island on the costa dorada which is just a bit further along ( walking distance ) from puerta plata.

We stopped in the iberostar costa dorada and it was fantastic, we did go for a nosey around some of the others and from what we saw ours was the best by miles.

The island is v v v v poor, and you do get harrassed everytime you go out on an excursion, i dont think id venture out around the island in a rent a car.

We went on a couple of trips, one was a monster truck safari, where you go out in these old 8 wheeled converted ww2 missile launchers, up into the hills , ploughing through rivers and such like. Whilst out in the sticks yopu stop off at local villages, the odd school and farm, and you get to see how poor the place really is, people washing clothes in rivers and such like. However, one thing i did notice was that the locals in the sticks genuinely appeared friendly, when we stopped at the school, one kid was facinated by my watch, some of the girls had picked flowers for the women on the trip and everyone seemed happy. the kids even though poor all looked clean and their clothes were clean too. Befroe we went on the trip they suggested that you bought pens, pencils and books etc to hand out ( if you wanted too, rather than give sweets) and the kids seemed happy to get this stuff.

It was only when we went to the big towns ( ie on the rum factory/cigar factory tour, not really worth going on) where the people seemed alot more hostile, pushing mahogany ( i can tell you, they arent real mahogany)cicar boxees in your face trying to get you to buy. Here all the kids were in rags and the places were pretty grimey, everyone had their hand out for cash, i think if we had given pencils they would have stuffed them up our ass.

The best tour we did was the paradise isalnd one, where they took us back to the airport, flew us down to the south side of the island, put us on speed boats and took us to the most beautiful beach i have ever seen. The place was just like the bounty ad for those that remember and had loads of butterflies swarming up and down the beach.

After feeding and beering you, its back in the boats and off to a submerged sand bank. Kinda strange being stoof in the middle of the sea, but the water only up to your middle, there was starfish and all sorts floating round aswell.

Back in the boat, back to the plane, back home to the hotel, probably the best holiday trip i have ever done, ( Except maybe going to see the pyramids/cairo on a mini cruise while staying in Cyprus).

Dont forget to have your jabs up to date before you go, i didnt take the malaria tablets as i'd heard bad things about them, generally ruining peoples holidays ( although no doubt better than getting malaria), but after doing a bit of homework it seemed that the main mozzie hotspots were inland near the Haiti border. I just loaded up with DEET mozzie repelent, didnt get bitten once.

After going there , i would defintely like to go back to the caribbean again, but maybe i'd prefer one of the other islands, maybe Antigua or something.

I would go back to the dom rep though, for the price you cant beat it, and if i went back again, id try the south side for a change, but i'd defoo go in one of the iberostar hotels, they were ace.

This is a useful site, sounds a bit porn starry but its good

http://www.debbiesdominicantravel.com/

 

Any questions give me a shout