Boca Chica Hotels

Boca Chica Beach is a beautiful beach in the South of the Dominican Republic. White sands, crystal clear water that slowly gets deeper. When the sun goes down this is one of the great party spots of the Dominican Republic as Duarte Street closes down to vehicle traffic and becomes one huge Night Club.

Boca Chica is also located close to the capital Santo Domingo, which makes it a great stopover beach when you get off your flight. A cab will take you right to your motel and the next morning when you get up, you are either a short walk to the beach or right on the beach depending on which motel you choose.
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The quality and variety of food available in Santo Domingo is incredible. You will be able to find food of every style and that fits and budget. The problem is Santo Domingo is huge! Figuring out where to go and how to get there can be a little tough. I found that relying on a taxi drivers ability to both know a restaurant exists in the city and where it is usually is not a good idea. This can often result in a very long drive around the city as he tries all the areas he thinks it might be in, and of course this is going to be on your dime. This can get expensive real quickly as well as waste most of your time. It helps to know where you want to go where it is located and even basic directions on how to get there.

That doesn’t mean you have to settle for something near the hotel. It just takes a little preparation. This is a list of some of the nicer restaurants in Santo Domingo with the number to call them. (more…)

Higuey is an inland city located in the southeast portion of the Dominican Republic. Higuey is most known as a pilgrimage center with visitors going to the “Shrine of the Virgin” also called “Basilica de Nuestra Senora”. The impact this shrine has had on Dominican culture can be seen by the fact that a picture of it is prominently display on the back of the 50-peso bill.

While there are several nice Hotels in Higuey many of which are reasonably priced. It is not as likely to be a place where you will spend an extended vacation, although it might be a good stopover for those interested in viewing religious architecture or as a religious destination if you are on a pilgrimage. La Basilica is a fairly new monument only built in 1971. It is of French design and was built to replace a sanctuary built in 1572 at the same location. (more…)

The Shoestring Beach Scene

If the daily reports of bombings, massacres, and other catastrophes on the news have you down, and your work schedule has you stressed, maybe you need a little vacation. Your wallet is somewhat economically challenged you say? I know the feeling. That is why I’m taking the time out to write about my last vacation at a lovely little beachside town called Sosua, located on the north coast of this island I call home. The fact that it’s inexpensive, accessible, and a beautiful beach, makes Sosua one of my favorite vacation spots whether it be for a day trip, weekend, or longer.

Package Deals

If you are flying from overseas, a package deal is what my friends have found to be the best bargain. A flight alone is between $400.00-700.00us. But, a package deal including the flight and accommodations (for a two week stay) will cost from $400.00-$800.00us, depending on the season. Two weeks on the beach for the price of the plane ticket – not bad at all. Many of these packages even include a shuttle from the airport to the resort, allowing you to avoid the sometimes pesky negotiation process with a taxi driver on how to get there.

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