Beyond the idleness

  Dominican Republic - January 2009

I don't know which end to start this new ticket. We've been made to do so much in so few days! This press trip aims to highlight other activities than pure "idleness" in the Dominican Republic.

Excursion to Saona Island

The proof: while we arrived on Thursday evening, it was only on Monday evening that I finally managed to swim in the turquoise Dominican waters that you can see on the tourist brochures!

Monday, therefore: excursion of pure relaxation to the island of Saona, in the south of the country. With a crossing on a huge 28-metre catamaran, reserved just for our small group of eight... Great luxury.

A well-deserved parenthesis, however, after all the "sporting" emotions that have been inflicted on us.

The light aircraft

Starting by flying over the country in an "airplane", a kind of minibus with wings and a propeller, to reach the Samana peninsula in the north and leave. The Dominican Republic seen from the sky is a fantastic spectacle.
"See the pictures: Caribbean colors
"See the video: Me gustan los airplanees

As a result, those of us who were afraid of flying are now either healed or even more terrified than before!
😆

Admire the control tower of the tiny Portillo Airport in the north, in Samana ...

Ride in ... quad

After being sent in the air, Friday place to the wild quad equipped ... Yes, yes, the quad, it is this big noisy thing between the bike and the 4 × 4, which behaves like a motorcycle for children and that goes everywhere. Even the most cautious of us loved it.

We crisscrossed heaps of super quiet beaches (well, before and after our visit) around Las Terrenas. Samana is really a beautiful area.

I highly recommend the experience. Quad riding is confusing at first, especially when you are used to "normal" bikes, but in the end it's quite fun...

This walk was especially the opportunity to get out of these tourist enclaves that are the resorts "todo incluido" where we stay, and to see a little bit the "real people". The good thing is that we can easily stop along the way.

To make a refreshing stop near a Rio where the Dominicans comes to bathe the weekend with family or between friends. To take a look at the hard-core baseball games that take place in the slick sports fields. To rave about like all urban people in front of horses, cows, pigs seen in the fields or on the road. Or even to take pictures with children, who love to admire on the screen of the camera ...

Los Haitises Park and Limón Waterfall

The next day, Saturday, we had a speedboat excursion in the morning to the Los Haïtises National Park: a scenery of limestone cliffs, full of caves and mangrove swamps, reminiscent of the Thai Andaman coast near Krabi and Phi Phi.

In the afternoon, climb through the jungle and mud on horseback to the fabulous El Limón waterfall. Perhaps the most beautiful of all our walks!

The bathing is fresh and spectacular. And it's quite difficult to get near the waterspouts while swimming. We must fight against the current and the force of the spray that takes your breath away.

Everywhere, great hospitality, very warm. It's worth it to move away from the beaches.

Yes, life is hard ... It is between 25 and 30 ° C depending on the time of day. We do not have to worry about anything, everything is organized well. And I am delighted with the excursions we have concocted.

So I would have the bad grace to complain... But here's the thing: next to that, there is the accommodation in "todo incluido" or "all-inclusive" or "all-inclusive" as you like. As beautiful as the resorts and hotels are, this kind of formula is really not my thing.

I will tell you in a next post, very subjective, my vision of the pangs and the joys of these exotic golden cages for Westerners in need of sunshine ...
😉

  Dominican Republic - January 2009