 |
|
by Ken Paul Mink
CARIBBEAN DIAMOND
Dominican Republic Polishing Up Toward Goal Of Being Tourism Mecca
By Ken Paul Mink
PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic -- This country is spending literally millions of dollars to bring its tourist attractions up to date, including refurbishing a miles-long sandy ocean beach here, adding a new airport and expanding one of the most unique water attractions in the world.
The Northern DR region has served notice it wants to be the most interesting and exciting tourist locale in the Caribbean, and it is well on its way to achieving that goal.
Puerto Plata, a city of about 300,000 located on the north central coast of the DR, for many years was justifiably proud of its miles-long oceanfront Long Beach that gently kissed the blue-green waters of the Atlantic.
But over the years the beachfront had become rundown and polluted with residential wastewater and sewerage and had lost its lustre, being basically abandoned for more than 30 years.
Now, the current national tourism officials and other governmental agencies have joined forces to clean up the beach and restore it to its glory years. They are making it much better than it ever was, adding upscale restaurants, a boardwalk, dock and amphitheater. Officials say the economic impact of the beach restoration will be more than $100 million. The improvements make it possible for some 20,000 people to use the beach daily, officials say.
While the beach's $7 million regeneration was a major project, other changes are also making the Northern DR even more attractive than ever.
Ocean World, a large water park just outside the city, is nearing completion of a large marina and casino/restaurant/showroom that will add even more elements to the $95 million park.
Ocean World is unique in the fact it is perhaps the most hands-on water facility in the world, with visitors getting a chance to swim with sharks, sea lions, bottlenose dolphins and even get an up-close-and-personal look at tigers in a large pool.
Ocean Park also provides a lagoon-like swim area in which swimmers can snorkel along a river-like channel some 10 feet deep, viewing thousands of colorful fish and marine life along the way. The park also has several large aviaies, with visitors allowed to actually get in the cages and feed and handle the colorful birds of all sizes.
The park also puts on several water shows per day involving dolphins and sea lions.
The park calls its hands-on experiences "encounters" and enables customers to actually get into large water tanks and swim with dolphins, sea lions and sharks. Trainers have sharks as long as 6-7 feet so well trained customers can actually hold the sharp-toothed animals on their laps and stroke their tummies like a kitty.
The park has two large tigers, one of them a rare white tiger, which swim in a large tank adjoining the customer tank. Only an expansive glass partition some two inches thick separate the customers from the tigers. Oftentimes the tigers will be only inches away from the swimming customers, making for some spectacular photos (you can take your own shots, but the park also photographs customers in action).
While there are dozens of hotels and motels in the Puerto Plata area, several hundred thousands of tourists each year stay in one of 15 hotels located in the security-gated Playa Dorada complex on the east side of the metro area.
Playa Dorada includes hotels ranging in size from about 50 rooms to near 600 rooms. All are luxury units featuring all-inclusive fees which covers the rooms, food and drinks. All have large multiple pools and spa facilities. There is also a championship 18-hole golf course, casinos and beachfront areas available in the security areas.
The complex facilities include (ranging in size from largest to smallest, with phone numbers and web addresses): Occidental Grand Flamenco (582 rooms, 809-320-5084, www.occidental-hoteles.com), Grand Ventana Beach Resort (506 rooms, 809-320-2111, www.vhhr.com), Occidental Allegro (501 rooms,809-320-3988, www.occidental-hoteles.com), Amhsa Marina Paradise (436 rooms, 809-320-3663, www.amhsamarina.com), Hotel Puerto Plaza Village (386 rooms, 809-3204012. www.puertoplatavillage.com), Playa Naco Resort and Spa (346 rooms, 809-320-6226, www.naco.com.do), Occidental Caribbean Village (336 rooms, 809-320-1111, www.occidentalhoteles.com), Occidental Allegro Jack Tar Village (290 rooms, 809-3203800, www.occidental-hoteles.com), Hotel VillasDorados Beach Resort (244 rooms, 809-320-3000, www.hotelur.com), Viva Wyndham (204 rooms, 809-291-0001, www.vivawyndhamresorts.com), Victoria Resort and Spa (190 rooms, 809-320-1200, www.vhhr.com), Hotel Dorado Club Resort (188 rooms, 909-320-2019, www.hotelur.com), Fun Tropicale Beach Resort (184 rooms, 809-320-4054, www.fun-royale-tropicale.com), Fun Royale Beach Resort (168 rooms, 809-320-4054, www.fun-royale-tropicale.com), Casa Colonial Beach and Spa (50 rooms, 809-320-3232, www.vhhr.com).
Rates vary according to the season, with special packages available. Rates are posted on the hotel Internet sites.
Several American cell phone companies, including Verizon, have facilities in the country, with connections good in the larger cities such as Puerto Plata.
Crime in the Northern Dominican Republic is not rampant and it is generally safe for visitors to travel outside the security complex, preferably with a local guide or taking part in a local group tour (tours are offered through the Playa Dorada units and by businesses in the city, with the city unit tours generally much cheaper).
Spanish is the local language, but many of the people in the area speak at least a little English and directions are easy to come by. Puerto Plata is well worth exploring, with some spectacular ocean views and a large tram that takes visitors to the top of 2,565-foot high mountains overlooking the city and ocean.
Nearby Puerto Plata is the island of Samana, a beautiful setting that has become a favorite vacation haunt for locals. The penisula area offers the raw, unspoiled beauty of the DR, including mountain waterfalls, lush rainforests and miles of white sand beaches.
The problem has been that is has not been easy getting to and from Samana, but that has been greatly resolved with the opening of the 55 million square feet, $70 million El Catey International Airport in November. The airport, about 20 minutes from Samana, complements the smaller Arroyo Barril International Airport, with both offering domestic and international flights.
Another popular tourist attraction in the Samana area is whalewatching, with thousands each year taking tour boat into the waters to get a personal look at humpback whales, who spend months (primarily January through March)each year in the area during their breeding and birthing period. For more information on Puerto Plata or the Dominican Republic visit the web site www.dominicanrepublic-guide.info or contact any of the offices listed below:
Country
Address
Telephone Number
United States
- New York
136 E. 57th St., Suite 803
New York, NY 10022
212-575-4966
888-374-6361
United States
- Florida
248 W. Le Jeune Rd.
Miami, FL 33126
305-444-4592
888-358-9594
Canada
1464 Crescent St.
Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B6
514-933-6126
United Kingdom
20 Hand Ct. High Holborn
London WC1
0171-723-1552
There are also tourism offices located on the Dominican Republic:.
Office
Location
Phone Number
Secretary of Tourism
Secretaria de Estado de Turismo
Edifficios Gubermanentales
Av. Mexico, esq. Av. 30 de Arzo
Gazcue, Santo Domingo
809-221-4660
Ministry of Tourism
Av. Mexico
Gazcue, Santo Domingo
809-221-4660
Puerto Plata tourist office
Playa Long Beach, Puerto Plata
809-586-3676
By Ken Paul Mink
PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic -- This country is spending literally millions of dollars to bring its tourist attractions up to date, including refurbishing a miles-long sandy ocean beach here, adding a new airport and expanding one of the most unique water attractions in the world.
The Northern DR region has served notice it wants to be the most interesting and exciting tourist locale in the Caribbean, and it is well on its way to achieving that goal.
Puerto Plata, a city of about 200,000 located on the north central coast of the DR, for many years was justifiably proud of its miles-long oceanfront Long Beach that gently kissed the blue-green waters of the Atlantic.
But over the years the beachfront had become rundown and polluted with residential wastewater and sewerage and had lost its lustre, being basically abandoned for more than 30 years.
Now, the current national tourism officials and other governmental agencies have joined forces to clean up the beach and restore it to its glory years. They are making it much better than it ever was, adding upscale restaurants, a boardwalk, dock and amphitheater. Officials say the economic impact of the beach restoration will be more than $100 million. The improvements make it possible for some 20,000 people to use the beach daily, officials say.
While the beach's $18 million regeneration was a major project, other changes are also making the Northern DR even more attractive than ever.
Ocean World, a large water park just outside the city, is nearing completion of a large marina and casino/restaurant/showroom that will add even more elements to the $95 million park.
Ocean World is unique in the fact it is perhaps the most hands-on water facility in the world, with visitors getting a chance to swim with sharks, sea lions, bottlenose dolphins and even get an up-close-and-personal look at tigers in a large pool.
Ocean Park also provides a lagoon-like swim area in which swimmers can snorkel along a river-like channel some 10 feet deep, viewing thousands of colorful fish and marine life along the way. The park also has several large aviaies, with visitors allowed to actually get in the cages and feed and handle the colorful birds of all sizes.
The park also puts on several water shows per day involving dolphins and sea lions.
The park calls its hands-on experiences "encounters" and enables customers to actually get into large water tanks and swim with dolphins, sea lions and sharks. Trainers have sharks as long as 6-7 feet so well trained customers can actually hold the sharp-toothed animals on their laps and stroke their tummies like a kitty.
The park has two large tigers, one of them a rare white tiger, which swim in a large tank adjoining the customer tank. Only an expansive glass partition some two inches thick separate the customers from the tigers. Oftentimes the tigers will be only inches away from the swimming customers, making for some spectacular photos (you can take your own shots, but the park also photographs customers in action).
While there are dozens of hotels and motels in the Puerto Playa area, several hundred thousands of tourists each year stay in one of 15 hotels located in the security-gated Playa Dorada complex on the east side of the metro area.
Playa Dorado includes hotels ranging in size from about 50 rooms to near 600 rooms. All are luxury units featuring all-inclusive fees which covers the rooms, food and drinks. All have large multiple pools and spa facilities. There is also a championship 18-hole golf course, casinos and beachfront areas available in the security areas.
The complex facilities include (ranging in size from largest to smallest, with phone numbers and web addresses): Occidental Grand Flamenco (582 rooms, 809-320-5084, www.occidental-hoteles.com), Grand Ventana Beach Resort (506 rooms, 809-320-2111, www.vhhr.com), Occidental Allegro (501 rooms,809-320-3988, www.occidental-hoteles.com), Amhsa Marina Paradise (436 rooms, 809-320-3663, www.amhsamarina.com), Hotel Puerto Plaza Village (386 rooms, 809-3204012. www.puertoplatavillage.com), Playa Naco Resort and Spa (346 rooms, 809-320-6226, www.naco.com.do), Occidental Caribbean Village (336 rooms, 809-320-1111, www.occidentalhoteles.com), Occidental Allegro Jack Tar Village (290 rooms, 809-3203800, www.occidental-hoteles.com), Hotel VillasDorados Beach Resort (244 rooms, 809-320-3000, www.hotelur.com), Viva Wyndham (204 rooms, 809-291-0001, www.vivawyndhamresorts.com), Victoria Resort and Spa (190 rooms, 809-320-1200, www.vhhr.com), Hotel Dorado Club Resort (188 rooms, 909-320-2019, www.hotelur.com), Fun Tropicale Beach Resort (184 rooms, 809-320-4054, www.fun-royale-tropicale.com), Fun Royale Beach Resort (168 rooms, 809-320-4054, www.fun-royale-tropicale.com), Casa Colonial Beach and Spa (50 rooms, 809-320-3232, www.vhhr.com).
Rates vary according to the season, with special packages available. Rates are posted on the hotel Internet sites.
Several American cell phone companies, including Verizon, have facilities in the country, with connections good in the larger cities such as Puerto Playa.
Crime in the Northern Dominican Republic is not rampant and it is generally safe for visitors to travel outside the security complex, preferably with a local guide or taking part in a local group tour (tours are offered through the Playa Dorado units and by businesses in the city, with the city unit tours generally much cheaper).
Spanish is the local language, but many of the people in the area speak at least a little English and directions are easy to come by. Puerto Plata is well worth exploring, with some spectacular ocean views and a large tram that takes visitors to the top of 2,500-foot high mountains overlooking the city and ocean.
Nearby Puerto Playa is the island of Samana, a beautiful setting that has become a favorite vacation haunt for locals. The penisula area offers the raw, unspoiled beauty of the DR, including mountain waterfalls, lush rainforests and miles of white sand beaches.
The problem has been that is has not been easy getting to and from Samana, but that has been greatly resolved with the opening of the 55 million square feet, $70 million El Catey International Airport in November. The airport, about 20 minutes from Samana, complements the smaller Arroyo Barril International Airport, with both offering domestic and international flights.
Another popular tourist attraction in the Samana area is whalewatching, with thousands each year taking tour boat into the waters to get a personal look at humpback whales, who spend months each year in the area during their breeding and birthing period. For more information on Puerto Plata or the Dominican Republic visit the web site www.dominicanrepublic-guide.info or contact any of the offices listed below:
Country
Address
Telephone Number
United States
- New York 136 E. 57th St., Suite 803
New York, NY 10022 212-575-4966
888-374-6361
United States
- Florida 248 W. Le Jeune Rd.
Miami, FL 33126 305-444-4592
888-358-9594
Canada 1464 Crescent St.
Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B6 514-933-6126
United Kingdom 20 Hand Ct. High Holborn
London WC1 0171-723-1552
There are also tourism offices located on the Dominican Republic:.
Office Location
Phone Number
Secretary of Tourism Secretaria de Estado de Turismo
Edifficios Gubermanentales
Av. Mexico, esq. Av. 30 de Arzo
Gazcue, Santo Domingo 809-221-4660
Ministry of Tourism Av. Mexico
Gazcue, Santo Domingo 809-221-4660
Puerto Plata tourist office Playa Long Beach, Puerto Plata 809-586-3676
Dominican Republic Minister of Tourism website: www.godominicanrepublic.com.
This story was published on 14 Aug 2006.
|
