My Dominican Republic

Hello, my dear readers.
Once again I will try to briefly tell you about a new trip to the distant country of the Dominican Republic, or as we call it easier – Dominican Republic. From the previous my reviews you already know that I live in the steppe city of Orenburg, who is so lacking marks. And so every summer we strive to go to the sea.
There are no direct flights from our city, so we had to first go to Moscow, and then from the airport «Domodedovo» flesh on the other side of the planet.

Flight took 12 hours. Flew by the company «Azur Air». I was previously related to me that tourists swore this company, but in my case – no complaints on them. Flew on time without delay. Before the flight on every armchair, we found a packed plaid and our wigbed bag, in which they were taken, eye bandage and an inflatable collar for a comfortable sleep. During the flight, the package of salted peanuts and drinks were first given a package, and then fed twice. And although the screens hung in the cabin, but they did not broadcast anything. Therefore, we recommend to take a book or tablets with you to watch movies. Do not just sit in a chair 12 hours, especially with my height in 188 cm. The legs are striking, knees rest, thank God, the children did not turn out, so there was no special noise, but still had to periodically get up and knead. On the plane you will be given a migration card that must be filled, but… At the airport, you will require another. Blanks can be taken to the right on the tables from the general line. When you arrive, they will need to fill again.

Punta Cana Airport received us quickly. There are no queues, customs went without problems and free. Previously, they took 10 bucks customs. But some tourists suffered. It turned out that it is impossible to import any products. After the enlightenment of suitcases and bags, they were taken from sausage, cookies, fruit and t.NS. Airport Buildings are not familiar to us. There are no walls, and the roofs of the housings are coated with cane straw. There are no air conditioners, but under the ceiling huge fans hang.

The receiving party quickly sent us to a very comfortable bus, where in the backs of the seats were USB connectors – to charge your phones. At the entrance, everyone has been offered a bottle of cold water, it was already distinguished from Turkey, where it could only buy it from the driver.

Our hotel «Vik Arena Blanca – 4*» was the last, but the road from the airport, with a couple of passing hotels, took about an hour. To my eyes, I, as the driver of the Korean minibus, there was a huge number of our fellow, but only with the hyundai n-1 index. Although Toyota also met. And already motorcycles, with three passengers sitting on them – Generally a huge number. It turns out that no more than five people can move on local rules.

The hotel was chosen, on tourists and not disappointed. He cost even more expensive than some five-star hotels, but watching reviews and videos from these «Advertised» Hotels, I chose this. We were given quite a decent number. It was clear that he was after repair. The door of the built-in safe so painted that I had to cut the shoes on the sludge, because the paint was dried, and the door did not want to open. Safe in the rooms – Paid – 2 dollars a day, payment takes place on the exit. But, after reading feedback that thefts though small – Possible – took it for rent. There are minor shortcomings by number, but we did not pay any attention to them – After all, we came to rest.

The hotel is small. There are three restaurants on the system «A la card», in which you do not need to be pre-recorded, again, plus from the same Turkey. They can walk at least every evening, the only condition for men – Shorts below knees or pants, shirts with closed shoulders and closed shoes. We went to two of them, but making sure that in the main restaurant prepare no worse – more and did not seek to get there. In the Mexican restaurant, I ordered Sevich from shrimp and pork ribs barbecue. Ribs then tried in the main restaurant – The same tasty. They can only go because of marine and fish dishes. Although even the main restaurant served a fish of two varieties – delicious and very tasty.

Of the fruits are constantly very sweet pineapples, gorgeous mango, a kind of papaya, not very sweet watermelons and melons, but delicious bananas and a specific Maracuy. From alcohol – not bad beer and dry wine three colors. Strong drinks can only be triggered in the bar, or in restaurants «A la card». Many diverse meat – Pork, beef, lamb, chicken and turkey. Many multicolored rice – Main side dish at Dominicans. Pasta, potatoes, in general, all familiar to our our stomach. The buffet looks more modest than in Turkey, there is no east saint. But the hungry should be just impossible. There were dishes and seafood, but rarely, it is better to visit other restaurants. Although dinner, even mostly, was always richer and more interesting than breakfast and lunch.
Animators in the hotel are, but evening program – as such is not. Yes, and the our language there still few people understand. At the hotel, even at the reception, one of the administrators knows several phrases, so it is better to communicate in English or Spanish. But you can use the translator in the smartphone – slow but practical. Internet free catches only at the reception and then barely barely. In the evening, when there is a lot of people sitting – Have a long time to wait for page downloads.

Coffee delicious only from machine guns, also in the reception hall. In restaurants he is no. In bars serve a bunch of various cocktails. All with rum and very sweet. Leave a couple bucks – will make more or less standing, and free, you know – without any entourage and adherence. Rum – decent, brandy is not at all – only for money. Give brandy, but to taste very sharp. Tequila local – weak, but very tasty tomato juice on spill. From popular drinks is «Mamahuana» and «Coco-Loco». The first is a tincture of local roots and herbs on honey, fault and roma – It is considered local Viagra – Delicious. Second – it’s coconut juice with rum – Also a pleasant cocktail. Juice of coconuts themselves – You can try on the beach, there they sell them for 5 bucks, or how shit. Or near the pool, the hotel gardener sells them – His legal travelation. There you can already be stumbled and to a pair of bucks for coconut. But he, practically, tasteless and herbal. We have birch juice and then tastier. Mango bought on the beach for 2 dollars, but he was wild. Delicious juice, but the flesh is very fibrous. After the bite, then five minutes pull out long fibers from all the gaps between the teeth – buy and portray. The hotel serves it without these fibers – Just kneading. Cleaning slow, but daily, are cleaned more or less decent, regardless of whether you have a tip, or not. We left.

Sometimes it was a tropical rain, but it is warm and very short, a maximum of five minutes, after which it is sunny again.

And now the most important thing – the sea, or more precisely the Atlantic Ocean, for which this trip. He disappointed us. During the resting period to the shores of the beach, there were so many herbs from Sargassovo Sea, which spoiled the mood of all the holidaymakers. She, of course, was cleaned constantly – tractors and trucks, but only by the end of the rest water became more or less clean, where it was already possible to dive with the mask. The underwater world is not very rich, sailing away from the shore can be viewed on coral atolls of fish of different sizes and colors. And the shores find things lost by tourists — most often it is sunglasses. On the ocean there are constantly waves, which are knocked down these decorations from swimmers. I found a lot of broken glasses, and a couple more or less. Photo attached. My wife turned out to be more successful, but on earth. Found a torn silver chain, a ring and a modest suspension from a local semi-precious stone Larimar, which is so famous for Dominican. Decorations from it can be bought even on the territory of the hotel. Local walk along the surf «Walking», I suggest you buy all sorts of hard or the same excursion tours and water entertainment, but they are not suitable for sun loungers – For this strictly follows local security. By the way, about places on the beach. We have breakfast at 7 am, then they went to the reception to check the mail on the smartphone, and then went to the beach – places was even excess. People pulled up far after 9 hours. Beach towels can be changed at least every day. So problems with placement on sun loungers in the morning – No.

The beach is constantly blowing on the beach, so the heat of 30 degrees is not felt at all, even a little cool. But burning from this much easier. The body does not feel the heat of the sun. We took protective cream with an index of 50, but still managed to burn, when they went with a tour of Sana Island. At the hotel, its receiving parties sell for $ 149 (privileged tour) and that if you buy it right today, tomorrow it will cost 170 bucks. But we are experienced tourists and at home through the Internet found reviews and prices of Vyacheslav living in Dominican Republic. This trip on the system «VIP» cost 100 bucks per person. And it was a tour where we were only 15 people with a check-in after visiting the island in the lagoon with the maritime stars, snorkeling and visiting the city of artists «Altoas de Chowon». I recommend it to all tourists!

We were brought to the island long before visiting its main groups. Silence, people no, gorgeous coast with snow-white sand, almost no waves, palm trees «Bounty» and Lazorian water. The specificity of local quartz sand is that it does not heat at the sun at all. Stones hot, and the sand is cool – very nice to walk and it is not only on the island, but also everywhere on the coast. For us, two drawers of the freezer were unloaded, in which there was a drink: — «Brugal — Anejo» — rum, cola, juices and water, which are very rallied all our team. And when after swimming, sunbathing and photo shoots on tanned palp trees without a crowd of the excess people we sat on the table and served roasted lobs, pork ribs, chicken, rice and fried in foil fish, again with drinking – The team became united!

We were taken from the island when a bunch of other tourists began to arrive there. We visited the lagoon and were photographed with huge sea stars. Threw in the bay with masks and went to the city of artists. I will not describe it – And so full reviews about it on the Internet, but the photos will get wonderful. We were taken from the hotel at 7 am and at 7 pm we returned back. So if anyone interest – Coordinates of Vyacheslav you can find on the site «VC» in Niku «Slava Boivka». It is forbidden to indicate full links. We really liked it and not only this excursion. We once took advantage of Vyacheslav and visited «our store». You will organize a free shuttle service in it if the purchase amount will be at least $ 100. But when we arrived at it and compared prices with those offered near our hotel – then they roamed on larger amounts.

On arrival, still at the airport I went to the Duty Friend store and asked about prices – Very much expensive, compared with the same duty «Domodedovo». So we are all souvenirs and alcohol bought in the store «Hope our tourist». Before departure on the site «Drive-2» I read a review of a person who had just returned from this country. Compared prices consulted from him. So he is to save money also into other stores. In his revocation rum «Barselo Imperial» cost 24 dollars, in a our store it was sold for 21. Near the hotel for him originally asked 42 dollars. And again, thanks to the seller of this store, which advised us not to take those drinks, which can be bought in Russia – Famous brands of the same Roma. We first rushed to them, but the girl gave us to try a completely different drink, which is not export. And we were not disappointed in it. Scored a variety of yummy from the local Roma. The most expensive of which Cubaney Oliver Karamelo for 25 dollars with a capacity of 0.7 L. Other Roma bottles with different fruit flavors with a capacity of 350 ml. – bought from 6 to 9 bucks. Mamakhuan 0.7 L. without Korehkov, «clean» bought for 12 dollars.

Small Edu Technophobia – Do not buy a ready-made Mamahuan in a bottle with roots. The fact is that the specificity of its preparation is that at first it is poured wine, and Roma, give it at least two weeks, after which the whole liquid is poured, without drinking it. And the plant is distinguished – just such. To taste it will be very bitter. Many tourists who drank her in hotels, then spit, saying which nasty they were there. So it is better to buy a peeled drink, treat your friends, and then from dry set to insist your option. By the way, it is sold only $ 3 per package and serves you from 3 to 5 years. Also bought a different coffee with taste additives and cocoa. The wife naturally acquired a bunch of natural cosmetics made of cocoa oils, coconut, almond and t.NS. Upon return to the Motherland «duty free» on the departure no longer scared with your prices – So you can take there. Although what we have chosen in the our Store – In the duty I no longer found. So I bought Jean «Bifiter» (Beefeater) liter for 22 bucks (we have more than 2,000 rubles) to celebrate the arrival in Moscow. As well as with his wife bought beloved perfumes, well, and something again from cosmetics. And everywhere Dominicans give you to try drinks, even at the airport – You can expect to be adjusted.

We are 100% satisfied with holiday, but the second time I will hardly go there. Yes and live me there is not very hunting. Calm life will no longer be cheap. And live, like many in houses with lattices and fence with barbed wire – I have no desire. Calm sleep you guaranteed in protected cottage settlements. There are already home cozy without lattices, and security, and all the amenities. BUT. Local guides told us that the most unpleasant here – These are omnipresent mosquitoes. At the hotel, they did not annoy us. In the rooms I did not notice them, but in the evening, sitting at the reception – busali for bare legs. But in the territories of hotels are struggling with them, but in simple houses – This is a distress. Yes and housing I would not call cheap. Good flat – can cost from 60 to 100 thousand. dollars, and at home and more. But those who were still there – I recommend to visit. Maybe your vacation option will be better than us.

What I forgot to mention – Then appear in the comments. Ask – I will gladly share my knowledge!