Last year, many Italians spent a holiday in the Dominican Republic. Almost 83 thousand visitors arrived from Italy, +9,8% compared to 2018 and, more generally, 7 million tourists visited the island in 2019, not counting cruise passengers who numbered approximately 2 million .
To tell it to fortourslovers is Neyda Garcia, director of the Dominican Tourism Board in Italy on the occasion of the International Tourism Exchange (Bit) which took place in Milan. Many tourists always visit the same destinations: the beaches of Bayahibe and Punta Cana. This is why the 2020 goal is to introduce new destinations, focusing on sustainability and ecological tourism.
In fact, never before in this country can one find such a great offer of eco-tourist attractions and sustainable projects, perfect for independent travelers and sports enthusiasts, who do not rely on tour operators and who do not like classic all-day holidays. inclusive. “It's right,” García explained, “that other destinations are known. Of course, they are targeted trips, where it is better to arrive with a scheduled flight and for which the distances are not scary. Our roads are beautiful, but we must remember that ours is a very large country."
From an ecological point of view, the Dominican Republic is a true paradise, full of places yet to be discovered, parks and lagoons, protected animal species, lush and uncontaminated nature and the remains of the culture, customs and traditions of the primitive Taìno Indians who populated the island before the Spanish conquest.
Among the most fascinating destinations to explore is the Samanà peninsula, which constitutes one of the wildest stretches of coast, with lakes, lagoons and natural parks. Here there is one of the most famous attractions that is worth seeing: the Lemon Jump, an impressive three-spout waterfall, originating at the point where the waters of the Arroyo Chico flow into the Río Limón, which falls from a height of 55 metres, creating, at the base, a wonderful natural pool with fresh, clear waters. It is also beautiful The Haitians National Park (literally, “hilly terrain”), which is home to one of the last rainforests on the island and is full of caves and islets. The jungle of this park was the set of the film "Jurassic Park".
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Then there is the province of Puerto Plata which is located in the North, an area surrounded by sea and mountains with 300 thousand square meters of coastline which is home to the largest amber deposits and naturalistic attractions, from waterfalls to natural lagoons up to the mountains. Moving further north-west there is Montecristi, where there is a national park populated with mangroves, pelicans and expanses of gigari.
One of the most heavenly and least known places in the Dominican Republic is Seven Brothers Keys, an archipelago of virgin islands that delimit a 30 kilometer coral area, with enchanting marine fauna.
In the south-west of the country there are also the provinces of Pedernales and Barahona, emerging regions of Dominican tourism that preserve the most uncontaminated nature. In Pedernales, for example, there is a "crazy" beach, as Neyda García defines it: Bahía de las Aguilas, where there is absolutely nothing. It must have appeared as it did today when, in 1492, Christopher Columbus set foot there for the first time. Located within the Parque nacional Jaragua, it is an uncontaminated Eden, where the clear and crystalline waters of the Caribbean Sea lap a very white beach, like a true postcard. “The Ministry of Tourism together with that of the Environment of the Dominican Republic work together so that these places remain protected and nothing can be built,” explained the director. “They will remain as they are, to be enjoyed by those who come to visit them in the future.”
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In Barahona, however, there is the largest lagoon in the Dominican Republic, the Oviedo Lagoon, with a salt water level three times higher than that of the sea. It is one of the birdwatching destinations, but among its dense mangrove swamps you can spot royal herons, blue herons, great white herons, gulls, roseate spoonbills, sandpipers, pelicans, parrots and wonderful red flamingos. This is the most beautiful part of the island, according to Neyda García. Coming from you, a real Dominican, we trust you.
And then there are the cultural tours, in the interior of the island: in San Francisco de Macorìs, in the province of Duarte, about 130 km from the capital Santo Domingo, there is the Ruta del Cacao, while in the provinces of Salcedo and Bonao , a little further north, there is the Coffee Route, with plantations in the middle of the mountains, where it is possible to discover part of the production chain and visit the sustainable crops of the Dominican Republic.
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Finally, do not forget to visit the Capital, a city rich in history, but also a new center of art and design. This city has changed a lot in recent years. Just recently, the Museo de las Atarazanas Reales (MAR) dedicated to the sea was inaugurated, which houses a large collection of wrecks and archaeological finds linked to navigation and large-scale enterprises in the Caribbean Sea.
“15 days are not enough to visit the Dominican Republic,” explained García, “you can only see something.” Here are some ideas where to start.
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