Dominican Republic
I visited the Dominican Republic in August of 2000. I immediately fell in love with it and decided to make it my first Feature of the Month. If your looking for fun in the sun and total relaxation, this could be the place for you. The beaches are wide and unspoiled, palm trees grow wild along the beach, and the people are very friendly
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I stayed at the Occidental Flamenco, in Punta Cana(first picture). You'll notice it's not a skyscraper, that's because they aren't allowed to build any buildings taller than the tallest palm tree, thus keeping it more natural and unspoiled.
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This is the front lobby. We found the hotel to be very clean and nicely decorated. The staff was very friendly and helpful. English is not widely spoken, but they are working on that. This hotel has its own school to teach their employees English. We had no trouble communicating with anyone. They are eager to understand.
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This is a picture walking from the beach towards the main building. The grounds were well taken care of. Food was plentiful and good. All of the resorts in Punta Cana are all inclusive, because you are in a very secluded area. There are five restaurants that you can choose from. There is also a number of places to quench your thirst.
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This photo is walking towards the beach. You'll notice the waves breaking off shore. The island is protected by a reef that allows for great snorkeling and swimming.
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The BEACH! Beautiful! The powdery white sand, no coral. No beach shoes needed here. The weather is fairly consistent at 70-80 degrees, a little warmer in August and September. This destination is fairly new for Americans, but the Europeans have been traveling here for many years. If you are offended by topless sunbathing, this may not be the place for you.
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The pool spans almost the entire length of the resort with various depths, and a children's area.
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This is the Punta Cana Airport. Your plane pulls up out front, you walk down the steps from the plane and into the open air airport. You must purchase a tourist card for $10.00, per person. Don't loose it, or you'll need to purchase another card to leave the country. After collecting your bags, you go through customs and out the back doors to the waiting transfer buses. Before we knew it we were on our way to our resort.
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Once at the resort, there will be a representative there who can book optional tours for you. 4x4 tours through the countryside, and catamaran sail to a private island to name a couple. There are casinos in the area, but they leave a lot to be desired. Unless you like to play the table games. Punta Cana is not for those who want to shop till they drop. Some resorts have little shops, basically just to pick up a souvenir. The real shopping would be 3 1/2 hours away in Santo Domingo, the capital of the D.R. Your hotel should have a tour there also.
I found this to be a very wonderful vacation, one I would recommend to anyone looking for a quiet laid back area to catch up on some relaxation while looking at some beautiful scenery.