Las Terrenas
Here at the Itinerary Investigator, we like to venture outside of large resorts and immerse ourselves in the local culture as much as possible. Nothing wrong with a poolside, all inclusive vacation, but for this trip to DR, we skipped the large resorts of Punta Cana and Puerto Plata, and found ourselves right between the two, in Las Terrenas!
Arriving in Las Terrenas:
The best way to get to this peninsula is to fly into Santo Domingo and take a private taxi or the bus. Either one will take about 2.5 hours; a private taxi will be around $100 each way and the bus is $10 (but you will need to take a taxi from the airport to the bus stop, just ask for a taxi at the airport and have them take you to the bus station to catch the bus to Las Terrenas. The bus also does not take you directly to Las Terrenas, they will stop at a town on the opposite side of the peninsula and you will need to take a moto de taxi from there to town. The bus option is not great for those traveling with large luggage or adverse to riding on the back of a motorcycle).
Once you arrive, you will find a small town right on the beach, boasting a wide variety of bars and restaurants with a very local feel. This is a popular destination for expats so you will hear Spanish, French, and Dutch being spoken, but very little English.
Exploring Las Terrenas:
While there are day trip ideas listed below, when in Las Terrenas, it is about relaxing and enjoying the beach/ocean! If you start in the main town and head west, you will find miles of beaches starting at Las Terrenas Beach and ending up at Playa Ballenas. Along the way you can find beach restaurants and bars with lounge chairs available for rent, some water sport activities, and a very cool ship wreck right on the beach. We spent quite a few days soaking up the sun and just enjoying the natural beauty. (Pro tip: Head over to the grocery store to stock up on some alcohol to make drinks to bring down to the beach with you).
The town, although smaller, still has a great energy about it and offers quite a bit of shopping, so don't forget to take a stroll through the main street and enjoy the offerings. And don't forget to stop for a drink at El Mosquito Art Bar!
All in all, Las Terrenas is the perfect spot to get away from the crowds of tourists, busy resorts, and slow down a bit to really enjoy your beach side vacation.
salto el limon
If you are looking for a day trip to explore more of the area, then look no further than a visit to Salto El Limon Waterfall! The giant waterfall is nestled in the tropical forest and boasts a large pool that you can swim in and can often witness local cliff divers showing off their skills!
There are tours that you can arrange through your hotel, but if you are looking to do it on your own, the best and cheapest way to get to the waterfall is by Gua Gua (A shared taxi or bus). You can catch the one heading towards the waterfall next to La Bodega in downtown Las Terrenas. (Pro tip: there is a wonderful little bakery one block away, Boulangerie Francaise, that is a great spot to have breakfast before your adventure!). The stop is not marked, but you will often see locals waiting in the area to catch a ride so you can confirm with them if you are in the right spot.
The Gua Gua that we got was just an unmarked truck with some benches in the truck bed, others are mini vans, or cars, so just check with the driver to make sure that they are heading towards Salto and you should be good to go! You will then be dropped off on a local town street and it will be a short walk to the entrance to the waterfall trail (again, just ask the driver or locals where to go or grab a moto taxi if you would prefer not to walk up the incline.)
Once at the entrance you will be greeted by guides. You can either choose to hike to the waterfall on your own (about 45 minutes each way), hike and hire a guide, or rent horses. Do not let them scam you by saying that a guide or horse is required and also stick firm to any price you agreed to prior to leaving on the tour because they may ask for more money later on. We opted to hire a guide and hike as the horses seemed very malnourished and poorly cared for and the guide was $10 not including tip. There is also an entrance fee to the waterfall (less than $5pp) so be sure to have pesos on hand. The hike itself was not too difficult but we do suggest wearing good shoes, preferably waterproof, as it is muddy and you will be crossing rivers.
Once at the waterfall, there are a lot of stairs that you will need to climb down, and eventually back up if you wish to swim in the pool at the base of the waterfall, so be prepared for some strenuous exercise. It was well worth it to jump in on a hot and humid day after the hike though. Keep in mind that the guides only want to sit around for 30-min to an hour, so discuss the time you want to stay there while negotiating the price.
Playa Bonita
While Playa Ballenas, is beautiful, if you want to venture out and see the beach everyone talks about, then head on over to Playa Bonita which is located about a 20 min taxi de moto ride outside of Las Terrenas and is a beautiful beach with less wind, and calm, crystal clear blue water.
The shoreline is dotted with rental properties and hotels but it is still quiet enough to provide a nice day of relaxation. Some of the hotels offer restaurants and lounge chairs for you to rent.
All in all, this is a must see beach in the area and great to spend a day at, lounging in the sun.
Santa Domingo
Unfortunately, we were visiting during 2020 so we were unable to experience many of the restaurants and nightlife options, we do apologize for not being able to provide better recommendations other than walking around and admiring the architecture.
But if you are interested in checking out the sites, then make your way into the Zona Colonial. Once here, you can wander around and stumble across sites such as the Catedral Primada de America, Fortaleza Ozama, and The Alcazar de Colon. While closed at the time, you can now purchase tickets to go inside the sites and tour around.