A long time tourist destination for its resorts, the Dominican Republic is now a popular port-of-call for cruises. Located on the eastern side of Hispaniola, the D.R. is an island shared with Haiti. The Port of La Romana, located in the resort village of Casa de Campo, is a stop for many vessels including the Carnival Vista ship. World-class golf courses, skeet-shooting, tennis and horseback riding are popular shore excursions.
The white sand beach of Bayahibe is approximately a half hour ride east from the cruiseport and popular for watersports, restaurants and shops. From Bayahibe, many passengers opt for the Saona Island excursion by boat which is famous for its crystal clear waters, picturesque beaches, tropical scenery and sea-life; the island, home of Eastern National Park, lies on the southeast tip of the Dominican Republic.
Carnival Vista’s sister-ships Carnival Conquest, Carnival Sensation and Carnival Splendor sail to the D.R.’s newest destination for cruise passengers, Amber Cove. This port-of-call located in Bay of Maimon on the northern coastline of the Dominican Republic near Puerto Plata has been revived after cruise ships not visiting the area since the 1980’s; recently re-developed over five years with an $85 million investment by Carnival Corp, within the last year Carnival, Holland America, Princess, P&O, AIDA , Costa and Cunard vessels have begun to visit the land known for its landmarks featuring translucent, burnt stone. Amber Cover offers the visitor shopping, zipline and water sports, cabanas and hammocks, a 360-degree bar, aqua zone featuring a swim-up bar, water slide and resort-style pools as well as wide variety of shore excursions.
Along with the ports-of-call — La Romana and Amber Cove, Punta Cana is a popular destination in the Dominican Republic. Punta Cana is located on the easternmost tip touching both the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The home to luxurious, all-inclusive resorts along with the Bavaro area form La Costa del Coco known as the Coconut Coast. Visitors enjoy outside activities, such as golf, zip-lining, windsurfing, sailing and kayaking, the pristine beaches and exploring the lagoons of the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park.
One of the top tourist attractions in the D.R. is the New World’s oldest city, Santo Domingo. The oldest existing cathedral in the Americas is located in the city – the First Cathedral of America. Located in Higuey is one of the most superb exemplifications of modern religious architecture and leading pilgrimage centers in Latin America, Basilica of Our Lady. Other sites often visited include the beach at Playa Dorada, Samana Peninsula and Samana Bay, Jarabacoa, an eco-tourism destination and the Caribbean’s number one rated golf course, the thirty-ninth rated course in the world, Teeth of the Dog, a links course resembling those found in the British Isles nestled along the ocean, overlooking the Chavon River in Casa de Campo.
Special Needs Group is pleased to provide service to those staying in the following locations in the Dominican Republic: Amber Cove, Bavaro, Boca Chica, Cavarete, Juan Dolio, La Romana, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Samana, Santo Domingo and Sousa. For more Dominican Republic vacation information, please visit us at www.specialneedsgroup.com.
Travel Agent – January 2017 Newsletter Full Article