|
POP TRAVEL GUIDE: A GUIDED TOUR
OF PUERTO PLATA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Puerto Plata, known by many as POP, has a special
quality and history, being the first place Christopher Columbus set
foot on in October 12, 1492 when he embarked on his search journey
of the Indies and ended up finding a path to a "New World"
which became later known as the American continent. Such name was
given to it to honor Americo Vespucio, The explorer and cartographer
that demonstrated that the New World discovered by Columbus was not
eastern Asia, but a previously unknown "fourth" continent. Columbus
called his first settlement here La Isabela, honoring the Spanish
queen at the time and from there POP
holds a record of firsts in the new world, such as first Spanish settlement, first
church, and so on. Columbus called it "the most beautiful land on
Earth". Many Europeans still feel this is a blessed land.
Traveling to Puerto Plata takes less than two
hours from Miami International airport, and 30 minutes more
from New York's La Guardia.
 Once the airplane reaches the North
Coast of the Dominican Republic, the view below shows a long
corridor of endless white sand beaches and coconut palms, the
inviting welcome call of the Caribbean to a relaxing, naturally
gifted paradise destination. Several options are available before
you book your trip to POP, whether to stay in an all-inclusive
hotel, of which there are many of the best in this area, rent a
vacation villa with beachfront or oceanfront for a more private
experience, or a self catering beach or ocean condo in any of the
main towns.
POP offers you a wealth of choices hardly seen anywhere
else, starting with Puerto Plata town which has white sand beaches
like Long Beach, Playa Dorada, Playa Luperon,
Punta Rusia, Costambar and Cofresi beach. Long
Beach is located at the end of the ocean drive Dominicans call
Malecón, a popular place to enjoy the sea breeze and stunning
views of the Atlantic Ocean ( people call POP the "bride of the
Atlantic" here ). Many Puerto Plata restaurants, cafes and bars can be
found in this long avenue, such as TAM TAM, where ex
pats are seen each morning enjoying breakfast with coffee and
reading the news. Aguaceros is also a famous spot to enjoy a cold Presidente with the ocean view, and a good menu
of local and regional dishes. Playa Dorada, a gated private resorts
complex, offers many cafés, restaurants , discos and gift shops with
local artwork, cigars, liquor and many more items in the shopping
malls. The Isabela settlement that Columbus first built here shows
the signs of centuries past, and there is a museum with old relics
and a very rich history of colonial times and the life in the island
around those years. If you visit Puerto Plata you need to visit
Damajagua, a natural park with 27 natural pools and a
great trail for rope climbing and natural scenery. And if you travel
30 minutes into the mountain side, you will find a zip line tour
with
Yasika
Adventures, in which
you are suspended 100-300 meters above the ground, "zipping" down a
line at 30 mph, quite a thrill and very secure with staff. Also it
is worth mentioning
Rancho Montana, a horse ranch
in Gaspar Hernandez where you can have a great eco-friendly
adventure with your family. The
Outback Safari is one of the most famous adventure
trips in the North Coast, check out their website for more
information. |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Puerto Plata has a rich
tradition with roots in its colonial past, and still there can be
seen Spanish influence in the architecture of the old buildings, the
language and some aspects of the Dominican life. Many of the local
people living in Puerto Plata work for the resort and other
tourism-related industry, and the residents learn to speak other
languages out of the need to work for the tourist industry. Many
foreign visitors fall in love with local men and women, and nowadays
there is a large population of ex pats living in the north coast.
Several neighborhoods have been developed with homes ranging from
us$200-500,000 a price that can mostly be afforded by foreigners.
Places like Bayardo, Estancia, Torre Alta are among the best
locations to live, with ocean and mountain views that make
Puerto Plata real estate
a good option when it comes to investing in a Caribbean
island home.
Golden Treasures offers a
selection of homes in the finest neighborhoods and at affordable
prices too. See our real estate page for more information and a tour
of the available properties. Cofresi beach, Costambar beach and
Playa Dorada properties are also available.
Dominican Republic fishing is one of
the best attractions if you like the sport. |
|
|
Many activities are available in the
north coast area such as fishing, snorkeling,
Sosua diving,
surfing, wind surfing,
kite surfing,
golfing at oceanfront course
Playa Dorada,
dirt buggies, horse back riding, discos,
casinos, shopping malls, museums, marine themed parks (
Ocean World
)
and many tours by local tour operators such as
Mel Tours.
Fun city is the place to go if you want to enjoy driving
go-karts with the kids and other activities. Dolphin
swimming and shark encounters ( educational ) are also
available at Ocean World, which also has a marina,
restaurant, disco and a very nice casino with sea-life
design from start to bottom. Places like Coco Bongo and
Hemingway's are a must visit for grown ups for disco nights
and bar chatting in Playa Dorada, where also there are movie
theaters if you don't want to miss a world premiere. The
concierge at your hotel or private villa will help you get
reservations for activities and other extras such as car
rentals, private chef, laundry service, office center
services, tour guides, etc. so you can make the most of what
foreigners call Puerta Plata ( misspelled ).
Some advice before traveling:
beware that there are mosquitoes as this is a
tropical island, so bring some mosquito repelling spray. Also beware
that tap water should not be drunk, only bottled water. Also the ice
in drinks should come from bottled water, so make sure the bar you
visit looks clean enough. Some anti-diarrhea
pills might come in handy, just in case. Local police for tourists
areas are called
POLITUR, dressed in navy blue pants and white
shirts or t-shirts and always found patrolling the bars and beaches.
Drug use is illegal in the Dominican Republic, with heavy fines and
jail time.
The country is safe for tourists, but if you wander to poor
neighborhoods or hang out with street "chicas", chances are you'll
get stripped off your money in one way or another. It's better to
enjoy the best of the north coast within the tourist destination
areas, or get a local guy to guide you around. |
|
|
|
|
GET A FLIGHT TO POP - AIRLINES
IN THE INTERNET |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
OCEAN VIEW VILLA FOR RENT IN PUERTO PLATA
The Puerto Plata Guide is brought to you by Golden
Treasures,
your trusted
real estate and vacation rentals source in the north
coast of the island.
Guide Web Design:
Puerto Plata Web Design Services
|
