Travel Eye on Juan Dolio (Dominican Republic, Caribbean)

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Overview:

The white-sand beaches, impressive mountain ranges striped with spectacular rivers and waterfalls, and saltwater lakes teeming with exotic wildlife are just part of the Dominican Republic's appeal. In the Southeast region is Juan Dolio, famous for its clear and tranquil Caribbean waters, magnificent cuisine and golf course, and Boca Chica, a charming fishing village with waters so shallow they resemble a pool.

Juan Dolio was originally a small fishing village, the town today is not much more than a shambling 3½-ml-long ribbon of development, merging imperceptibly with nearby Guayacanes, and comprising jumbled hotels, private resort complexes and shacks with a scattering of shops and bars in and around the "centre". The dominance of all-inclusive packages has resulted in little development of infrastructure.

Juan Dolio's appeal is its strategic position in the center of the southeast region of the country. You can easily set off to explore the most important cities of the Island, filled with entertainment, historic places, and national and international restaurants, among other activities. You might enjoy exploring caves with Indian drawings, the nearby cascades and rivers, or the Saona and Catalina Islands.

Locality:

Juan Dolio is towards the east end of Caribbean southern coast, 40 mls E of Santo Domingo, 25 mls E of its airport. It is situated on flat, uninspiring coastal plain backed by scrub and tropical farmland. Palms run along much of the length of this coast, which is protected by a reef.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

This resort offers so much to see and do: venture into Santo Domingo, where the city excitement is plentiful amid the beautiful colonial architecture; spy a parrot fish while scuba diving on the coral reef; look out for bird species such as the Hispaniolan parrot, the Hispaniolan woodpecker, the rarer Hispaniolan trogon and Hispaniolan parakeet, the palmchat; see a rhinoceros iguana or leatherback - the largest living turtle. After the sun goes down, the excitement rises. And your choices are plentiful, from the resort flair of the small town, each with an array of excellent dining options, to the cosmopolitan allure of the nearby cities.

There are narrow stretches of fine, light sand shaded by palms. Near the village "centre" the sand is not very clean, and is strewn with driftwood, seaweed and odd pieces of litter. The water is mostly shallow and protected by an offshore reef. Larger hotels provide a choice of water sports.

Juan Dolio has a small, unsophisticated commercial centre with scattered shops and services. Other small local plazas offering basic services are dotted along the coast road, running parallel to the highway.

The nightlife here offers hotel bars, live shows and discos, there is a number of independent offerings, some with local "merengue" music, there is also a casino.

For food the hotels provide the main options as there are few acceptable eateries outside. Don't drink the tap water (wash teeth with bottled water) and avoid salads or cold meats that are displayed without the benefit of chilling devices.