Travel Eye on Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic, Caribbean)

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Overview:

Puerto Plata, the city capital of the Dominican Republic province of the same name, sits on the country's north coast and is the gateway to the numerous holiday towns and resorts on the coast. The coastline itself is blessed with beautiful stretches of pristine beach, lush green valleys and backed by the majestic Mount Isabel de Torres.

Columbus described the spot as 'the fairest land under heaven' when he arrived there in 1492, and the thousands of visitors that arrive every day today tend to agree with him. The city sports a romantic air of days gone by, enhanced by its Victorian architecture with its filigree lace wood and ironwork and 'gingerbread' motifs that characterise most of the historic homesteads and public buildings.

The surrounding Atlantic coastal area with its assortment of seaside towns and resorts is known as the Amber coast because of the rich deposits of lustrous semi-precious amber found in the region. On the outskirts of Puerto Plata is the major Playa Dorada complex of low-rise hotels in a country club setting of gardens and beautiful beaches.

The Dominican Republic is hot and tropical, with little seasonal variation in temperatures.  Seasons can, however, be determined by rainfall, with November to January being the rainy season on the north coast, while May is the wettest month in the rest of the country. The driest area is the west. Tropical cyclones occur on average once every two years on the island, most striking the south of the country and most happening in September and October.

Locality:

Puerto Plata is on the Atlantic North coast, on a stretch known as the Amber Coast. (4 mls E of Puerto Plata, 9 mls NW of Puerto Plata airport. 15 mls W of Sosua. 135 mls NW of Santo Domingo). It occupies a flat site complete with man-made lakes, set between the main coast road and the curving sandy coastline; bisected by a narrow creek.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

The Amber Museum -

An attractive Victorian building in the centre of Puerto Plata on Duarte Street houses the Amber Museum, showcasing a unique collection of valuable Dominican amber. According to experts the amber found in this region is the most transparent, and therefore the most valued, in the world. The substance, classified as a semi-precious stone, is actually tree resin that has hardened across millennia, often enclosing fossils of plant and insect life. The museum offers guided tours in several languages, and has a shop where a full selection of Dominican amber jewellery can be obtained.

Mount Isabel de Torres -

Towering over the city of Puerto Plata is the 2,600ft (792m) Mount Isabel, providing a popular tourist attraction. Visitors can take a seven-minute cable car ride up the mountainside to explore the summit, which offers a botanical garden and a cruciform Christ statue. There is also a restaurant from which diners can enjoy breathtaking views of the city and coastline. The cable car runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8am to 5pm.

The Brugal Rum Factory -

No visit to the Dominican Republic north coast is complete without savouring the local drink of choice, which is Brugal rum. In Puerto Plata visitors can enjoy a brief tour of the distiller's bottling operation (actual production takes place elsewhere) and end the experience with a sample. The factory produces more than one and a half million litres of white and dark rum each year.

Fuerte San Felipe -

Puerto Plata's only remnant of the Spanish Colonial days is a small fort, situated on a small peninsula in Puerto Plata Bay. The fort, featuring a moat, and a collection of historical artefacts in a small museum, was built by Columbus after his arrival in 1492, when he hoped to establish the first Spanish colony in the New World at this spot. The colony did not survive, however, and eventually the Spanish resettled on the south coast at Santo Domingo. To the east of the fort is an Oceanside road known as the Malecon, which features numerous cafes and roadside vendors. It is a popular promenade for walks beside the beach.