Roam Guide / Low-key Dominican Republic
Anika Schöniger hasn’t compromised on her passion to travel since her and her husband Christian had their son Levi in 2017. She believes it’s a privilege to travel with children, feels that long distance flights are 100% survivable, and maintains it’s attainable to stay in kid-friendly places that are also unexpected. You can follow her journey at Kids Well Traveled Additionally, Anika’s responsible with her annual travel budget and won’t make compromises there either. Her favorite quote captures her spirit; “I travel because I need to. Because my wild, adventurous spirit can’t live according to the norm. I travel to reinvent myself, to be the best me I can be, to find joy in the ordinary and peace in exploring. I travel to be.” - Unknown.
Where?
El Encuentro and the Samaná peninsula, Dominican RepublicFor many, traveling to the Dominican Republic means settling into a five star all inclusive resort near Punta Cana. But to honest that’s not my kind of holiday. So I was surprised when I first learned that this Caribbean island offers quaint surf towns and quiet beaches. And that’s exactly what we found during our two weeks in the country; a refreshingly quiet isolation. We started near the bustling surf area around Cabarete, which sits on the north coast, where the beaches are wild with natural beauty, the waves substantial and the palm trees abundant. We ended our trip further east on the Samaná peninsula near Las Terrenas, an uncrowded beach lovers paradise. The Samana Peninsula, is a strip of land between Punta Cana and Puerto Plata, with more sky high palm trees than resorts.
Rtip: If happen to be a fan of an all-inclusive and you are headed to DR, then we suggest Melia Caribe in Punta Cana. Two Roam Guide contributors have stayed there and they both said they would return, which is saying a lot, since they are very different travelers.
When to go?
My favorite time to holiday is during the German winter. We try to escape the cold weather twice a year, once around October/November and again in February/March. Travel season on the north end of the Dominican Republic is from February to April. We visited in March.
How to get there?
We flew out of Frankfurt and booked our flights on Air Canada, with a stop back and return in Canada, and a final destination of Puerto Plata. When we arrived we were picked up at the airport by a driver arranged for us through the hotel. It was a bit tricky to organize a car seat only because it’s unusual for the Dominican Republic but the hotel manager was so helpful in organizing that for us. In general we booked all our transfers via the hotels, which was the safest and most convenient way to get around. After a week on El Encuentro we drove 3 hours further east to stay for one more week on the Samaná Peninsula. The drive is mainly along the coast which makes the ride itself really stunning.
Where did you stay?
When we travel I always look for small properties or boutique hotels. I like the individual style they offer, and to me it feels more like I’m experiencing a sense of place. Of course, there may be less facilities or services than a big resort, but the charm it offers makes all the difference. With this type of private atmosphere you can really experience the destination like you live there.
“It truly was a vacation experience like no other, a remote and gorgeous tropical paradise.”
In Cabarete, we stayed in a beach bungalow at El Encuentro Surf Lodge, only 50 meters away from a gem of a beach. The rooms are a bit further away from the main hotel but offer a closer proximity to the water and their own pool area. Breakfast was delivered upon request via WhatsAp straight to your room.
Rtip: Another brilliant undiscovered property for those headed to northern DR, is the stunning boho, Playa Grande Beach Club which has less than 10 bungalows, direct beach access and private luxury.
In Las Terrenas, our home for the week was La Maison. An architectural masterpiece of tropical minimalism. If I was to build a house in a warm climate it would look exactly like this. It has only four rooms so you have a lot of privacy. There is a shared kitchen, breakfast included, and the owners are available via WhatsApp as a type of concierge service. They were ready all day for any requests. They organized taxis, dinner delivery and day trips for us.
Rtip: With only a few rooms available by design, a boutique hotel option to consider in Samaná would be the Bannister Hotel and Yacht Club. Alternatively, if you are looking for an eco-lodge then both the Dominican Tree House Village, and Paraiso Cono Hondo are lush rain-forest friendly respites hidden in the exotic jungle nearby.
What should we do?
The whole area around El Encuentro is so cute and laid back. Safe to say, idyllic, especially if you want to surf. We explored the area around the hotel on bikes which we rented on site. Just a few meters down the beach there was a surf spot with a little bar, two surf schools and a restaurant, essentially the village of El Encuentro. There was more to see and do in Cabarete but we found it a bit crowded so we stuck to the hidden beach in front of our bungalow. While the north coast of the Dominican Republic does not have the white sand and the turquoise waters that are well known in the south of the country, it still offers a quiet sandy isolation. Our vacation was pretty low key but if you are looking for a little adventure I’d suggest you wander out to the beach ruins between Cabarete and Sosúa.
“We loved the remote feeling of El Encuentro. Endless hours of fresh air and sunshine.”
“Hi I’m Anika and I’m an oceanholic.”
If you are looking for a holiday destination where you can explore an incredible new beach every day, then you’ll want to visit the Samaná peninsula. That’s where we spent the second half of our vacation. It offered us beautiful tropical beaches and the water you would expect in the Caribbean, without the crowds. There are millions of palm trees and the panorama is simply stunning. If you go between January and mid-March, and you'll spot hundreds of humpback whales migrating in Samaná Bay.
It is hard to say which beach was my favorite. There are so many and they are all very different. In El Portillo, the water is super shallow and as warm as a bathtub, so it’s an ideal beach for kids. It was also the closest to our accommodations at La Maison. There are a few well maintained hotel beaches in the area, as well as several more natural, public beaches where you’ll need to bring your own towel or plan to rent a sunbed. Take your pick. We booked a guided day trip to see several at one time, further out on the peninsula: La Playita, Playa Rincon, and Las Galeras. Playa Grande Las Galeras is truly at the end of the road with the most unique bent palm trees lining the beach. Nearby Playa Rincon offers the best panoramic view and is perfect for sunbathing. And finally, La Playita was on the busy side but it still had a really fun vibe, with locals selling coconuts and PinaColadas out of a pineapple.
Rtip: If you are into snorkeling then head to Playa Fronton which offers an underwater glimpse at the rare red sea urchin.
The city of Las Terrenas is not necessarily a destination in itself, but a a great starting point for your day trips and beach excursions. Also worth mentioning, although we didn’t make it there, is the remote jungle waterfall Salto de Limon. You can hike or horseback there with a local guide, and swim at the base of the falls. Another waterfall to consider is Cascada Lulu, both are on the Samaná Peninsula, the latter being very close to the Tree House Village, mentioned above as an option to stay.
Where should we eat when we’re there?
Look for Dominican classics like tostones and mangu. Tostones are twice-fried plantains and mangu is a traditional dish made of boiled plantains, that are mashed with butter in the same water they’re boiled in. The dish is often topped with sautéed red onions that have been cooked in vinegar.
We were lucky to find Chez Arsenio, just steps away from our bungalow, in what I described earlier as the village of El Encuentro. It was so good we had dinner there nearly every night. Cabarete, the city next to El Encuentro Beach is really no beauty in my opinion, but the Fresh Fresh Restaurant was a real oasis inside an otherwise noisy town, and the food was delicious. I suggest you get the shrimp tacos, a falafel burger, poke bowl or the yucca fries.
When in Las Terrenas we enjoyed dinner at El Mosquito. The restaurant sits inside a beautiful hotel by the same name; a spot by the way, I would absolutely consider staying. The place had a good vibe and you can surf right in front of the restaurant. We also discovered Playa Bonita on our last evening, and way too late in my opinion. It’s a beautiful beach walk with several bars and restaurants. Be sure to go during sunset.
Rtip: Roam Guide contributors suggest El Cabito, a rustic cliff-side restaurant a little further out on the Samaná peninsula. Perhaps something to consider as an end to your day trip to Las Galeras. If you do, try the local seafood paella.
What should we take with us on the trip?
My universal weapon is the Arizona Swaddle from Cosy Little Baby. It is the perfect beach item to have along and use as blanket, towel or just to provide cooling shade. When we travel on long haul flights I love my JetKids BedBox. It combines 3 things in one product. It is a ride-on suitcase in hand luggage size, which offers a lot of storage space for toys and snacks. At the airport your child can sit and ride on it, which makes it much easier and faster to make your way through the airport with little ones. However the main feature I love is that a standard economy class seat can be turned into a child sized bed for sleeping. For a downloadable packing list for traveling with small children click here.
Tell us something we don't know?
The Dominican Republic is still fighting with its reputation as an unsafe country, particularly if you go off the beaten path. In our experience we never felt unsafe in any situation. That said, I think it’s crucial to organize your transfers well, ideally with a driver trusted by the hotel. Traffic and driving can be super crazy anyway so it’s in your best interest.
What you’d do differently next time?
Our friends, who were there at the same, added a stop in Punta Rucia, 2 hours east of Puerto Plata. They stayed at the Punta Rucia Lodge and they loved their stay! In retrospect, we were really jealous that we didn't invest in the 2 hours drive to see yet another spectacular untouched area of the Dominican. In some pictures it looks like the Maldives!
