Our trip to Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic now seems like a lifetime ago.
It all started in January when our friends Adam and Marisa wanted to plan a beach getaway for February. I initially hesitated on booking it because I was waiting to hear back on a couple of work gigs. When those didn’t pan out, Justin and I decided to use some miles and join in on the fun! It turned out to be the best decision for a number of reasons. Not the least of which… it may be the last time we can travel for awhile.
That should not overshadow the fact that this trip would’ve been magical and memorable without the current travel restrictions. Whenever it is safe to travel again, this should definitely be on your “list!” Let this serve as your loose travel guide. (I say “loose,” because we didn’t really have much of a plan going into this trip. And neither should you.)
GETTING THERE:
We flew from New York to Santo Domingo, which is the capital of the Dominican Republic. From there, we rented a car and drove the 2 hours to Las Terrenas. (Our 5th friend flew in the next day and took a car service.) While we loved the freedom of having a car, driving in this country is not for the faint of heart. A million thanks to our friend Adam, who took on that responsibility during our trip. It was a constant game of dodging motorbikes, animals, pedestrians and other cars who paid no mind to basic traffic laws. That said, the highway between Santo Domingo and Las Terrenas is relatively new. There are a number of tolls that range from a few cents to a few dollars, so make sure you grab some cash before leaving. (There’s an ATM in the airport before exiting to the street.)
P.S.: If you happen to be the first of your party to arrive, there is a little outdoor bar across from the airport terminal that serves ice cold Presidentes while you wait for your friends. 🙂
WHERE TO STAY:
Las Terrenas is a quaint little beach town that did not install electricity until 1994! Despite this fact, it is pretty modern, and you will find all of your basic needs. This includes grocery stores, taxis, and even a restaurant delivery app called “Komida.” We stayed in a very nice development up on the hill complete with a security guard and a private infinity pool that looked out over the town. We all had our own rooms with private bathrooms, and paid about $100 each for four nights. This also saved us money for meals, as I volunteered to cook most breakfasts for the group.
As much as we adored our Air Bnb rental, after seeing other properties in the area, we all agreed that next time (and there WILL be a next time), we will seek out one of the beachfront properties.
DAY 1: Playa Las Ballenas
Because we didn’t have much of an itinerary, it feels wrong giving you one. My recommendation would be to single out a couple beaches you want to visit and maybe an activity or two. And the rest of it… see where the days take you! Our first full day in Las Terrenas, we set out on foot. Our first stop was Boulangerie Francaise for coffee and a quick breakfast before hitting the beach. (There are a lot of European transplants in Las Terrenas, so you will find lots of French and Italian eateries.)
La Vela Blanca
After about a 15-minute beach stroll to the Playa Las Ballenas area, we decided to make a pit stop at an outdoor beach bar/restaurant called La Vela Blanca. Spoiler alert: we never left. We didn’t plan to stay in one location all day, but it just sort of happened! We honestly had no reason to move on, even after our friend Andrew arrived. The drinks were flowing, we had “El Jefe” cooking us up a fresh seafood feast, and there was even a “spa” right next to the restaurant. (Really, it was just a massage table set up on the beach, but it was perfect. And it only cost me about $15 for an hour massage!) It was the ideal way to spend our first day in Las Terrenas.
DAY 2: Playa Bonita & Playa Coson
Day two of our Dominican adventure included more beach exploring. We took advantage of having a car and drove until we found a parking lot near Playa Bonita and the Mosquito Boutique Hotel. We hung on this beach for awhile before setting out to find something more secluded. It seemed like the further we walked, we would discover a scene more stunning than the last. We visited during relatively low season, but that did not stop us from marveling at the lack of people at every turn. It wasn’t “like” we had the beaches to ourselves. At certain parts of the day we actually did.
Danilo’s Parrillada de Mariscos y Pescados
Somewhere between Playa Bonita and Playa Coson, we stumbled upon a little beach “restaurant” called Danilo’s Parrillada de Mariscos y Pescados after seeing a couple of hand-painted signs along the way. I say “restaurant” in quotes because it’s just a scattering of picnic tables with an outdoor grill and a small shack where they keep supplies. The menu is whatever they happen to have fresh, which included prawns (by far the biggest and favorite of the trip), lobster, whole fish, potatoes and plantains. The prices seemed somewhat negotiable. We probably could’ve bartered a little more, but $15 per person felt more than reasonable. They also offered “piña coladas,” which I again place in quotes because they didn’t have a blender, so it was just chopped pineapple doused in rum and served in a pineapple. It was surprisingly delightful! (And strong.)
Playa Coson
We meandered our way to Playa Coson, which treated us to the most incredible sunset in recent memory. On recommendation from our Air Bnb host, we plopped down at another beach restaurant called Donde Valerio. We devoured fresh ceviche and washed it down with cold Presidente beers with our toes in the sand. Just as service was wrapping up for the day, the sun began to set and splash every imaginable shade of orange and pink across the sky. We waded out into the warm waters, and as we looked around, realized we were the only ones left to witness this spectacular sight.
Once we were ready to head back to town, we called a cab from Sublime Samana Hotel back to our car. The stroll through their pool area was something out of a lavish movie scene. Although we would still opt for a beach house rental for our return trip, this hotel would be a great choice if you were visiting with just one other person. (Rooms start around $200 per night.)
DAY 3: Whale Watching & Zu Ceviche
Whale Watching was really the only activity we pre-planned, and for good reason. If you happen to visit the Dominican Republic between mid-January and the end March, it is whale mating and birthing season! Atlantic Humpback whales have chosen Samana Bay as their breeding grounds, and each year, about two thousand of them travel here to reproduce. The government has designated it a sanctuary for these mammals, with several regulations in place to protect them. Samana town is about an hour drive from Las Terrenas, so you will either need a car or select a tour operator that offers transportation included with your whale watching.
Whale Samana
We chose Whale Samana as our tour operator due to their responsible practices. Naturalist Kim Beddall is your guide, and provides a wealth of whale knowledge (as well as very entertaining play-by-play during any whale activity.) During our 3-4 hour tour, we saw several Humpback whales, including a mom and a baby! Cost is $59 per person, plus a $5 entry fee to the Marine Mammal Sanctuary fund.
Zu Ceviche
On our return from Samana, we decided to stop into one of the little beach restaurants in Las Terrenas. What unfolded was undoubtedly (and unexpectedly) our favorite meal of the trip. Zu Ceviche is a true family affair, which makes you feel as though you are hanging out with friends you’ve known for years. As soon as we sat down, a cheeky little kid named Vicente started going through the menu with us. We later learned he was the son of the owners Alex and Susan, and would be our server for the next couple hours.
We literally saw the fish for our ceviche carried over straight from a fishing boat, and the flavor reflected that freshness. But don’t limit yourself to ceviche only. The tostones were some of our favorites of the trip, and we equally loved the fried chicken as well. It was yet another toes-in-the-sand-while-you-dine situation, and we easily spent a few hours here drinking, eating and chatting. We didn’t want to leave, but ice cream and hot showers were calling our names. (On that note, definitely stop into Gelateria Italiana on your way out.)
We finished off the trip with one last family meal and then went our separate ways the next morning. (Justin and I actually stayed in Santo Domingo for a couple extra days… more on that in a future post.)
Four days was not nearly enough time in Las Terrenas, but we all decided we WILL be back… whenever that may be. What’s on the top of your list once we can all travel again?
