Dominican Road Trip

The Wanderlust crew had spent two months in Luperón, on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, and made the super protected harbor our home for the Caribbean spring. In May, we decided it was time to get off the water, and onto land for a road trip.

Since it is uncommon for us to be in one spot long enough to host visitors, Luperón was great for welcoming guests aboard, and Quinn's dad was our first. Quinn's dad, Robb, is a 71 year old kid at heart, from the Missouri Ozark hills, with a beard that could rival Gandalf the Great's. We'll just say he's got personality to boot.

After reading National Geographic's "Traveler, The Caribbean" from cover to cover, Robb decided he'd like to rent a car and tour the northern coast of the DR, hitting up each beach along the way. It was a great opportunity for Ben and I to see some Dominican Beaches that aren't accessible by sail. So, since there are no rental car companies, we rented a SUV from a local guy named Franklin,and planned our two day trip from Luperón to Samaná and back. The four of us packed our backpacks (Yep, Ruca came along as well) and hit the road. Here's a little about our road trip destinations, getting to know the DR.

Sosúa

Sosúa is a lovely, sleepy beach town just an hour and a half east of Luperón and was our first road trip destination. The town's beach is absolutely breathtaking, with shady trees hovering over beachside tables set out by charming cafes and bars. A few large hotels dot the shoreline towards the east, but on our weekday visit, this beach was quiet, calm and delightful. We picked the shadiest table, ordered a few drinks and lunch, and let Ruca take a swim.

Playa Grande

The second stop on our cross country road trip was an afternoon swim at Playa Grande, in Río San Juan. Playa Grande is literally, really really grande, stretching for miles down the coastline. The sand was deep and soft, and the water was cool and clear...perfect for cooling down in the afternoon. Ruca had a heyday digging in the sand and running full speed "Boxer burners," scaring the honeymooners trying to romantically float in the shallows. The public beach pavilions were quaint with cobblestone streets, hosting vendors selling art and other trinkets.

Samaná

Our last stop on our road trip was the furthest eastern point of the country, in Samaná. This city is a sailing harbor that we plan to hit up by sail before making our big crossing over to Puerto Rico, but seeing it by land is a whole different story. We felt fancy when Robb offered to pick up the bill for our stay at the Hotel China, on the mountaintop overlooking the bay. We enjoyed dinner out by the harbor, and some drinks at the bayside bars, but really Ben and I were tickled to death to get back to the hotel. It was the first time we'd slept in a real bed in 10 months, and even Ruca made herself comfortable (shhh... don't tell the hotel manager!). We had hot showers, watched sports on TV, enjoyed a glass of wine at the hotel bar, and felt like normal people again!

Playa Rincón

After a wonderful night sleeping in a bed in Samaná, we had one last beach to see. The eastern coasts boasts about Playa Rincón, where the freshwater rivers of the mountains drain into the sea. In the morning, we made our way to Playa Rincón to check it out.

The "river" flowing into the water turned out to be nothing more than a few small bubbles coming through the sand in a couple of spots, but it didn't deter us from enjoying the beauty of this place. We bought some agua de cocos, and relaxed all morning before our long drive back to Wanderlust in Luperón.

After two days on the road, we felt thoroughly coursed in the beaches of the Dominican Republic, each with their own look, personality, and character. Robb had a great time, and decided he'd have to come back to the DR some time on his own for a cross-country camping trip, when he'd have time spend a few nights at each beach. However we missed our home, and were ready to get our sea legs back, aboard Wanderlust!

Thanks for Reading,

Quinn, Ben, and Ruca

#destinations #DominicanRepublic