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En República Dominicana el viajero tiene la posibilidad de combinar diferentes modalidades turísticas. / In the Dominican Republic, travelers have the chance to combine different travel modes.
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THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND DOESN’T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND IN THIS NEW TRAVEL TREND IN WHICH TOURISTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER THE MOST GENUINE THINGS THE DESTINATION HAS TO OFFER ON THE BASIS OF THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE

n recent decades, tourism has burst into an explosion of forms, quite often linked to a particular color. Having said that, we can talk about green or ecological tourism, or white travel linked to winter and mountain sports. As a trend, travelers are increasingly seeking more new experiences and sensations, and their interests when it comes to planning a trip are no longer the same. Many are spooked by the idea of always being a plain tourist during their journeys around the world.
Perhaps that is why orange tourism has emerged, a new niche that seeks to bring culture and tourism together in a bid to give travelers the opportunity to unravel the most genuine things any travel destination has to offer on the basis of their own experience. It’s all about a new travel philosophy that has seduced millions of people from around the world. And in that sense, the Dominican Republic is determined not to trail behind the pack as it has set out to become one of the top destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean for this particular segment.
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south, the Dominican Republic is a paradisiacal tropical country that boasts some 1,600 km of coastline, 400 km of the best beaches in the world, luxurious hotels and a variety of sport-related options, recreational to-dos and entertainment. People there dance to the exciting beat of merengue, and visitors can scour centuries-old ancient relics from the past or wallow in the delicious Dominican cuisine.
In this eye-popping destination, which now gets dressed in orange, it is interesting to experience life as if we were local citizens. It is very feasible to explore the country by road, since the main cities are no more than four hours away from one another and there are several options for public and private transportation. If you start out in the lively capital of Santo Domingo, a trip by land to the east to relax in Punta Cana takes no more than a three-hour drive. Then, you can move about four hours north to the lush and green region of Samana. But you can also hop on a domestic flight from any of the country’s eight international airports.
However, driving your way around offers the chance to pull over at a variety of roadside bars in the form of motley paradores that dish out Dominican-flavored fast food. In many of them, you are likely to come across speared pig, a popular local recipe, along with tasty homemade desserts prepared by the locals, like tender coconut custard. The possibility of scouting the country’s southern part also gives the traveler the enjoyment of countless fruit trees that are lined up along the roads, including mangoes, avocados, passion fruits and coconuts.
One of the many promising benefits of orange tourism is the possibility to combine different travel segments. And in this respect, the Dominican Republic has the upper hand due to its rich ecological diversity, which allows travelers to blend ecological (green) tourism with other segments.
In the promising southwest region of Barahona, the trend of luxury camping or glamping offers the opportunity to camp out on some of the world’s most pristine beaches. There, it is possible to sleep peacefully under the stars and wake up to the swaying sound of the waves, let alone take naps in hammocks right under the shade of tropical palm trees.
And you don’t even have to bring sleeping bags because the stores at the glamping sites are outfitted with beds. In addition, the camps have bathrooms, showers and fully-stocked restaurants and bars. Many of them provide tours and snorkeling rides through hidden beaches. As a matter of fact, one of the most sought-after excursions is a trip to the stunning Bahía de las Águilas (Eagles Bay), penciled in as one of the country’s most beautiful and still-untapped beaches.
The Caribbean nation is also home to several major events, including the noteworthy Taste of Santo Domingo, a powwow designed to let people enjoy the very best of the Dominican cuisine by the hand of culture, nightlife and the history of the cosmopolitan city. The Dominican Rum Festival is just another outstanding celebration, in which one of the country’s top local industries and one of its most beloved drinks are extolled.
On the other hand, its boutique hotels are also coveted for their warmth and hospitality. The smallest lodges are perfect places for guests to interact better with the population and taste the local cuisine with an assortment of fresh homemade products, together with many other options that guarantee unforgettable stays.
Hand in hand with those who support the most traditional tourism forms, there are many travelers who are looking for something else: a sincere experience of interaction not only with the landscape, but also with the local culture and traditions, with the people and their warmth. The Dominican Republic offers all this much to perfectly paint that orange off-the-beaten-track pathway tourists will surely be willing to travel on time and time again.