Caribbean
Beautiful white sandy beaches, turquoise sea and magical sunsets like in a dream - this is the Dominican Republic. Together with Haiti, the Dominican Republic forms the island of Hispaniola, which is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Markus has been dreaming of the Caribbean for years and so he kept trying to persuade me to take All Inclusive vacation there. I love low-budget backpacking trips and so I couldn't really relate much to an all-inclusive vacation. However, when he showed me the promotional video of the 5 star hotel „Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus“, my heart began to melt. The hotel is located on the Dominican island in a small fishing village called "Bayahibe".
Relaxing for two weeks in an All Inclusive hotel sounded very good to me. Due to the uncertain Corona times we decided to book the vacation last minute. In the end, we booked the trip only four days before departure! Yes, we love to be spontaneous.... But the Corona situation did not allow it any other way .
Bayahibe
After ten hours of flying, we finally arrived in Punta Cana, where our cab was already waiting for us. I was not used to being picked up directly from the airport. Usually I walked around without a plan and decided to take the cheapest bus to my destination. This time it was a real luxury for me.
Late in the evening we arrived at our hotel in Bayahibe. The anticipation was huge! But when I saw the bedroom, my anticipation quickly flew away. Instead of the booked double bed, we got two single beds. So I didn't imagine a romantic luxury vacation. Thank God we got another room the next day, which was beautiful:
The next day we were already awake at 5 o'clock in the morning due to the jet lag. It was still dark outside, but that didn't stop us from exploring the resort a bit and going to the beach.
We sat down in the cold sand, listened to the sea and enjoyed the sunrise. And yes, the sunrise was magical!
After the wonderful start to the day, we made our way to the breakfast buffet. When we got there, I was pleasantly surprised! On my travels I was only used to the typical "hostel breakfast buffets", where there was only toast and jam.
But this buffet was huge!
There were tons of fruits, smoothies, pastries, savories and sweets. Best of all were the mangoes and the delicious Caribbean coffee.
It did not take long until we created a daily routine :
Enjoying the sunrise, enjoying the breakfast buffet, spending the afternoon relaxing on the beach or by the pool, and in the evening admiring the sunset by the lighthouse bar. The vacation was pure relaxation. We missed nothing! Some afternoons we attended a Spanish class or a Salsa dance class. Bayahibe is paradise on earth:
After a week of relaxation, we were ready for a new adventure. So we left the resort area and walked to the nearby village. In the village there were small cafes and cute colorful houses. On the way we stopped at a travel agency and got advice for an excursion. In the end, we decided on the day trip to Saona Island.
Saona Island
Saona is a tropical dream island. With 110 km² it belongs to the largest islands of the Dominican Republic. Not without reason Saona is a tourist hotspot!
The next morning we took the speed boat to this paradise island. We made a stop at the Piscina Natural. The largest "bathtub" in the world, where we could even see starfish. After that we went on to the famous "Bacardi Island":
The „Bacardi Island“ is an uninhabited island and so we had it to ourselves. Once again a paradise on earth.
But now it was time for Saona Island! Upon arrival we were a little bit shocked... Hundreds of people were there. It was a real tourist hotspot. All sunbeds were occupied and the lunch buffet reminds me of a Mensa meal. That was really a pity...
After a short walk, we luckily found beautiful places to "hang out":
Saona Island is a beautiful island, but unfortunately very crowded. We were there during the main tourist season, so I can not judge how it looks in the off season. Nevertheless, the island is worth a visit! If you leave the hustle and bustle a little behind you, you will find quiet beautiful places to relax!
In the afternoon we went back to Bayahibe by catamaran. Markus and I danced full of joy Salsa at the boat. We were incredibly happy and grateful to experience this beautiful vacation.
We enjoyed the last days at the resort to the fullest. The all inclusive vacation was fantastic! We would definitely make such a vacation again. But still we are looking forward to our next adventurous low budget backpacking trip!
