La Romana: 5 Things To Avoid!
La Romana is a captivating destination in the Dominican Republic! This tropical paradise offers pristine beaches, lush landscapes, and a rich cultural experience. Explore charming towns, savor local cuisine, and dance to merengue and bachata rhythms. However, as you plan your visit, it’s essential to be aware of a few things to avoid in this beautiful region. Join us on a journey to explore both the allure and the precautions when visiting La Romana!
#1. Saona Island
During your travels, you may inevitably be enticed to consider booking an excursion to the picturesque Saona Island, provided you have not already made reservations prior to your trip. With its pristine azure waters and exotic allure, it is difficult to resist the temptation of incorporating it into your holiday itinerary. However, our experience led us to conclude that this particular excursion failed to live up to its lofty expectations.
Typically, these excursions entail a brisk boat journey to a location near the island. At this juncture, passengers are afforded the opportunity to disembark onto waist-deep, crystalline, and temperate Mediterranean waters. Although we were promised sightings of starfish throughout the area, regrettably, we encountered none. Nonetheless, there was an abundance of Rum and Coke readily available. This is also the moment when guides capture a series of photographs, available for purchase as cherished mementos, a topic to which we shall return shortly.
Upon reboarding the vessel, a brief voyage transports visitors to Saona Island. Alighting onto the rocky seabed, where the water is no deeper than waist-high, leads to the shore. Subsequently, a 15-minute walk takes you to the central area where you will spend a few hours before returning. The atmosphere exudes tropical charm, with various stalls vending an array of items, from handcrafted souvenirs to pineapple-infused pina coladas, charming for photo opportunities but somewhat costly at $10 at that time. Additional beverages are available in plastic cups at the buffet hut.
Regarding the island’s tropical wildlife, aside from avian species, the sole non-human inhabitant we encountered was a local dog, whose petting was discouraged due to her perceived aggressiveness. Furthermore, the excursion photographers continue to document your experience on the beach.
Barbecue-prepared meals are served buffet-style in a designated dining area. The food, characterized as BBQ cuisine, is of commendable quality and caters to both vegetarian and vegan preferences.
It is at this point that you are presented with the opportunity to purchase the photographs taken during your excursion. Much to our astonishment, the price quoted was 100 euros for the complete digital collection or $10 for each individual image. We deemed these costs exorbitant and, despite persistent pressure from the excursion staff, remained resolute in our decision not to purchase them.
We enjoyed approximately an hour on the beach, relishing the clear, azure waters while also realizing the scarcity of the anticipated tropical wildlife, such as sea turtles, which had been prominently featured in the promotional material for the excursion. Subsequently, we were hurriedly transported back to the beach for re-boarding. Once on board, the vessel navigated to the bay, where passengers were transferred to a catamaran for the remainder of the journey.
On the catamaran, guests were offered complimentary beverages and musical entertainment, provided seasickness was not a concern. Notably, staff distributed items that appeared to be free, including bandanas, a gesture we were hesitant to accept, recognizing that nothing is truly without cost, especially in such settings. As anticipated, the staff later approached passengers to inquire if they would be interested in purchasing the bandanas. Many guests declined, ultimately returning the items.
Remarkably, our excursion representative on the catamaran revisited the issue of the photographs we had declined to acquire. He extended an offer to purchase the entire set of images for $50, half the initial asking price, underscoring the apparent overpricing of these photographs.
All things considered, this highly advertised excursion fell notably short of expectations, rendering it a rather lackluster experience. Consequently, we advise reconsidering the inclusion of this particular excursion in your travel itinerary.
#2. Wyndham Resorts Complimentary Day
When strolling past the Wyndham resort or embarking on a leisurely visit to the beach, you are likely to encounter a resort representative who extends a warm and inviting offer: a complimentary day pass granting access to the resort’s all-inclusive amenities, including its private beach.
To begin, it’s important to acknowledge that these representatives are indeed genuine and officially affiliated with the resort, as they don the resort’s distinctive uniform and are bona fide employees. Allow me to elucidate the details of what transpires should you choose to accept their offer.
Initially, they will inquire if you have identification documents on your person, such as a passport or driver’s license. In the event you don’t have such documentation, they will generously arrange for a golf buggy ride to transport you back to your accommodation so you can retrieve your identification. Subsequently, you will be conveyed to the reception area of the Wyndham resort.
Upon your arrival at the resort’s reception, you will be warmly welcomed by the affable resort staff. They will collect your identification and provide you with a paper wristband, allowing you access to the resort’s facilities for the duration of the day. As a security measure, they retain your identification as a deposit, ensuring that you return the wristband in exchange for your identification, thus preventing any potential misuse or unauthorized reentry. You will be informed that you can enjoy the facilities until 2 a.m. the following day.
It is important to note that, as part of the complimentary day pass promotion, your attendance at an approximately one-hour presentation by a representative of the Viva Members Club is obligatory. During this presentation, you may experience some degree of persuasion to join the Viva club, with a membership cost of approximately $10,000 for a 10-year tenure, enabling stays at any of their resorts. However, it’s crucial to be aware that this cost pertains exclusively to accommodations and does not include other expenses. The high-pressure nature of this presentation is further compounded by the presence of ‘managers’ who may attempt to entice you with various offers. While this offer might hold appeal in certain countries where package holidays are less common, if you are from the UK, it is unlikely to represent a favorable deal, given the superior value of package holiday options available.
Following your encounter with the Viva Club representatives, you will then be at liberty to explore the resort, including its bustling restaurant. It is worth noting that the restaurant’s fare, service, and beverages may leave something to be desired. In the opinion of some, the Whala! Bayahibe offers a superior culinary experience, more attentive staff, and more palatable beverages. Additionally, securing a poolside or beachfront sunbed can prove to be a challenging endeavor, even during the off-peak season due to the resort’s high volume of guests.
As you conclude your visit, you will be expected to return to the resort’s reception to surrender your wristband and retrieve your identification. However, it’s important to understand that a return trip to your accommodation via golf buggy is not provided unless you have opted to join the Viva Club. Our personal experience led us to leave the resort at 4 p.m. as we preferred to return to the Whala! Bayahibe.
In the event that any of these resort representatives approach you, a simple response indicating that you have previously availed of the day pass should suffice to deter further solicitation.
#3. Never Leaving the Resort
Numerous travel advisory posts for those considering a trip to the Dominican Republic emphasize the importance of remaining within the confines of a resort due to reported high crime rates across the island. While this caution may be well-founded for certain regions, it is my assertion that La Romana does not fall within this category. Throughout our visit, we ventured beyond the resort on multiple occasions, and it is noteworthy that there wasn’t a single day when we chose not to explore. The most perilous aspect of our excursions, by far, was the sweltering mid-summer heat. The local population exhibited a welcoming and approachable demeanor, making our off-resort ventures a delightful experience. Beyond the resort’s boundaries, we uncovered hidden treasures like the charming COLOUR CAFE, as well as supermarkets offering essential supplies and even indulgent treats at more budget-friendly rates than elsewhere.
However, it remains imperative to exercise good judgment while exploring the area, including refraining from conspicuously displaying cash, particularly when utilizing ATMs. Your safety is paramount, and adhering to common-sense precautions enhances the enjoyment of your excursions in La Romana.
#4. Skip Tipping for All-Inclusive Drinks
Given the prevalence of all-inclusive resorts on the island, it’s easy to fall into the habit of enjoying unlimited drinks without feeling the need to leave a tip. While there’s no obligation to tip, and you won’t encounter any negative consequences for not doing so, if you aspire to enhance your on-resort experience, we strongly recommend considering gratuities. During our stay, we opted to leave a $1 tip every time we received drinks, and after just a day of adhering to this practice, we began to observe a noticeable improvement in the level of service provided by the staff. Over the course of our two-week stay, we consistently found that our drinks were promptly delivered to our table, even when there were substantial queues at the bar. Additionally, we noticed a discernible uptick in the quality of our beverages. Tipping appeared to encourage the servers to be more generous with the portion sizes, perhaps even introducing some premium options into the mix.
It’s important to acknowledge that this strategy can be financially demanding, particularly if you are working with a tight budget. However, if you have the means, even tipping on an occasional basis can significantly enhance your overall resort experience. For those inclined to give this approach a try, we recommend carrying a large drinks container with you to the bar for refills, as the cups provided are typically small, leading to more frequent visits to the bar and consequently more opportunities for tipping. Additionally, we suggest ensuring you have an ample supply of $1 bills before your trip, as this simplifies the process and eliminates the need to break larger bills. It’s worth noting that if you are traveling from outside the United States, you may need to pre-order your currency from a travel money exchange shop, as they typically maintain limited quantities of $1 notes on hand and may restrict the number you can acquire during in-person visits.
#5. Booking Excursions Before You Go
This piece of advice may appear counterintuitive, as many travel guides often advocate for booking excursions in advance to secure cost savings. However, we recommend this approach only if the excursion company you choose to book with has a representative stationed at your resort. Let me illustrate the rationale behind this recommendation with a personal experience.
In our case, we arranged an excursion to Skape Park through the UK-based tour operator TUI. Regrettably, our resort lacked an on-site representative, and when the scheduled coach transfer failed to materialize, our plans took a complicated turn. While our hotel staff made earnest efforts to assist, none were able to establish contact with TUI to discern the nature of the delay. It was eventually discovered that Skape Park was not a viable excursion option from our resort, despite the website permitting the booking. After a somewhat challenging process that involved disputes with the operator and a refund request through PayPal, we did eventually secure a reimbursement. Nonetheless, this episode introduced an unexpected source of stress into what was otherwise a relaxing holiday.
Furthermore, it is essential to acknowledge that excursions to Skape Park may not be accessible from La Romana due to the considerable distance involved. Thus, if a visit to Skape Park holds paramount importance in your travel plans, it might be prudent to consider staying in Punta Cana instead, where this option may be more readily available.
Typically, resorts maintain relationships with excursion operators who offer the convenience of on-site bookings. Although such arrangements may come with a slight cost premium compared to advance reservations, the added value of having an on-resort representative available in case of contingencies or issues is certainly worth considering.