It has officially been a week since I returned from the beautiful island of the Dominican Republic, or you could say it has officially been a week since I have spent every waking moment daydreaming about returning there. It was exactly like one might imagine: rich with lush palm trees and glistening with crystal clear waters. Take me back nowwww! Even though this was my first time in the DR, specifically Punta Cana, the trip could not have gone more smoothly. Only around a 3-hour plane ride, my family and I were entering the Melia Caribe Tropical Resort before we knew it!
The land of the Dominican Republic is simply breathtaking. The resort was so tropical with green plant life just bursting out of every surface. Huge soaring palm trees were everywhere, perfectly lining the beach and surrounding villas. I especially loved the hibiscus flowers and these huge bushes that were full of delicate red flowers. The land was also teeming with wildlife! I am the biggest animal lover in the world so this was one of my favorite parts of the trip, to say the least. Looking at the birds and geckos of the island is when you really realize how far away from home you are. The birds were all so different from the Virginia natives I see daily. They all had such vibrant color markings on their feathers and my favorite were these large black birds that had red heads! Aside from the natural wildlife, the resort also had flamingos and the most extravagant peacocks. Talk about exotic…
Because of my very real yet irrational fear of the ocean (silly, I know), I stayed near the pool a great deal. The resort had two extremely large pools, complete with rocks, shallow sunning areas, and a swim up bar. Cold pools are usually enough to make you only dare to dip your toes, but it was so hot in the DR that the pools were the perfect relief. Literally just walking to the pool itself resulted in me immediately jumping in the pool to cool off. Complete with a million pool chairs and shaded cabana beds, it’s easy to understand why I was glued to that area. The entire resort was like that though; so perfect you didn’t want to leave the area you happened to be in. They had several upscale restaurants, which served three course meals every night! I think I gained 15 pounds on food alone. There were also several bars and lounge areas that lit up at night with people of all nationalities enjoying their sacred time off. With its open-air concept and smooth tile floors, it was the epitome of a Caribbean heaven.
Although I do have my fears of the ocean, I made sure to take advantage of the clear blue waters of the DR. Growing up on the East Coast, I’m used to dark, murky waters but it is the complete opposite in the Caribbean. As clear as bath water, you can see all the way down to the sand. With just a little seaweed here and there, the beach was a dream, and probably the most active part of the entire resort! Local merchants had shops set up and numerous water activities could easily be yours. One of my favorite aspects of the beach were the palm trees! In America it seems like a clear cut beach is ideal, but being on a beach surrounded by palm trees was so refreshing.
Although the area in which we stayed didn’t really allow us to venture off of the resort, I feel like I still understand at least a little slice of the beauty of this island. If you’re planning a trip yourself to the DR, I recommend going in May. Although it is the rainy season, it hardly rained when we were there! Bring your favorite resort wear and leave your stress at home.
I hope I can return some day and discover new areas I wasn’t able to this time. All in all, this trip was a dream, a sweet Caribbean dream.
Have you ever been to the Dominican Republic? What were some of your favorite parts of the trip?
revelryrow.wordpress.com 