visiting juan dolio in march

[heather78]

hello
i am going to be staying at the amhsa playa real in juan dolio in a few weeks and was wondering if anyone had any info on the area.
i read some scary rewiews (of course, after i purchased my tickets) however i am not super picky-i just wanted a nice, inexpensive place to stay-no luxury is ok for me.
i choose this area because i was interested in taking some day trips to areas nearby-santo domingo, guayacanes,isla soana

what is the best (and least expensive) to get to these destinations-i don't mind being a little adventourous and would rather not travel via tour bus if i can help it-i'll be traveling with my boyfriend and between the two of us we speak very little spanish but are not afraid to try

i'll be in the area for a week and am up for any suggestions
i would also love some advice on snorkeling spots
thanks look forward to hearing from you
-heather

[dulce]

For the Saona Island trip you will need to book with a tour company. Check around the town for the best price. You can hook up with someone at the resort as a tour guide/taxi driver to take you to Santo Domingo if you are comfortable with that. You would have someone to speak Spanish for you and help you find the places you want and good prices. I am not sure what you expect to find in Guayacanes because it is a small village next to Jaun Dolio. You can take a taxi there. It is a nice village with a beautiful and quiet beach away from the tourist area.I like the beach of Guayacanes much better than the resort beaches in Jaun Dolio. You can snorkel on the beaches of Jaun Dolio, Guayacanes and Isla Saona on your own or ask around for snorkeling services in the area. Don't fret too much about Playa Real. It may not be the fanciest ( it is the cheapest for a reason) but it is not horrible either. I used to live accross the street and I heard mixed comments from guests staying there. In my opinion, most of the complaints were from tourists expecting a 5 star for a 2 star price. The beach is ok there and if you don't like the beach simply walk a ways until you find a spot you like. If you find that you can not tolerate the food at Playa Real go out and explore the resturaunts in town. ENJOY!

[MommC]

Just walk out to the main highway and hop a bus to Guayacanes ( or walk the roughly 3 1/2 kms - quite a nice walk really or rent a bike from the hotel).
Great way to get to Santo Domingo also and they drop you off at the park which is just a short walk from El Conde street shopping and the Cathedral.
The local taxi's also offer a Santo Domingo excursion albeit at a much more expensive cost.
Catalina trips for snorkeling need to be arranged through a tour company (check out the one next to Gulia's Cafe, which is across the street from Playa Real) as do the trips to Saona.
You should be able to pick up a guide book at one of the shops along the street (or do a search on the board for other ideas and directions).
Walk the two kms to the Juan Dolio public beach and stop in at Il Cappucino for a coffee - there might be some English speaking persons around that can direct you also.
PM me when you arrive and I can arrange a Catalina Island excursion with a group of English speaking tourists at an attractive price if you're interested.
Above all - have fun!!

[boss170]

When in Juan Dolio, you have to absolutly, for sure, go eat at EL SUENO restaurant.Very good langosta and very cheap prices for the quality of food there.BON APETIT!!!