Las Salinas question

Kaycee · #1 04-20-2007, 02:05 PM

I will be visiting the DR in June and have been invited to stay with friends of a friend in their beach house in Las Salinas. While the offer is very generous, I want to make sure that we will have a good time there. Our primary goal is to relax, enjoy the beach, and snorkel/SCUBA dive. Does anyone know how the beach is? Is the water clear, swimable, and is the diving reasonable? Our initial plan was to go to Punta Cana and stay in a resort, but the idea of staying with Dominicans and getting a less touristy view is tempting. Anything to do around Las Salinas? Would a day trip to Catalina Island for diving be reasonable?
Any information would be most helpful.
Thanks! Kaycee

Chirimoya · #2 04-20-2007, 03:05 PM

It's a mixed bag - I like the area precisely because it is so remote and non-touristy, but the infrastructure is a little deteriorated and it can get full of litter after a busy day. I was there about a year ago - must have been right after one such day - and it was pretty bad.

There are two main swimming areas on each side of the spit of land - one is rocky, the other sandy but there are sea urchins in the water on the sandy side. The beach itself is not your white sand dream Caribbean beach - the sand is a darker colour - but it does have shady palm trees. I don't know what it's like for snorkel or scuba - it's definitely a windsurf mecca, and possibly kite-surfing too.

Isla Catalina is quite a long way to the east. I'd say you'd be better off exploring the far south-west of the country from Salinas - it's nearer to go to Barahona and tour the SW coastline and the area around Lake Enriquillo, for example.

Arrica · #3 04-28-2007, 05:21 PM

As mentioned by Chirimoya, Salinas is a beautiful spot, off the beaten track. On the peninsula sticking out into the bay you'll find a touristic area that is filled with Domincans from the capital on weekends -especially Sunday, but the rest of the week the place is pretty empty. The village itself is small, with a couple of colmadas, a couple of local restaurants/eating places that serves freshly caught fish for lunch and makes soup out of the remainder for dinner. When I was in Salinas in early 2006 a lady rented out a couple of rooms, but otherwise the place has only one hotel that had very few clients.

The surf on the ocean side can get a bit rough, on the side of the bay the water is calm. Not much to do but a beautiful spot for a couple of days of relaxation and chat with the local population, sitting at the local colmada with a coke or a beer and watch the world pass by.

Kaycee · #4 04-30-2007, 10:00 AM

Thanks so much to those who have responded to my question about Salinas. Very helpful. We have decided to go ahead and stay there and look forward to the "authentic" experience and relaxation.

SKY · #5 04-30-2007, 12:18 PM

I would go if I were you. If the house is where I think it is you should like it. I assume it is close to the hotel before the right hand curve to the beach.

BPL888 · #6 07-06-2007, 03:35 PM

I am going to be out in that general direction in October and will have some time on my hands and would like to do some exploring. Would anyone know the name or phone# for the hotel at Punta Salinas or what is the best route to get there on a guagau from San Cristobal or Sabana Gran Palenque? Other suggestions for exploring in the area would also be welcome. Is San Jose de Ocoa easily accessable from there? I will be in the Najayo-Palenque-San Cristobal area for about a week. Thanks, Brian

Mirador · #7 07-06-2007, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPL888

I am going to be out in that general direction in October and will have some time on my hands and would like to do some exploring. Would anyone know the name or phone# for the hotel at Punta Salinas or what is the best route to get there on a guagau from San Cristobal or Sabana Gran Palenque? Other suggestions for exploring in the area would also be welcome. Is San Jose de Ocoa easily accessable from there? I will be in the Najayo-Palenque-San Cristobal area for about a week. Thanks, Brian

If you are travelling alone, I would recommend you stay on the beaten track, like Boca Chica and similar.

Dolores · #8 07-13-2007, 04:14 PM

In Salinas be sure to visit Playa Derrumbao, which is at the far end of Salinas beach. Also, the Dunas de Bani are impressive. Go as early as you can -- at day break would be best. It should be near the Salinas home where you will be staying. There is the Salinas High Wind Center, a hotel that is pretty, albeit they want to charge all inclusive rates even for a night stayover -- RD$2,400 per person per night, or RD$4,800 for a double plus meals and then you are limited to what you can order for that, which is not anything on the menu. Value-wise, it is not a good deal. Tel 809 310-8141. Place is also known as Hotel Salinas.

You might also visit the salt mines. So, I would say take up your friend's invitation. In Salinas you can also visit the place where they "grow" doradas, the silver thin and tasty fish. For sure you can get some really fresh ones for lunch. Salinas is a great place for windsurfing, maybe your friend as a windsurf or you could take a lesson at the High Winds Center.

Arrica · #9 08-04-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPL888

I am going to be out in that general direction in October and will have some time on my hands and would like to do some exploring. Would anyone know the name or phone# for the hotel at Punta Salinas or what is the best route to get there on a guagau from San Cristobal or Sabana Gran Palenque? Other suggestions for exploring in the area would also be welcome. Is San Jose de Ocoa easily accessable from there? I will be in the Najayo-Palenque-San Cristobal area for about a week. Thanks, Brian

The easiest is for you to travel to Bani. You'll find the bus-station for Salinas in the Southern end of town, some 7 blocks south of the Santo Domingo turn-off.

To travel to San Jose de Ocoa, go a couple of blocks past the 'pica-pollo' (where all the guagua's stop en route to/from barahona, Jimani, etc.) on the west end of town. The guagua for San Jose passes regularly up until about 6:30 pm. Alternative is to take any transport to 'El Cruze' between bani and Azua and shift Guagua at the intersection.

San Jose is a beautiful place, cool, friendly, located in a protected valley with the mountains right behild -the town has probably the nices 'plaza' of any that I have seen in the DR.

BPL888 · #10 08-05-2007, 10:29 AM

Thank you Arrica. I am leaning towards visiting San Jose de Ocoa. After several days in Playa Palenque I think a day or two in/near the mountains will be a nice change of scenery. Your info will make that a lot easier. Thanks again.