Quick queries and places to go around Sosua

[Emma22]

Hi all,

I will be going to the DR for the first time (Sosua) in July and will be taking my 9 and 5 year olds with me in addition to my partner. In discovering reps. advise you to stay "safely" on complex so that they can "rip you off" I am on a mission to do things more independently!

Hillbilly has already been very helpful in suggesting Santiago to see the Centro Leon and pointed me in the direction of the posts of Silver Ghost and Robert.

I am yet to locate the post (despite LOTS of search engine work) by Robert re. Damajagua Falls (though I have managed to find Silver Ghost's write up and pics - thanking you Silver Ghost!!) - Any ideas where this post by Robert is located??

I loved Silver Ghost's pics. of the falls but wonder how well a 5 year old would manage??...I'm assuming you don't need go RIGHT to the top do you - that you can go down from a lower level??...How high is level one? Also, there is talk of shoes etc. you need purchase...I'm gathering you could easily obtain these in Sosua as they do tours to the falls?? Honest opinion please: How suitable would the falls be for a five year old (with short legs!!) - would it be okay to go just some of the way up with her or best to stay at the very bottom?? Sorry if it's obvious to those that have been there - just kind of tricky to properly evaluate a place from pics...

Appart from Robert's post location and the Falls query any other child-friendly ideas of things to do most welcome. So far I have searched the forum and can add an Ocean World place and also Big Truck tour that takes you here and there (is this the same tour as the falls though I ponder??) that I intend booking from outside the confines of the complex. Other than the tours I came up with catching buses about for a bit of a "wander"...Finally,am I correct in thinking I can catch a boat from the Sosua public beach with a glass bottom? - my girls would LOVE that!!!!

Many thanks for any help.
Emma

[bigbird]

One Day Excursions:

http://www.sosuadomrep.com/Mel_Tour.htm


Most important, DO LEAVE "the complex". Just use common sense and Sosua is a very safe place.

[bigbird]

How could I forget.....Do the Funny Buggy Day Trip......wear old clothes and old sneakers because you will get covered in mud riding thru the puddles.

[rellosk]

Originally Posted by Emma22

I am yet to locate the post (despite LOTS of search engine work) by Robert re. Damajagua Falls (though I have managed to find Silver Ghost's write up and pics - thanking you Silver Ghost!!) - Any ideas where this post by Robert is located??

Here is the post by Robert (as reported by Cleef).

[Emma22]

Thank you so much for your quick replies (though I am a tad disappointed about the Falls...thinking the trip involves lots of walking for a 5 year old before she even gets there in reading that review...pity, I personally would have LOVED to have done that - but it is a FAMILY holiday I guess :-()

...still wondering how you found that post so quickly rellosk - you're clearly better at searching than me!!! I'd been looking for that since yesterday!!!

Brilliant link there bigbird...I had no idea so many tours available!! - At that rate thinking I'll be only at the AI resort to sleep and attend breakfast in order to get myself a free picnic for any tours "out of the way" that don't include lunch!!

I didn't see any "glass bottomed boat trip" mentioned though...CAN I do that at Sosua beach (the complex has a private one so didn't mention the public one...)?

I have a sneeky suspicion my complex isn't going to make any more money out of me once I arrive...serves them right too if reps go about the place scaring tourists half to death in order to make money!! I have all intention of having a very much "out of complex" holiday WITH my young children and telling any scared person I meet in the complex that we are having a FANTASTIC time in not listening to "scare-tactics" and advising all and sundry to do the same!! The thread on that issue got me just SO annoyed that I sware, I can't WAIT for the big "welcome talk" so that I can discredit any such "it's unsafe - stay away from any locals" claims IN the meeting whilst informing all listening at the time HOW I know it's utter c*ap!

Any-ho! Cheers for your help!!! Emma :-)

[Emma22]

Sorry (I'm impatient) but as my post above is long will again mention Sosua public beach and glass bottom boat (I think my girls would LOVE that and limited travel if I remember right for a "lazy" day...well, only got 2 weeks to explore!!!) again...THINKING I read that on here somewhere but as DR1 is so big can't find it again...such is my searching skills!!:-(

[Cheetah]

Good choice not to go to damajagua with your 5 year old. My 11 yr old son drowned there Jan 5/05 and he was a stromng swimmer. Rainfall caused high water flows which created a toilet bowl swirling effect at base of second waterfall that sucked him under. Tour guides pannicked and would not jump in after him until about 10 minutes. There have been other deaths( hidden of course)deaths and near misses at this waterfall. Thanks to my sons death I beleive safety heluts and life jackets are now a requirment. You can read about our ordeal on www.adamvitaterna.com

[Emma22]

Cheetah, knowing that there is EXACTLY NOTHING I could say to make that pain "go away" already!!!! ...I can only but say "So sorry for your loss" and that response sounds kinda cr** when you've lost a child As a mother myself I can only but IMAGINE the horror and sadness that you must have gone through/STILL going through - it is the nightmare of every parent to see their child die before they do. Really, "Mum to Mum" I could cry to think of the pain you must feel. Let Adam's spirit live on through you - he looked such a "fun-loving" little boy...I really know not what else to say but "Sorry" but sure knowing that will never be enough. Emma

[Hlywud]

Emma I was going to say forget the falls, but you have the message about the trajedy.

I will suggest that you spend a day with your kids at Ocean World, while a tad expensive it is a great experience.

http://www.oceanworld.net/indexf.html

[Emma22]

ty Hlywud. Emma