Our Cabarete trip

[KeithF]

Originally Posted by CommTHOR

Much to the charaign of other members, I'd recommend staying at an AI resort the first couple times - especially if it's your first trip out of the country. The differences in culture can turn a great experience into one like what was posted.

Well I'll take their chagrin too, as will Denymay565 by the sound of it, good advice IMO. The AI's are a good way to experience the country without having a 'daily' pressure. I'd recommend AI's to first timers but encourage them to do some trips (Monster Safari etc) and later in the holiday, perhaps take the gua-gua from Playa Dorada into Puerto Plata. If they enjoy the gua-gua, head to Sosua or Cabarete the following week. Indeed, this is exactly the advice I gave to someone this morning who is going to PD late next year. THen, hopefully, once they've built up some confidence, they will become repeat visitors and more atuned to life outside the resort next time. A more experienced traveller will have no problems going AA instead of AI.

[CommTHOR]

Culture shock tends to be the one thing a lot of people overlook when they are planning a vacation. No amount of planning can truly prepare you for the experience. I certainly agree that experience in travelling will help a lot, but each new culture has its own quirks. I had no issues driving around on a motorcycle all around South-East Asia, but there's still no way I'd try it in the D.R. just yet.

1st Trip: Total AI experience. Pre-packaged everything.
2nd Trip: Off the resort every day.
3rd Trip: (Doesn't count) Introduced 3 family members to the D.R. (Who incidently WILL be coming back)
4th Trip: A certainty!

[Caz]

Sad to hear such an unhappy trip report - perhaps some people should just stay home? We stayed at El Magnifico several times and liked what we found there, before moving here permanently. We also found the Dominican people sweet and helpful - perhaps attitude says it all?

[Foxee]

Perhaps the very first line of their report says it all- this was their first trip out of US and as such they did not know what to expect. Seems like their report was honest, and they went to lot of trouble writing the detailed report, perhaps because they had a long and detailed list of expectations from their first overseas trip?