La Romana & Bayahibe

Casa de Campo put La Romana on the travel map since its start as a tropical golfer’s paradise in the 70s. Over the years, the destination has added more world class golf courses. To complement the golfers, yachtsmen and water sports buffs join horseback riders, weekend cyclists, tennis fans, hunters and skeet shooters alike who all enjoy mingling with the Dominican Republic’s jet-setters.

Visitors meet up with their friends who have migrated to their La Romana homes to escape the stress of big city life. The city was originally built around and maintained by the large sugar mill years before tourism became the mainstay in this region. Even now, the seasonal production of sugar fills the air with the sweet smell of molasses and the design of the La Romana International Airport (LRM) mirrors a sugar cane mill, as a reminder of the days when sugar was king. La Romana and the nearby beach town of Bayahibe and Dominicus have just the right mix of right – on – the – beach hotels, small restaurants and shopping to make for comfortable visiting and living. One of the best beaches in the country, Bayahibe (Dominicus) is but a 30 – minute drive from La Romana city, and is where the largest concentration of hotel rooms can be found.                                                                                       

                                                                                               Hotels in La Romana

La Estancia

Getting there

La Romana International Airport puts most tourists, whether headed to the La Romana area or Bayahibe area, less than 20 minutes from their hotel.

This airport is served by regular flights by/from: American Airlines (Miami) and American Eagle (San Juan, Puerto Rico).

There are also charter flights from: Canada: Skyservice, Air Transat, Sunwing, Zoom Airlines (Toronto), Can Jet (Halifax, Quebec City), Air Transat, Sunwing (Montreal) Europe: Blue Panorama (Rome, Milan), Livingston (Milan, Rome), XL Airways France (Paris), Air Pullmantur (Madrid), Condor (Frankfurt), LTU (Dusseldorf, Munich).

Altos de Chavon

Getting around

Guests of Casa de Campo will enjoy the internal shuttle transportation. A taxi may be taken to La Romana city and Bayahibe and car rentals are also readily available and enable tourists to take advantage of what the area and environs offer. There is a frequent scheduled bus service from La Romana city to Santo Domingo, and twice a day service to Punta Cana. Dominicus hotels feature regular shuttles to Bayahibe town.

Attractions

Altos de Chavon. Altos de Chavon is the principal cultural attraction of the region, where the bests national and international artists perform at the 5,000-seat amphitheater. This re-created 16^th century Mediterranean village overlooks the mesmerizing Chavon River. When established in 1981, Altos de Chavon was declared a working artists’ village by its creators, who dedicated it to the fine and applied arts. Its other-wordly cobblestone streets and quaint architecture overlooking Chavon River conceal charming shops, fine restaurants, intimate bars, artisanal workshops, a church, an archaeological museum and a university that specializes in design and is affiliated to Parson’s School of Design in New York.

Casa de Campo Marina. This marina, residential and shopping precinct was designed to evoke Portofino, Italy located where the mouth of the Chavon River opens into the Caribbean Sea. This is the place where the Dominicam Republic’s rich-and-famous meet, play and host their international jet-set companions. Admission to this area is restricted, and reservations are required.

El Artistico Shop. Eclectic and inspiring art work creations made of recycled iron. It is located on the main La Romana city road on the way west.

Alberca la Romana

Beaches

Bayahibe town and beach. This is a laid back fishing town and beach with its nearby collection of small hotels, restaurants and few shops. Bayahibe is the site from which many excursions to the nearby Saona and Catalina islands are launched. The vive Bayahibe cultural movement presents events to make the town an attractive destination in itself and connecting free shuttle buses are now available from most Dominicus beach area hotels. The town lies 10 minutes from Dominicus beach resorts and less than half an hour from Casa de Campo or the city of La Romana.

Dominicus town and beach. Catering for the local residents and the occasional tourist that stray from the all-inclusive resort, a handful of casual restaurants and shops dot the Dominicus beach strip hotels. There is an unrestricted access to Dominicus beach between Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace and Iberostar Hacienda hotels.

Catalina Island. Catalina is a 15-square kilometer uninhabited offshore wildlife reserve located five miles south of La Romana, easily accessed by sea. Tourists visit for the snorkeling and scuba diving. For the least adventurous, glass bottom boats take tourists out to observe the submarine world.

Casa de Campo

Saona Island. Located in the National Park of the East, the excursion to Saona Island is the most popular all-day trip taken by tourists visiting the southeastern or eastern coast. The ride along the shallow coastline is one of the fine points of reaching this palm-studded paradisiacal island, whose 115-square kilometer area makes it the largest in the Dominican Republic. Also of interest is a visit to Palmilla (a natural pool) with its shallow crystalline waters and underlying sea stars that span a large area on the way to the island of Saona. Saona is the living image of the best of the Caribbean with its many fine, white-sanded beaches and a small picturesque community of Mano Juan.

Rancho Cumayasa. This ecolodge built up on a hill overlooking Cumayasa River offers horseback riding excursions and boat rides to Catalina Island, with an excellent Dominican lunch included.

Hotels in Dominican Republic

The National Park of the East. 420-square kilometer flora and fauna reserve, it is also a major archaeological center for Taino Indian culture. Botanists have counted 539 flora species there, while 144 types of birds are also known to make the park their home. Hikes can start from Bayahibe and Boca de Yuma towns, a certified Ministry of Environment guide is required.

Scuba diving

Observe the marine life at the underwater sanctuary created by the sunken St.Georges cargo vessel off the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach. Thousands of colourful sea creatures make scuba diving a major attraction for those vacationing in the area. The area is well known for the dive operations located at the resorts. For the less adventurous, glass bottom boats take tourists out to watch the underwater view. Living underwater museum. The Captain Kidd shipwreck site is a leading attraction for scuba divers in the Caribbean. It is being converted into a living museum to protect corals and other threatened biology in the surrounding reef systems as well as showcase this extraordinary discovery. Indiana University and Dominican archaeologists have worked together to create the underground attraction that showcases the Cara Merchant, the ship Captain William Kidd commandeered and then abandoned in 16 as he raced to New York in an ill-fated attempt to clear his name of piracy charges . The Captain Kidd site is the only pirate ship ever discovered in the Americas. It is located off Catalina Island.

Teeth of the Dog

Family activities

With its great variety of sports, activities and outdoor excursions, La Romana, Bayahibe and Domenicus area is family-oriented. Take PADI certification diving courses, learn to windsurf, kayak or canoe, take a banana boat ride, go fishing, horseback riding, 4-wheel motorcycle riding and much more.

In Bayahibe, the Padre Nuestro Ecological and Archaeological Route makes it easy to appreciate the tropical vegetation along a 2 km trail into areas populated by the Tainos hundreds of years ago. A 1km route takes tourists around the flora and cultural heritage of the town with its early 20^th century church, Indian burial site, and the Flower of Bayahibe cactus forest.

Shopping

La Romana town, Altos de Shavon and shops in the Casa de Campo and Dominicus and Bayahibe beach areas offer excellent shopping for arts and crafts. Jumbo at La Romana city is a good place to stock up on good Dominican rum and cigars, or buy Dominican marmalades or sweets.

Nightlife

The nights are when the entertainment staff of the hotels show off their artistic talents. Options open to all in the area are:

Altos de Shavon.Some of the world’s best perform on the Chavon amphitheater stage. From December to April, you might be able to catch a Kandela tropical music extravaganza with more than 50 performers on stage.

Casa de Campo Marina. This marina, residential and shopping center was designed to evoke Portofino, Italy and is located where the mouth of the Chavon River opens into the Caribbean sea.

La Romana city features many restaraunts, discos and beer bars that cater to residents in Casa de Campo.

In Bayahibe, the restaurants and the colmadones or open bars are where people linger in the evening. 

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