January 23-24-25-26 – BAYAHIBE
With a gua-gua, 80 DOP, I reach La Romana, changing at San Pedro. Hence, in another crowded collective minivan, 40 DOP, I arrive at Bayahibe pueblo.
I stop at Cabañas Maura, 400 DOP, horrible and filthy (the sheets were not changed, I find inside the bed a lot of crumbs).
Next day I move to Cabañas en Piedra 600 DOP. very large bungalows, full of dust, very noisy, located next to the homes of some people which are partying all night long
I move then to Aparthotel Villa Baya, managed by an Italian, 35 USD. Really cute, they are apartments with kitchen, some small, others large, located in a charming building in a quiet area.
In Bayahibe there are many Italians, some pensioners (living with teenage girls to whom they maintain the whole family), others who invest in various activities and spend here several months a year, others who have bought a house and are on vacation. I get acquainted with a of people.
I have usually meals at the typical comedores. I recommend Pica Pollo El Frida (average of 200 PDO), and especially Christiania, near the church (170 DOP for a dinner of pescado al ajillo)
The excursion to the island of Saona, which would cost about 60 euros with a diving center or travel agent, through some resident friends and local fishermen costs me only 700 DOP. Lunch is not included so everyone must bring his own food.
The tour is wonderful. The boat stops at first at the natural pools; while most of the group wallows in the area to see under the water, I swim till a deserted beach, just enough time to just take a look, five minutes. On return, swimming to the boat is a bit more difficult, because of the current
We go on then towards a beautiful desert shore, white sand, palm-lined, where some horses graze undisturbed
Absolute silence. There is only one villa, in green-blue timber, Caribbean colonial style, which seems at the moment uninhabited. It ‘a real paradise.
From Bayahibe pueblo, with a gua-gua (20 DOP), it is possible to get to Playa Dominicus, where there are condominiums, and some resorts. There is a piece of very beautiful public beach, not very big, a turquoise sea, and a few small shops selling sarongs and the typical pictures painted in bright colors
In the resorts area, both on right and left side, the beach is crowded with sunbeds. Also, on the left, the beach becomes quite narrow, and further away, deserted and full of rocks. On the right, the beach is wider and cured, but the loudspeakers blare music, some tourists wear earplugs. I would not do all these kilometers, and would not spend the amount of money printed on tour operators brochures, to stay a week in a place like this, but this is just my humble and personal opinion.
An Italian gentleman, 60 years old, with whom I start conversation, is very critical with the libertine customs of the Dominican girls, this must be the reason why he tries to pick me up !! As we meet on the day when I just moved to Cabañas en Piedra, and I am complaining about this place, he proposes me to share his hotel room. I can’t believe it!!! It’s true I am broke, but a bit of dignity is left, what the hell !!
Just to get rid of him, I plung back into the crowd of the Viva Dominicus, zigzagging among the sunbeds
A very popular meeting point in Bayahibe pueblo is the local disco which at Friday (it’s the day when I go there, but maybe it’s like this every day of the week), it’s very busy, both with tourists and natives. The gentleman who tried to pick me up the day before obviously preaches good and scratches evil, since he arrives with a local whore. I see however also Italian women, even mom and daughter, clinging like ivy to handsome Dominican boys. I dance some bachatas with other foreigners, merengue is already too complicated, Local guys invite me but they hold me too thight, honestly I feel a bit uncomfortable. Fortunately, after a while, some dance music is played