SLIDESHOW: The Dominican Republic
Playa Dorada is reputed to be the largest holiday complex in the Caribbean
Almost everyone dreams of escaping our British winter, the recent snow and freezing temperatures making many of us long for the sun and those balmy palm-fringed beaches of the Caribbean.
Ignoring the credit crunch, we opted for a two-week winter break in the Dominican Republic which, over the past decade, has not only grown in popularity with the Brits, but it has gained a big reputation as a value for money destination.
After a nine hour flight from London-Gatwick into the island's Pueto Plata airport and following a 20 minute transfer, we arrived at the four-star Gran Ventana Beach Resort hotel, set in the picturesque setting of Playa Dorada, reputed to be the largest holiday complex in the entire Caribbean.
Situated on the north coast of the island, the Playa Dorada resort is a gated complex of 14 individual hotels surrounded by the stunning 18-hole Robert Trent Jones golf course which boasts ten tees overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
All of the hotels are on an all-inclusive basis, which means as soon as you arrive you are identified by a coloured plastic bracelet. All returning visitors had special pink ones in our hotel ... and that often meant privileged service when it comes to drinks at the bar!
The Gran Ventana is built along Spanish/Mexican lines and opens out onto a three kilometre long curve of caramel-coloured sand, the Playa Dorada resort itself collectively has over 4,500 beds, being popular with both couples and families alike.
The island is particularly popular with Canadians who were desperate to escape temperatures of minus 35C (minus 55C when taking the wind-chill factor into account). There were simply hundreds of them and all were delighted to bask in temperatures between plus 25C and 30C degrees which is usual for the main winter holiday months between November and March.
Our hotel featured three a la carte restaurants besides the usual help yourself buffet, while the Gran Ventana staff couldn't have been friendlier.
The Playa Dorada complex – which cover over 100 hectares – boasts a large shopping centre, a nightclub, casino and discotheque while just off the palm-tree lined beach there is a coral reef which allows even the weakest of swimmers to snorkel safely.
And at low tide, small seaweed-strewn rock pools were left exposed which trap all manner of brightly-coloured fish and aquatic life.
The island – which is actually called Hispaniola – is split into two countries, the eastern end being the Dominican Republic and western, the voodoo-worshipping state of Haiti.
The sprawling ramshackle town of Pueto Plata is close by and is surrounded by vast sugarcane fields where most of the 100,000 inhabitants work.
Rum is the local drink while the family-owned Brugal company is the country's major distillery.
Amber is another big industry with a museum dedicated to it together with various jewellry outlets supplying the pretty orange resin.
And around the town you also come across numerous cigar manufacturers all trying to encourage you to part with your US dollars, the currency most widely used by the tourists for you seldom see or use the Dominican Pesos.
The only place we found of historical interest in Pueto Plata was the 16th Century Fuerte De San Felipe (Fort of St Phillip), built by the Spanish to protect its harbour from foreign invaders.
While rusty canons point out to sea, the whole fort is surrounded by a shallow moat in which lethal spikes were hidden beneath the water to repel anyone attempting to get close enough to scale its battlements.
As for things to do, many are dependent on the weather which in January this year was the worst the locals had encountered for two decades!
In fact in the 15 days we were on the island, it rained on 12 of them, although usually in the evening. However one tropical shower lasted a staggering 47 hours and with the months of November to March supposedly being the driest, I'd hate to go in summer!
At one stage the rain came down so heavily that Pueto Plata's international airport had to be closed for almost two days due to flooding.
On top of that, our return flight also had to be put back 12 hours, so we were told to re-book into our hotel for the night and then get up early for a new pick-up time. It seems the aircraft that we were due to return to the UK on managed to slide off the end of the runway in Barbados and end up in deep mud!
That aside, we did ventured from the resort for an Outback Safari (at $79 each) which took in small towns and villages and allowed you to see far more of the Dominican countryside with its rainforests and jungle-like settings, rolling hills and deep ravines.
However our favourite way to see the countryside was on horseback.
Yes, after more than 40 years out of the saddle, we climbed back on a horse for a half day trek which took in some beautiful vistas ... and I wasn't even saddle sore afterwards!
We hired the horses from the Lorilar Stables, located a few miles outside Pueto Plata which is owned by a Canadian lady. The three hour ride with a guide cost $55.
The weather was so bad that our day-long Paradise Island visit was cancelled as were several others trips for our fellow holidaymakers – catamarans, white water rafting and Northern Highlights – but we did opt for a trip to nearby Ocean World.
It's a cross between Florida's Sea World and Discovery Cove but on a much smaller scale, although it did feature enjoyable dolphin, sea lion and shark encounter experiences.
There is also a man-made reef around which you can snorkel and view thousands of brightly colourful fish.
Winter is also the time that thousands of humpback whales pass along the north coast of the island although we failed to spot them.
However my own particular favourite 'extra' was a half day drive in a motorbike-engined buggy, a cross between an autograss special and a go-kart. After all the rain, we got absolutely filthy.
Racing along waterlogged tracks between the vast sugarcane fields, through towns and villages and along the beach and up into the hills, it was great fun and is highly recommended!
While driving on the roads with no licence or insurance may seem somewhat reckless, in the Dominican Republic you are allowed to ride a scooter or moped at any age without a licence ... although to drive a car you must be 18.
Amazingly there are no drink-drive laws in force yet you can still be arrested if you drive while using a mobile phone!
And while we really enjoyed the warmth and the sun (when it came out), after all the rain we joked that we'd be taking a holiday in Manchester next year ... apparently it's a lot drier!
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Weather for Biggleswade
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: West
