here - Puerto Plata beyond the resorts

Puerto
Plata
Regional Visitors Guide
All the ¡HOT! spots in the Puerto Plata area
Puerto
Plata
!Hot!
Magazine
Don’t miss...
The Bravissimo show at Ocean World
A kaleidescope of costume,
dance, music and total entertainment!
Puerto
Plata
!Hot!
Magazine
Discover the diverse destinations of the Puerto Plata Region
Cabarete • Cabrera • Cofresi
Costambar•Jarabacoa • Luperon
Playa Dorada • Playa Grande • Puerto Plata City
• Santiago City • Samana • Sosua and more!
Puerto Plata Hot!
From the Publisher:
We often hear the question... what’s
better, Punta Cana or Puerto Plata?
Puerto Plata’s Historical Zone
If your vacation is about hanging
out in a resort and on a beautiful
beach, then go to Punta Cana.
But if you want beach, and culture,
and local people, and adventure,
and a sense of traveling to a place
that’s real, then come to Puerto
Plata.
Is a beach all about white sand
and palm trees? Or is it about
mixing with the locals, like on
Puerto Plata’s Long Beach or on
Sosua Beach... Is a beach all about
turquoise water? Or is it about the
life... the lobster vendors on Playa
Grande Beach... the kitesurfers on
Cabarete Beach... the pleasure of
discovering so many authentic and
beautiful places....
In a contest, Punta Cana would win
the prize for pretty, but Puerto Plata
would definitely win the prize for
action, fun and variety.
It’s hard to plan your vacation
from your desk at home, and you
don’t want to miss out on the
possibilities.
So print out this guide and bring it
with you so that once you’re here
and have your bearings, you can
enjoy your vaction to the fullest!
Enjoy your vacation!
Tim Hall
Publisher
Above: Puerto Plata’s oldest hotel
is a classic example of colonial
architecture
Left: The turret at Fort San Felipe,
built in 1506
Far Left: Puerto Plata’s central square
Look for... a bustling city center situated around Central
Park, fun to stroll around this historic part of town... lots
of Victorian style colonial architecture... street vendors...
beat-up old cars... it’s an eyeful - and lots of fun taking the
pictures
Stroll along the Malecon... the wide oceanfront the
promenade runs along the shoreline and ends at the 500
year old San Felipe Fortress
Consider Mt. Isabel de Torres... a
cable car takes you up to 2800 feet
to botanical gardens, cool mountain
breezes and some spectacular views!
Don’t miss... The Amber Museum and
Sam’s Bar & Grill, a favorite ex-pat
hangout, or the Mariposa for some real
Italian ice cream
Above: A cable car takes
you up 2800 feet to the
summit of Mt. Isabel de
Torres.
Left: Puerto Plata’s
ocean front boulevard,
the Malecon, is a favorite
place for a breezy stroll,
jog or cycle
Photo: Mark Fernandez / Sea Pro Divers
Puerto Plata Hot!
Best Beaches...
Playa Dorada:
This Golden Beach
is where most of
the big resorts are
Playa Dorada is located on the eastern
outskirts of the city of Puerto Plata. There are 14
hotels here situated in a country club setting on the beach
and around the 18-hole Playa Dorada golf course.
Each hotel has a beach club that serves its own guests with food,
beverage and a variety of watersports activities.
Due to the fact that most hotels in Playa
Dorada work on the all-inclusive program,
you will find it difficult to explore the grounds
of other resorts or use their beach bars. But
on the far west of Playa Dorada just past
Holiday Village there is a local crafts market
and a couple of small restaurants and bars.
You can also walk east to Bergantin Beach
where you buy cold beers from the vendors.
Playa Dorada feautures a mall right in
the center where you can find all types of
souvenirs, convenience stores, banks, bars
and restaurants.
For a little session with Lady Luck, check out
the American Casino at the Playa Dorada
Hotel.
Puerto Plata Hot!
At Ocean World you swim
with the dolphins, the
rays—and the sharks!
OCEAN WORLD ADVENTURE PARK is the
most advanced marine interaction park
of its kind. Boasting the largest manmade dolphin habitat in the world, Ocean
World is a must-see attraction for everyone
visiting the Dominican Republic.
Visitors get to touch, pet and feed dolphins,
sea lions, sharks, stingrays, exotic tropical
birds, meet tigers, walk through a
tropical rain forest and much more.
Ocean World Adventure Park
emphasizes personal experiences
between guests and marine
animals through interactive
programs. There are only a
handful of such facilities in the
world, and none that rival the
variety and quality that Ocean World Adventure
Park provides. So take advantage of your visit
to Puerto Plata to live this once in a lifetime
experience!
Ocean World
Cofresi, Puerto Plata
For Reservations see our promoters in all resorts or call 809 291-1000
Ocean World
by night...
Sunset cocktails looking over
the marina... gourmet dinner
at the Poseidon Restaurant...
front row seats at the
Bravissimo spectacular...
some fun at the slots and tables at
the casino... Ocean World offers
enough for a full night’s worth of
entertainment, with your night ending
at the Lighthouse Disco Lounge.
Call to reserve or ask your hotel
concierge or tour representative
about our evening packages including
transportation.
Puerto Plata Hot!
COSTAMBAR APARTMENT
Available for Weekly Rental
1minute from beach completely
furnished. Cosy Studio includes air,
fully equipped kitchen, cable TV, maid
service, 24 hour internet with PC,
security, parking,
Travel Tips...
Photocopy your passport and
other documents, store them in
your room safe and carry the
photocopies when you go to the
beach or town
ATM Machines are readily
accessible in Playa Dorada and
in town and provide a favorable
exchange rate...
Taxis are unmetered... always
settle on a price before hiring.
Prices are posted in or near
most hotel lobbies
Tel: 809 223 2295
E-Mail: [email protected]
The beer
Jump on the Party Bus for a Nite on the Town
Visit bars in Puerto Plata, Sosua & Cabarete
• Open bar onboard our private air
conditioned coach
• Pick up and return to your hotel
• Complimentary meal included
• Fun for everyone aged 18 to 80!
• English speaking guides
Regular price $65 pp...
$5 Dollars OFF when you book direct
Call 809 586-7923 or 809 696-6932
No question... there’s something special spicier - hotter - about Latin American night
clubs. Beautiful hostesses, throbbing latin
music... erotic dancers... it’s all waiting for
you at Puerto Plata’s premier night club,
Cristal, where the action keeps going
until everybody goes home. Adult shows,
dancers, executive room, disco full bar,
ladies and couples are welcome. Don’t miss
Cristal - for your hottest night in Puerto Plata!
Check out our afternoon pool parties!
Hermanas Mrabal Street • Long Beach • Puerto Plata •Tel. 254-3969
Open every night from 9 pm to 5 am • Major credit cards accepted
Present this ad for a free rum cocktail at Cafe Cito
A Dominican
countryside
adventure for the
whole family!
Fish for blue and white marlin, mahimahi, wahoo or sailfish depending
on the seaon in the waters off the
Dominican Republic.
Two trips daily offered with pickup
from all resorts
for here
Call in Puerto Plata:
809 586-1239
Great Grill... Vintage
Rock’n’Roll...
Café Cito is Puerto
Plata’s jumpin’ joint!
Rated ‘Best in Town’ by Rough
Guide and Lonely Planet
Km 5 Puerto Plata Sosua Highway, next to Avis Rent-a-Car, 1/4 mile west of
Playa Dorada main gates Tel. 809 586-7923.• VISA MC AMEX
Puerto Plata Hot!
Puerto Plata Hot!
Best Beaches...
Cabarete:
the Caribbean’s
beach of the
moment
Cabarete Beach is probably
the hottest, most happening
beach in the Caribbean right
now. Having gained its initial
fame as a windsurfing and
kiteboarding destination,
it’s now packed with great
restaurants, bars and stores
lined along the beach. At
night the sports equipment
is put away, out come the
tables and chairs... and the whole strip
becomes a great big party that lasts well
into the night.
Cabarete is just down the coast 20 minutes
east of Sosua and 40 minutes east of
Puerto Plata... a great place to spend a day,
a night, or an entire vacation.
Located on the beach right in the center of the
village of Cabarete, José O’Shay’s lives up to
a promise of being a truly authentic Irish pub.
On the menu... Shephard’s pie, corn beef &
cabbage, Irish Stew, fish’n’chips, bangers and
mash... and of course Guinness stout and a
selection of fine Irish whiskeys.
Bring in this page for a FREE
Cuba Libre!
José O’Shay’s Irish Beach Pub
Cabarete Beach Tel. 809 571-0775
VISA • MASTER CARD • AMEX
Cabarete’s Boutique Hotel. 50 comfortable rooms and suites all with a
magnificent view of Cabarete Beach. Calle la Punta, Cabarete,
Tel: (809)- 571-9727 www.velerobeach.com
Best Beaches...
Sosua: where visitors and locals mingle
Sosua Beach, located just five kilometers east of the airport, is a natural
place for locals and tourists to mix. Set in a cove protected by coral
cliffs, Sosua Beach is a kilometer of white sand and a great place
for snorkeling, jet skiing, swimming and people wathcing. The
beach is lined with shacks housing gift shops, bars and
restaurants. This is a great place to hang out and
meet people.
Did you know... Sosua was a World
War II refugee settlement for European
jews who escaped the holocaust and
emigrated to this north coast village. A
fascinating museum located in town tells
the story.
Getting to the beach: lots of winding
one way streets can be confusing... just
ask for “Restaurant La Roca” then drive
down beside La Roca to the beach
parking.
When in Sosua don’t miss...
On the Waterfront
Restaurant for romantic
oceanfront dining...
PADI certified Northern
Coast Divers for all your
diving needs... Britannia
Pub is a great local
hangout on Sosua’s main
street... Rock’n’Roll all the
way at Ruby’s Lounge
Locals and tourists socialize on Sosua Beach
Sosua Beach’s coral reefs make this a snorkeling
sanctuary. Above: The beachwalk runs alongside
bars and handicraft shops.
Puerto Plata Hot!
Puerto Plata Hot!
Plaza Las Americas
Buy gold jewelry by the gram at this Caribbean pawnshop
Selecting tobacco at the Artisan
factory near Santiago, Dominican
Republic
What could be more fascinating than a pawnshop jewelry store in a Caribbean
port city? Discover a great selection of jewelry from all over the world! American
Robert Hildreth runs the largest one in Puerto Plata, and invites visitors to take
advantage of his no-nonsense policy of selling gold by the gram. Pricing by
gram and not by design or designer means discounts up to 60 and 80 per cent.
Plaza Las Americas Jewelry Boutique is located right beside the Caribe Tours
Bus Station in downtown Puerto Plata.
Photos: Owen Franken
Artisan Selection Cigars
Looking for an
honest cigar?
Discover our “try
before you buy” cigar
bar outlets
Looking for high quality cigars at
reasonable prices? In Puerto Plata you’ll
discover many bootleg vendors and
many stores that don’t conserve their
stock properly. This means that it’s so
easy to end up buying junk.
25 years ago, the Cuevas brothers
moved from Cuba and set up their own
plantations
and factory near Puerto
Plata. Today they are renowned in
the business, having being described
by Cigar Aficionado as “an excellent
example of the boutique manufacturers
art. “
Looking for an honest cigar? Come by
and try us out at selected “try before
you buy” cigar bars and outlets where
you can sit, relax and enjoy one before
buying a whole box.
Puerto Plata
Cafe Cito on the Hwy 1/4 mile west of Playa Dorada main gates. 809 586-7923
Sosua:
Hideaway Bar, Pedro Clisante St. Downtown Sosua
Pedro McMurphy’s Irish Pub, David Stern St. near Harrison’s Jewelers
On the Waterfront Restaurant, David Stern St. in front of the ocean
Plaza Las Americas. Jose E. Kunhardt No. 7, Downtown Puerto Plata
1km from Central Park • Tel. 809 586-6516 •
Open Mon- Fri 8 am - 6 pm • S at 8 am - 4 pm • Sun 9 am - 1 pm
Visa • Master Card
CIGAR
DISCOUNT
FIND THE BRANDS YOU
ARE LOOKING FOR
FREE DELIVERY
TO YOUR HOTEL!
EMAIL US, BUY ONLINE
OR VISIT OUR SHOP!
Cigar Discount
offers you a
wide variety of
FIRST-QUALITY
Dominican Cigars,
at the best prices
available in Puerto
Plata. We have all
the major brands
and offer you free
delivery to your hotel, you can purchase
online direct from our website, or visit our
shop
Plaza Turisol No 40 Puerto Plata, Tel: 809-320-8243
Email: [email protected] Website: zonapuertoplata.com
¡HOT!
Playa Dorada...
Cofresi...
Puerto Plata...
Saturday night karaoke
at Ahora Beach Bar &
Grill....
Monday night jazz at
La Esquina Bar near
Central Park
Aleph... On Tuesday
nights, classical guitar
and 2x1 wine all evening
Up and down the
Malecon... party with
the local people in the
seaside rumshacks
El Manquito, the best for
typical Dominican food
Dancin’ girls at Cristal
Night Club
Mexican food and shows
at Charro
Ocean World....
Gourmet dining at
Poseidon Restaurant
Bravissmo Show
Ocean World Casino
Lighthhouse Lounge
Chris & Mady’s for
popular American style
menu
To Santiago
Sosua...
Puerto
Plata
!Hot!
Costambar
SPOT
10 minutes
Puerto
Plata
The nightlife heat is up
with a bunch of new
places to party at night...
Spice Disco at Holiday
Village
In the Plaza...
Coco Bongo
Hemingway’s bar & grill
5 minutes
Lounge
Ruby’s Lounge... jam nights
on Tuesdays, ladies night
on Wednesday... classic
R&R all the time
Also in town
Embocca
Bliss
Waterfront Restaurant for
beachfront dining...
Dinner at Al Fresco...
Just outside
the gates,
Cafe Cito, a
favorite expat
hangout, vintage R&R,
saellite sports, low prices
Puerto
Plata
!Hot! !Hot!
SPOT
Cabarete
The Caribbean’s HOTTEST
party beach
on the beach...
Lax... to relax
Jose O’Shay’s Irish Pub... to
eat and drink
Onno’s ... to dance
Rocky’s for cold beer and
world famous bbq ribs
Montellano
Puerto
Plata
Puerto
Plata
!Hot!
!Hot!
SPOT
SPOT
SPOT
Airport
25 minutes
15 minutes
To Samana
Puerto Plata Hot!
Cabarete Central
Cita Del Sol is
nestled
in
the
heart of Cabarete,
the wind, kite and
surfing capitol of
the world. In the
middle of town and
just across the street from Cabarette Beach, newly renovated apartments, beautiful
gardens, 24 hour electricity and security, great mix of Dominicans, and travelers,
Cita Del Sol is the perfect place to chill out. Great prices too!
Call Peter anytime 809 608 4511. www.citadelsol.com
Aleph RESTAURANT
a fusion of Caribbean and Latin
sensations from Rafael Vasquez
Plaza 1, Luis Ginebra Ave. near the Puerto Plata Courthouse.
Tel. 809-244-4528 • [email protected] •
www.alephrestaurant.com
Renowned chef Rafael Vasquez has created Aleph, a new,
minimalist dining room, in which to bring his world class culinary
talents to the table, in a fusion of Caribbean and Latin cuisine.
Rafael has represented the Dominican Republic officially at many
culinary events worldwide, including three times invited guest chef
at Disneyworld.
Open daily except Mondays for lunch and dinner.
Sundays Paella and Sangria Brunch;
Tuesdays live classical guitar and 2x1 prices for wine.
Fun City, the largest gocart park in the Caribbean,
features 3 great racing
tracks,gocart, sprint and
cyclone, as well as a
kids playground, bumper
cars, pichers challenge
and more! Check out
our unlimited racing pass
and spend a day with us!
Great family fun!
Free taxi transportation
from your hotel and back!
FUN CITY ACTION PARK
Puerto Plata-Sosua Hwy
Km 8 near Playa Dorada
Tel: 809-320-1031
Email: [email protected] Website:
www.funcity-gokarts.com
FREE TAXI
TRANSPORTATION ROUNDTRIP
We produce and commercialize hand made Dominican art.
Beautiful necklaces made of natural seeds and recyclable materials
Exclusive pieces of terracotta fired in a pre Hispanic tradition.
Come and visit as at our work shop
Ceramic art & fashion jewelry made
with natural seeds and recyclables
Calle Eduardo Frei # 9 in Urbanizacion Atlantica • Tel. 809 261 0295
Email:[email protected] • Website: www.luzcace.info
Puerto Plata Hot!
Ruby’s Lounge, Sosua’s music central
Cool, comfortable, cosy.... Ruby’s personifies
Canadian hosts Steve and Melanie and their
passion for music. Located right on the top of the
beachway road, Ruby’s attracts its clientele for its
collection of classic rock and for the live music and
events going on all the time. Added bonus is the
breezy terrace barbecue. Check it out!
SUN & THU
KARAOKE
TUESDAY
LIVE JAM!
On the Waterfront Restaurant
Sosua’s only location for fine beachfront dining
Lounge
With this ad:
Ruby
LADIES NIGHT FREE
Shooters!
WEDNESDAY
AT THE ENTRANCE TO SOSUA BEACH
Succulent seafood, sizzling steaks, fine wines
and premium cigars are the fine fare offered at
the Waterfront Restaurant, where beachfront
breezes and spectacular sunsets make this the
ideal location for a romantic, memorable evening
out. Come for dinner, or just for sunset cocktails
at the bar or on the seaside deck.
Perfect for lunch • Free Wi-Fi
Bring this ad for a complimentary Rum Cocktail
Oceanfront on David Stern St, down from Codetel
Reservations 809 571-3024
Rocky’s Bar & Hotel:
a favorite in downtown Sosua
Isaira Tours
Isaira Tours, for excursions, transfers
and car rental! We offer lazy
days at sea on catamarans,
shopping to Santiago and Santo
Domingo, adventures on jeeps
and fourwheelers, cultural visits
to historial areas, river rafting and
helicopter flights! Transfers for
individuals and groups all across
the island. Join us and explore the
Dominican Republic!
Plaza El Doral, near Iberostar, Puerto Plata
Tel. 809 320 1433 www.isairatours.com
Inexpensive food, great music and valuepriced rooms top the list of why people go to
Rocky’s; while great people and good times
keep them coming back. This downtown eatery
and garden hotel is a walk to everywhere —a
perfect place to get settled in and well oriented
when visiting Sosua.
FREE
WI-FI
Try our World Famous BBQ ribs
Come in with this ad and get a
cocktail — on the house!
Telephone: (809) 571-2951 • Cellular : (809) 481-2951
Calle Dr. Rosen # 22, El Batey - Sosua • www.rockysbar.com