About Puerto Plata

The Amber Coast, along the northern coast of the island is named for the rich deposits of amber found in the hills near the 75 mile stretch of beautiful beaches east of Puerto Plata. The white-sandy beaches, impressive mountain ranges, spectacular rivers, waterfalls and exotic wildlife are just the beginning of the Dominican Republic's exotic beauty.

Puerto Plata is the largest city of the Northern region and a tourism Mecca of the Dominican Republic; 80% European and 20% North American. It's a popular destination for tourists who are seeking a relaxing, affordable holiday with the option of a lot of places to visit in the vicinity. 3 miles west of Puerto Plata, a new full service marina is under construction with berthing up to 250 ft (LOA), WI-FI, 24 hour security, customs and immigration on-site and a fuel dock.

Ocean World Marina is adjacent to the famous Ocean World Adventure Park, the newest and largest marine park attraction in the Caribbean. The Marinas Grand Opening will be April 2007. By March 2006, about 20 slips would have opened with electricity, water, and pumped fuel. Puerto Plata is known for its glimmering beaches and entertaining resorts. However, straying away from the water for a day can yield a breathtaking experience.

Blanketed in tropical flora, the 2,600 foot high Mount Isabel de Torres offers a splendorous adventure. To reach the peak, you can drive, hike or take the scenic Teleferico (cable car). At the top of the mountain are lush botanical gardens, a souvenir shop, café and a 52 foot statue of an open armed Cristo Redentor overlooking Puerto Plata and surrounding area. Along with some of the most splendid views of the Puerto Plata bay. The mountain is one of four protected scientific reserves in the country and home to the highest altitude botanical gardens in the Caribbean.

The Dominican Republic offers a wide selection of artwork, with Spain, Africa and Haiti having the strongest influences. Most of the artwork found in tourism areas consists of simplistic, colourful painting sand wood or ceramic sculptures. Most oil paintings are the reproduction of Haitian originals and are likely to be one of thousands of the same piece.

Even still, the colourful simplicity of the work reflecting everyday life, along with an inexpensive price tag, makes them a very nice souvenir. The Dominican Republic is the biggest cigar-producing country in the world and most of that is done in the Cibao Valley region of the country. Cigar aficionados believe many of the locally made cigars are superior in quality to the much more famous Cuban cigars. You will find a variety of cigar types, in different brands and price ranges, in almost all of the supermarkets and tourist gift/souvenir shops in most tourism hotspots.

Cigar specialty shops tend to offer higher-end, brand name cigars. Jewellery is found in abundance, with the most prevalent jewellery items being inexpensive and casual, beaded necklaces, bracelets, earrings and anklets. These are usually sold on the beach or in gift shops in larger hotels and resort gift shops, or in popular tourist shopping areas. The higher-end jewellery shops also carry gemstone and semiprecious collections made with either sterling silver or gold. Some of the best shopping in Puerto Plata can be found just by wandering around the city.

The streets are teeming with activity and dotted with a variety of shops such as the Grand Factory - a large jewellery shop with original amber work made by the owners of the store. Plaza Turisol Complex, the largest shopping centre on the north coast, has about 80 different outlets and the most upscale and tasteful merchandise. It is located 5 minutes from Puerto Plata and Playa Dorada.

The Dominican Republic is a paradise for the sports lovers offering the biggest variety of sports in the Caribbean. A boom in adventure sports has made the Dominican Republic a major hot spot. Forests, mountains and miles of golden beach provide a playground for adventure sports seekers with activities such as mountain biking and horse-riding, as well as a host of water sports including diving, windsurfing, kite surfing and white water rafting.

The beaches of Puerto Plata are known also for their exciting opportunities for scuba diving. With many shops and dive companies offering equipment and training, both beginners and expert divers alike can enjoy the wonders of the undersea world surrounding Puerto Plata. From shallow reefs and shipwrecks to deep water diving and freshwater cave diving, Puerto Plata’s diving scene is rife with electrifying sights. You may even come into contact with humpback whales or other large sea creatures.

The Dominican Republic is a renowned golf destination and Puerto Plata is home to some excellent courses. The18 hole Playa Dorada golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. at Victoria Resort Golf and Beach is listed as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world. The nine hole Los Mangos golf course is located within the tropical fruit trees of Costambar village, just outside of Puerto Plata city.

Serious golfers may want to make a trip outside of Puerto Plata to another Robert Trent Jones creation, Playa Grande, considered to be one of the best courses in the Caribbean.

For further information on Two Rivers Resort, please contact us.