A question that is asked constantly by seasoned travelers and newbie’s alike is “What else is there to do other than eat, party and sun bathe?” In response there are many adventures and activities to enjoy, hate and participate in. Honestly, activities are among the top reasons I choose a destination. An outdoorsman who enjoys everything outdoors. My top picks for outdoor and adventure travel are:
La Republica Dominicana,
the Dominican Republic to most of us is my all time favorite destination and default destination to go when I'm short on funds or just want to chill for a minute. My love affair with D.R. & Santo Domingo the capital city began 12 years ago as a suggestion of friends. Over the years I have grown, developed and matured with the city studying Spanish and Dominican Culture. Meeting people and taking chances has provided experiences the average American only views on television or in magazines. I have established and maintained meaningful relationships with locals and ex-pats that have formed the foundation of “my get away from it all spot.” When visiting Santo Domingo and looking for new and different experiences I suggest waking up early one morning and heading north easily reachable by a leisurely drive, Metro and Caribe Busses or for the truly adventuress the local network of Gua Guas.
Cabarete and Jarabacoa are the main adventure hotspots. Cabarete situated on the north coast between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains of the Cordillera is an excellent base for activities on land and in the water; already one of the best places in the world for windsurfing, Cabarete is also an excellent spot for surfing. Its close proximity to the mountains means that activities such as canyoning, cascading and horseback riding can be done in day trips from Cabarete. A local ex-pat and authority on D.R.’s gay community notes “Cabarete is quietly becoming a place where Gay tourists are starting to venture in increasing numbers.” The beaches are becoming outdoor clubs at night with all the bars and music creating festive atmospheres. The possibilities for other adventures are many as you are close to the resort town of Puerto Plata, Sosua, Rio San Juan and the popular seaside Samana regions.
Jarabacoa is the largest town in the Dominican Alps and an ideal starting point for numerous activities which take place in the central mountains, including: river rafting, horseback riding, mountain biking, paragliding, whale watching, hiking and diving. There are other towns well worth checking out. Sosua is a good place to go for scuba diving; Barahona, very rich in Haitian and Dominican culture is the largest town in the southwest of the country, a relatively unexplored region with hidden caves and fine coral reefs. It is also rumored to be the home of some of the largest and fattest -well you get the picture- in the country smile!
Locally around Santo Domingo are the resorts and towns of Boca Chica, Juan Dolio, Haina and San Cristobal for swimming, beaches and resort style activities.
Cabarete and Jarabacoa are the main adventure hotspots. Cabarete situated on the north coast between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains of the Cordillera is an excellent base for activities on land and in the water; already one of the best places in the world for windsurfing, Cabarete is also an excellent spot for surfing. Its close proximity to the mountains means that activities such as canyoning, cascading and horseback riding can be done in day trips from Cabarete. A local ex-pat and authority on D.R.’s gay community notes “Cabarete is quietly becoming a place where Gay tourists are starting to venture in increasing numbers.” The beaches are becoming outdoor clubs at night with all the bars and music creating festive atmospheres. The possibilities for other adventures are many as you are close to the resort town of Puerto Plata, Sosua, Rio San Juan and the popular seaside Samana regions.Jarabacoa is the largest town in the Dominican Alps and an ideal starting point for numerous activities which take place in the central mountains, including: river rafting, horseback riding, mountain biking, paragliding, whale watching, hiking and diving. There are other towns well worth checking out. Sosua is a good place to go for scuba diving; Barahona, very rich in Haitian and Dominican culture is the largest town in the southwest of the country, a relatively unexplored region with hidden caves and fine coral reefs. It is also rumored to be the home of some of the largest and fattest -well you get the picture- in the country smile!
Locally around Santo Domingo are the resorts and towns of Boca Chica, Juan Dolio, Haina and San Cristobal for swimming, beaches and resort style activities.
PANAMA, Central America
One of my favorite rugged adventure spots is Panama in the southern end of Central America. Panama is an interesting mix of traditional & modern. The national language is Spanish and several native Indigenous Indian languages. English is widely spoken in Panama City the capital and Colon City, situated around the Panama Canal which is responsible for the heavy American influence in the modern areas. Many of the American servicemen who were stationed at the canal became ex-pats and started families and businesses. Interestingly Panama uses the $USD as the main form of currency, but costs are 30% less than in the states. A national Panamanian currency “The Balboa” exists but is never used. Among the many adventures to be had in Panama some of the most popular are deep sea fishing, river & creek swimming and hiking in the notorious Darien Gap that borders Columbia.
Some of my personal favorites are Iguana Hunting in the deep rich and lush rain forests of Porto Lindo in the Colon region of Panama. Hunting is done mostly in the early morning hours by adolescent boys. They climb the trees bare footed shaking and chasing the Iguanas to the ground below where a group of us club them on the heads rendering them unconscious while we tie and bag them. We then return to town where they are skinned, cleaned and cooked for dinner.
Another favorite is Island Hopping. At dusk we purchase a few cases of beer and hop in the dingy and travel from island to island picking up hunks and players until we make our way to a secluded spot where we exchange tales, stories and body fluids until the wee hours of the morning. Island hopping is not for the faint of heart as you are travelling in a very basic wooden boat on the ocean at night in the dark with people drinking. Not too much of a problem for me because I am always the designated captain because I don’t drink. A must see is the infamous Black Christ Festival “El Christo Negro” church & statue in Portobelo. The actual festival when hundreds of pilgrims draped in deep purple robes crawl for miles to the shrine begging forgiveness occurs October 21st of each year. Portobelo is also a scuba diving hotspot. If you have time it is fascinating to check out the Indigenous Indian Reservations in the Darien Province and islands of Comarca de San Bias and Bocas del Toro where you can view and participate in traditional cloth weaving & dying and indigenous cuisine and drinks. You will be required to purchase visas and visitors cards because the reservations are considered separate states, albeit it adds up to about $20.00. They are treated better than American Indians. They dress in traditional garbs and only come to the main land to sell their crafts and purchase supplies and equipment. They are a completely autonomous people and state with their own government and way of life as it has been for thousands of years.
Near and dear to my heart and the place I go for the extreme adventures is De La Republique D’Haiti simply known to most as Haiti. I decided to go to Haiti after seeing all the turmoil and drama around the country on the news. Haiti challenged every aspect of my instincts and skills. I traveled to a place I had never been, didn’t know anyone or anyone who had been to Haiti. Worse of all I didn’t understand the language or currency. Being the quick study I am it turned out to be something I learned long, hard and step by step. Haiti is definitely not for the bourgeois, weak, faint of hurt or those without an extremely strong sense of survival. A number of older travelers I have met have told me stories about how grand Haiti was back in the day under the regiemes of "Baby Doc and his Father".
I fell in love with Haiti and joined the Peace Corps teaching school and directing an orphanage in the rural mountainous area of Jacmel. When not teaching English or elementary school I enjoyed swimming in the ocean every day (found out it gave me a skin rash that I had to treat long distance via D.R.) I have never walked so much and so far in my life, at least 10 miles per day to and from the town. When I returned to Brooklyn at the end of my tour I had lost 42 pounds (that alone made it all worth it) and was as dark as coal. I really enjoyed deep sea fishing with long poles and rusty hooks in riggedy old boats.
I was living in Haiti during the 2004 revolution when the U.S. snuck Aristede out of the country in the middle of the night. For weeks I saw the UN Peace keepers fighting a losing battle on the streets.
One of my favorite rugged adventure spots is Panama in the southern end of Central America. Panama is an interesting mix of traditional & modern. The national language is Spanish and several native Indigenous Indian languages. English is widely spoken in Panama City the capital and Colon City, situated around the Panama Canal which is responsible for the heavy American influence in the modern areas. Many of the American servicemen who were stationed at the canal became ex-pats and started families and businesses. Interestingly Panama uses the $USD as the main form of currency, but costs are 30% less than in the states. A national Panamanian currency “The Balboa” exists but is never used. Among the many adventures to be had in Panama some of the most popular are deep sea fishing, river & creek swimming and hiking in the notorious Darien Gap that borders Columbia.
Some of my personal favorites are Iguana Hunting in the deep rich and lush rain forests of Porto Lindo in the Colon region of Panama. Hunting is done mostly in the early morning hours by adolescent boys. They climb the trees bare footed shaking and chasing the Iguanas to the ground below where a group of us club them on the heads rendering them unconscious while we tie and bag them. We then return to town where they are skinned, cleaned and cooked for dinner.
Another favorite is Island Hopping. At dusk we purchase a few cases of beer and hop in the dingy and travel from island to island picking up hunks and players until we make our way to a secluded spot where we exchange tales, stories and body fluids until the wee hours of the morning. Island hopping is not for the faint of heart as you are travelling in a very basic wooden boat on the ocean at night in the dark with people drinking. Not too much of a problem for me because I am always the designated captain because I don’t drink. A must see is the infamous Black Christ Festival “El Christo Negro” church & statue in Portobelo. The actual festival when hundreds of pilgrims draped in deep purple robes crawl for miles to the shrine begging forgiveness occurs October 21st of each year. Portobelo is also a scuba diving hotspot. If you have time it is fascinating to check out the Indigenous Indian Reservations in the Darien Province and islands of Comarca de San Bias and Bocas del Toro where you can view and participate in traditional cloth weaving & dying and indigenous cuisine and drinks. You will be required to purchase visas and visitors cards because the reservations are considered separate states, albeit it adds up to about $20.00. They are treated better than American Indians. They dress in traditional garbs and only come to the main land to sell their crafts and purchase supplies and equipment. They are a completely autonomous people and state with their own government and way of life as it has been for thousands of years.
De La REPUBLIQUE D'HAITI
Near and dear to my heart and the place I go for the extreme adventures is De La Republique D’Haiti simply known to most as Haiti. I decided to go to Haiti after seeing all the turmoil and drama around the country on the news. Haiti challenged every aspect of my instincts and skills. I traveled to a place I had never been, didn’t know anyone or anyone who had been to Haiti. Worse of all I didn’t understand the language or currency. Being the quick study I am it turned out to be something I learned long, hard and step by step. Haiti is definitely not for the bourgeois, weak, faint of hurt or those without an extremely strong sense of survival. A number of older travelers I have met have told me stories about how grand Haiti was back in the day under the regiemes of "Baby Doc and his Father".
I fell in love with Haiti and joined the Peace Corps teaching school and directing an orphanage in the rural mountainous area of Jacmel. When not teaching English or elementary school I enjoyed swimming in the ocean every day (found out it gave me a skin rash that I had to treat long distance via D.R.) I have never walked so much and so far in my life, at least 10 miles per day to and from the town. When I returned to Brooklyn at the end of my tour I had lost 42 pounds (that alone made it all worth it) and was as dark as coal. I really enjoyed deep sea fishing with long poles and rusty hooks in riggedy old boats.
I was living in Haiti during the 2004 revolution when the U.S. snuck Aristede out of the country in the middle of the night. For weeks I saw the UN Peace keepers fighting a losing battle on the streets. Cruising is alive and well in major cities like Port au Prince and Bellville but very dangerous. I quickly learned Haitians are second only to Africans when it comes to mastering the DL! I refused to get involved in any way with Voodou , yeah just plain fear. I'm not afraid far away from it, but it scared the hell out me right next door. Travel to Haiti should only be attempted with someone familiar with the country and the language. These days I never fly directly into Haiti. I fly into Santo Domingoa nd catch the Caribe bus into Petionville. I feel it adds a n extra measure of security if I need to exit the country on the fly! The currency can be difficult to master at first because it is two tiered. In everyday life Haitians use the “Haitian Gourdes” but if you go into an International or upscale neighborhood you need to be able to convert everything into Haitian Dollars which can be very confusing. Basically with a few twists and turns you multiply or divide by 5. The public transport system would be outlawed in any other part of the world. Pick up trucks with 3 times too many people hanging on for dear life as you whip around very narrow curves and hills. Anyone not born in Haiti is advised to never drink or bath in the water if it is not filtered. This includes the ice, coffee and tea. 
On the southern end of the island is the capital and seat of government "Port au Prince" and for that reason it is extremely dangerous as rioting, looting and gunfire are very common and impromtu daily. In the north is the beautiful city of Cap Hatien a very wealthy and prosperous section of the country but it is cut off by the unstable and most violent area of Haiti "Gonaives." Gonaives was the scene of the worse rioting and violence primarily motivated by opposition to Aristide, and on February 5, 2004, a group calling itself the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front seized control of the city, starting the 2004 Haiti rebellion. When the rebellion first started I decided to stay the course because my color would deflect some of the anger and conflict directed towards foreigners. The days after they hustled Aristide out of the country in the middle of the night I stayed close to the orphanage and did not engage new persons. As the violence reached its peak and the country was virtually locked down I decided to return to the states. I learned and witnessed first hand how the promise of money can turn blood relatives against each other all in an attempt to survive another day.
Basically adventures can be had near, far and wide in any destination you choose. It is your choice to get out and see, live and experience all there is to learn. Researching the internet, the social web sites and fellow travelers months before your trip can enhance your success on any and all trips. There is always some one who made the trek before you!
On the southern end of the island is the capital and seat of government "Port au Prince" and for that reason it is extremely dangerous as rioting, looting and gunfire are very common and impromtu daily. In the north is the beautiful city of Cap Hatien a very wealthy and prosperous section of the country but it is cut off by the unstable and most violent area of Haiti "Gonaives." Gonaives was the scene of the worse rioting and violence primarily motivated by opposition to Aristide, and on February 5, 2004, a group calling itself the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front seized control of the city, starting the 2004 Haiti rebellion. When the rebellion first started I decided to stay the course because my color would deflect some of the anger and conflict directed towards foreigners. The days after they hustled Aristide out of the country in the middle of the night I stayed close to the orphanage and did not engage new persons. As the violence reached its peak and the country was virtually locked down I decided to return to the states. I learned and witnessed first hand how the promise of money can turn blood relatives against each other all in an attempt to survive another day.
Basically adventures can be had near, far and wide in any destination you choose. It is your choice to get out and see, live and experience all there is to learn. Researching the internet, the social web sites and fellow travelers months before your trip can enhance your success on any and all trips. There is always some one who made the trek before you! 
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