2024-08-22 14:41:00
The beaches of the Dominican Republic are so beautiful that you cannot miss them. However, you can only find out more about the residents of the Caribbean country away from the package holiday resorts on the coast. Profits from local initiatives flow to communities.
The scent hits with full force. When he opened the door to the small company, he felt that he was in a sweet cloud, almost in a suspended state. Chocolate! In accordance with the aura, the face is glued to a trace that Nereida Acosta is turning back and forth on the work with both hands using spatulas. You use this to make “thread loops”. Chocolate bars come later.
Acosta is one of the five women who founded a group of chocolate makers in the village of Caribe, not far from the city of Bonao. They do not want to leave the profits from local cocoa farming entirely to distant visitors. Your work is limited to one room. There women who teach themselves create truly superior products.
His brand is called “The Carpenter”. They can easily compete with any master chocolatier from Belgium or Switzerland. Acosta’s colleague, Juana Panyagua, is happy with the business, which is only direct sales, and says: “We women are proud to do everything. Life has given us new opportunities.” A foundation inspires us.
Amazing initiatives in the country
In the valleys of Bonao and Cibao and their surrounding areas, far from the famous beaches of the island nation, extraordinary initiatives have emerged to ensure that access remains within the areas. This is the “Cathedral”. Representation.” or the Dominican Republic, undifferentiated, authentic.
As in the Central Cordillera, into which a small road leads up from Bonao. A giant bamboo fan came out. A family of four rattles along on a Vespa without a helmet. The village youth meet in a billiards hall. The destination is the tourism complex of the Río Blanco. After this is the “Community of the Local Population for Progress”, which includes 600 families, calculates Andrés Sarita. The 32-year-old supported the project as a volunteer for a non-profit organization.
The rooms with bathrooms provide accommodation without a room, while the full board package offers you easy money. The views of the mountains are fantastic. The educational trail leads through the coffee plantations. Coffee is dried, roasted and sold here. “You can drink as much coffee as you want while waiting,” Sarita emphasized. It is different in kind of all-inclusive.
Sooner or later, however, longing for the top spots of the country increases: the beaches and the colonial beauty of the capital Santo Domingo. The domestic product can be a great addition to this, but not a replacement.
From housewife to nature guide
The small nature reserve Saltos de Jima continues to be far from the beach and people. “Welcome to paradise,” said a wooden sign. Nadia Hernández Salcedo said: “Some days there are only five visitors. Magnet in Jima waterfall, almost two kilometers away, and those who follow it are mandatory.
Of the 200 pesos entry fee, equivalent to just over three euros, half goes into the coffers of the 26-person guide group. Hernández said: “This is a tourist project for our community. The 40-year-old woman used to be a housewife, but now she explains the world of plants.
The shadow path leads to roots, stairs, footbridges and bridges. Anyone who does not have mosquito bites on his head becomes a blood donor. In the end, the waterfall falls from the scale through the green. Hernández said: “Some people come here to meditate when they hear the noise. Then you have to stop just like you did on the way back when you stopped at a tropical swimming pool in the Jima River.
Art made from dead coconut shells
Bathing is refreshing, but not compared to palm beaches. What you don’t find in tourist beach resorts, however, is a family business like that of Marino Antonio Brito, about eight kilometers southwest of Moca. Under the label “Arteco”, the 58-year-old and his team turn dead coconut shells into artistic butterflies.
The disposable material is turned into feather-light ornaments, painted with acrylic paints. More original souvenirs are hard to imagine – and with prices starting at 200 pesos, they are incredibly cheap. At the same time, this supports women like Mery Espaillat, who have found a job in a weak environment.
Looking over her shoulder, the 36-year-old brushed her hair with great emotion. The nearby art center “Neoarte” also sells souvenirs from which the rural population benefits. Senior Henry Miguel Crisóstomo is passionate about supporting women. Their products, such as “dolls without eyes,” are available in stores without commissions that go to middlemen.
“Dolls without eyes,” says the 57-year-old, represent the unity of native, African and European islands. “For us Dominicans, there are no physical characteristics of a dress. We are a melting pot.”
Call of the sea
Crisóstomo did not mince his words when asking: “All-inclusive tourism should be hidden from us.”
However, at some point it succumbs to the warmth of the beaches, like in the north in Sosúa and Cabarete, Playa Dorada, called “Golden Sands”, or near Punta Cana in the east. The island, which is shared with Haiti, is known for its beautiful beaches and outer coral reefs.
There the Dominican Republic was changed to “Dom. Rep.” of the masses. This is the beauty of the sea, palm trees and sand. With a piece of chocolate from “Grower” you can dream of returning home.
Tips and information:
arrival: Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana are served from various airports in Germany.
Entry: Stays of up to 30 days are free; Electronic entry and exit forms must be completed prior to departure. There are no fees for this.
Health: According to the Federal Foreign Office website, no vaccinations are mandatory for entry from Germany. Travel vaccination against hepatitis A is recommended as well as protection against mosquito bites, especially during the day (dengue fever).
More information: godominicanrepublic.com
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