As is true with the rest of the  Americas, horses were not re-introduced  until Christopher Columbus brought them to the island on his second voyage in 1493.  On this trip, he brought with him a total of 24 horses that were a mixture of Berber (Spanish Barb), the Jennet ( a small Spanish gated horse) and the Andalusian.

These horses arrived on the island weak and ill-treated and it is not known how many had survived the voyage.  On their arrival, the horses were faced with tropical living conditions and heavy usage in the wars with the Taino Indians as well as heavy labor with agriculture development.  Christopher Columbus sent word to Spain that more horses were needed and over the next number of years, every voyage to the island brought more horses to the island.   

The island proved to be conducive to the natural increase of horses due to the climate and abundance of grass.  Breeding farms were developed with the most notable belonging to the governor of the eastern part of the island Don Juan Ponce de Leon.  His estate called The Ciguayagua and was located just outside of Higuey near Punta Cana. 

In 1508 Ponce de Leon was sent to explore Puerto Rico where he was later named governor of this island.  Bringing horses with him from his estate this breeding stock later became the foundation of the Paso Fino breed meaning Fine Step.

The stock left behind on his ranch in Hispaniola (Dominican Republic) were bred for work in  the cattle ranches, gold mines and sugar cane fields and were not mixed with other breeds until early last century at the time of colonization.  

The first American invasion of the Dominican Republic in 1916 brought Morgan horses that were used by the army.  Years later The Tennessee Walking horse was imported by the Central Romana Corporation who were seeking the comfort and strength of these horses for use on their sugar plantations. Quarter horses, Thoroughbreds and Arabians also arrived and crossed with the island criollos.  

The criteria for breed selection was for a strong spirited horse that was meek and could travel for long distances without tiring both themselves and their riders.  They are a good height with a characteristic gait unique in the world.  It’s step is isochronous which is an even 1, 2, 3, 4 ambling gait but it is slower than other breeds and very elegant.

Size in relationship to other breeds is smaller which is typical of the horses found in the Caribbean. Bergmann’s rule states that individuals of a particular species in warmer areas tend to have lessor body mass than individuals of colder areas.  The theory is that this allows them to disperse body heat more efficiently. 

The main influences of the Paso Higueyano were the Barb, Narragansett Pacer ( an extinct breed that was the the major influence of all pacers in the Americas), The Tennessee Walking Horse and the Morgan Horse.  These breeds combined to give  an exceptional gated , spirited horse with great strength and vigor.

This breed of horses were named the Paso Higueyano and  in December of 2002, the Asociacion de Caballos de Paso Higueyano was formed to encourage the breeding, promotion and competitions  of this noble animal. 

Every holiday and festival brings horses to the city where the cowboys parade and show off their meticulously turned out horses.  Every year in August on the Restoration Holiday they shut down the streets to cars around the boulevard in downtown Higuey with hundreds of horses brought in from the countryside to parade while crowds of spectators line the streets to watch.  Watching their high step and proud carriage it is easy to see why the Dominican people love to celebrate this amazing breed of horse.


References:
Asociacion de Caballos de Paso Higueyano http://www.pasohigueyano.com
Allen, Joel Asaph. 1877. “The influence of physical conditions in the genesis of species.” Radical Review 1: 108-140.
Blackburn, T. M., and B. A. Hawkins. 2004. “Bergmann's rule and the mammal fauna of northern North America.” Ecography 27(6): 715-724.
International Museum of the Horse www.imh.org/exhibits/online/colonial-horses

You've worked hard, saved your money and now you deserve the best vacation ever. Whether you are traveling to Punta Cana for 3 days or 2 weeks, your time is important to you so I have put together some tips to make the most of your vacation time.





Throw away your watch
You are going to be on Dominican time which runs anwhere from 1/2 hour to 2 hours behind the rest of the world.  Learn to be patient, enjoy the weather and your relaxation time and don't fret because it took 2 hours for the maid to bring your towels. Most Dominicans do not have the sense of urgency in their day that we are acuustomed to and think nothing about arriving late.  When they say they will do something right away, automatically add on a couple of hours in your head so you are prepared.

Arrange private transportation
How much did you spend on your vacation?  Yes it may include complimentary transportation to your resort, but why would you want to wait in a bus for all the other passangers, then arrive at your resort where you have to stand in line with all of the other people on your bus.  Why not pay out $50 or so for a taxi and be delivered straight to your lobby, where you can get your room ( if it is ready) and be sitting by the beach enjoying the sun when the rest of the passengers on your plane arrive.  

Make time for rest, play and learning
Take some time to to do nothing and unwind, read a book, laze in the sun, take naps.  We all need to have our batteries recharged and your vacation time is a perfect time to do that.  But if you are going to sleep your whole trip then you might as well save your money and stay home.  Try some different experiences like scuba diving, dance the bachata or para sailing.  Get away from your resort and learn more about the wonderful culture and and view the beautiful scenery, you can even combine that with another activity like horseback riding or zip lining.  Taste some of the local cuisine, the food of the Dominican Republic is varied and dates back to the recipes of the Taino Indians, Spanish and African influences.    

Do your research for activities 
Check out trip advisor for the top sites to visit and activities in Punta Cana, Bavaro and the surround areas.  Reviews by real people will give you a look at which places and which tours are going to interest you the most.  Always keep in mind that everyone has different opinions but you can get a great sense overall on how the excursion will be.  By waiting until you arrive at your resort you are depending then on your representative to sell you the tour he makes the most commission from, rather than you telling him which tour you would like to receive.

Eat your meals off the peak times
Head out early to the breakfast buffet, late to the lunch and dinner buffets.  By choosing the less busy times, you will get through the buffet lines quicker and receive better service at your table for a more enjoyable meal.  Take time to interact with your wait staff, they are usually extremely friendly and can make your dining experience more pleasurable. 

Limit your sun exposure
Don't think you are imune to the stronger rays of the Caribbean sun.  Use your sun screen and head for the shade after a reasonable time.  Don't forget some of those little thought of areas like your feet and armpits when applying your sunscreen.  There is nothing worse than suffering with a sunburn on your vacation.  The oceans reflectiveness can increase the UV intensity to 50% so reapply often and be smart, cover up or get out of the sun.  

Watch what you drink
All inclusive means all you can eat and drink but use your common sense. When you factor in the heat with all of the alchol it can lead to one nasty hangover.  A little known fact as well is that the coconut drinks you are downing are a natural laxative so if  you have too many you could find yourself with a nasty bit of diarrhea.  Limit your intake so you don't loose time on your vacation feeling horrible.

Remeber you are in a developing country
The Dominican Republic is not like crossing the border from the United States to Canada or vice versa where you can't tell that you have changed countries.  There is more poverty there, different standards and as well a different culture.  Don't expect all of the staff to  speak fluent english, your key personal such as front desk and wait staff will speak english but the majority of workers do not. Expect your room to smell musty, you are next to an ocean everything will be damp. Outside of the resort, expect people to try and sell you things at inflated prices or to beg money from you.  It only takes one person a day to give in and overpay or give money and they have their weeks wages, of course they are going to try!  If you are firm in your responses, they will leave you alone and try to find someone they know they can have success with.  Do your part to help keep their country clean but remember, our countries programs of education and awareness to make people recognize the need to not throw trash at the side of the roads started in the 60's and 70's.  The Dominican Republic has only started this education process.  

The weather in Punta Cana is quite consistant year round.  It does not have a rainy season as does some other Carribean countries instead it tends to have quick short lasting showers year round.  The typical forecast in the winter months 29°C (84°F)  with a chance of showers during the day and down to a a comfortable 20°C (68°F) at night with slightly warmer temperatures in the summer months.    At any time of year, you can count on extended periods of sunshine and wonderful blue skies.   This makes for an ideal vacation spot as weather is one thing you do not have to worry about!

The Caribbean hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. August and September usually experience the most hurricanes, however, Punta Cana is rarely hit.  In the last 100 years only 13 hurricanes have hit the Dominican Republic and of those, only two have been in the Punta Cana and Bavaro areas. The last two hurricanes to hit the Dominican Republic were Georges 1998  - category 3 and Jeanne 2004 - category 1. Statistically, the Dominican Republic gets brushed every 5 years and suffers a direct hit by a hurricane every 17 years, however most storms hit on the western side of the island . 

All of this means that between the great temperatures, low rainfall and slim chance of hurricanes that Punta Cana is an ideal vacation spot year round.  Hope to see you soon!

Well, you've got your resort booked in Punta Cana so now its time to plan your stay in the Domincan Republic.  If you stay on your resort the whole time you won't have the opportunity to truly experience all this beautiful country has to offer. 
The first questions that may come to mind may be "Is it safe to travel off the resorts?" Trip Advisor has an article regarding this stating " Since 2006 Punta Cana has been reported as having one of the lowest crime rates in the world, mostly because of the low drug crime here."  read full article here  Violent crime is rare in the Dominican Republic and you should always use common sense as you would in any city of the world.  Protect your belongings, don't carry large amounts of cash and avoid traveling at night.  The Domincan people are very friendly and helpful and you should not be afraid to travel amongst them. 

There are a large number of tours available in the Punta Cana area.  Some of them you can reserve through your resorts and others you need to reserve directly through them.  Your resort may tell you that it is unsafe to book with anyone other than their tour operators, however, keep in mind that they are getting a portion of your payment.  I will try and list as many of the tours below that I can with their direct website address or contact information.

Macao Surfing -  This is a great opportunity to try your hand at surfing.  They give you instructions and provide you with a teacher that will help you get set out on the board and before you know it you'll be hanging ten.  This is a must do if you are adventurous at all.  You won't find this at the resorts, you can contact them by email at macaosurfcamp@gmail.com or you can just take a taxi to Macao Beach, they're open every day. 

Macao Beach - This beach is a must see.  It is one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere with a great surf that gets quieter the further along the beach that you go.  If you keep an eye out, you might be able to see whales off in the distance.  They have a few primitive restaurants set up along it where you can get freshly cooked fish or lobster that is done on a fogón which is an outdoor wood stove.  The capitan (type of fish) is absolutely delicious.  Caution should always be used when eating any food in the Dominican - eat only freshly cooked hot food and avoid any fresh produce unless it has been peeled or cooked.  Of course these restaurants also have ice cold Presidente!  There are also a few people selling souvenirs.

All of the safaris pick you up in one the big jeeps and take you through the countryside stopping at plantations, ranches and include a typical Dominican lunch.  There is time to stop for souvenirs and some of them also take you to Macao Beach

Country Adventure Half Day and Full Day Safari - the full day safari visits our ranch for lunch and a 20 minute horseback ride.  This tour can be reserved in the resorts. Country Adventure Tour 

Outback Adventure Tours  https://www.outbackadventuresdr.com/  Half Day and Full Day Safari

Punta Cana Safari http://www.puntacanajustsafari.com/punta-cana-jeep-tour/

Bavaro Runnershttp://bavarorunners.com/

Monster Truck Safari http://www.monstertrucksafari.com/  Full Day Safari

For a more personalized tour try Mike's Country Adventure  http://www.puntacanamike.com/  These tours are smaller and more personalized than the the mega truck tours.

Swim with Dolphins at Dolphin Explorer http://www.dolphinexplorer.com.do/

Swim with Dolphins at Manatee Parkhttp://www.manatipark.com/

First Class Fishing http://www.firstclassfishing.com/

Gone Fishing https://www.gonefishing-puntacana.com/
​
Marina Caribe Catamaran Tours http://www.marinacaribe.com

Mike's Marina http://mikesmarina.info/

Bavaro Splash  http://bavarosplash.com/contact/

http://www.seavisbayahibe.com/2Island_e.htm

Over the years I have had the pleasure of staying at quite a number of all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and most recently I have stayed at many of the resorts in the Punta Cana, Bavaro area. 

The resorts in Punta Cana/Bavaro are beautiful. The area has great beaches that are well maintained and many of the resorts are designed to showcase the natural beauty of the area.  The Dominican people are extremely friendly even with a language barrier so you can always count on people greeting you and wishing you well as you travel around the resort.  The area has an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables and the buffets are elaborate.  The swimming pools are generally huge and they provide shaded areas to protect you from all the sun.  There are always plenty of activities going on for those who want to participate and most of the resorts have kids clubs.

What always amazes me, is the differences in peoples expectations at a resort.  On Trip Adivisor you will see for all the resorts varying reviews between poor and excellent for every hotel.  Most often, though, the same complaints are made from hotel to hotel and they really have nothing to do with the quality of the resort. I will outline some of the common compaints and try to explain why they appear through all the resorts.

Food
This always seems to be everyone's number one complaint.  "The food is the same every day, the food was horrible, the food was tasteless, I got sick from it " etc. etc. etc.  When you go to a buffet that is serving 1000 people 3 times a day,  every day, the food is not going to be as nice as what you would get going to a restaurant at home. Obviously when you are cooking in bulk the flavors are going to be suitable for the general population and not specific to an individuals taste.   There is going to be repetition through out the week simply because there is only so much food available.  Take breakfast for example,  people only like to eat certain things for breakfast such as eggs, pancakes and breads so from day to day they are going to offer pretty much the same food.  Most resorts offer an area for fresh eggs and omelets to be made in the morning and fresh pasta as well as other grilled food.  They are also going to provide a number of Dominican specialties which may or may not suit your tastes.  There are a number of dishes made like plantain, yucca, beans batata, empanadas that should be tried at least once.  Dominican food is typically plain and not spicy.  Their deserts are varied but typically not as sweet as what we have at home. 

Rooms

The most common complaint about the rooms in the Caribbean is that the rooms smell musty.  This is because it is hot here year round and the air conditioning creates a damp environment.  The rooms do get run down quickly because they are occupied constantly but the resorts generally have a regular plan of maintenance.   Most resorts are excellent at responding to requests for repairs however keep in mind that if they don't respond right away it could be because your request was not understood.  Often times they will agree with you but not really understand what it is you asked.  I do this all the time when someone speaks too fast to me in Spanish!

Drinks

Many people complain about the quality of the wine or spirits at all inclusive resorts.  I think it is understandable that a resort that is offering unlimited quantities of alcoholic drinks to their clients  are going to use the most inexpensive house brands.  The resorts all offer higher end liquor for an additional fee.  Be careful when ordering your mixed drinks as the bartenders are usually quite generous with their servings.  The best beer in the Dominican is Presidente but most of the resorts have Brauma on tap.  Most resorts serve Brugal rum and that is a very good rum in the Dominican.

Pools and Beach

Ahh, the big fight for the lounge chairs.  Every resort has this complaint that people are saving their lounge chairs and then leaving for half a day.  Unfortunately this is something you just have to live with.  This is not an issue that the resorts are going to get involved in.  If they did, there would be a lot of bad complaints about how the resort staff dealt with them.

Just remember, your Dominican Republic vacation is going to be what you make of it.  Remember you are in a poor country with different foods, different languages and that now matter how hard a resort tries, there are still going to be things going wrong.  Remember you are on vacation so don't sweat the small stuff!

Next post  Excursions
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_Okay so you've finally arrived at the vacation of your dreams.  Now all you have to do is get out of the airplane and get to the resort so you can start enjoying all that sun.  Luckily, Punta Cana airport is not that large so its easy to maneuver your way through it. 

When you arrive, you will be off-loaded directly either into the terminal or on to the tarmac. If to the tamac, most times they will bring a stairway to both the front and the rear sections of the plane to make it go a little quicker.  You'll step out of the plane and immediately enjoy the warmth and the sun on your face.  Once a fair amount of people have deplaned, one to the airport workers will lead you over to immigration.

On the plane your stewardesses will have given you forms to fill out for the immigration process. Some airlines and tour companies will also provide you with a  tourist card.  Check with your airline if it is supplied otherwise you will need to purchase one when you arrive at the airport or you can purchase one on-line directly through the Dominican Republic Government website for $10 US 

As you arrive at  immigration, if you have a tourist card go to the line that says Residents  where you will hand over your tourist card if you have one, otherwise go to the other line and purchase one if you don't.  A customs officer will stamp your passport and take one of your forms and then you're off to collect your luggage.  There are television screens that will direct you to the correct area for your baggage.  There are many porters available to help you with your luggage for a small tip and they will also help you find where to go with your tour company or to get a taxi. 

You will then  pass through a final check where you will hand over your second form that you received on the plane. These forms are also available as you head through customs.   It is possible they will do a search of your luggage at this point but if so it is usually very quick.  We frequently bring a large number of suitcases with us so we get searched quite often but I've always found the customs officers to be very friendly and polite - even if you don't speak Spanish!

So now you're finally through the airport and the taxi and tour companies are waiting directly outside with signs.  If traveling with a tour company they will take care of everything for you from here.  They will get you loaded into your bus and take you directly to your resort for check in.  If traveling by taxi, an English speaking representative will discuss with you where you are going and give you the cost.  They are pretty much standard rates from the airport to each hotel depending on the distance and non-negotiable.  It can cost you anywhere from $20 for the close resorts to $80 for resorts that are further away.

All that's left to do is sit back and enjoy the scenery on your way to the hotel! 
 
Next post - What to Expect from your Resort.