by Giulia Valente
Santo Domingo – Underground Treasures and Carnival Rhythm
Part 1 of my Caribbean cruise adventure brought you from Saint Lucia’s lush rainforests to St. Maarten’s playful turtles and the stunning Baths in the British Virgin Islands. Now, the journey continues into the heart of the Dominican Republic — hidden caves, turquoise lagoons, vibrant streets, and the sweetest chocolate await. Read Part 1 here
The next stop takes us to Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, for an immersion in local history and culture. We start with the nature hidden in the city: I go down to the Cuevas de Los Tres Ojos, three underground lakes of an unreal blue set in limestone caves.
Sliding down the stairs towards these clear waters is like entering a secret world: stalactites hang from the ceiling, small torches illuminate the wet paths, and each “eye” of water reflects the light creating magical effects.
One of the lakes has an intense emerald colour and small fish swim in it; I remain enchanted observing the quiet of this hidden corner under the city.
Back in the sunlight, I walk through the Zona Colonial, the historic part of Santo Domingo that exudes old-world charm. I visit the Pantheon Nacional, where the nation’s heroes are buried, and the Fortaleza Ozama, an ancient stone fortress overlooking the river: walking on its walls makes me feel like I’ve gone back centuries, imagining the conquistadors who watched over the port.
I can’t miss a visit to the Cathedral of Santa Maria (the first cathedral in the Americas) with its façade gilded by the afternoon sun and its cool, solemn interior.
There’s something fascinating around every corner in the Zona Colonial: a street artist playing the bachata, balconies of pastel-coloured houses adorned with flowers, shady squares where locals chat while playing dominoes.
After so much exploring, it’s time to taste some Dominican flavours: I stop at a small shop where they offer me a shot of mamajuana, the local liqueur made with rum, wine, honey, and herbs. It burns in the throat and smells of spices; a strong flavour that warms me up instantly (they say it’s an aphrodisiac, who knows!).
Immediately afterwards, as a true glutton, I can’t resist a cup of Dominican chocolate: thick, dark and flavoured with cinnamon, I sip it slowly while I watch life flow in the square outside.
The city is buzzing today: I discover that they are preparing the decorations for the upcoming Carnival, in the streets I see workers hanging coloured masks and festoons.
Furthermore, in front of a church I come across a group of girls in bright ball gowns and one of them is wearing a real princess dress: she is celebrating her quinceañera, her 15th birthday, a very important event in these parts. Family and friends take pictures of her while she excitedly adjusts her wide pink skirt.
It is beautiful to witness these moments of local life: I feel lucky to breathe in the authentic atmosphere of celebration and tradition that animates Santo Domingo. I go back to the port with the sweet taste of cinnamon still on my palate and the rhythm of the bachata in my ears, taking away a little piece of the heart of this lively city.
Saona Island – Starfish and Piña Colada in Tropical Paradise
We set sail for a little corner of paradise: Isla Saona, off the Dominican coast.
We reach it with a speedboat, speeding over the waves, hair in the wind and adrenaline pumping. Before arriving at the island, we stop at one of the famous natural pools: they are stretches of shallow, transparent sea in the middle of the ocean, where the water reaches your waist and the seabed is dotted with starfish.
I dive into the water in disbelief:
around me there is only turquoise sea as far as the eye can see, and on the bottom, there is a large starfish resting on the white sand.
I pick it up delicately in my hands for a few seconds, admiring its wrinkled arms dotted with red, then I immediately put it back on the seabed (please, always have maximum respect for these little creatures!).
We toast there, in middle of nowhere, with a fresh Cuba Libre, rum, cola and lime that tastes even better under the Caribbean sun.
The landing in Saona leaves you breathless: in front of me opens a postcard beach, perhaps the most beautiful seen so far. Fine white sand that feels like talcum powder under your feet, very tall palm trees that bend their heads towards the sea, and that water…
I can’t find the words to describe the colour of the Saona sea, a blue so bright it seems fake. I spend the day in a daydream: I swim among little fish near the shore, I sunbathe lulled by the sweet sound of the waves, and I walk along the shoreline collecting smooth shells.
For lunch they prepare a barbecue on the beach: on my plate I have a fresh lobster just caught that tastes of butter and sea, accompanied by coconut rice and salad.
It’s all served in a spectacular way: inside a hollowed-out pineapple I sip an iced piña colada, with its creamy mix of coconut, pineapple juice and rum that smells of summer.
I look around while I eat in the shade of a palm tree: everyone is relaxed and smiling, someone swings in a hammock, others improvise a ballet in the water with merengue music in the background. I feel a simple and pure happiness.
Before leaving, I sit on the sand and stare at this panorama trying to imprint it in my memory: Saona, with its wild and untouched beauty, has stolen my heart – it’s the beach I loved the most on the whole trip.
Samaná – Taíno Caves and Whale Dreams in the Caribbean Jungle
The Samaná peninsula offers me an extraordinary adventure, between nature and history.
As soon as I get off the ship, a tropical downpour surprises the city: the streets flood in an instant and I find shelter under the roof of a kiosk together with some locals. They laugh and reassure me that “it will pass soon”.
In fact, in a few minutes the storm fades and leaves a smell of wet earth and salt in the air. I then set off for an excursion to the nearby Parque Nacional Los Haitises, a labyrinth of green islands and caves hidden among the mangroves. We sail by boat through canals flanked by mangroves, seeing some aquatic birds pop up here and there.
The first stop is the Cueva de San Gabriel, a large and cool cave where we explore an ancient world on foot: on the limestone walls we notice mysterious pre-Columbian engravings left by the Taíno natives.
Drawings of stylized faces, animals and ancestral symbols watch us through the centuries – I get goosebumps thinking about how much history these silent rocks hold.
We continue towards another cavity called Cueva de la Arena, where an opening in the vault lets an almost mystical ray of light filter into the darkness inside. Water drips from the stalactites and I light the way with a torch: with every step I imagine the ancient inhabitants who found refuge here and carved their stories on the walls.
Back at the boat, the guide points out some dark shapes perched on a rock in the distance: they are pelicans!
We slowly approach a rock formation where dozens of pelicans and frigate birds have made their nests; some fly above us with their large wings, others dive into the sea to fish with impressive precision.
The scene is lively and fascinating, it feels like being in a nature documentary.
After much exploration, we stop in a quiet bay where a local family has prepared a typical lunch for us: fresh grilled fish, rice and beans, avocado salad and fried plantains on a banana leaf. I eat sitting outside overlooking the calm sea of Samaná, chatting with my travel companions about the wonders seen this morning.
I also discover that these waters are famous for watching humpback whales in the winter: my eyes already light up at the thought, and I start dreaming of returning someday between January and March for a whale watching tour — it must be a spectacular to see the giants of the sea jumping right here!
In the late afternoon I return to the ship tired but thrilled: Samaná has made me experience jungle, history and marine life all in one, an experience that has left me with a sense of wonder that is difficult to explain in words.
Puerto Plata – Rum and Amber in the City of a Thousand Colours
The journey continues in Puerto Plata, a city with colonial charm overlooking the Atlantic.
As soon as I disembark, I notice the profile of Mount Isabel de Torres in the background and the Victorian houses painted in pastel colours that give the centre a cheerful air.
The first visit is decidedly delicious: we enter a local rum factory.
The air is filled with the sweet smell of fermented molasses; I see enormous oak barrels lined up and I discover the secrets of the distillation of Dominican rum. When it’s time to taste it, I sip a drop of amber rum that goes down my throat hot – very strong but excellent, and I understand why they call it “elixir” here!
Not far away, we visit the Amber Museum, housed in an elegant period villa: I am enchanted in front of the pieces of amber on display, fossil resin that often contains ancient insects that remained trapped millions of years ago, like tiny time machines.
One specimen even contains a small lizard: it is incredible to think that it remained perfectly preserved inside.
Also on display are splendid jewels in larimar, the turquoise blue stone typical of the Dominican Republic, which seems to retain the colours of the sea in its reflections.
Walking through the historic centre, every corner is worth photographing decorated wooden balconies, brightly coloured verandas, and locals who greet you with a smile.
I cross the picturesque Paseo de Doña Blanca, an alley entirely painted in pink with colourful umbrellas suspended in the air – obviously I take some souvenir photos in this fairytale setting!
I continue to the Parque Central with its pretty white Victorian glorieta in the centre, where I take a refreshing break with an agua de coco: a fresh coconut just opened that I sip with a straw, simple and thirst-quenching.
In the afternoon I reach the Malecón seafront to the Fortaleza San Felipe, an ancient Spanish fortification overlooking the sea.
From the walls I watch the rippling Atlantic and think about how many galleons have passed through here over the centuries.
To end the day on a sweet note, I go into a small artisanal chocolate factory: the toasted cocoa perfumes the air, and I taste pralines filled with coconut cream and local cocoa, followed by (guess what?) a small glass of mamajuana, just to make sure I don’t miss out on anything! Puerto Plata won me over with its combination of history, flavours and colours: it’s impossible not to feel lively in this town so full of life.
Altamira – Artisan Chocolate and Women of Cocoa in Action
Last stop, we head into the green hills of the Dominican hinterland to visit Altamira, a village famous for its cocoa production.
Here there is a special project called Chocal: a small artisan chocolate factory run entirely by a group of local women. As soon as I arrive, the smell of roasted cocoa envelops me, and I already know that I will love this place.
The women of Chocal welcome us with enthusiasm and show us every stage of chocolate production: from the dried and roasted cocoa beans to the grinding into a thick and fragrant paste, to the tempering and packaging of the bars.
We can also actively participate: I put on a cap and mix the melted cocoa, then I fill a mold under the watchful eye of Doña María who guides me with a smile. It is surprising how much care and passion is put into each single chocolate!
After observing the cooling, we finally move on to the tastings (the moment I was waiting for!). I try a praline filled with coconut cream – pure ecstasy – and one with chili pepper and rum, with an intense and flavour that warms the palate.
The ladies, proud, also offer us a sip of their mamajuana rum to sip with the chocolate, an unusual and delicious combination.
Between one bite and another, they tell us how this cooperative has given work and independence to many women in the community: I listen to them in admiration, because in their eyes shines a light of determination and solidarity that is truly inspiring.
Before leaving, I take the opportunity to buy a few bars to take home (an excellent souvenir, even if it will be hard not to finish everything before returning!).
This experience was not only delicious but also touching I saw how tourism can support local realities and make a difference.
I return to the ship with a smile on my lips and a heart warmed by sweetness, in every sense.
Goodbye Caribbean: Nostalgia and Desire to Leave for a New Adventure
And here we are at the end of these 15 days in the Caribbean.
As the plane takes off from La Romana to take me home, I look out the window at the shades of blue of the sea that slowly move away, and I already feel a pang of nostalgia in my heart. I think back to every single stop of this cruise, and it seems like I have experienced a thousand trips in one.
I have walked in rainforests and swam with fish in crystal clear waters, I have danced on the deck of a boat and relaxed on dream beaches, I have explored mysterious caves and colonial cities rich in history, I have savoured rum, chocolate, spices and tropical fruit at will.
Each island has given me something unique: a view, a flavour, a smile, a story to tell.
The variety of experiences I have accumulated in just two weeks is incredible, from the fiery sunsets over the sea of Barbados to the green mountains of Samanà, from the festive music of Santo Domingo to the unreal silence under the vaults of cave.
I close my eyes and see the images again as if in a movie: the dazzling turquoise of Saona, the turtle swimming slowly in St. Maarten, the laughter in the rain at The Baths, the rustling of the forest in Guadeloupe, and the sweet aroma of cocoa in Altamira.
These are moments that have become part of me.
This trip has filled my soul with emotions, reminding me of the beauty of our world and the joy of discovering it little by little. I already feel the desire to leave again, to continue exploring other corners of paradise, perhaps returning right here to the Caribbean, which for me is no longer just a dreamed postcard but a set of vivid and precious memories.
I say goodbye to these places with gratitude and a hint of melancholy, promising myself that this is not a goodbye but a see you later. Life is a journey, and the next chapter is yet to be written. Caribbean, I will return, with a heart full of memories and ready to create new ones!
Instagram: @giulia_diariodiviaggio
Read more: Samaná, Dominican Republic: Explore Like a Local
