Juan Dolio in the Dominican Republic - resort guide

Today's review of Juan Dolio (Dominican Republic) will interest, first of all, lovers of a calm, leisurely vacation. Compared to other Dominican resorts, the prices are quite affordable, but there is no abundance of attractions. The main purpose of the trip is comfortable beaches, great places for scuba diving.

General information

If you turn to the geographical map and look for Juan Dolio there, you need to focus on Santo Domingo and La Romana, the village is located between them. On the western side of Juan Dolio there is a fishing village of Guayaques, right behind it is Playa Caribe beach, if you move further west, you can come to the village of Boca Chica.

Good to know! The capital of the Dominican Republic is half an hour from the village.

The resort town is located in a quiet, secluded place, life is seething exclusively on the main street, since it is here that many hotels, the best restaurants are concentrated. In the Juan Dolio in the Dominican Republic, it is quite possible to do without transport, since it is not difficult to walk to the sea from the coastal highway.

The town is called the Caribbean Riviera - the coastline of Juan Dolio is great for family and romantic getaways. Of course, this place is less popular in comparison with resort towns such as Punta Cana or Puerto Plata, but still, tourists choose this resort. Let's see why Juan Dolio is popular among tourists.

Travel agencies advertise Juan Dolio as a place to enjoy silence, solitude. You should not expect absolute loneliness, but tourists here are an order of magnitude less than in other more promoted places in the Dominican Republic.

Good to know! You can get to Juan Dolio from three airports - Punta Cana (2 hours by bus), Santo Domingo (40 minutes by bus), La Romana (1 hour by bus).

Juan Dolio is located close to many of the sights of the Dominican Republic, as Santo Domingo is located nearby with a lot of historical and architectural monuments, shops, nightclubs, discos and bars. La Romana (in the opposite direction from the capital) attracts tourists with beaches, picturesque places for diving. A quarter hour drive from the resort is Boca Chica - a lively place with a large selection of nightly entertainment.

Boca Chica Resort

There are very few party places in Juan Dolio, this is the main street of the city, which runs along the sea coast. Parallel to the street, farther from the coast there is a highway connecting the cities of the coast. Since the traffic in this part of the Dominican Republic is minimal, you can easily travel between settlements by bicycle, even on foot.

Good to know! All-inclusive hotels and the best restaurants are located in the Villas Del Mar area.

Weather and climate

In general, the climate of Juan Dolio is suitable for recreation throughout the year, the main thing is the purpose of the trip. From the beginning of summer to mid-autumn, the hurricane season comes to the Dominican Republic. However, according to local residents, there are practically no strong winds in the city. With the beginning of autumn, rains are added to the wind, but they are short-lived and do not spoil the impression of travel at all.

Good to know! Carefully read the weather forecast before traveling. Even if it rains in Juan Dolio, you can comfortably spend time in the spa or go on an excursion.

In winter, the high season begins in Juan Dolio - this is the most favorable time for beach relaxation and swimming in the sea. In the afternoon, the air warms up to +30 degrees, the sea is a little cooler, but always warmer +25 degrees.

In the first half of spring, locals prepare for the rainy season, which comes in April. However, a large amount of precipitation does not affect the temperature indicators, it is quite comfortable to walk around the city and attend excursions.

Important! Throughout the year, air temperature fluctuations do not exceed 3-4 degrees - from 27 to 30 degrees. It is cooler at night - from 21 to 24 degrees. The sea always remains warm - not lower than +25 degrees.

Transport

Juan Dolio in the Dominican Republic is a calm, unhurried, small town that you can get around on foot. Hotels provide rental bicycles, however, care must be taken as there are many speed bumps on the streets. In addition, it is not recommended to leave the village by bicycle, it is better to take a taxi (1 km costs $ 1).

There are also buses running between the cities of the Dominican Republic, drivers always stop when they see a person on the highway.

Entertainment

The lack of attractions is compensated by the choice of opportunities for active, sports recreation. Juan Dolio has golf courses, a casino, a disco, and various water sports are available. You can take a horse ride or take some riding lessons, trek along the river or go on an excursion to a neighboring island.

On a note! Fishing, including deep-sea fishing, is very popular.

Diving is especially popular in Juan Dolio, the hotels have specialized stores where you can buy equipment or purchase a certificate for courses. Just an hour away is the best diving center in the Dominican Republic - Catalina Island. Tourists are waiting for picturesque reefs and sunken ships. Beginners can dive right on the beach, as the coral reef is close to the beach.

Since there are no interesting sights in the city, tourists prefer to buy excursions. The most interesting: a romantic evening tour in Santo Domingo, extreme jeep safari, a settlement of artists. In the latter, they will write a portrait and perform the traditional serenade for Spain.

In the vicinity of Juan Dolio, several caves have been preserved, in one of them a river flows 7 km long, and in some you can see unique cave paintings. The most popular cave is Three Eyes.

Beaches

Since the main type of vacation in the resort town in the Dominican Republic is beach, many are interested in the question - what is the sea in Juan Dolio. Since the city is located on the Caribbean Sea, accordingly, the water off the coast is warmer, in comparison with other tourist places - Puerto Plata or Punta Cana, as they are washed by the Atlantic Ocean.

Important! The sea temperature throughout the year is above +25 degrees, so families with children often come here to relax.

The coastline is conditionally divided into three beaches:

Playa Caribe - chamber, quiet;
Playa Guiaacanes - calm, there are always few tourists;
Playa Juan Dolio - picturesque, surrounded by coconut trees.

Juan Dolio Beach

The main beach is Juan Dolio in the Dominican Republic - white sand, clear, turquoise water, a small coconut grove. Such a landscape creates a sense of paradise. The length of the beach is about 4 km, the coast is indented by numerous coves, some of which are suitable for bathing babies. The width of the shore is from 10 to 200 m. You can relax on a towel or deck chair, they are installed right on the shore. The sea is clean, algae are regularly cleaned, jellyfish also do not exist, so swimming in the sea is a pleasure. The only thing that can spoil the impression of beach relaxation a little is the shallow depth of the sea.

As for the cleanliness of the coast, it is cleaned near the hotels, and in other places the sand can be dirty, but in any case, finding a clean resting place is not difficult.

Important! Near the beach there is a coral reef that protects the beach from strong waves, but adds inconvenience to tourists - you need to go into the water in shoes.

Guayacanes Beach

Playa Guiaacanes is considered a more adapted beach for tourists. Vacationers themselves note that of all the beaches of Juan Dolio this is the most colorful - locals like to spend time here, so you can watch the life of the Dominicans. Fishermen moor at the end of the beach, and they come here to take beautiful photos on an artificial spit.

There are many restaurants on the shore where delicious seafood is prepared. There are several souvenir shops, but sellers are not intrusive.

Rescuers are keeping order, so they won’t be able to swim too far into the sea, they ask such brave tourists to return closer to the shore. There are umbrellas on the shore, but you have to pay for the opportunity to relax in the shade. Also, the owners of transport were lucky - there is parking near the beach. Massage rooms work on the shore, local women offer to braid pigtails, there are also representatives of travel agencies who offer excursions. The sea is quite shallow, so diving enthusiasts will have to sail away to the depths.

There are hotels on the shore, sun loungers and umbrellas are installed near each, and you can also use the amenities by buying something in a cafe.

Housing

In Juan Dolio there are hotels for every taste and budget. Tourists note the friendly staff who seek to please vacationers so that tourists do not deny themselves anything.

Juan Dolio hotels are modern, many have spa centers, gyms, pools, tennis courts and bars. Each hotel takes care of its own part of the beach, so the coast near the hotels is clean, there are no algae in the water.

The hotels offer a variety of rooms - single, double, family, luxury apartments for a romantic getaway. Apartments are cleaned daily, and there is also a 24-hour service for guests.

The cost of double rooms in the hotel:

category 2 stars - from $ 30;
categories 3 stars - from $ 40;
4 star categories - from 110 $;
5 star category - from $ 140.

Where to eat

You will not feel a deficit in institutions where you can eat. Haun Dolio has a large selection of cafes, restaurants, bars, as well as street food and fast food.

Of course, seafood deserves special attention, since the resort is located on the Caribbean Sea and every day at 12-00 fishermen come to the market with a fresh catch. The cheapest way to buy fish and seafood in the market. For example, a lobster will cost $ 6-10, and in a restaurant you can buy it for $ 30.

The restaurants serve delicious, exquisite wines, by the way the Juan Dolio cellar will impress the most demanding customer.

The national cuisine of the Dominican Republic combines the traditions of Creole, European and African cuisines, so the choice of dishes in the restaurant is extensive and diverse. Most establishments work outdoors, near the sea. Unfortunately, there are no restaurants serving gourmet cuisine in Juan Dolio, but if you want to visit such an institution, you can go to Santo Domingo.

Good to know! The cheapest establishments in Juan Dolio are cafeterias, here lunch will cost $ 2 per person.

Breakfast and dinners in family-style restaurants cost from $ 8 to $ 26. Dinner in an expensive restaurant will cost $ 35. Be sure to leave a tip in the restaurant - 5-10% of the total bill.

Street food costs about $ 5, for this price you can buy pizza or a sandwich.

Should I go to Juan Dolio

In the reviews of the Juan Dolio resort in the Dominican Republic, tourists note several advantages in comparison with neighboring competitors - silence, tranquility, lower prices. Hotels here are aimed at budget tourists and people who travel on their own. There are night discos and bars, but they do not bother tourists who prefer to sleep at night.

Juan Dolio (Dominican Republic) is located in the heart of popular resorts and with the help of sightseeing tours you can diversify your vacation and visit interesting tourist places.

Pros and cons of relaxing in Juan Dolio: