Dominican Republic – AAV Explorations

Dominican Republic: Destination Wedding Inspiration Board

aavtravel — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 19:31:10 +0000

This June, I had the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic. AMResorts, known for the resort brands Zoetry, Secrets, Dreams, Now, Breathless, and Sunscape, had invited a group of destination wedding specialists to visit their resorts in Punta Cana and La Romana, to get an idea what the resort chain had to offer when it came to creating the ultimate destination wedding dream.

Let me tell you, it was an incredible experience! Each resort showed off, beautifully, what they can do. We got to see many different set-ups and decorations that matched their surroundings, whether it was lush gardens, white sand and turquoise blue water, or a resort banquet room. We savored exquisite food and were enchanted by the many beautiful displays. But that wasn’t all, fire dancers, acrobats, magicians, traditional dancers, live music and much more. We got to experience it all.

Here are some of the photos taken during my time in the Dominican Republic. As you will see, there are quite a few of them. If you have questions about a particular setting or location please reach out. I will gladly share all the information I have. Enjoy the pictures!

Written by STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is a Honeymoon & Destination Weddings Specialist as well as an AMResorts Master Agent. She is the owner of Cumar Gold Travel, a boutique travel firm specialized in creating and customizing personalized travel itineraries. You can contact her at stefanie@aav-travel.com

Discover the Dominican Republic on an Outback Safari Adventure

aavtravel — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 18:00:48 +0000

It is easy to close your eyes and not even try to understand the country you are traveling to, or the conditions people are living in. Spending a week at a luxurious all-inclusive, sipping on a cocktail, eating at your heart’s desire, relaxing under a swaying palm tree. Paradise, right?

However, there is always someone that calls paradise their home and might not be living the same life of luxury. I would like to hope that all my clients have a certain respect and consideration for the destination they are visiting. Tourism is vital to many Caribbean islands and we can make a huge impact on the quality of life the people have, particularly the children.

On my recent trip to the Dominican Republic I was introduced to the Outback Safari Adventures company. This company is not only interesting because you get to see parts of the Dominican Republic, its culture and what it has to offer, but the company also believes in sustainable tourism and makes a huge difference in the communities they serve.

The tour is conducted in an open-air school bus and offers a great way to leave Punta Cana’s resort area behind and discover the real Dominican Republic. It is a wonderful and safe excursion for both adults and children, however, pregnant women are not allowed on the tour and people with back problems should also stay clear. The road gets very bumpy at times and the old school bus does not offer the best shock-absorbers.

I love soaking up everything a destination has to offer and felt that driving through the different villages was very exciting. After about an hour we stopped to visit a local school to make some donations. Donations are not given to the children, but to the teacher as to avoid that the children will become beggars. Your donation allows the teacher to buy school supplies and sweets for her classroom. When making donations, remember to bring small bills, as it is very hard to exchange even $5 or $10 bills in the rural areas. Instead of money, you can also bring actual school supplies.

Stopping at the village school and meeting the children was definitely one of the highlights of the tour. The school we visited consisted of one classroom in which all grades were being taught.

Next stop was Outback Safari Adventures’ own animal sanctuary as well as a crafting village. There you get to see Iguanas, crocodiles, as well as a cigar maker at his work. There are several local products for sale. There is absolutely no pressure to buy and the goods are really well priced. From the famous Mama Juana to handmade jewelry, carvings, lotions, and creams you are sure to find something to take home. Best of all, your money is not going to a resort but straight back into the local community. Here the company also serves a snack or lunch which was wonderful.

On your tour you will also stop in a local home where you can learn about sugar cane, cocoa and coffee.

The way back will take you through more villages and many opportunities to snap pictures.

At the end of the tour you get to dip your toes in the sand and for those who like to, swim at one of the Dominican Republic’s beautiful beaches.

Outback Safari Adventures truly offers a great tour if you want to leave your resort behind and experience the real Dominican Republic for a day. I would recommend it to anyone traveling to the area. You can book your tour through the resort or online at Outback Safari Adventures.

Written by STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is a Honeymoon & Destination Weddings Specialist. She is the owner of Cumar Gold Travel, a boutique travel firm specialized in creating and customizing personalized travel itineraries. You can contact her at stefanie@aav-travel.com

Finding Paradise at Zoetry Agua Punta Cana

aavtravel — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 01:12:19 +0000

Late afternoon, I am gently floating at the edge of the perfect infinity pool, overlooking the beautiful beach of Zoetry Agua Punta Cana. All I can hear are the gentle waves of the ocean, some birds screeching and the distant chill out music. The peace and calm is incredible. Until, all of a sudden, a dark, saddled horse flies along the water’s edge. Shortly after, a rider is coming in sight, trying to catch the escaped stallion. A fleeting glimpse of excitement before everything becomes still again. But wait, there sprints the resort’s heavy set security guard towards the resort grounds. What is going on, I wonder and then I see. The dark stallion has taken a drastic turn and instead of continuing to run along the beach, decided to escape through the middle of Zoetry’s beautifully manicured grounds.

This is the most excitement and action I got to experience during my time at Zoetry Agua Punta Cana. But then again, the people that stay here are looking for anything but excitement and action. It is an oasis of tranquility and relaxation, and it is beautifully done. Guests stay here because they want to escape the hectic world, take a holistic approach, both via organic food as well as spa indulgences.

The resort grounds are beautifully lush with swaying palmtrees and many flower bushes. Three story palapa buildings containing luxuriously spacious suites, sprawl out along meandering pools. Zoetry Agua reminds me of Tahiti. But wait, we are in the Dominican Republic, not far from all the mega resorts that call Punta Cana their home.

Every suite at Zoetry Agua has a wonderful outdoor area and people here like to enjoy the privacy of their rooms. Who can blame them though, they are truly gorgeous. Some are laying out reading books. Some are engaged into a loveable embrace chatting away. Some are here with friends, gathering in one of the suites’ swim-up pools.
The world seems perfect and there is nothing to worry about. Guests at Zoetry Agua keep to themselves but are friendly when engaged. The suites are great, spacious, every comfort provided. I really enjoyed the subtle, Balinese style décor, the Bulgari amenities as well as the awesome steam wand provided. I also liked that there was a decent hair dryer. My daughters and I have an ongoing discussion about how often toilet paper is of bad quality at hotels. Well, I am glad to report that Zoetry has excellent toilet paper.
Despite all the beauty, arriving on a Sunday was not ideal. Much of the resort staff is off and service is very slow. During my 4 hours along the beach and pool area, I was not once offered a drink. I ran into some guests that had been there for a while and they told me that this had been the first day it happened. And they were right, come Monday beach waiter service was readily available. There was way more staff visible around the property, eagerly cleaning and taking care of all guests’ needs. Always a smile, always a friendly hola. A truly welcoming atmosphere.
Many of the staff do not speak enough English and oftentimes have trouble answering even the most basic questions. Personally, it is something I like, as it makes you engage more with the local culture, learn some words in a different language, and use your hands and feet to communicate. It is a lot of fun and can be very rewarding.
That evening I went to dinner at Piragua. The menu looked exciting and I opted for a tuna sashimi, followed by a pumpkin cream soup. Main course was chicken on a lemongrass sauce with couscous. The sashimi was good, very thinly sliced, almost like a carpaccio. It had slightly too much soy sauce. The pumpkin cream could have been excellent, but unfortunately was lukewarm. The chicken skewers were served in a Teriyaki sauce which, since it was supposed to be lemongrass, I didn’t expect. The food tasted good with the exception of one skewer that was undercooked. The passion fruit chocolate mousse combo was excellent but lacking in presentation. All in all I would rate my food experience as good, not excellent, but still better than many other all-inclusive resorts. Breakfast was a similar experience. Some ingredients weren’t in the omelet I ordered which still tasted fine. The bacon was overcooked, the sausages good but cold. Again, I didn’t eat badly but since this is a luxury all-inclusive resort, I expected more.
All around, I had a wonderful stay at Zoetry Agua Punta Cana and would go back in a heartbeat. The property is so beautiful, the pool area absolutely stunning and the beach peaceful, secluded and well maintained. The relaxing atmosphere of the resort is hard to come by at an all-inclusive and it is wonderful not having to worry about being able to snag a palapa, or find a great chair by the pool. With only 96 rooms it feels like a privilege to stay here. I also loved that wifi was easily available and reliable throughout the property.