Playa Dorada is a short westerly 15 to 20 minute taxi/coach ride from Greogrio Luperon International Airport. Emerging from the airport you will pass through the sugar cane fields that line either side of the road swallowing you up in their tropical splendour. Playa Dorada is a lush resort set amidst tropical gardens and a superb Robert Trent Jones Golf Course 18 holes par 72. The 14 hotels in Playa Dorada are run on an ‘all-inclusive’ basis and are all set in their own manicured grounds with most properties boasting their own tennis courts, football playing fields, private swimming pools, disco’s and a selection of buffet and a la carte restaurants.
Playa Dorada Map
Most hotels have their own private beach area with a bar and restaurant to relax by during the day offering sunbeds and shade too. Those that are not located directly on the beach have a tractor or buggy service throughout the day to take you to the beach but still have their own bar & snack areas.
You will also find that each hotel has it’s own water sports centre offering you banana boat rides, wind surfing, Hobi cats and Sunfish sailing boats (usually at an extra charge). Snorkelling is not very good along the Playa Dorada coastline the only reason being that there is generally nothing much to see as the best reefs on the north coast are further to the east in Sosua (about a 30 minute taxi ride away from Playa Dorada). Just keeping on the watery theme, you will be given the chance within all the hotels in Playa Dorada for a free poolside scuba diving lesson. If you like it the instructors will then advise you on the fun dives available or if you fancy gaining your open water license you may book your course with them. All the scuba diving takes place in Sosua.
In the centre of the Playa Dorada complex you will find a shopping plaza full to bursting with gift and souvenir, cigar and clothes shops. There is also a cinema, children’s play area, banks and money exchange bureaus and a medical centre with 24 hour English speaking doctors on call. If you are fed up with the hotel food or are feeling a little homesick then Pizza Hut always comes in handy with a deep pan or thin crust to the rescue! Other restaurants and bars in Playa Dorada Plaza are Hemingways Bar and Grill (usually very busy at the weekends with live music) and kareoke twice weekly. They offer a large selection of imported wine and beers and an extensive food menu. Alfresco is a seafood and sushi restaurant and also Annie’s bar tucked away in the corner of the Plaza offering a friendly service and always showing the latest football matches. Roadway is a western style grill and bar offering a full menu and cold beers. The shopping plaza has a multitude of jewellery stores the most famous being Harrison who have designed jewellery for Madonna and Michael Jackson. Harrison have a chain of stores through out the Dominican Republic.
Things to do in Playa Dorada
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There is also a Western Union Money Service in the Plaza and you may also make international phone calls from there too. A small and massively expensive supermarket (so make sure you don’t forget your mosquito repellent or sun cream and have to buy it there!).
If you are looking for some night life and want to dance a little Merengue or Salsa then shimmy on down to Coco Bongos located in the Plaza or as previously mentioned Hemmingways Cafe (usually best on weekends) Remember to take some money for your drinks as they are not part of the “all inclusive” packages!
