Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing”.

(Helen Keller)

The concept of travel is a large part of my Walk into the Future journey.

Running tourism and Negril, Jamaica have been the focal points of my travel articles so far.  I do write about local trips and my time sitting on the beach.  I plan to get back to the beach more in 2025 so there will be more Florida beach explorations in your reading future. 😊

One of the great things about higher education is our winter break schedule.  My current school is a member of the Florida College System (FCS) and our break schedules match our students, examples: Spring Break, Thanksgiving Break and the Winter Break.  We are off when our students are not in classes. 

Winter Break 2024 started the day after our last Fall Commencement ceremony.  Our break ran from 12/19/2024 to 1/2/2025.  This was a few days shorter than our normal Winter Break based on the academic calendar, but this was a nice break and provided us with an opportunity to enjoy some down time at the end of a long year.

I decided to get a little more adventurous this year over break and travel to a destination I have never been to.  Several friends have been down to the Dominican Republic (DR) and everyone had great things to say about the island.  I thought about going to my tried-and-true spot in Negril, Jamaica but wanted to get a new country’s stamp in my passport. 

I did some initial travel research on Expedia to figure out a resort for me to visit in the DR.  I did not have any preconceived ideas on my trip but wanted to get down and see some sights.  I booked my flight, resort and ground transportation via Expedia which is how I book my Jamaica trips—no surprises with the process. 😊

I picked the Bahia Principe Grand Punta Canta resort based on reviews and proximity to the airport.  I flew out of Orlando International Airport via Jet Blue and my adventure was off and running.  The flight down to Punta Canta, DR was a little over two hours and I slept most of the way down.  The Punta Canta airport is not a huge place so getting bags and through Customs was quick.  I made my way out towards the ground transportation area to find my ride and head to the resort. Again, a very simple process and I was directed to the van waiting to take me to the resort.

The resort check-in process was simple, but I had to wait a bit since I arrived two hours prior to check-in.  This allowed me to explore the property and get my bearings.  The resort was as advertised with multiple bars, restaurants and places to unwind.  This location was a big change from my stay at Samsara in Negril.  This resort was a self-contained city and had everything that most people would want. The resort was not close to shopping or entertainment areas, so these things are provided within the resort.  Not a complaint but a bit different from my time in Negril.

I decided to make the most of the resort and everything it had to offer.  My room was spacious and centrally located to the beach area, restaurants and bars.  It took me less than a 10-minute walk in either direction, and I could find something to entertain myself.  The resort had multiple events scheduled during my trip, so I just made my way to the sound of music nightly and enjoyed the atmosphere.

The beach area was small and crowded but there was a nice little vibe there since there were multiple bars directly on the beach.  One of the large pools was close by so I could hear music coming from the pool while I sat on the beach and worked on my tan.  😊

The food was plentiful and delicious!  I found myself parked in the dessert portion of the buffet more than I thought I would, but everything was fantastic.  The all-inclusive aspect of the resort allowed me to dabble in different types of food without feeling guilty. 

The DR was a nice little get away before Christmas.  I’m glad I made it down and got a new stamp in my passport.  Been there and done that. 😊

I will head back to my happy spot in Negril, Jamaica in March for Spring Break 2025—back to regular travel.

Where have you always wanted to travel?  Will you make it in 2025?

Irie!

Calvin Williams

“Not all who wonder are lost”.

(J. R. R. Tolkien)