Monte Cristi

While I'm mulling over the possibilities on the bid list (I have to submit it by midnight on June 22), a friend and I headed up north to Monte Cristi. The trip was a great way to get my mind off of the stress that is bidding and focus on what a beautiful island the Dominican Republic is.

After driving nearly four hours, we arrived on Friday evening and checked in to the El Morro eco-lodge. My friend had a great coupon and we ended up paying just $75 per night. The room was clean and comfortable and there is a restaurant on site in case you're too tired to go find something to eat after a long drive. Dinner was really nothing special, but the coffee/caramel flan dessert was yummy.

We rose Saturday morning and walked across the street to take in the view of the ocean:

And then we walked up the road for about 10 minutes to get a different view. This beach isn't really ideal for lounging around with a cocktail, but it is pretty.

We had arranged a boat tour when we checked in, and were picked up at the first beach at 1:00. There were three other hotel guests who joined us in the adventure through mangroves and around the coast.

The mangrove roots provide habitat for fish.

The water was so clear! At one point the guide stopped the boat and we all got out and paddled around in the waist-deep water. It was warm and pretty wonderful.

The entire tour lasted about three hours and was interesting and fun. I definitely recommend it. I understand that there is a very beautiful beach that offers spectacular snorkeling about an hour away from this spot. It's on my list of things to do with R this fall.

Monte Cristi is a popular place to stop and stay the night when venturing in to Haiti to visit Cap Haitien and the Citadel, also on our list of things to do during our time on the island.