Puerto Plata Located on the north side of the island (which is also known as the Amber Coast - Costa de Amber) is the city of "Puerto Plata". Christopher Columbus was first to sight the port in 1493 and named it "Port of Silver" because of the silver color the sea casted along the coast at sunset. In 1496 Columbus' brother Bartholomew officially founded the city and renamed it San Felipe de Puerto Plata. During the governorship of Nicolas de Ovando in 1502 the city grew in size and by1508 was granted an official coat of arms by the king of Spain. At first the city prospered as a major trade center for the Spanish Colonies, but with the discovery of new richer lands, the city slowly died. By 1520 the city was financially ruin. Those that remained turn to more profitable business such as smuggling. The Spanish Crown hearing of this illegal activity ordered the city destroyed and the citizens re-located to the southern region of the island. However smuggling continued well into the latter part of the 17th century. The city was abandoned till the 18th century, when once again the port open to merchants but tragedy fell upon the city in 1863 when fire swept throughout the city. The city remained dormant until the beginning of the 1960, when the island took an upward swing in tourism. Its natural beauty and sun-drenched beaches made it an ideal spot for resort development. Once again the city prosperity gradually returned and has continued to prosper into the year 2000. When you arrive in Puerto Plata you will land at the Gregorio Luper�n, the international airport located here, which serves the north coast of the country. Built in 1978 it was renovated in 1994 to accommodate the increase in tourism to the island. It has the capacity to receive airplanes such as the Boeing 747, DC-10 and others. During the winter months, the Gregorio Luper�n airport receives 150 flights weekly with 47 of them coming from Europe. Puerto Plata lies in the valley between the Atlantic Coast and the mountain, "Pico Isabel de Torres Mountain"(2,600ft) and has become the fourth largest city on this land with a population of approximately 250,000. To reach the top of the mountain you can walk, drive or take the cable car. Once on top, you will not only get a breath taking view of Puerto Plata and surrounding area but you will also see the statue of Cristo Redentor (52ft high). You can also buy souvenirs, have lunch or stroll through the beautiful botanical located there. The gardens occupy an area of 35 square miles and contain species of native flora and 67 types of miniature orchids. Horseback-riding trips, four-wheel-drive safari tours and trail hiking excursions can be arranged as well to take you here. A stroll through the city will give you a chance to see the Church of San Felipe. A simple structure but still quite unique. Close by is the Amber Museum. The museum is an excellent example of the old Victorian architecture you will find throughout Puerto Plata. Amber is plentiful here and you might remember that the movie Jurassic Park was film here for that reason. Experts say the amber in Dominican Republic is some of the best quality in the world. (Note: Amber is classified as semiprecious and is actually tree sap that has hardened for millions of years, capturing many fossils of plant and insect life.) Not to be missed is the Fort San Felipe, which located on the harbor. Built to ward off the French and English pirates and later turned into a prison, the fort today is a museum and houses many artifacts of the city's past. Puerto Plata has two major festivals each year, the cultural festival, which is held on the third week of June, and the Merengue Festival the first week of October. Both festivals are worth attending if you happen to be there while it is being celebrated. The Cultural festival offers an insight into Dominican culture with Folk Music, traditional dances from the African tribal to todays salsa and Merengue and there are many exhibits of crafts from local artists. Their biggest celebration though is its Merengue Festival. At that time the Malec�n (is the seaside boulevard which stretches three miles along the Atlantic Coast) is blocked off and vendors set up booth on both sides of the street selling a variety of homemade goods to eat, drink or wear. A huge stage is erected at one end of the Malec�n for concerts by famous merengue singers. The festival is a good representation of the Dominican culture and passion for the merengue. While Puerto Plata has an abundant things to do, the major beaches are located outside of the city. To the west of the city are Costambar and Confresi. Costambar is seven miles to the west of Puerto Plata and offers a long stretch of beach which is protected by a coral reef. This beach is an open beach and a favorite of locals. Further west is Confresi. A mile long beach that offers an excellent panoramic view of the area. Here you will find several resorts fronting its lovely beach. To the east of downtown you will find the city beach "Long Beach". The beach is little over a mile long and is also a favorite of the locals. |