JOYRIDE! The Long Road to Miches

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A January 2005 trip to Dominican Republic by Jose Kevo

Quote: Haphazardly poised on southern shores of Samaná Bay, Miches is a dusty little town without cause, except for the entertaining adventures along the long road there.

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JOYRIDE! The Long Road to Miches

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Overview

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Sometimes, manic Mondays can happen even in the Dominican Republic. Another day in paradise and wondering what to do? Using public transportation, I spent an entire day taking a 12-hour adventure ride, from Bayahibe to the distant Samaná Bay and back, just to see if Presidente beers were as cold and refreshing on a northern beach as they were down south. Well, of course they were, but that's not the point!With ongoing over-development of coastal areas, I find myself being drawn more and more to the Dominican countryside, the nearby interior that's still a whole world a...Read More

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El Seibo

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Hotel | "Historic El Siebo's Tourist Attraction"

Beyond the Beach Photo - El Seibo, Dominican Republic, Caribbean

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As capital of the province with same name, El Seibo takes on metropolis magnitude in this agricultural region, where most endure an isolated and impoverished life as campesinos/farmers. Spoils of progress have turned this town into a magnet of commerce, where even limited options are enticing to a people who have survived generations from nothing but living off the land.Passing along Highway 4 from Higuey, endless fields dotted with roadside shanties serve as preview for how El Seibo manages to thrive, thanks to arrival of public utilities enhancing the crudest of opportunities. Having no idea what awaited, exiting the gua-gua at eastern end of town proved advanta...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 2, 2006

El Seibo
Along Highway 4
El Seibo, Dominican Republic

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Crossing Mountains on a Motoconcho

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Dominican Hillbillies Photo - Dominican Republic, Caribbean

Quote:

Where the highway forks in El Seibo is a passageway across the Cordillera Oriental for reaching the town of Miches. Públicos depart hourly from the corner, but cramming into a small van wasn't my idea for enjoying one of the country's most scenic drives.Thankfully, the motoconcho driver, who dared to approach in town, was still keeping vigil. Luis was hesitant about straying far from home, requesting a ridiculous RD500 for the 44km ride along Highway 107. I called his bluff.Fueling up before departure, we headed north on the two-lane highway, passing along pastures and cultivated farmlands rolling forever towards base of the mountain ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 2, 2006

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Miches, Dominican Republic

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Hotel | "Bayside Blunders in Miches"

Along the Samaná Bay Photo - Miches, Dominican Republic, Dominican Republic, Caribbean

Quote:

Compact hovel pervades the steep lower inclines spilling into the foresaken town of Miches, tightly pinned between mountains and southern rim of Samaná Bay. Conditions are less than desirable in this pueblo known as a launching point for deserters in jolas, small wooden fishing boats that carry Dominicans 70 miles across the treacherous Mona Passageway to Puerto Rico.There's no reason travelers would likely ever find themselves here, even if only passing through. Yet, Miches was my destination of choice for the day, another unknown place on the map in the country I love. And having beach and beer readily at hand can make even the...Read More

Compact hovel pervades the steep lower inclines spilling into the foresaken town of Miches, tightly pinned between mountains and southern rim of Samaná Bay. Conditions are less than desirable in this pueblo known as a launching point for deserters in jolas, small wooden fishing boats that carry Dominicans 70 miles across the treacherous Mona Passageway to Puerto Rico.

There's no reason travelers would likely ever find themselves here, even if only passing through. Yet, Miches was my destination of choice for the day, another unknown place on the map in the country I love. And having beach and beer readily at hand can make even the least desirable places tolerable.

Bouncing along the rutted main street running west to east, a small bridge crosses the Río Yaguada before heading back out of town. Luis pulled over at a roadside colmado to make good on a promise for buying the first round and then proceeded down a dirt road bordering the river's eastern bank. This leads to the town's most impressive beach, though nothing comparable to Caribbean stretches in the south.

Waters were murky closest to shore before trailing off into the bay's vibrant blues, Samaná peninsula's mountains serving as distant, hazy background. Other than a local with truck stuck in the sand and three roaming horses, the beach was abandoned.

The Coco Loco Beach Club is an expansive, open-air watering hole that's this area's top draw on nights and weekends, not at 1pm on a Monday. It's part of a European-owned complex that includes tourist cabañas. The two-story club had a surprisingly posh restaurant and lounge on the second floor.

The staff had just begun stirring for the day in time to sell Presidentes for double roadside costs. Balcony views were secondary to conversation, Luis insisting we head back towards town.

Stopping at a small bar well-heard-before-seen, older codgers, already sloshed for the day, seemed startled by my presence. Luis spoke to the head honcho while ordering round three. Shortly later, a pair of older women prowled in from the adjacent shacks.

Apparently, this was one of the town's brothels, and as gracious host, Luis was hoping I'd spring for escapades, sure to go undetected from his wife this far from home. Laughing that one had more hair on her upper lip than he did, he assured that younger, prettier ones weren't available till after dark, and he couldn't wait that long. Neither could I. Offers to check out more of the same were denied, and he took me back to the Yaguada bridge bidding farewell.

The transportation center is adjacent the river, and I'd just missed the departure for Higuey. A bit tipsy after three grandes in less than two hours, the broken-down schoolbus was a haven from street-side attention. The only thing more puzzling than a scarce gringo was one speaking Spanish. The extended wait abetted several runs to the piss trough before the last Higuey-bound bus departed at 3pm, with more than just its seats loaded. Read Less

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on February 2, 2006

Miches, Dominican Republic
Playa Arriba
Miches, Dominical Republic

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Hugging the Northeast Coast

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Roadside Campesinos Photo - Dominican Republic, Caribbean

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Though the country was still on holiday break, the old school bus departing from Miches was in full glory with youngsters outnumbering adults 2-to-1. Pinned against a window towards back of the bus, innocent curiosities of the children transformed stares into smiles that even adults willingly reciprocated. Hearing about the tourist invasion is one thing; actually seeing one up close quite the other.Highway 104 is a long stretch of two-lane road serving the coast as it extends east along Samaná Bay before ambling its way southeast towards Punta Cana, one of the DR's first areas targeted for tourism that also eventually engulfed Bavaró.Tourists, always a...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 2, 2006

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The Long Forbidden Road Home

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Story/Tip

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Exiting at the last west-bound stop in Higuey, finding a bathroom was least of my worries. It was 5:30pm, with dusk beginning to illuminate skies behind the massive basilica, a denouncement for committing one of the country's gravest cardinal sins--getting caught out after dark! With no time to stop for confessions, I hurried across the lawn to the Highway 4 transportation center where gua-guas and públicos depart for La Romana.Local service making frequent stops had already ceased, which meant that there was no way for exiting at the Highway 815 turn-off for catching a Bayahibe-bound público. Trying not to panic, the only departures were on luxury motor coaches,...Read More