Rum, Cigars & Cocoa: Dominican Culture and Lifestyle
From US$2,750 per person
8 days / 7 nights
Are you a fan of rum or cigars? Do you want to discover the lifestyle of the Dominican Republic? Our unique itinerary around rum, cigars, and cocoa will take you from La Romana to Santiago, via Santo Domingo. We offer an immersive and thematic 8-day trip. For those who wish, we can extend and customize this itinerary with a beach extension in Samana to enjoy the paradisiacal beaches of this region.
Who: Adults only
Mode of transport: Private driver with a English-speaking guide
Type of accommodations: Charming boutique hotels
Welcome to the Dominican Republic! Our driver will wait for you at Santo Domingo or Punta Cana airport, depending on your flight. Head to your upscale hotel in La Romana, where a member of the Holaqueya team will welcome you. Settle in, evening, and dinner at your leisure. You will find all our dining and entertainment recommendations for La Romana/Bayahibe in your travel guide.
From your hotel, you will join a catamaran to Catalina Island. A paradisiacal half-day awaits you in Cotubanamá National Park. Enjoy the island’s postcard-perfect beach and go snorkeling to admire the Caribbean Sea’s marine life. After lunch with your feet in the sand, return to your hotel in the early afternoon. Relax with a good cigar by the pool and slowly recover from jet lag. Dinner at your leisure at the hotel.
From your hotel, our driver will take you to discover the world’s largest handmade cigar factory. With our French-speaking guide, meet over 5,000 skilled artisans who make some of the best Dominican cigars. This factory houses renowned brands like Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, and VegaFina, each testifying to the exceptional quality and artistic craftsmanship of Dominican cigars. After the visit, head to a Dominican restaurant for lunch before visiting one of the country’s best rum factories: Barcelo Rum. Discover all the stages of Dominican rum production before heading to Santo Domingo in the evening. Check into your hotel and free evening. Optionally, we can arrange a musical evening to discover Dominican dances like merengue and bachata. You will also find all our dining and entertainment recommendations for Santo Domingo in your travel guide.
A unique day awaits you as you discover Santo Domingo off the beaten path with our French-speaking guide. From the Colonial Zone to Santo Domingo Este, explore all the secrets of the Dominican capital. Enjoy lunch at a Dominican restaurant where you will taste local specialties. Return to your boutique hotel in the evening and relax. In the evening, your driver will take you to dine and smoke a cigar in one of the best cigar clubs in Santo Domingo.
Depart from Santo Domingo with your driver and our guide to San Francisco de Macoris to discover the entire chocolate-making process: from plantation to production, all steps will be revealed. Start your visit with a delicious hot chocolate before heading to the organic cocoa plantation and uncovering all the secrets behind quality chocolate. Enjoy a delicious Dominican lunch featuring the national dish, la bandera, composed of rice, red beans, chicken, and avocados. For dessert, follow your nose to the chocolate factory, where you will learn the final chocolate-making process and enjoy a tasting that will awaken all your senses. End this activity by making your own chocolate bar. Depart with your driver and guide to the Mirabal Sisters Museum, which traces the history of these women who became a symbol of the Dominican Republic. Stop to discover the famous murals in the region. Arrive in Moca in the evening, check into your hotel, and have dinner at your leisure. You will find all our dining and entertainment recommendations for Moca in your travel guide.
After breakfast, enjoy a coffee tasting at your hotel’s café. Taste different types of Dominican coffee accompanied by a delicious cigar. Next, participate in a pottery workshop to create and paint the famous Muñeca Sin Rostro, the emblem of the Dominican Republic. Then, head with your driver and guide to Santiago de los Caballeros, the economic capital, for lunch at a city restaurant. Continue the afternoon with a visit to Santiago, discovering the famous Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration, the old town, its typical houses, and street art. Check into your hilltop hotel with a unique view of Santiago. Dinner and evening at your leisure. You will find all our dining and entertainment recommendations for Santiago in your travel guide.
Depart from Santiago with your driver and guide to Jicome to discover one of the most beautiful cigar plantations in the Dominican Republic with its owner. For over two hours, discover the entire tobacco planting and harvesting process. Enjoy a cigar in this unique setting in the heart of the Dominican mountains. Head to Santiago for lunch at a famous city spot. In the afternoon, visit a cigar factory owned by one of the most important tobacco families in the Dominican Republic, the family that brought Cuban tobacco to be planted here. Discover the cigar-making process and learn to roll your own cigar. After this exclusive day with our agency, return to your hotel for dinner with a view of Santiago. After dinner, participate in a rum tasting featuring the three national brands: Brugal, Barcelo, and Bermudez. This tasting will be accompanied by cigars to conclude your trip beautifully.
It’s departure time! Enjoy your last moments in the Dominican Republic before heading to Punta Cana or Santo Domingo airport with your private driver.
All year round
8 days / 7 nights
- Private minivan transport with driver
- Guide
- 7 nights in a double room boutique hotel with breakfast
- All excursions mentioned in the program with lunch and non-alcoholic drinks
- SIM card with Internet
- Personalized travel guide
- Assistance
- International flights
- All dinners
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- International travel insurance
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