The Most Beautiful Beach in the World!

Over the Christmas holiday, we had a chance to take a trip to the Southwest part of the Dominican Republic.  With our vacations, we are trying to visit different parts of the country.  People often ask if we have been to Haiti and at this point we haven't.  For now, we want to get to know this country, the Dominican Republic.

We left on New Years Day.  It was a good day to travel because the roads were empty.  Our goal was to get to Pedernales, a border town with Haiti.  It was amazing to see the country change from a lush forest to what reminded me of Arizona or New Mexico.  The beaches were beautiful but instead of sand, they had white rocks and very rough.  Ben wasn't so impressed, as it wasn't so functional for swimming and boogie boarding!  Some of the road were drove on where incredible, especially at one part where the mountains came right up the sea.

The southwest is dry.  It is desert.  It's hard to believe because live in the mountains were it rains a lot and it's often very green.  But the southwest is nothing like where we live.

We were able to visit Lago Enriquillo, a salt water lake which is below sea level.  At this point, Rick and Ben are able to say they have been to the highest point (Pico Duarte) and the lowest point (Lago Enriquillo) of the Dominican Republic.  At this lake, we saw some Taino drawings in the rock (pictured with Becky) and fed rhinoceros iguanas.  They are big but not big enough to ride (bummer)!

A highlight of the trip for all was when we discovered the most beautiful beach in the world!  Bahia de Aguillas is a national park.  There is a small entrance fee and then a boat taxi to get to the beach.  The boat drops you off on a secluded beach and you can tell him what time he should return.  Imagine spending the day at a beach and hardly anyone else is around (Only those who came the same way you did.  Note, the boat won't drop people at the same spot on the beach).  There were no venders, no stores, just you and the ocean.  The water was a perfect turquise and the snorkeling was excellent.

Ok, maybe it isn't the most beautiful beach in the world but it felt that way!  How did you spend your vacation?