Out & About In Dominican Republic | Part One: Casa de Campo

If you are looking for an all-inclusive trip, I would head to Casa de Campo. This is a massive property that offers you pretty much anything you can imagine. They have horseback riding, polo fields, trap shooting, a beautiful beach and a stunning marina filled with massive yachts. The second you arrive into Casa de Campo you feel right at home; their friendly staff will assist you to your room and are available for anything you may need during your Caribbean golf holiday.

You have the option of 5 different room types in the Hotel, or staying in a beautiful private Villa for the duration of your stay. No matter where you choose to stay you will have a 4-person golf cart to drive around the property. With an endless list of activities alongside 3 wonderful golf courses, you will find yourself never wanting to leave.

At Casa de Campo they have three outstanding golf courses, Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore and the Pete Dye Links. Their crown jewel is Teeth of the Dog where 7 of the 18 holes run right along the Caribbean Sea. This course will challenge you throughout your entire round, plus adding in the spectacular ocean views, Teeth of the Dog will keep you coming back for more.

Now, don’t forget about Dye Fore during your stay at Casa de Campo. This course has 27 holes, but the main two 9’s are the Chavon and the Marina. Playing on top of high cliffs that overlook the Chavon river you will make your way down to the Marina where you will have 4 holes along the ocean. This course gives you two very different 9’s that pair together perfectly for an unforgettable Caribbean golf experience.

Start your morning by getting breakfast at Lago Restaurant. Lago is a buffet-style restaurant that overlooks the 18th hole of Teeth of the Dog and sits right next door to the pro shop. Once you have finished up your morning meal you can take a short walk to the pro shop to check-in for your round.

On finishing your golf head up to the 19th Hole Bar that sits on the backside of the pro shop for a light lunch. You can sit up on the open deck and watch the other golfers as they finish up on the 18th. If you are in the mood for a bigger lunch, make your way to Minitas Beach at the Beach Club, where they will be serving Mediterranean Cuisine with a Dominican twist. If you are heading to the Beach Club for dinner, it is a little more formal in the evening so please remember to pack a collared shirt!

Lastly, my personal favourite restaurant at Casa de Campo is Pubbelly. Here you will find a fun Asian Fusion menu that has a Tapas feel to it. Pubbelly is situated down in the Marina, so make sure to enjoy a nice walk past the mega yachts docked in this area.

There are two activities in the All-Inclusive package that everyone should take advantage of. First, you get one round of 25 shots of trapshooting per Adult. At the Shooting area, you will be accompanied by a guide for the duration of your shoot, and following your session, you can enjoy a nice cold drink at the Shooting Area Bar. Secondly, as an All-Inclusive guest, you can enjoy unlimited horseback riding during your stay.

I would also recommend taking an excursion to Catalina Island. After just a short Catamaran ride you will have a sun-filled day on the beach where you can simply relax, swim in the crystal-clear water or snorkel the reef teeming with sea life. Although this is not part of your all-inclusive it's only $35 per Adult and $25 Per Child (5-12).

After a full day of golf, sunbathing at the beach or any of the endless activities you can enjoy at Casa de Campo…make your way up to La Cana for some evening fun. Here you can enjoy a few drinks at the bar, listen to live music and let loose on the dance floor.

You will need to pay per person to enter customs at Punta Cana International Airport, so make sure to have some cash on you when you arrive.

While in the Dominican Republic it will be very rare that you will need to go offsite from your Resort. So, with that said I would not recommend anyone staying at one Resort to get a rental car as it will just sit in the parking lot until your departure day. It is very easy to organize transportation from the Airport on the day you arrive, and your Resort will help you get back to the Airport the day you leave.

If getting a rental car is a must, I have 3 simple pieces of advice…

1. Avoid driving at night. Make sure to allow enough time to get where you are going before nightfall.

2. Avoid driving in Santo Domingo. Everyone I spoke with, especially locals do not advise anyone to try and drive through this area.

3. Make sure to get some cash converted to Dominican Pesos. If you are travelling from Punta Cana to Casa de Campo (La Romana) you will pass two toll booths. One does accept credit cards, but the other only accepts cash. Both are between 400 & 600 pesos per vehicle.

As it goes with driving anywhere, simply make sure to always pay attention, and you will be fine. I drove myself around Punta Cana and La Romana for 6 days and didn’t have any issues. But if you are staying at one resort for the duration of your trip, a rental car is not necessary.