13 Mar 2023
We arrived in the Dominican Republic on a cruise ship in March. We wanted to get away from the cruise ship port and to have a more private excursion out in nature without the crowds and this was perfect!! Because it wasn't offered through the cruise line we had to walk out of Amber Cove and just down the road a little ways to meet our contact. Be aware that there are cab drivers hanging outside the port that act like they were expecting you. Our contact for this excursion was Richard, he kept in contact with us over WhatsApp. So the meet up was easy.
We enjoyed the sights on the drive out to the garden. Richard was a great conversationalist and was very knowledgeable about the area. The garden did not disappoint. We were greeted by Paul who gave us a tour through the garden. A good part of the path is paved and well shaded by the diverse canopy. It was delightful. Paul pointed out plants, flowers, and trees of interest and provided very welcomed details and stories all along the way. It was simply beautiful. So many unique and wonderfully diverse plants to admire. The walk was peaceful and it was so refreshing to be out in nature taking a quiet stroll.
The kids LOVED seeing the animals and that was a great bonus for them. It's such a great place to visit. They even had a small gift shop where you can get ceramic versions of the Tiano gods. And the absolutely most perfect end to the trip was stopping at a local small restaurant off the side of the road and having DR food!!! Relaxing, slow paced, and so delicious. I definitely recommend this tour.