Bayaguana Countryside Safari from Juan Dolio/Boca Chica

It was my boyfriends & my 1st time zip lining. I was very nervous & had a hard time keeping my hand & arm in the correct position, but at each section the guys (employees) would help. One bent the leather (which isn't easy) and it helped a ton, another said to stop flexing my biceps & shoulders. That was it! They're so helpful and make you feel comfortable even if you're crazy nervous. Instructions were clear and concise (not to mention funny!). You felt safe at every point & they work you from shorter lines to longer to get adjusted. Highly recommended! Just remember to RELAX and it'll be the most exciting day!

Le descriptif ne correspond pas à ce qu’on a pu nous proposer. Pas visiter de champs de cannes à sucre, juste déposer à l’entrée d’un vieux hangars et son gardien, on nous a coupé deux cannes pour nous faire goûter… heureusement que le vieux gardien nous a ramassé deux noix de coco, que nous avons apprécié, l,arrêt à Bayaguana a été rapide. Visite d’un petit atelier ou un homme a préparé un cigare devant nous… somme reparti dans une rue commerçante où le guide nous a fortement incité à acheter des bonbons pour donner à des enfants à notre retour… puis un petit tour à l,église inaccessible car en cours de ménage. Sans vraiment nous dire que c’était un sanctuaire… Ensuite visite d’une communauté pour boire un café et nous faire acheter de la vanille liquide brune ou transparente, du café en grain ou moulu et du chocolat et du miel, de la cannelle en bâton ou en poudre ( des petites doses à 10€..)… on nous a fait goûter un ersatz de « Nutella » avec du miel local… on a vu un cacaotier, mais aucun champs de caféier ou de cocotier ni d’explication de la vanille… Nous sommes arrivé à la cascade de solo, 30 minutes sur place… Pour arriver ensuite à notre frugal repas pas très bien présenté … pour le dessert un peu d,ananas, de papaye et de banane, parmi les animaux de la basse cour qui cherchaient à quémander de la nourriture… au retour nous nous sommes arrêtés devant une case ou des enfants sont sortis et nous ont arrachés les friandises et les crayons que les compagnons de voyage avaient acheté… A 16h le guide le photographe et son acolyte nous ont abandonnés avec le chauffeur pour nous laisser parcourir la dernière heure de route. Précédemment le photographe voulait nous vendre son « reportage photos » pour 40€ et le guide à réclamer un pourboire pour eux quatre. Il n’a pas eu le succès escomptés…

So, let's start with the sobering parts of this tour and then move on to why we enjoyed it nevertheless: - you'll be visiting places that are not basic, but straightforward precarious. Don't expect anything tidy or well done. - At the start of the tour you have to sign a waiver the frees the company from any claims, even when you suffer damages because of their negligence. Kind of worrying, especially when signing this aboard a safari "bus" without real security belts. Independently from if this waiver is legal or not, either don't go on the tour or sign with false name and room number (and have a good health insurance just in case)! - At pretty much any stop they will try to sell you something - The "school children" that will be visited are not at a school, but you'll stop at a shack/"house" of a family clan where people will receive the gifts they asked you to buy previously. Cannot describe this shortly here but the whole scenario was absolutely fishy and something was very very wrong about the whole situation and place. Really no idea why on earth they put this into the tour, nothing good can come out of this. Positive: - Juan Antonio was a great guide although he always tries to sell stuff. You can learn a lot and he happily answers all questions. - Although all sites visited were really really precarious, we enjoyed the ride through the lush landscapes and seeing how the different plants are grown and combine in a non-industrial growing site (well, except for the sugar cane of course). This tour can be really interesting if you are interested in the agriculture products and flora aspects and our guide was very very knowledgeable in that sense. We tried freshly cut sugar cane, insanely tasty mango that grew literally everywhere, we ate cocoa beans (a revelation!), smelled the purest cinnamon, tried different honeys etc etc. We picked Cashew fruit & nuts and learned a lot about different leafs, barks, woods etc etc. If you are into this (like us), you'll be rewarded. - The waterfalls were truly beautiful and we arrived at a time where literally no other people were there. Well worth the visit. Tips: - Bring mosquito repellent and put it on before leaving the "bus", otherwise you'll get a hell of a time at the "plantation" - start the tour with the lowest expectations possible - you'll need sunscreen (especially on the safari bus rides where you sit on the sunny side for longer rides) and shoes that can get muddy