by Frances Stanford

Created on: September 06, 2008

What was once a sleepy little town on the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic dependent on sugar farming and cattle raising is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. You can fly directly to this location if you stay at the Caso de Campo Resort because American Airlines has a flight to this location from Miami. If you prefer to fly to Puerto Plata International Airport, a drive of about 2.5 hours on the Las Americas Highway will take you to La Romano.

There are two main resorts for you to choose from for your accommodations Caso de Campo and Sunscape Casa del Mar. Caso de Campo means country house in the Spanish language and is actually the leading resort in the Dominican Republic. The rooms are divided into red-roofed, two-story casitas, each of which has four units. They radiate out from the main building and there are villas along the edges of the gold courses. You will think you have landed in Paradise, with four golf courses, 13 tennis courts, 8 outdoor pools, 8 restaurants, and a health club as well as a myriad of activities to choose from.

The Sunscape Casa del Mar is a newer resort and while it is not as elaborate as Caso de Campo, it is a spectacular choice for your accommodations. The resort features seven 3-storey buildings decorated inside in tile, hardwood, rattan and wicker. This is an all-inclusive resort with 4 restaurants, 4 bars, an outdoor pool, a disco, 4 tennis courts, a fitness center and a large number of activities for all its guests.

You will undoubtedly want to spend time on the beach or lounging around the pool. However, you also have the opportunity to have a ride in a banana boat, enjoy swimming, surfing, scuba diving, fishing windsurfing and horseback riding. Both resorts offer children's programs so that the parents can have some time to themselves.

Just a short distance from La Romano you can visit Altos de Chavon, an artists' colony on the grounds of Caso de Campo. The cobblestone streets are lined with craft workshops, galleries, stores and restaurants. The architecture is such that you will actually have the feeling you are walking the street of a small town on the island a hundred years ago. The whole village is an open air museum because it was actually built to represent a 16th century Spanish colonial village. Make sure you visit the Church of St. Stanislaus to see the fountain of four lions and take in the panoramic view from this location. You can also visit the Regional Museum of Archaeology in this town to see displays of native art and to learn about the native peoples of the Dominican Republic, the Taino, who are now extinct.

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