I pride myself in knowing more about the Dominican Republic than most people, so when a friend of mine,could not stop raving about her trip to the Cap Cana Hoyo Azul, I decided I had to go out and see it for myself. After some investigating I found out that Hoyo Azul is in a protected park,and so you have to go on a nature hike to get there. Great. So I decided if I was going to get out and into the wild I better make it worth it, so I got the combined Cap Cana Hoyo Azul and zip line tour
 

After a short drive from the hotel we got out to the park, and it was gorgeous. Usually I leave nature hikes to the overachievers, but I have to admit, it was a nice change of pace from the resort. Our guide was really friendly, and tried to make the hike more interesting by talking about all of the plants on the way up. Too bad I was too busy trying to catch my breath to really devote any attention to Dominican Fauna.

Before we knew it we were climbing the platform for the first line, and it was pretty legit. I don’t know what I was expecting, I mean this is the Dominican Republic, so I half expected to find some roadside operation with two strings strapped between two poles, but alas it was a real live zipline. Still, I wasn’t going anywhere until I asked about a hundred questions. Like how did he know it was safe, and after 2 days at the resort buffet eating, was I going to snap that little line in two?He also pointed out that you actually zip down two wire lines, so god forbid, that one of the wires break there is another one just in case. So I was basically their favorite tourist of all time.

So after the guide dude semi-convinced me that all of their equipment was kosher, frequently and that there were some kind of safety standards, there was no backing out now. In my mind I knew that I was going to be safe, I mean they let 11 year olds do this. So I worked up the courage, held my breath, and thanked god I bought the most expensive traveler’s insurance package. I set flight on the first line, and… It was amazing! I felt liberated, and like I was soaring through the air like superwoman. I expected to feel a bit like I was free failing or something, but I felt really secure and snug in my harness.

There were 8 lines and not all of them are the same length, they started off shorter around 200 meters and then progressed from there. This was good it gave me an opportunity to work up some courage for the last line, which is the longest in the Dominican Republic at 420 meters or 1,500 feet and 250 feet above the ground. This line is different from other zip lines because it is secured to the face of a cliff, and the views are absolutely fantastic. I felt like I was soaring, gliding over a sea of green trees below and the Caribbean Sea in the background.

But the zip lining did almost make me forget that there was a second half of the tour/ It was time to conquer the part that I actually came for; the famous Cap Cana Hoyo Azul. We needed to hike to get to there, and along the hike we learned more about the flora and fauna of the Dominican Republic.After the zip lining I was feeling so good and proud of myself that sprinted up the next hill, just joking the hiking was not my favorite part.

And then there it was, the crystal clear azure waters of the Cap Cana Hoyo Azul. It was gorgeous, no beyond gorgeous and unlike anything I have ever seen before. It’s true, the pictures don’t do it justice. I really must say that this might be one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, the color of the water is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It was just amazingly clear and blue at the same time. The grey walls contrast against the water to make the hole seem even bluer. The water was really cold, but welcome and refreshing after the long walks.

This was a great excursion and made me feel like I had a great productive day. I got out into the Dominican wilderness, did my full quota of exercise for the day, conquered my fears and zip lined the longest zip line in the Dominican Republic, and visited the majestic Cap Cana Hoyo Azul. I would do it all again, and highly recommend this tour to everyone.