Sports & Activities
1. Baseball
You can watch the local kids play, or have a go yourself at any local park, but to experience the fanaticism with which Dominicans follow baseball, you should visit one of the top grounds – Estadio Tetelo Vargas, San Pedro de Macorís or La Romana.
2. Golf
The Dominican Republic is home to several top golf courses, two of which are located to the east of Punta Cana – Cap Cana, designed by Jack Nicklaus, and Casa de Campo. In the north, other prominent golf sites include Playa Grande and Playa Dorada – both designed by Robert Trent Jones, and Los Marlins and Guavaberry in Juan Dolio.
3. Tennis
You’ll find tennis courts at all major hotels, and it’s usually possible to hire rackets on site. The biggest complex is at Casa de Campo where professionals advise you on the game.
4. Basketball
Second to baseball in most Dominicans’ affections, and growing all the time, this sport is played in every town and village by the locals, and there’s nothing to stop visitors taking part. The main venue for serious games is Santo Domingo’s Centro Olímpico, where the would-be professionals display their skills.
5. Cycling
Although cycling isn’t safe in most towns and cities, the countryside is full of relatively quiet, if potholed, roads, and there is no shortage of off-road possibilities, especially in the Cordillera Central. Bikes can be hired from specialist tour operators (for further details see Cycling), who also lead organized excursions.
6. Fishing
Lake and river fishing are popular with locals, but angling-inclined visitors will want to have a go at deep-sea fishing, where sea bass and red snapper are favorites. For those who prefer a Hemingway-style contest, there is big-game fishing for marlin, setting out from Palmar de Ocóa and Cabeza de Toro (for further details see Deep Sea and Sport Fishing).
7. Horse Racing
Dominicans like to bet, especially on cockfighting, but horses also have their fans, particularly at Santo Domingo’s V Centenario racetrack. Here, gambling alternates with drinking.
8. Go-karting
With most adults happy to drive their cars at breakneck speed on the country’s roads, this is reserved for children, although there’s no reason why grown-ups can’t roar around the corners. There’s an excellent track near Puerto Plata (for further details see Fun City Action Park, Puerto Plata).
Fun City Action Park, Carretera Puerto Plata–Sosúa • 809 320 1031 • open 10am–6pm Mon–Fri, 10am–7pm Sat & Sun
9. Bowling
Another United States import eagerly embraced by the Dominican youth, bowling has taken off as a popular family activity following the opening of a couple of state-of-the-art venues. The Sebelén Bowling Center in the capital is big and technically impressive, while Punta Cana has its own championship-standard alley.
Sebelen Bowling Center, Santo Domingo • 809 920 0202 • open 3pm–midnight Mon–Thu, 3pm–1am Fri, 10am–1am Sat, noon–midnight Sun
Punta Cana Lanes, Plaza Bolera, Punta Cana, Higüey • open 4pm–midnight Mon–Thu, 4pm–2am Fri, 1pm–2am Sat, 1pm–midnight Sun
10. Polo
Legend has it that polo was introduced in 1954 by the Indian maharaja Jabar Singh, who was hired to teach the dictator Trujillo’s sons. Its main home is now the exclusive Casa de Campo resort, where only the seriously rich can play, under the eye of the maharaja’s sons. Visitors are also allowed to watch the matches during weekends.Casa de Campo • 809 200 1304 • www.casadecampo.com.do
