WEEK 3: SANTO DOMINGO

My favorite excursion from the entire trip, and I feel like everyone can agree with me on this, was when we stayed at Caño Hondo for three days. It was such an amazing experience, and we all had a blast while we were there. 

Caño Hondo was basically a hotel built in nature; our hotel rooms were LITERALLY spaces carved inside a mountain. We got to enjoy the natural pools, great food, and wonderful music. It was a way to disconnect from devices and spend quality time with each other. A true bonding experience.

We departed from Caño Hondo on Saturday morning to take a beautiful boat ride in which we got a glimpse of the mangroves. We spent over an hour taking in the view of the mountains, and afterwards we arrived at Cayo Levantado. We spent the rest of the day there, where we enjoyed a beach with clear waters and sand that felt nice to the touch. 

On Sunday, all of us opted to take an almost 2 hour long hike across a mountain.  There was a lot of slippery terrain which caused a bunch of us to fall into mud. It was a difficult hike, but so incredibly fun. By the end we met the boat crew and took a tour of the mangroves and caves.

The whole adventure was so different than anything I have ever experienced in the US. It was super calming and almost therapeutic to be surrounded by so much nature at all times. By the end we all felt tired but somewhat rejuvenated! Our trip to Caño Hondo was surely one to remember, and definitely my favorite excursion.

-Ayan R.

'Global Navigator Voices' is a collection of blog articles and pictures by our very own high school study abroad participants. Follow their adventures before, during, and after their experiences abroad!