A scenic hillside drive brings you to the small village of Tubagua at the beautiful “Calle Turistica” from Puerto Plata to Santiago with marvelous ocean and mountain views, just over half an hour drive from Puerto Plata or Sosua / Cabarete

Our first stop is at the “Taino Valley Tropical Park” you will find a lush tropical forest, our guide shows the flowers, trees, palms, plants, bamboo, fruits, vegetables and condiments that grow in the Dominican mountains. There are flowers that are very special in their way of growing and typical for the Caribbean. In several places there are small statues from the times of the Tainos. Each statue features a God of the Tainos. Detailed explanation of each statue and why the Tainos worshiped their gods is given. The water that runs through the forest passes through several natural ponds full of fish. On the route there is a viewpoint with benches that overlook a green valley with mountains in the background. We will demonstrate how Coffee is made the classic Dominican way and taste, show you how Cigars are rolled. You also enjoy a fresh fruit tasting, grown in the hills around us.

Surrounded a lush tropical setting, next to the entrance of a tropical park which invite you for a stroll, you attend different workshops demos about coffee, chocolate and cigar making, all in cooperation with small local farmers by which their family are supported. You will receive general information about the production processes and taste the best products which the Dominican Republic nature offers. On top of this a fruit-tasting experience and a traditional lunch is not to be missed. • Coffee: See how coffee is grown and processed, from the tree to the traditional brawn. Learn about the different varieties and qualities of coffee, and how to brew the perfect cup on the traditional Dominican way. Enjoy the tasting session, where you will savor the aroma and flavor of the finest coffee.

• Chocolate: Discover how chocolate is made, from the cacao pods to the mouth melting bars. Indulge in a chocolate tasting, from dark to milk, from plain to flavored. The Chocolate is made by the “Chojoba” non-profit association, made up only of women from the local community. It was founded 10 years ago when a group of women decided not only to be housewife’s dependent on their husbands, but also productive and useful entities for their home and the community.

• Organic Fruit Tasting: directly from mother nature! You will be shown various fruits that grow in the surrounding area, such as mangoes, pineapples, bananas, papayas, melon, avocado and more. Delight in a fruit tasting, enjoy the freshness and sweetness of the fruits, straight from the land in your mouth.

• Cigars: No trip to the Dominican Republic would be complete without having seen how cigars are crafted, from the leaf to the smoke and ash. You will learn about the different types of tobacco and cigars, how to cut, light, and smoke them. Optional you can also participate in a cigar tasting ($), where you will appreciate the aroma and taste of the finest Dominican cigars.

• To top it all off, enjoy an authentic Woodfire prepared lunch: served in typical Dominican house of over 100 years old and cooked the traditional Dominican way in a “fogon”, prepared by a passionate team with organic ingredients from around the house and local farmers. Taste the savor of the delicious dishes, such as rice, beans, chicken, salad, and more. In the garden behind the house there grow bananas, avocados, pineapples, tomatoes and much more. You can walk around the house and notice that a supermarket is not needed, as almost everything grows in the surrounding yard.

Depending on the time available, (cruise ship guests) we will go to "Doña Mariana", for a paddle in a crystal-clear creek with small waterfalls, around half an hour drive further into the hills passing some typical Dominican hamlets. (Note: if time allows)