Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CONSTANZA
POP 34,700 / ELEV 1097M
There's a saying here in the mountains: 'God is everywhere, but he lives in Constanza.' Set
in a fertile valley and walled in by towering mountains, you can see why - it's a breathtak-
ing spot. Dusk, especially, is awesome - as the sun sets behind the peaks, a thick mist sinks
down into the valley floor. This is the capital of industrialized agriculture and hence pesti-
cide use - 80% of fruits and vegetables (mainly potatoes, strawberries, apples, lettuce and
garlic) and 75% of flowers are grown on farms around here. There isn't a whole lot to do
(hardcore mountain bikers might disagree), though Dominicans from the lowland cities
journey here for weekend getaways, drawn by the cooler climate and feeling of remoteness.
Drivers beware, because of the scarcity of functioning streetlights, potholes, nonsignposted
one-way streets and plethora of vehicles of varying road worthiness sharing narrow streets,
it can be unnerving driving around town at night.
Also calling Constanza home are a couple of hundred Japanese farmers who arrived dur-
ing the 1950s at Trujillo's invitation. In return for providing superior farmland at dirt-cheap
prices to 50 Japanese families, Trujillo hoped the Japanese would convert the fertile valley
into a thriving agricultural center, which they did.
Sights & Activities
On weekends, Constanza's Parque Central comes alive with locals drinking at the end of
the day - a sociable place to hang out for an hour or two. Softball games are held almost
every night at 7pm at the field a few blocks west of here. The main sights are all quite dis-
tant and require a 4WD. Most hotels in the area can organize ad hoc tours in their own
vehicles, or call Safari Constanza (
809-539-3839; www.safariconstanza.com ) .
Aguas Blancas
This breathtaking waterfall, reputedly the largest in the Greater Antilles, is a scenic but
rough 16km drive from Constanza (you need a 4WD). The falls - actually one cascade in
three different sections - crash some 135m down a sheer cliff into a pool of clear blue and
extremely cold water. Because you don't get a full view until close up after a walk through
a tight canopy of jungle, the approach feels especially dramatic.
Turn north at the Isla gas station and continue past Colonia Japonésa. If you haven't got
your own vehicle, many hotels can take you there for around RD$2500 (up to five people).
WATERFALL
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