Sosua Holidays

The Dominican Republic's first recorded occupation came at the hands of the Tainio Indians, who controlled the island of Hispaniola (which the Dominican Republic shares with Haiti) until the arrival of Christopher Columbus and his Spanish fleet in 1492. The country remained relatively unknown and suffered at the hands of both French and English inteference, when finally it gained independence in 1884.

Sosua's more recent history however is a little different to that of the rest of the country, as it began to flourish after an influx of German and Austrian Jewish refugees around 1940. One of their achievements was to establish 'Productos Sosua,' a dairy and cheese farm still functioning today.

The Jewish presence is an important part of Sosua's culture, particularly in in the El Batey area, where there remains a synagogue and a museum well with a visit detailing how the European Jews came to be there. The other end of the town is a little more 'authentic', and it is here you are more likely to see the Dominican's at their most natural.

Often popular with tourists on Sosua holidays is the carnival season which hits the whole country around February, and the bright colours and vibrant atmosphere always proves a great evening's entertainment. Similarly is the annual Merengue festival, which honour the Dominican's favourite type of music, and is often best viewed in one of the local nightclubs for a real snapshot of the locals unwinding!

Sosua is often considered as one of the quieter resorts in the Dominican Republic, so those of you looking for a week of sleepless clubbing may not be completely satisfied. However, the western influences prominent throughout the area mean there are a number of smaller bars for you to relax in, and the restaurants give you the chance to sample some authentic Dominican cuisine, a lot of which is caught locally!