What You Need to Know About Taino Bay: Lazy River and Free Things to Do
The Taino Bay cruise port is located in Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, and is pronounced (pronounced Ty-ee-no) Bay. If you’re sailing to Puerto Plata, it’s important to note your specific cruise port, as there are two popular ones here — Taino Bay and Amber Cove. If you’re curious about which of the two your ship will visit during your cruise, you can often find this information on your detailed itinerary, provided by the cruise line, but generally speaking, Carnival Cruise Line brands Carnival, Holland America Line, and Princess all berth at Amber Cove, and most of the other cruise lines dock at Taino Bay. So if you’re sailing a non-CCL ship, chances are high that you’ll be visiting Taino Bay. If you’re cruising to Taino Bay, you’ll probably want to decide if you want to just stay in port and enjoy the amenities there, or to get out of port and explore the city of Puerto Plata. Fortunately, Taino Bay is located close to some of Puerto Plata’s top attractions, like Umbrella Alley and Paseo de Doña Blanca, within walking distance. Is Taino Bay Free? Taino Bay cruise port is one of my favorites because it is beautiful, new, clean, and chock full of free activities for cruisers. Check out the Taino Bay port map to get an idea of its expansive size. As Port Taino Bay only accommodates two cruise ships, it also does not generally get overly crowded. It’s a large port with a wide variety of shops, a beachfront spa, aviaries, several beach bars (the legal drinking age in the Dominican Republic is 18), and a fantastic pool and lazy river that winds through the western part of the port. The pool and lazy river are free, and the pool has many chairs and in-water loungers, so cruisers should not have an issue finding one, even during peak times. There’s a sand bar area with hammocks and loungers, although, like Amber Cove, there is no direct access to the ocean. There is also a “Monkey Island” experience at port for $25 per person. Beaches Near Taino Bay Many curious wonder whether or not Taino Bay has a beach, but unfortunately it does not. There are beachfront views, but there is no direct beach or ocean access — meaning you cannot enter the water. Near the pool area, Taino Bay features a sand bar with hammocks and loungers to allow cruisers to enjoy a beach-like experience, but it’s not a traditional beach day where you can enter the water. If you are interested in a beach day, cruisers docking at Taino Bay have the benefit of docking at a pier that is within walking distance to a public beach, that being Cosita Rica Beach. Personally, however, I do not recommend this beach. On a recent visit, I found the beach and water polluted, full of seaweed, murky, and unappealing. On another visit, I explored further from the cruise port and spent the day at Playa del Pueblita, and also found it to be quite unappealing. Look, I love a good beach day, but in my experience, Puerto Plata just is not the best cruise port for that, but if you want to still embark on a beach day experience, there are numerous beaches in Puerto Plata with free public access. Can I Visit Amber Cove if I Dock at Taino Bay? Cruisers sometimes find themselves wishing they were docking at Amber Cove instead of Taino Bay, or vice versa, due to a preference for the amenities available at the alternative port. Unfortunately, if you port at one, you are not allowed to access the other. As with all cruise ports, if you exit the port area, you must show your ship card ID to gain entrance back into the port, and they will verify that your ship is actually docked at that particular port before allowing you in. The two ports are far enough apart that they are not within walking distance anyway, so visiting the alternate port would require a taxi. As noted above, Puerto Plata taxis are expensive, so I wouldn’t recommend it anyway. Things to Do in Taino Bay If you choose to get out of the port and explore Puerto Plata, here are my top recommendations. Historic Puerto Plata Cruisers wishing to venture outside of port often visit the historic district, which is a great free option for cruisers. This area of Puerto Plata features the Paseo Dona Blanca, an Instagram-worthy Victorian pink alleyway, as well as the famous Umbrella Street. Fortunately, Umbrella Street, Paseo Dona Blanca, and the historic district in general are all just a short walking distance from Taino Bay. Be forewarned that these popular historic district attractions are chronically crowded, but are great for a quick visit and photo opp, especially as they’re located so close to one another. They’re also just a stone’s throw away from the center of the historic town district, known as Central Park, or Parque Central, where there are beautiful buildings, most notable of which being the eye-catching St. Philip the Apostle Cathedral. Locals often populate the square with buckets of bird seed and accept tips from travelers who wish to feed the flocks of pigeons that populate the area. Of all the things we did on a recent visit to Puerto Plata, feeding the pigeons and having them eat from her hand was the highlight for my 11-year-old kiddo. Ambar Museum Another attraction that’s close to the others in Puerto Plata’s city center is the Ambar Museum. It might be a smidge generous to call this a “museum”, as it’s more like a glorified gift shop that entices would-be shoppers into the stores under the guise of a free activity, but on a recent visit to the historic Central Park, I decided to stop by since it was so close. This specific location to which I’m referring is the “Ambar Mine Museum,” not to be confused with the Amber Museum, which
