Dominican Republic: La Toma

A fantastic activity in the Dominican Republic is La Toma. I don't think San Cristobal gets as many tourists as Puerto Plata so it wasn't crowded and it was a great chance to go hang out with the locals and experience something unique!

La Toma is a natural spa pool-type swimming hole which is formed by the river Nigua. La Toma is located about 6 miles north of San Cristobal. It was the first dam built in America by the Spanish conqueror Christopher Columbus around 1520’s. La Toma has a significant source of pure, crystalline water and is much visited by many locals and residents of the southern region of the island especially during summer time.

First view of La Toma swimming hole (dam in the background).

Me and Jen were the first to get in the water while the guys... who knows what they did.

So funny, let me just tell you. They have like 4 cement stairs taking you down into the pool. You step, step, step, step, and then you take one more step and  boom - it's a big step down onto the river bottom. It tricked me and I basically fell in. After Jen & I swam for a while I was happy to see Mike coming to get in. I said, "Jen! Watch Mike! Let's see if he falls for that final step too." Sure enough - step, step, step, step, boom! He went down into the water. (Not so much that it covered his head.) It was funny. If I was a local I would hope that new people came to the pool every day ;) 

I was like, "Mike, please, please, please, please, please get your picture with me by the kissing sign..."

(He absolutely detests any sort of PDA.) He was like, "No, Jen. I don't want my picture taken."

What's that you say? Let me snap one anyway! (Just to prove I can get my way ;0))

 Thankfully, Jen & Stalin were willing to pose for the picture I wanted. (Thanks guys!)

NO KISSING!

Actually, it's okay to kiss. The sign says, "Couples are not allowed under the bridge." Go figure.

Playing ball. (So much fun!)

The hole in the dam wall which let water into the swimming hole and kept it filled since water was continually running out and flowing on down the Nigua River.

Jen, Stalin and Randy

Mike & I

The water slides are just plastic slides. There isn't actually any water flowing down them to wet your bottom.

Little boy swimming in his underwear. LoL. There were lots of them running around. (Swimming in jeans and in underwear.)

 We had an amazing time at La Toma. I would definitely go back. It was a very unique set up and I really liked the natural feel of it - like I was out in nature. There was cement surrounding the pool but the bottom was actually dirt and rocks - like any river bottom would be. I kept my Chaco's on the whole time - but I think I was the only one that did. It was fun to see the water flowing through the dam, into one pool, into another pool and on down the river. Very awesome.