A few kilometers north of Higüey is the eccentric town of La Otra Banda, known for maintaining its gingerbread architecture, which the founding fathers brought from the Canary Islands. This is a photographer’s opportunity to get photos of the pretty little houses you see on postcards. After the concrete and lusterless town of Higüey, La Otra Banda is a welcome pass-through point.

As if not to appear “too cute,” though, La Otra Banda is also known for its butchers and meat since the livestock industry supports this area. It is common to see cuts of meat and freshly made strings of longaniza (sausages) hanging in market windows; this can be an odd sight. Exercise caution in buying these meats; they’ve often been sitting out for quite some time and (unfortunately) might not be entirely safe for the fragile stomachs of foreigners.

While you are there, check out the Dominican jewelry store Harrison’s (Carretera Otra Banda, tel. 809/552-1997) and its high-quality amber, larimar, and Dominican black jade pieces.

Getting to La Otra Banda

Coming from Higüey on Highway 105, you’ll reach a fork in the road where you can choose to stay the course on Highway 105 toward El Macao or take a right onto Avenida Macao, which becomes Highway 106 toward the Bávaro/Punta Cana resort area on the Costa del Coco.