The Beach		Playa Andrés		Las Maticas		Las Arenitas		History		Social Demographic

At the very far west end of the cove lies the island of Las Arenitas. This island is larger and has plenty of firm land. Unfortunately it is somewhat polluted along the edges from all the visitors who deposit trash onto the ground but few venture beyond the first 20 yards once landing on this island. This is partly because Hurricane Georges uprooted many trees and bushes making navigation across the property difficult. Another reason is because most people arrive with bare feet and swimsuit. An exploration of this little island requires sturdy shoes and mosquito repellent.”

The Beach		Playa Andrés		Las Maticas		Las Arenitas		History		Social Demographic

Boca Chica Beach is not only the biggest natural lagoon of the Caribbean, it is also home to many important historical events for the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. For example the name Boca Chica, despite popular belief, is an ancient name. Earlier than the first European settlers that landed and named these lands the Americas. This name goes as far back as to the Tainos, the biggest and more organized aborigine tribe on la Hispanola, (island which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti.) The Taino Tribe that habited the area of Boca Chica were called: Chiquenses. Their artesian handwork is considered to be the most beautiful out of all the other tribes, which lived on the island. They were the only tribe that incorporated colors into their sculptures, through the usage of paint.

To this day there are still traces of the Chiquense Tainos. On Las Americas highway, before the entrance to the International Airport of Las Americas, there is an ancient semi abandoned Taino Cemetery, which the Dominican Republic Municipal and Center government have forgotten about.

It is rumored that in 1959, when Fulgencio Batista Y Zaldívar (the ex Cuban President) was ran out of Cuba by Fidel Castro’s guerilla army, Batista exiled in Boca Chica for a few days before continuing his journey. It is also rumored that Batista paid Rafael Trujillo Molina, the Dominican dictator, a substantial sum of money in order to exile in Boca Chica. The Hamaca, the first Hotel of Boca Chica, was the Hotel where Batista stayed.

Rafael Molina Trujillo, the Dominican dictator who controlled the Dominican Republic from 1930-1961, built Las Arenitas (one of the two islands on the beach of Boca Chica). Las Maticas on the other hand, according to the wise old Boca Chica men is a Natural Island. Las Maticas was the backyard view from Trujillo’s house: currently the Dominican Bay Beach House. On this island Trujillo had build a small zoo, rumors have it that there was an Alligator, a Panther, many types of different birds, monkeys, and some other type of wild animals. Till this day, one can see the traces of the ceramic and tile troughs built into the floor, which were used to feed the animals.

Later on, throughout the 70 and 80’s Las Maticas became the main attraction to Boca Chica. Locals would climb on the trees and branches and dive into the crystal clear water. Las Maticas became so popular at one point that Dominican Merengue artists have made reference to the island when speaking of Boca Chica. People knew more about Las Maticas than the actual Boca Chica.

The Beach		Playa Andrés		Las Maticas		Las Arenitas		History		Social Demographic

Boca Chica is where beach tourism began in the Dominican Republic Resorts Industry. One of the reasons is due to the location of Boca Chica: some 25 minutes from Santo Domingo and only 10 minutes away from Las Americas, (the first International Airport of Dominican Republic). Another reason why Boca Chica became the first, was due to the beautiful crystal clear blue water and white sandy beach. This beautiful beach was/is so close to Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, a sector of the Dominican elite began to build Beach Houses on Boca Chica Beach. Most of these houses remain intact on the East side of the Boca Chica Beach, next to the current all inclusive resort: Hamaca.

When three large all inclusive resorts entered the market during the 80’s and early 90’s, the Dominican Republic Resorts industry clientele in Boca Chica was predominantly European (Italian & German) and French Canadian. Later, benefiting from Internet publicity in the mid 90’s, more tourists from the United States began to visit Boca Chica.

Boca Chica’s development has, to a large extent, been influenced by the first tourists who visited the area. Even today, the town has a fair number of Italian residents. Also, there are numerous Italian Restaurants as well as hotels and condominiums owned by Italians. The German presence is apparent as well. Not, as much as the Italians, but there are still a number of German owned businesses as well, particularly dive shops, coffee shops, and bars.

This situation to some degree has influenced the local of Boca Chica. This explains why Boca Chica locas tend to be more liberal than other Dominican areas or sectors. Today, Boca Chica Beach has become a multicultural town, composed of diverse nationalities and ethnics, from Dominicans, Italian, Americans, Britons, Germans, Haitians etc.

 This small coastal town boasts the largest natural, calm, crystal clear reef-protected bay in the Caribbean. Hotel Zapata sits directly on the wonderful white sandy beaches of Boca Chica and the glistening turquoise waters of the Caribbean. A small, quiet, family owned hotel, the Zapata is world renowned as one of the best Value Holidays in the Caribbean!

Our hotel is equipped with 22 well-furnished, air-conditioned, cable TV rooms. All of them are outfitted with their own security deposit box, some with balconies some without. The rooms are divided into seven categories:

Main Building: 1) Two Bedroom Apartment, 2) Studio Suite, 3) Standard Beach Front, 4) Standard Two Single, 5) Standard double & single, 6) Standard Double and, Beachside Building: 7) Beachside Suite

The restaurant specializes in typical Dominican Creole cuisine as well as numerous sea foods. For those who are tired of being constrained to eating indoors because of bad weather, this restaurant offers you the chance to sample its specialties and other International dishes, served in a relaxed outdoor atmosphere; where you can literally hand feed the local birds.

On the property right before the actual beach there is a typical palm leaf roof bar, where most guests relax sipping on tropical cocktails before and after enjoying the water or just sunbathing on the sand. In the vicinity of the bar there are several natural palm leaf umbrellas with numerous lounge chairs for sun tanning and stress releasing. Professional beach masseuses make their rounds in this area.

A Barbecue Grill is available for any private barbecues or activities that our guests may be interested in. This can be arranged and serviced by our Hotel Zapata attendant or the guest could also use it as a self serve option. For our fit conscious guests looking to stay toned while on vacation, the Zapata offers Hatha Yoga, focusing more the physical and body strengthening attributes of the exercise. For a schedule of classes, click here.