'The Best Dominican Republic Music Will Always Be Merengue For You'

Ocean Blue Punta Cana diary

It is impossible to be in Punta Cana and its Punta Cana beaches without some Dominican Republic music called Merengue during your Caribbean vacations.

The traditional Caribbean instruments for Dominican Merengue are a two-sided Dominican drum and a lovely percussion instrument called a 'guira'.

This instrument is actually a thin metal sheet with small/ little bumps that are played using a brush.

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The Dominican drum which is double headed is played with a small stick on one side and your palm is used to play the other side. Merengues are fast arrangements with a 2/4 beat.

Punta Cana drums

The traditional rhythm of the Dominican merengue music is created by 5 drumhead hits. There are 3 styles of Dominican merengue that are played today. The 'ripped parrot' (oldest style), the 'big band merengue' and the 'guitar merengue'.

Today, the most popular Dominican music version of the merengue is the 'big band Dominican merengue' with a horn section, saxophones, timbales, piano, hi-hat, conga and backup singers. In modern Dominican merengue the saxophone is added along with a bass guitar.

The Merengue dance was made the official Dominican dance of the Dominican Republic. Although the rhythm of the Merengue music sounds and looks tumultuous, your upper torso is kept stately and the turns are easeful, typically 4 beats and steps per finished turn.

Listen to Radio Merengue

Punta Cana drum

In the the United States and European countries the Dominican merengue music style was replaced by styles like the Cha-cha-cha, Rumba, Mambo and Salsa.

Dominican Food and Drinks

Punta Cana drinks 'The most important and largest Dominican meal is lunch. It is very similar to lunch in Spain. Rice with chicken, pork, beef or fish combined with salade and beans are the main ingredients. Try it when you are at a Punta Cana resort. Is is really good! Go from 'Music Dominican Republic' to Dominican food and drinks...'

Punta Cana Activities

'Unfortunately most Punta Cana tourists stay at their local Punta Cana resort or Dominican hotel. But it is a real recommendation to visit the Dominican inland to, meet the Dominican locals and small Punta Cana villages. Go from 'Dominican Republic Music' to Punta Cana activities...'