Moncion, Dominican Republic

Moncion is a little mountain town located on the slopes of the Cordillera Central. Because of its altitude, cool weather, and highland scenery, the Cordillera Central is also known as the Dominican Alps and is home to the highest peaks in the West Indies.

At over 1,000 feet, it has spectacular views to go along with its pleasant climate. For instance, winding your way up the mountain road toward the town of Monción, you pass brightly colored, perfectly maintained wooden houses interspersed between the villas with their distinctive Spanish-style red-tiled roofs.

The roads are lined with riotous bougainvillea and hibiscus—all the more special thanks to the pristine environment that reigns here (a complete lack of litter is an unusual sight in the Dominican Republic).

Moncion is named after General Benito Monción who fought in the War of Restoration to take back the country from the Spanish.

The area’s main industry is agriculture, including rice, bananas, mangos, and avocados.

Also, it’s the heart of the country’s casabe production, a flat bread made of cassava or yuca flour.

The recipe for casabe has remained unchanged for hundreds of years, dating all the way back to when the Taíno Indians inhabited the island.

This is a great example of what makes Monción so special… apart from the spectacular views and the comfortable climate, living in Monciónis like living life in the countryside as it was years—even decades—ago.

The roads are not lined with cars but with old men riding donkeys, their palm-leaf-plaited saddle bags full of yuca or sweet potatoes for dinner… or grass picked to take home to feed the cow.

Life is based on bartering and sharing, as everyone grows something in their farms or gardens… you “shop” for dinner by exchanging your avocados for your neighbor’s peas… your mangos for someone else’s pumpkins.

The air here is fresh and clean… you’ll hear birds singing, cockerels crowing, goats bleating, cows mooing, and pigs snorting. (Because, yes, every home has at least a cow, a pig, and a few chickens of its own.)

At night, while the other animals sleep, the tree frogs begin their calls, along with the occasional limpkin (kind of like a crane) crying. And with no light pollution, you feel you can almost touch the stars.

In Monción, there are no major supermarkets, no chain stores, no cinemas, and few restaurants. Most of the population has lived here for years and many are related, but that doesn’t stop them from being welcoming to foreigners.