San Pedro de Macorís
A sugar city on the south coast, known for baseball and for the cocolo dance tradition.
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San Pedro de Macorís grew rich on sugar in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the boom left a waterfront of substantial buildings including the Saint Peter the Apostle church and the fire station, which have aged unevenly. Workers came from the English-speaking Caribbean to cut cane, and their descendants, the cocolos, kept a masked dance drama tradition that UNESCO later recognised. The city has produced an extraordinary number of major league baseball players.
What you actually see
- The sugar-era buildings - the waterfront architecture from the boom years.
- The cocolo tradition - the masked dance drama kept by the descendants of cane cutters.
- The baseball history - a city that has sent an unusual number of players to the major leagues.
- The Higuamo river - the waterfront the old city was built along.
When to go
December to April is drier and more comfortable. Cocolo performances cluster around Christmas and Saint Peter's day. Baseball season runs October to January.
Honest expectations
Much of the historic fabric is in poor repair. There is little set up for visitors and no museum of substance. Cocolo performances are tied to specific dates and cannot be arranged on demand.
Nearby
La Romana is east, and Santo Domingo is west.
What to pack for San Pedro de Macorís
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.