By: Naureen Chhipa @WhereToNau

It was November in NYC, and I was suffering from the standard “winter blues.” I was sick of fighting the wind as it kept re-arranging my hair in ways that made me look unkempt and burned out. I was having brunch with my dear friend Zaira Druding, founder of Sun Sand Spirit DR; we share a passion for travel. She chaperones and coordinates trips to the Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic; It was a match made in heaven. We started talking about possibly traveling together to the Dominican Republic. A couple of mimosas later, we had already booked a four-day trip to explore the northeastern coastal bay of the Samaná Peninsula on the Caribbean island. I had been stalking her Instagram @sunsandspiritdr and was now beyond excited for our soon to come girls only escapade! All I wanted was to unplug from the hectic city life. I wanted to lay on a secluded beach and soak up the sun, feeling the sand under my feet washed away by the soft waves, having my spirit be one with nature. “I know the perfect place,” she said and took me to my new found favorite spot to be a hermit…Unique Hotel!

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