The central Dominican province of Monseñor Nouel is about to get busy. From November 5 to 15, the town of Bonao hosts the XXXI Ecotourism and Production Fair — an eleven-day event mixing ecotourism, science, farming and culture — alongside the first-ever Water Fair, a new addition focused on water resources and agricultural development.
The Science and Art Foundation organises the whole thing, and it opens with some ceremony: a parade kicks off at the Bonao Municipal Council on Thursday, November 5, and winds its way to the fairgrounds at La Salvia–Los Quemados, where the official opening happens.
It's an international affair, too. Russia is this year's guest of honour, with El Salvador, China and Haiti joining as special guest countries. Expect conferences, exhibitions, hands-on workshops, cultural performances and panel discussions on environmental protection, ecotourism and sustainable development — the kind of mix that pulls in everyone from local governments and universities to cooperatives, businesses and community groups, with FEDA (the Special Fund for Agricultural Development) co-organising the Water Fair strand.
Why should a traveller care? Because Bonao rarely tops Dominican itineraries, and this fair is the best excuse in the calendar to go. Monseñor Nouel sits in the island's mountainous interior, a couple of hours from Santo Domingo, surrounded by rivers, waterfalls and green hills that the event's ecotourism focus puts front and centre. Visiting during the fair means you get talks and workshops on the region's environment, plus food, craft and cultural programming you won't find on a beach week in Punta Cana.
Timing matters as well. Early-to-mid November sits right at the tail end of hurricane season, when the interior is lush but crowds are thin. If you've been curious about the Dominican Republic beyond its resorts — the coffee country, the mountain towns, the community-run tourism projects — this is a low-pressure, high-value window to see it.
The practical side looks organised, too. The event has backing from the National Police, the Fire Department, DIGESETT, POLITUR and the Dominican Red Cross, so it's set up to handle visitors. Entry points like the parade and fairgrounds are all within Bonao itself, easy to reach on foot or by short motoconcho ride once you're in town.
If you're planning a trip around the fair, think beyond the eleven days. Bonao makes a decent base for exploring the central mountain ranges, and pairing the fair with a few days of hiking, river swims and farm visits would give you a version of the Dominican Republic most package-holiday visitors never see. Just book accommodation early — an international fair in a small provincial town means rooms will fill up faster than usual.
