Exotic tropical locations like Villas Cofresí in the Dominican Republic are most well known for their terrific sunshine and beautiful waters. Places like Cofresí are rarely associated with heartbreak or sadness and the music associated with such emotions. Of course, Dominicans are like anyone else and have their fair share of lost loves, betrayal, broken hearts and the music to go along with it. In the United States, we call those the Blues, but in the Dominican Republic and Villas Cofresí, they call it Bachata.

Created in the Dominican Republic, bachata is a popular music form, but it is a little less well known that the more popular merengue. Like the blues in the United States, bachata in the Dominican Republic was born out of the working class. It relies heavily on the guitar, double entendre, and moody themes. And just like the blues, bachata was once looked down upon by some. Today, however, bachata, especially electric bachata, is growing in popular and may eventually become as prominent as merengue.

The next time you visit Villas Cofresí and the Dominican Republic, make sure you reserve a night or two to go and listen to a good bachata musician. They play all over the Dominican Republic and you may be able to find a local bar featuring bachata music one night (or two) a week. Just like you wouldn’t visit Memphis without hearing some blues, don’t visit the Dominican Republic without listening to some great bachata.