Dominican Republic Destination Guide
Sharing an island with Haiti, The Dominican Republic is a tropical oasis for anyone who is looking to get away from the madness of crowded beaches throughout the Caribbean. Located on the island of Hispaniola, The Dominican Republic showcases its brilliance with sugary-white sandy beaches, palm tree lined streets and crystal clear waters. If you’re looking for a spot to take in the natural beauty of the tropics, the Dominican is the place for you. Known for its all-inclusive resorts along the sandy shores, small fishing villages where backpackers tend to stay and resorts found throughout many of the beach side towns, you’ll surely find your own perfect oasis no matter which city you land in. One of the best times to visit The Dominican is really anytime as the sunbeams down on the island all the days of the year. Many tourists seek out The Dominican’s tropical weather during December to April, as this is the perfect time to step out of the cold winter days at home. Hurricane season is during June to November, so you’ll want to keep clear of The Dominican during August and September, as those are the most hard hit hurricane months. As you fly off to The Dominican you’ll want to embrace it’s hot days and adventures around any corner, and don’t forget about The Dominican’s time. They don’t follow Daylight Savings, therefore you get to embrace the beauty of the sea for hours on end, and surely this is what they meant when you hear people talk about that laid-back island lifestyle. When you travel to The Dominican you truly will spend the week on an island that boasts a whole lot of perfection along its sandy shores.
Top Cities:
Punta Cana
Puerto Plata
Samana
Santo Domingo
Top Beaches:
The Dominican Republic has some of the most tranquil beaches along its western shores. Whichever beach you stumble upon while visiting this quaint island, you’ll fall in love with its idyllic beaches. Playa Dorada, located along the Amber Coast, showcases it’s brilliance as one of the top places to go water-skiing or windsurfing along the golden sandy shores. With all-inclusive resorts along the shore, you’ll fall in love with this spot. Punta Cana is a top beach as it’s one of the world’s greatest beach strips. With 32km (20 miles) of world-class all-inclusive resorts, and white sandy beaches there’s not a wonder in the world as to why tourists flock here throughout the year. Playa Boca Chica is popular among locals and tourists, Cayo Levantado is the perfect spot to get away and Playa Rincon offers some of the best snorkeling sites in The Domincan.
Currency, Culture, Language:
Currency – Dominican Republic Peso (DR)
Culture – Spanish
Language – Spanish
Attractions & Things To Do:
As you are on an island you’ll most notably want to enjoy the beauty of the sun and the shore, as you never know when winter will hit again. Take to Dominican’s sandy shore as you snorkel, windsurf, surf, fish, water-ski, or scuba dive. If you want an up-close and personal experience with some sea creatures take go on swimming with the dolphins or shark and ray adventure. Enjoy a day out on the water while you set sail on a 54ft catamaran cruise along The Bay of Playa Dorada to Sousa. Enjoy a day at one of The Dominican’s largest wild reserves and bird sanctuaries at Lago Enriquillo, hike through The Eastern National Park, explore artifacts of the past at The Museo De las Casa Realas, or visit Mount Isabel de Torres in Puerto Plata to see some of the most mesmerizing views of The Dominican. The Basillica de Nuestra Senora and Altos de Chavon are also notable sights to see while visiting. No matter if you go on an adventure safari or zip-line through the canopy of the Dominican, you’ll fall in love with the adventure around every corner.
Dining & Nightlife:
As the day turns into night, you’ll either want to enjoy a lovely dinner at your all-inclusive resort, or venture off to a local joint to take in the beauty of island cuisine. With an array of restaurants throughout many of the towns and resorts, you’ll surely find one you won’t be able to live without. Popular restaurants in Santo Domingo are Meson del Jamon (located on Plaza Espana’s restaurant row), Pat’e Palo; a popular joint among locals and Café Bellini with its haute cuisine. Grecia in Las Terrenas is a quaint beachside restaurant and Restaurante El Delfin is one of the most popular in Bavaro and Punta Cana. Many locals and tourists alike party the night away at any of the many resort discos or take to The Teatro Nacional in Plaza de la Cultura where you can catch a symphony or ballet.
Why We Like It:
It’s not hard to fall in love with an island with sunshine all year round, and thus we can’t wait to get back to The Dominican Republic to explore all of its perfect nooks and crannies. We love The Dominican because even though there are a plethora of perfect resorts to choose from, you feel as though you’re the only one watching the waves smoothly fall onto the shore in many of the popular beachside towns. When you travel to The Dominican you’ll fall in love with its perfection just as much as we did.