Dominican Republic

Located just two hours south of Miami, the Dominican Republic feels worlds away. Surrounded by translucent turquoise seas and covered with lush mountains and rainforests, this second-largest Caribbean country offers almost 1,000 miles of tropical coastline.

Overview

Considered the No. 1 destination for golf in the Caribbean and Latin America, the country boasts 25 top courses. Offering plush accommodations and romantic scenery resorts in the Dominican Republic are the perfect choice for destination for weddings and honeymoons.

Discovered by Christopher Columbus, the nation shares the Island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The capital city, Santo Domingo, is the oldest in the New World. Its Colonial City, with its charming cobblestone streets and historic stone architecture, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The country’s official language is Spanish.

Play a round of golf in La Romana on the east coast or explore its recreated 16th-century Mediterranean village of Altos de Chavón. Visit La Costa del Coco, or the Coconut Coast, of Punta Cana on the country’s easternmost tip for ziplining, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking or simply lounging on one of their long stretches of sand and watching the world go by.

Things to Do

Take a safari tour in Punta Cana to a 200,000-acre sugar cane plantation and learn how local chocolate, coffee, and cigars are made.

Horseback-ride through lush mountains and visit the area’s sugary-sand beaches. Drive an ATV through crystal-clear lagoons and visit one of the Caribbean’s most pristine ecological reserves, the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve.

Navigate a speedboat through azure blue waters in Punta Cana and amid palms in Bavaro. Zipline through the rainforest or experience the Dominican Republic’s rugged outback via Jeep.

Snorkel or dive amid a multi-colored coral reef as schools of tropical fish float past. Sail to nearby Sanoa Island. Ride a catamaran to a protected natural pool for starfish viewing amid clear turquoise seas and get away completely.

Several museums showcase the diverse heritage and artistic talents of the Dominican people. The Museo Bellapart in Santo Domingo houses a vast collection of renowned 19th and 20th-century Dominican artists, many of whom fled Franco in Spain.

Visit the Museo Alcázar de Colón, a museum built in the Gothic-Mudéjar transitional style, and the former residence of Columbus’ son, Diego, and his wife, Doña María de Toledo, in the early 16th century.

View the impressive El Limón Waterfall, one of the country’s highest, surrounded by lush rainforests.

Best Time To Visit

Beat some of the heat and travel during November or Carnival in February. Most tourists tend to arrive during the peak periods of July/August or December through February. Semana Santa, the week preceding Easter, is also popular. Temperatures throughout the year range from the high 70s through the mid-80s F. The sea is the warmest in August and the wettest month is September.

Water

All major hotels and restaurants use purified water throughout. Most hotels provide bottled water in all rooms, and many hotels now have potable water delivered through their taps using an on-site purification system; there will be a note in your room if this is the case.

Money

U.S. dollars are accepted virtually everywhere, especially in the resort areas. Major credit cards and travelers checks are widely accepted throughout the Caribbean.

Did You KNow?

On his voyage in 1492, Christopher Columbus’ first landfall in the New World was the island of Hispaniola, home to both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Santiago, the capital of the Dominican Republic, was founded by Bartholomew Columbus, Christopher’s lesser-known brother, who named it La Nueva Isabela in honor of Spain’s Queen Isabella I.
If you’re visiting the Dominican Republic during February, enjoy the pre-Lent, countrywide celebration of Carnival every Sunday of that month.
You can go spelunking in Fun Fun (pronounced “Foon Foon”), the largest cave in the Caribbean, for a memorable excursion.