Dominican Republic

A popular Caribbean getaway with white-sand all-inclusive resorts, the oldest colonial district in the Americas and top whale watching.

The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola, bordering Haiti, with the Atlantic to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. In the east, Punta Cana has long stretches of white-sand beach and many resorts; the colonial district of the capital, Santo Domingo, is a World Heritage site; in winter, humpback whales can be seen off the Samaná Peninsula in the north; and the central mountains hold Pico Duarte, the highest peak in the Caribbean, with hiking and river rafting. The dry season, roughly December to April, is the best time to travel, while summer and autumn require attention to hurricanes. The main gateways are the international airports at Punta Cana, Santo Domingo (Las Américas), Santiago and Puerto Plata.

Destinations

• Santo Domingo
• Punta Cana
• Samaná Peninsula (Las Terrenas)
• Puerto Plata
• Bayahibe & La Romana
• Cabarete
• Barahona
• Jarabacoa & Constanza
• Santiago de los Caballeros

Itineraries

• Santo Domingo, Samaná & Bávaro – Fly into the old town and out of Punta Cana, connecting colonial heritage, peninsula nature, and eastern white-sand bea…
• Southeast Coast Beaches to Capital Old Town – Fly into Punta Cana and out of Santo Domingo, traveling along the southeast coast from resort beaches to the colonial o…
• Capital, Central Highlands & North Coast – Traverse the island by bus, from the colonial old town through mountain villages to north coast surf beaches
• Amber Coast: Puerto Plata & Cabarete – Based in Cabarete, explore the north coast's waterfalls, historic old town, sandbar snorkeling, and lagoons
• Samana Peninsula Whale Watching & Waterfall – A round trip from Santo Domingo to the Samaná Peninsula, focusing on humpback whales, El Limón Waterfall, and north coa…