Visit the Dominican Republic: what are the best things to do and see on a trip to this Caribbean country?
What to do in Dominican Republic? This is your major concern since you booked your plane ticket for Punta Cana or Santo Domingo. Located between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the Dominican Republic occupies the two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. With a population estimated at 10,734,247 inhabitants spread over 48,442 km2, it is the second most populous and largest country in the West Indies after Cuba. Visiting the Dominican Republic gives access to paradisiacal sites sometimes forgotten by tourists, which rather flock to Guadeloupe or Martinique.
Idyllic beaches lined with blue-green water and coconut trees, a lush tropical nature, a warm and welcoming population: here’s how to summarize this paradise country in a few words. What to do in Dominican Republic? Here is our top 10 of the must-see to visit the Dominican Republic.
1. Punta Cana
Photo credit: Flickr – Blobber
Punta Cana is a small town of only 54,218 inhabitants, but it is the first rally point of most tourists who come to visit the Dominican Republic: Punta Cana is home to many seaside resorts along its heavenly coasts. Punta Cana is often associated with the large white sand beaches where grows resorts and hotels like mushrooms. But the region also has its greenery and wild nature to offer visitors: south of the international airport, is the ecological reserve Ojos Indigenas . These are 600 hectares of tropical forest where more than 80 species of birds live and more than 500 varieties of plants in a peaceful lagoon cyrielle with crystalline waters.
2. El Parque Nacional del Este
Photo credit: Flickr – David Kirsch
The Eastern National Park is known to be one of the most beautiful areas on the island. More than 300 species of birds live in a green paradise of more than 500 varieties of flowers. This national park is one of the unmissable things to see to visit the Dominican Republic. If you like to scuba diving in coral reefs and observe Latins and dolphins, take a boat for Saona Island, this island is to be seen absolutely, especially if you aspire to live quietly. With an average temperature of 26°C all year round, it is simply a small corner of paradise. Enjoy the villages Mano Juan , Playa del Gato , Playa Bonita , Catuano caves and feudal paintings of the pre-Columbian era. You can also see endemic mammals on the island, including the solenoid (the oldest mammal in the West Indies and the only insectivore in the region) and the jutía . The ecological and archaeological trail Padre Nuestro will allow you to make beautiful hikes in the midst of this spectacular fauna and flora.
3. Santo Domingo
Photo credit: Flickr – Dianne Rosete
Santo Domingo – or Santo Domingo – is the oldest European settlement site in the Americas: it was the first city in the Americas New World , colonized by the Spanish from 1496. For the anecdote, historian H. Zin recounts in his book A Popular History of the United States , that when the conquistadors arrived on the island of Hispaniola in 1492, they were greeted with open arms by the local natives, hospitality which Christophe Colomb took advantage of to submit the inhabitants of the island to the Spanish crown. In 2014, the city had 3,516,597 inhabitants. The visit of the Zona Colonial is worth a visit, it is the historic heart of Santo Domingo. Here you will find an open-air museum of ancient Western colonial buildings of the 16th century, a maze of alleys with colorful houses, a singular blend between tradition and modernity. In the city centre, you will be seized by the dynamism of the city and the festive mood of the inhabitants. Due to its colossal historical heritage, the city is classified as UNESCO World Heritage. A must for visiting the Dominican Republic.
4. The Central Cordillera
Photo credit: Flickr – Damian Dominguez
The Central Cordillera is the green lung of the island, which brings freshness and where you can stop in picturesque villages. Constanza , for example, is a typical village of Dominican Republic, although very small. It is especially known to be a few encablures of the Reserve Valle Nuevo . The massif is dominated by the highest point in the country and the Caribbean: the Pico Duarte at an altitude of 3,175 metres. The "Dominican Alps" will undoubtedly satisfy hiking enthusiasts in nature. Be careful, the frosts are not rare – 3,175 metres of altitude! – even in this tropical country. In the area, don't miss Jarabacoa , Concepción de La Vega , Moca and its coffee and tobacco plantations. This region is sometimes called "Switzerland of the Caribbean" for its mountains.
5. Santiago de los Caballeros
Photo credit: Flickr – Marcelo Gonçalves Neves
Santiago de los Caballeros has 535,362 inhabitants, making it the second city of the country. It is one of the oldest cities in the American continent, founded by 30 Spanish conquerors in 1495. It is a crucial point in exchanging the country’s agricultural wealth and rich families that have made a fortune on tobacco and sugar culture. The historic centre and the Monumento a los héroes de la Restauracion are among the must-sees of the city.
6. Puerto Plata
Photo credit: Flickr – Pherit
If you ask where to go to visit the Dominican Republic, take a tour Puerto Plata , the “Port of Money”. This commune bears witness to an over-year period in which tobacco trade was enriched. This prosperous era is over, but the roots of the city date back to 1495. At the end of the 20th century, the area saw the arrival of mass tourism with seaside resorts such as Playa Dorada and Sosua , along the Costa Dorada (gold rib). Downtown Puerto Plata displays a colorful Victorian architecture, many art galleries and charming enclosed streets.
7. Las Terrenas
Photo credit: Flickr – rey perezoso
Former small fishing village located on the Samana peninsula on the northeastern coast of the country, Las Terrenas attracts tens of thousands of tourists who come to enjoy the sublime wild and tropical beaches of white sand with crystal clear waters. Once popular and authentic, Las Terrenas turned into a trendy holiday place attracting a European clientele. To enjoy a lush nature close to the most beautiful beaches of the country, it is one of the must-sees to visit the Dominican Republic and sublimate your trip.
How to go to the Dominican Republic?
The Dominican Republic has several international airports. To get to the Dominican Republic, several airlines (Air France, XL Airways France, Air Caribbean) provide connections from France.To find cheap flights to Santo Domingo or Punta Cana, you can search our partner's website. Ulysses .
Where to stay in Dominican Republic?
L’ accommodation in Dominican Republic is relatively affordable. You can either take a city as a “base” to radiate on the island, or stay in several cities on the island: Saint-Domingue, Punta Cana, Santiago de los Caballeros, Jarabacao, Barahona, Las Terranas, Puerto Plata... You can find a cheap hotel in Dominican Republic by searching for this Compare hotels .
Main photo credit: Flickr – Ben Kucinski
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