Reasons Why You Should Visit the Dominican Republic at Least Once

There’s no chance anyone will get bored in the Dominican Republic. Families can paddle in bath-warm waters, swim with dolphins and sea lions at Ocean World adventure park; try zorbing and paintballing at Bavaro Adventure Park; or whizz round on go-karts at Fun City Action Park. Better still, it’s possible on a budget thanks to great value all-inclusive hotels at Punta Cana in the south and Puerto Plata in the north.

Want to guarantee rain won’t stop play? Golfing in the Dominican Republic means long days in the sunshine, year-round, on one of nearly 30 top-notch golf courses. Don’t expect boring, holiday-standard rounds either. There are countless adventurous that make the most of the country’s extraordinary geography. Try the Lakes Barcelo Golf Course lined with mangroves or the oceanfront Teeth of the Dog, designed by Pete Dye.

December to March is peak season for the Dominican Republic, but not just for tourists. The months are also ideal to spot the thousands of majestic humpback whales who come to the area of Samana to mate near the coast. It’s one of the most awe-inspiring sights imaginable to spy the whales leaping through the year and ‘clapping’ with their tails to attract females. Head out on a boat trip and keep your fingers crossed.

With rainforests, mountains and waterfalls all within reach, it would be a shame if you only see the Dominican Republic’s beaches, beautiful though they are. Instead, try white water rafting on Rio Yaque del Norte – twisting and winding through frothing canyons –horse ride through the rainforest or fly over treetops at the Samana Treetop Zipline course. You’ll really feel like you’ve earned that pina colada on the sunlounger.

Sultry Santo Domingo throngs with life, part-chaotic urban metropolis, part-blissful beach resort. Zona Colonial is its beating heart, with cobbled streets leading to stately monasteries, humidors serving cigars on every corner and some of the oldest buildings in the Western hemisphere. Throw in exceptional restaurants, enthralling museums and a booming club scene, and you’ll discover Santo Domingo is no ordinary Caribbean capital.

Lapped by both the Caribbean Sea in the south and the Atlantic Ocean in the north, thrill seekers don’t need to go far to have fun on the water. Most hotels offer paddle boards, banana boats and kayaks but if you’re keen to kitesurf or windsurf, chilled-out Cabarete is the only place to be. Known for its warm water, steady strong winds and four-mile-long (6.4km) white beach, it’s a magnet for watersport obsessives and beginners.

With a mere 800 miles (1,300km) of coastline to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find the beach of your dreams in the Dominican Republic. Some wrap round sleep fishing villages with boats bobbing in the water, others have coves once commandeered by pirates or wild dunes hugging the coastline. The most popular are tourist-friendly tropical wonderlands of white sand, palm trees and glossy, clear water made for snorkeling and swimming.

Some countries have waterfalls but the Dominican Republic has a staggering series of 27 falls and rock pools in Puerto Plata that should be a must-do for any nature-loving visitor. Sign up for a tour and you’ll be strapped into a lifejacket and helmet before setting off on a watery assault course to remember – taking in jungle climbs, waterfall sliding and plunging into the pools fed by each torrent.

Music is everywhere in the Dominican Republic as the country’s bars, shops and streets pulsate to merengue, a mix of Latin percussion, piano, African drums, brass and traditional instruments. Hear it at its best as one of the many festivals and concerts that happen throughout the year including February’s carnival or the two-week merengue festival in July.

Treat yourself to a holiday souvenir you’ll still love after your tan fades by picking up some amber, the national gem of the Dominican Republic. In Puerto Plata, the Museo Del Ámbar (Amber Museum) offers tours in English and Spanish and a collection of rare amber exhibits, often featuring prehistoric fossils. If you’re in Santo Domingo, head to the Amber World Museum instead, which explains amber’s origins, the history of mining and how amber is turned into a covetable jewel.