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Dominican Republic Travel Guide

Capital: Santo Domingo

Saona Island beach, Dominican Republic. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

The Dominican Republic holds the Caribbean's superlatives: the oldest European city in the Americas (Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, founded 1496), the region's tallest mountain (Pico Duarte, 3,098m), its largest lake, and the humpback whales of Samaná Bay. It shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.

The essentials: the Colonial Zone's cobbled streets and the Alcázar, Punta Cana's Bavaro Beach, the whales of Samaná (January to March), and the mountain town of Jarabacoa. The north coast around Cabarete is the windsurfing and kitesurfing capital of the Caribbean.

Destinations in Dominican Republic

  1. A humpback whale in Samaná BaySamaná Bay whales4.9Thousands of humpbacks calve here January to March.
  2. Calle Las Damas, Colonial Zone, Santo DomingoColonial Zone, Santo Domingo4.8The 1496 old city: Calle Las Damas, the Cathedral, the Alcázar de Colón.
  3. Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, Dominican RepublicBavaro Beach, Punta Cana4.6Miles of white sand and palms on the east coast.
  4. Pico Duarte, Dominican RepublicPico Duarte4.7The Caribbean's highest peak at 3,098m: a two-day trek from Jarabacoa.
  5. Bahía de las Águilas, Dominican RepublicBahía de las Águilas4.7The remote southwest: eight kilometres of untouched beach.
  6. The waterfalls of Damajagua27 Charcos de Damajagua4.6The 27 waterfalls you jump, slide and swim down near Puerto Plata.
  7. The Alcázar de Colón, Santo DomingoAlcázar de Colón4.5Diego Columbus's 1510 palace in the Colonial Zone.
  8. Cabarete, Dominican RepublicCabarete4.5The north coast's windsurf and kitesurf capital.
  9. Saona Island beach, Dominican RepublicSaona Island4.5The postcard cay off the southeast: day boats from Bayahibe.
  10. Los Haitises, Dominican RepublicLos Haitises4.5The mangrove national park: Taino caves, pelicans, karst mogotes.
  11. Horseback riding by the river, JarabacoaJarabacoa4.4The mountain town: rafting, paragliding and cool air.
  12. Catedral Primada, Santo DomingoCatedral Primada4.4The oldest cathedral in the Americas (completed 1540).
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Top Cities & towns in Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo ›Punta Cana ›Puerto Plata ›Samana ›La Romana ›Cabarete ›Las Terrenas ›Bayahibe ›

Regional food

  • La bandera: rice, beans and stewed meat, the daily plate
  • Sancocho, the seven-meat celebration stew
  • Mangú with los tres golpes (fried cheese, salami, eggs)

Read the full Caribbean food guide ›

Getting there

Punta Cana (PUJ) is the biggest tourist gateway; Las Américas (SDQ) serves Santo Domingo; Gregorio Luperón (POP) serves the north coast. Caribe Tours and Metro coaches link the cities. Guaguas (minibuses) cover local routes.

Find hotels in Santo Domingo ›