The Dominican Republic is one of the most geographically diverse countries in the Caribbean, with magnificent mountain landscapes, desert areas covered with bush, beautiful colonial architecture and plenty of paradise beaches. Located at the northern tip of the Caribbean Sea, the Dominican Republic offers an unparalleled holiday experience. With its friendly and hospitable inhabitants, amazing nature, intriguing history and rich culture, this paradise island has a lot to offer visitors of all kinds, from the pristine beaches of Puerto Plata to the bustling Punta Cana. With luxury all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic scattered all along the coast, it’s a great place for a family vacation. Both adults and children will not be bored here even for a fraction of a second. The Dominican Republic is also an ideal place to organize a wedding in an extremely romantic setting or for a dream honeymoon. In a word, it is the perfect place to relax for everyone. Regardless of whether you like to spend your holidays on water fun and lounging on the beach, or prefer an active way of spending your free time. The Dominican Republic has everything you need for a great vacation.
What makes holidays in the Dominican Republic a real rest?
This beautiful island has a fascinating history, the traces of which are visible at every step, and the country’s rich culture can be explored thanks to numerous museums and festivals. During the holidays, it is also worth savoring the local specialties for which the Dominican Republic is famous all over the world, i.e. cigars, rum, chocolate and coffee. It’s up to you how you spend your Dominican holiday, you can choose to rest all day in the comfort of a luxury resort, where professional service will satisfy all your whims, but you can also go trekking in the jungle or walk through charming colonial towns. And if you are still hungry for sensations, you can also take advantage of the offer of optional trips in the Dominican Republic, thanks to which you will see the greatest tourist attractions of this island, feel the real and unique atmosphere of everyday life of its inhabitants, as well as the most interesting and beautiful cities and towns. In short, in the Dominican Republic you can relax in many ways, doing exactly what you love to do during your holidays. Discover 7 reasons why you should visit this country.
1. Beautiful coast – the main, but not the only asset of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is primarily several hundred kilometers of picturesque coastline, where you will find white sandy beaches shaded by rows of palm trees, rocky cliffs towering majestically above the waves, windswept dunes and peaceful lagoons with mangrove forests. The sea is the common denominator of the landscape here, an ideal backdrop for tiny fishing villages with boats moored along the shores and for bustling tourist resorts. Some of the lagoons and coves where pirate ships cruised centuries ago are now home to thousands of migrating humpback whales and are part of an extensive network of parks and reserves that protect the country’s natural heritage. However, it is worth remembering that the island has many attractions to offer also beyond the coast.
2. Picturesque landscapes of the Dominican Republic – jungle, waterfalls and mountains
Much of the Dominican Republic is rural: as you drive through the country’s vast, fertile interior, you’ll see cows and horses grazing along the roads, and laden donkeys used by farmers to deliver fresh, local produce to collection points. Further inland, you’ll encounter views reminiscent of the Alps, a network of rivers cutting through lush jungle, and stunning waterfalls. As many as four of the five highest peaks in the Caribbean rise above the fertile lowlands surrounding Santiago, and remote deserts stretch to the southwest, giving the Dominican Republic a physical and cultural complexity unmatched by other Caribbean islands.
3. Dominican Republic’s interesting past and architectural remains
The country’s past, complicated and full of interesting twists and turns, is still clearly visible in the architecture of cities and towns. Zona Colonial in Santo Domingo, thanks to beautifully restored monasteries and cobblestone streets, along which conquistadors once walked, emanates romance and nostalgia for times gone by. The capital of the Dominican Republic also has a lot to offer. One of the attractions is the House of Columbus with a rich collection of furniture and objects of Spanish religious worship, as well as the neoclassical National Palace, which serves as the seat of government. Santo Domingo is also beautiful beaches, which are not lacking in the Dominican Republic.
Remnants of prosperity, buildings that look like fairy-tale gingerbread houses decorate the streets of Puerto Plata and Santiago, and monuments remind passers-by of decades of turmoil and misrule, around which residents gather on anniversaries to celebrate or honor the memory of their ancestors . New communities have sprung up just a few miles from the ruins where Christopher Columbus once walked, and where the indigenous Taíno people have left traces of their presence carved into the rock walls. Of the cities that are especially worth choosing for a holiday, Puerto Plata certainly deserves a mention, not only because of its rich architecture, but also because of its great location and beautiful beaches, less crowded than those in Punta Cana. Holidays in Puerto Plata will give you a taste of the authentic Caribbean, admire the wild nature and walk on paradisiacal, empty beaches.
4. The culture and inhabitants of the island reflect the true atmosphere of the Dominican Republic
What binds all elements of Dominican culture into a unique whole is undoubtedly the merengue that resounds from colmados (these are corner shops and bars in one). This traditional island music is a reflection of the ethnic mix of social groups that have built the country’s cultural identity over the years. You will hear the characteristic sounds of merengue literally everywhere, from the capital city of Santo Domingo, to the declining town of San Pedro de Macoris, and on to touristic Puerto Plata, where the waves break romantically on the Malecón seafront promenade. The people of the Dominican Republic greatly value their time to rest and really know how to have fun, which can be seen during the carnival celebrations held throughout the country. These events give tourists an up-close look at the local culture, so take the chance to join in the fun to fully experience the island’s vibe.
5. Beautiful beaches of the Dominican Republic – one of the most beautiful in the world
If you are a fan of sandy, white beaches and turquoise, warm water, the Dominican Republic will fascinate you at first glance. One of the most popular beaches is Bavaro, where thousands of people come to forget about the rest of the world for a while. The scenery is perfect and the water is just the right temperature for swimming. Long, lazy hours spent on the sand are the essence of relaxation. Equally beautiful beaches await you around Puerto Plata and Punta Cana, where you can relax on dedicated stretches belonging to luxury resorts or look for more secluded places. Our article on the 8 most beautiful beaches in the Dominican Republic will help you discover the most beautiful places to sunbathe. It’s worth getting acquainted with.
6. Picturesque islands scattered around the Dominican Republic
If you go to the Dominican Republic, try to visit the smaller islands as well. There are quite a few of them out there and they all look great. If you want, you can go there on a day trip by boat, which will be a great break from the standard rest in the resort.
7. Damajagua Cascades
Many tourists come to the Dominican Republic not because of its beaches, but because of its amazing waterfalls. Of particular interest is the Damajagua, a tectonic trench in which the water has carved a 7-kilometre-long canyon with 27 waterfalls. Breathtaking views are one thing, but you can also jump from several-meter-high rocks into small lakes and slide down individual cascades as if from a slide. This is probably the best water park in the world created by Mother Nature. In addition to beaches, amazing islands and fabulous lagoons, the Dominican Republic is full of interesting sights such as the Alcazar de Colon, the National Pantheon and the Dominican Monastery of Santo Domingo. These are not the only attractions and places worth seeing on the island. In our article A practical guide to the most important attractions of the Dominican Republic you will find more tips on what is especially worth seeing during your holidays and how to plan an eventful holiday. We guarantee that you will come back refreshed and charged with positive energy from the rich in nature, monuments and stunning landscapes of the Dominican Republic.