Where the Americas' First City Meets the Beach
The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean nation occupying the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, known for its beaches, its colonial heritage and its music. It has about 11 million people, with Santo Domingo as its capital, and a landscape that runs from Caribbean coast to Atlantic surf and from palm-lined resorts to high pine forest. Pico Duarte, at about 3,100 metres, is the highest peak in the Caribbean. The mix gives the country an unusual range: beach holidays, mountain trails, whale watching, golf and city culture in one trip.
The Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo, founded in the 1490s and inscribed by UNESCO in 1990, is the oldest European-built city in the Americas. Its cobbled streets include the Catedral Primada de América, the Alcázar de Colón and Calle Las Damas, the first paved street of the New World. Merengue was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2016 and bachata in 2019, a sign of how deeply music shapes the culture. Neighbouring Puerto Rico and Jamaica are natural companions on a wider Greater Antilles route.
Punta Cana, Samaná and the North Coast
Beaches define much of the tourist map. Punta Cana on the east coast is known for white sand, coconut palms and large resorts, while Samaná, in the north-east, is greener and more intimate, with the humpback whale season from January to March drawing visitors to the bay. On the north coast, Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Cabarete offer a mix of beach, kitesurfing and surf culture. Saona Island and Los Haitises National Park add boat trips through mangroves, caves and hidden shoreline for those who want more than a sun lounger.
Inland, the 27 Charcos waterfall trail near Puerto Plata is a favourite adventure, and the central mountains around Jarabacoa and Constanza offer cool air, river rafting and coffee farms. Food centres on la bandera, a plate of rice, beans and stewed meat, plus mangú, sancocho and fresh seafood. A tourist board could show the country's range by pairing city, coast and mountain itineraries, offering every kind of traveller a different way in.
Read the full Dominican Republic guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitDominicanRepublic.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.