The 5 Best places for vacation in the Dominican Republic

Maybe you already decided you are going to use your vacations to have some nice time in the DR but you are wondering what is the best place to go and get the best out of them, if that is the case, you are in the right site to help you take a decisión. Dominican Republic is a very diverse country where you can go to a specific place depending on what kind of experience you would like to have and of course, your budget, some places just offer things like good nightlife, restaurants and events like Santo Domingo, others can offer nice comfortable resorts with some of the best beaches you could ever had along with some activities around the village or the hotel, and in other cases you can have everything, including visiting mountains, hiking, beaches, nightlife and so on. In this list I am giving  you some good options you can try to have a nice vacations in Dominican Republic.

#5 Bayahibe

Bayahibe is a nice village that I love because it is small and you can scape from the noisy life of the cities we are used to live, this small town has several hight nice profile resorts along with other list of hotels that you can book just to sleep or with the breakfast included, you can find a room from $40 to 4260 which would depend on your needs and budget. Bayahibe is a very safe place and it is known for being a tourist town, people from different countries retire in this magical village. In this village you can do some activities, mostly related catamaran tour in the sea, Snorkeling, visiting close island like Isla Saona or Catalina, going to Punta Cana to do buggies (most of the time there are people in the hotels that make groups to go or you can ask at the lobby), going to Scape Park (Which is a theme park with different interesting and fun activities also in Punta Cana), you can also do parasailing, which is similar to parapent but it is pullet by a boat.

#4 Boca Chica 

This is a Wonderful destinatination for someone who wants to be close to the airport, the capital of the country (Santo Domingo) which is half hour driving, close to the beach and activities around the beach. This town is better known for having different hotels mostly with breakfast included and you can get your other meals at the same hotel or around in restaurants, since there are a lot of restaurants in the area and you can choose depending on your budget, you also have the option to just rent an apartment with a fully equipped kitchen and buy your own things and make your food, there is a grocery store close to the beach that you can visit even walking. This place could be number two but it is number 4 because it is a little messy, there is a lot of people going to the beach from Santo Domingo and other towns and it makes it very crowd mostly on weekends, but there are some hotels that has their private beach space and you can try to book at one of those, there are two all inclusive resorts that you can also consider if you are looking for more privacy.

#3 Samana

Super nice beaches is what comes to my mind when I think of Samana, nice houses and, hiking an waterfalls and the national park called Los Haitises, which is a natural reserve which is a nice to have experience, if it is the season you can also go in a tour to see the whales from close, also you there is different options for nightlife and restaurants, it is not one of the most expensive places, this town has different option from all inclusive resorts to the option to rent an apartment and doing everything yourself.

#2 Puerto Plata

I could say that Puerto Plata has everything without being very messy, noisy or crowded, this is my favorite of the list because it's also a very nice and clean town and people are very friendly, I could also say that everything is cheaper here compared to other places. Here you can also have option from just renting an apartment and getting your groceries to make your meals, to a all inclusive resort, there is a lot of activities you can do here, like hiking, visiting the mountain Isabel De Torres that you can get there through a cable car, you can also visit Ocean World which is a theme park with fun activities for all the family, for me it does not have the best beaches but I say it from my Dominican point of view having in my that we have so many different beaches, but I guess they are still pretty good and I see this place as a good package deal.

#1 Punta Cana

This is the most popular destination in the DR, what makes it the one that has most to offer, but what I do not particularly like about it it's that it is crowded all the time but it's a very organized and clean place, here you have all the options you could imagine and if you just want to relax at the best resort in the caribbean this is what you need, but not necessarily you need to go to a resort, there are also hotels with only the breakfast included and you can just go to any of the tons of restaurants around, or rent an apartment like in other places. In punta cana the nightlife is the best and you have plenty of options to chose, there are also a lot of activities that you can do during the day like buggies, zipline, parasailing, theme park. water parks, hiking, yachting, scuba diving, snorkeling and also going to some close places that have more activities to do, everything is easier to do there since there is always a lot of tourist in Punta Cana and organizing groups is relatively easy to do them. there is always people around who offer the packages for the different activities or you can also ask at the lobbi  what activities you can do during the day and they always have flyers explaining them.

Dominican Republic offers a lot of options depending on your needs, it is just a matter of getting the information needed and planning according to budget and goal, there are different apps that can help you make a decision, apps can help you comparing the prices, seeing pictures, renting a car if that's what you want. Just use the tools technology offers. 

Dominican Republic as a holiday destination

Dominican republic as the Official site  says  is the second largest and most diverse Caribbean country, situated just two hours south of Miami, less than four hours from New York and eight hours from most European cities. Known for our warm and hospitable people, Dominican Republic is a destination like no other, featuring astounding nature, intriguing history and rich culture.

Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the north and the Caribbean Sea on the south, our lush tropical island paradise boasts nearly 1,000 miles (1,609 km) of coastline, 250 miles (402 km) of the world’s top beaches, magnificent resorts and hotels, and a variety of sports, recreation and entertainment options. Here you can dance to the pulse pounding thrill of the merengue, renew in our luxurious and diverse accommodations, explore ancient relics of centuries past, delight in delicious Dominican gastronomy or enjoy ecotourism adventures in our magnificent national parks, mountain ranges, rivers, and beaches.

As the Wikipedia Tourism in the Dominican Republic is an important sector of the country's economy. More than 6 million tourists visit the Dominican Republic, making it the most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean and putting it in the top 5 overall in the Americas. The industry accounts for 11.6% of the nation's GDP and is a particularly important source of revenue in coastal areas of the country. The nation's tropical climate, white sand beaches, diverse mountainous landscape and colonial history attracts visitors from around the world.

As one of the most geographically diverse nations in the region, the Dominican Republic is home to Pico Duarte, the Caribbean's tallest mountain peak, and Lake Enriquillo, its largest lake and lowest elevation.  The earliest cathedral, castle, monastery and fortress built in all of the Americas is located in Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, an area declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From the 1990s, the Dominican tourism industry has been developed and operated at its fullest, developing more housing complexes, through agreements and foreign advisors. Consequently, the number of hotel rooms in the decade of the 1980s was about 8,562 and the 1990s was 45,000.

In 1997, around 270,830 foreign tourists arrived by sea, of which 156,099 used the ports in Santo Domingo, 5,566 arrived via the port of Puerto Plata, 108,698 disembarked in La Romana, 404 in Samaná and 63 in Boca Chica. This figure compared with those of 1996, it shows that in 1997 the number of foreign visitors who used the waterway increased by over one hundred percent.

In 1996 entered to the country by sea 110.936, an amount that increased to 270,380 cruise passengers. Despite not having any financial incentive for ecotourism, this is in its true splendor. It posed above is confirmed by the annual statistics for visitation to ecotourism businesses and protected areas, which exceed 800,000 people. It quote the following data, for the year 1998: total visitors to ecotourism projects was 930,000.

Increasing competition, for example created by the Asian markets, and a change in the motivation of tourists, now forces authorities managing regions, and tour operators to supplement their offer with new options, not based directly on the sun, sand and sea. It has been argued that the Dominican Republic should focus on diversifying its tourism product, so as to prevent elimination from the market by competitors when tourists completely change their preferences by shifting, for example, from 3S to 3E.

Most visitors arriving to Dominican Republic were from the following areas of residence or countries of nationality:

Country/Territory	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
United States	2,073,963	2,085,186	2,001,909	1,784,486	1,587,404
Canada	827,721	768,486	745,860	706,394	684,071
Germany	265,709	259,133	247,613	230,733	214,151
Russia	245,346	136,249	71,572	180,821	188,110
France	221,492	232,024	227,483	229,678	232,754
Argentina	182,170	137,642	133,888	112,489	107,305
Spain	177,993	169,760	172,245	150,859	142,207
United Kingdom	177,534	165,111	142,083	126,563	108,236
Puerto Rico	111,095	121,131	115,084	103,891	74,580
Venezuela	109,734	170,713	167,176	112,854	75,173
Colombia	103,444	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total	5,354,017	5,178,050	4,872,319	4,511,062	4,117,493

Weather average in Punta Cana

Month	High Temp	Low Temp	Rainfall	Days with Rain	Hrs. Sunshine	Temp Seawater
January	81 °F	72 °F	22 inch	10 days	9 hours	81 °F
February	82 °F	72 °F	15.2 inch	9 days	9 hours	79 °F
March	82 °F	73 °F	19 inch	8 days	9 hours	79 °F
April	82 °F	73 °F	30 inch	8 days	10 hours	81 °F
May	84 °F	75 °F	70 inch	11 days	9 hours	81 °F
June	86 °F	75 °F	60 inch	11 days	9 hours	82 °F
July	86 °F	77 °F	60 inch	13 days	10 hours	82 °F
August	86 °F	77 °F	64 inch	13 days	10 hours	84 °F
September	86 °F	77 °F	67 inch	14 days	9 hours	84 °F
October	84 °F	75 °F	64 inch	15 days	10 hours	84 °F
November	84 °F	77 °F	44 inch	12 days	8 hours	82 °F
December	82 °F	73 °F	25 inch	11 days	8 hours	81 °F

Advantages and desadvantages of tourism in Dominican Republic

Tourism in the Dominican Republic, like other countries, has its advantages and disadvantages in both the domestic market and internationally.

Advantages

Jobs generated in the area of tourism - Source Merkap República Dominicana.

Tourism offers many benefits to the country, both economically as in the political, social, cultural, etc. Some of these could be:

Revenues and increases of the country's economy.

Exchange of different cultures

Generates and increases employment opportunities.

Increase of foreign flights into the country.

External relationships.

Generation of currencies, and currency input from other foreign countries.

Disadvantages

Tourism not only offers advantages, but also disadvantages, not only for the country but for all countries. Some of these are:

Destruction of the fauna and flora of the tourist areas.

Waste multiply in tourist areas.

The pollution caused by the large number of transportation to the island and during the tourists stay including airplanes, buses, cruise ships and other automobiles.

Input and output of harmful products.

Major tourist destinations of the Dominican Republic Among the main tourist destinations are:

East Region

La Altagracia

It is the leading province in the country in terms of tourism, among the most important areas are:

Bávaro

This area is located in the east of the Dominican Republic, in the province La Altagracia. According to a report by UNESCO, it recognizes the beaches of Bávaro as the best in the Caribbean Among its more popular activities include aquatic excursions such as snorkeling and catamaran tours on the beaches, as well as its luxury hotels.

Higüey: The city of Higüey is within the tourist destinations in the province, since it is found, the Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia and Sanctuary San Dionisio; also is the fortified residence of its founder, Juan Ponce de León, which is so visited by foreign tourists and communes and more inhabitants of the country.

Punta Cana

This resort area is located in the extreme east of the Dominican Republic, and it is one of the most important places for the realization of tourism in the country. To get to Punta Cana, it can be reached by vehicle through a 179 kilometers long corridor, consisting of sections of the highway of Las Américas, the Eastern Highway, the Ring of San Pedro de Macorís, the stretch San Pedro de Macorís-La Romana, La Romana Beltway and the Autopista del Coral; Similarly one can go via the Las Américas International Airport, or via the Punta Cana International Airport, which is about 2 km from the town of Punta Cana.

La Romana: One of the main options for foreign tourists when choosing a destination for their holidays. La Romana has many beaches. To get to La Romana, it can through the La Romana International Airport or Punta Cana Airport. La Romana is the seventh-largest city in the Dominican Republic with a population estimated in 2010 at 130,426 within the city limits (metropolitan population: 214,109), of whom 127,623 are urban and 2,803 are rural. The city is capital of the southeastern province of La Romana, opposite Catalina Island. The name Romana comes from a balance that was used to weigh merchandise for export. Santa Rosa de Lima is the patron saint of La Romana. The modern La Romana International Airport was opened in 2000. The city is near several other cities, such as San Pedro de Macorís and the national capital, Santo Domingo de Guzmán. The city is a hub for a growing tourist industry with several nearby local resort spots, such as the beachfront Bayahibe, Dominicus, Casa de Campo, and the growing number of golf resorts that surround the area.

Altos de Chavón: It is an old-type Mediterranean village built on a height above the Chavón River in Dominican Republic. It is the seat of a Cultural Centre, the National Archaeological Museum, and the called City of the Artists. also has a notable Amphitheater. The Altos de Chavón Amphitheater which has about 5,000 seats. It was opened in 1982.

Saona Island

The Saona Island is considered as one of the most important trips or sightseeing tours of the country[13] It is considered by the visitor as a natural paradise. Saona Island is about 110 kmª, and is the largest of the 13 adjacent islands of the country. This island offers fine white sand beaches, crystal clear waters. One of the biggest attractions is the "Natural Pool", which does not have a meter deep and it can see aquatic species such as coral reefs, marine meadowss, starfish and fish. The main white sand beaches of Isla Saona are located on the southern coast from Punta Catuano to Punta de Cruz except the area between the southern end of the beach of El Gato to Punta Laguna. The most important places of the Saona are the towns and villages of Mano Juan and Catuano; extensive white sand beaches and coral reefs with very clear waters; coconut trees along the coast, the Secucho lagoons, Los Flamencos and Canto de la Playa,[14] the Alto de la Vigía (the highest point of the island); the Banks of Crowned Pigeon, the Mature Timberlands, cultivated areas and the town of Adamanay. Saona island belongs to the Park del Este. Along with los Haitises is the most important in the region and one of the main in the country, constituting the only wooded area of relative extension on the south coast of the eastern region. In this protected natural area are preserved semi-humid forests, coastal lagoons, mangroves, coral reefs, sea grasses. Also caverns with cultural values. Contains impressive archaeological sites like remains of indigenous settlements, ceremonial places perfectly preserved, sites of ceremonial offerings, large rock art and sunken colonial ships.

Beach in Saona island

Catalina Island

This island is a protected natural park where there are not any buildings.

Bayahibe: Bayahibe is also suitable for sharing with family and friends, and is also a common place for golfers and for those who enjoy scuba diving. Bayahibe is the nearest point to take a trip to Catalina Island, Catalinita Island and Saona Island.

San Pedro de Macorís

is a municipality (municipio) in the Dominican Republic and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the south-eastern region of the country; it is among the 10 largest cities of the Dominican Republic. The city has approximately 195,000 inhabitants, when including the metro area. As a provincial capital, it houses the Universidad Central del Este university.

Juan Dolio: It is located just a few kilometers from the capital city of Santo Domingo and from San Pedro de Macoris. Juan Dolio is currently among the major tourist areas of the country.

Santo Domingo

Boca Chica beach is located close to Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo: Santo Domingo has a main tourist area, the Colonial Zone, as well as historical monuments, of which most were built by the Spaniards who originally colonized the island.

Boca Chica: It is one of the most popular places in the Dominican Republic, due to its beach. It is located about 40 kilometers and 35 minutes from Santo Domingo eastward passing the Las Américas International Airport.

North Region or Cibao

Santiago de los Caballeros

Santiago de los Caballeros or simply Santiago (English: Saint James of the Thirty Knights) is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic, and the fourth-largest city in the Caribbean. It is the capital of the Santiago Province and the major metropolis in the north-central region of the country. Its urban population reaches 550,753 inhabitants, and if rural areas are included its population rises to 691,262.Santiago is located approximately 155 km (96 mi) northwest of Santo Domingo with an average altitude of 178 meters (584 ft). It was traditionally known in English as St. Yago. During the Haitian occupation from 1822 to 1844 it was officially designated as Saint-Yague. Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European settlement in the New World, the city is the "first Santiago of the Americas". Today the city is one of the Dominican Republic's cultural, political, industrial, and financial centers. Due to its location in the fertile Cibao Valley it has a robust agricultural sector and is a leading exporter of rum, textiles, and cigars. Santiago is known as "La Ciudad Corazón" (the "Heartland City").

Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata is officially known as San Felipe de Puerto Plata, is the ninth-largest city in the Dominican Republic, and capital of the province of Puerto Plata. The city is a trading port. Puerto Plata has resorts such as Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada, which are located east of the city proper. There are 100,000 hotel beds in the city. The only aerial tramway in the Caribbean is located in Puerto Plata, in which visitors can ride up to the Pico Isabel de Torres, a 793 meter high mountain within the city. The fortification Fortaleza San Felipe, which was built in the 16th century and served as a prison under Rafael Trujillo's dictatorship, lies close to the port of Puerta Plata. The amber museum, is also a well-known attraction in this city. La Isabela, a settlement built by Christopher Columbus, is located near Puerto Plata. In April 1563, the Spanish settlement became notorious when the English slave trader Sir John Hawkinsbrought 400 people he had abducted from Sierra Leone. Hawkins traded his victims with the Spanish for pearls, hides, sugar and some gold. This was the start of British involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. During the 1822–44 Haitian occupation it was officially designated as Port-de-Plate.

Puerto Plata (city)

Sosúa

Playa Dorada                                                                     

Cabarete

                                        

Cable car in Puerto Plata

Samaná (town)

Samana is a small town on the island that is a popular destination for tourists mainly because of whale season. Every year in the spring, many whales arrive in the Samana bay. Tourists come from all over the world to board ships and whale watch. This is a large source of income to a town that otherwise would have an economy mainly driven by fishing.

Pedernales

Pedernales is a city of the Dominican Republic, located in the extreme south, about 190 miles from Las Americas International Airport of Santo Domingo. The province shares a border with Haiti and is washed by the Caribbean Sea. This is the least populated region of the Dominican Republic.

In tropical climates, the region has many beautiful unspoiled beaches, among which stand out the beach in Cabo Rojo and Playa Blanca. This region has a flora and fauna varied with some endemic species (iguanas, birds), with mangroves, lagoons and forests of the region Pedernales worth a visit.

The Pedernales region's economy depends mainly on fishing, livestock, including cattle, and agriculture, with emphasis on the cultivation of coffee.

Pedernales province has great tourism potential for both the sun and sand as for ecotourism, with its beaches and the Jaragua National Park is located where Bahía las Aguilas, Playa Blanca, and Laguna de Oviedo who crosses to the park creating a splendid view. The city has some small hotels.

Furthermore, you can travel by boat to Isla Beata and Alto Velo, two small islands with great beauty.

Pedernales is far from major tourist centers of the Dominican Republic, this city and its environs have all retained their authenticity. Is the destination of nature lovers and tranquility in a cozy atmosphere.

Virgin Beach in Pedernales

Barahona

Barahona is located in the southwest of the Dominican Republic. Before the discovery of America, Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic) was divided into five chiefdoms, one of which, Jaragua, Boechío is governed by the territorial boundaries where the province of Barahona.

The province was the scene in 1496 of the first revolution of the social demands of the New World, the rebellion of Roldan, in which the slaves, the Spanish and the Indians have challenged the supremacy of the Spanish crown.

The city of Barahona is located along the Caribbean Sea, to 170 kms (105 miles) from Santo Domingo. It has lush vegetation and geographical conditions that combine rivers, beaches and mountains. Most of its coastal areas are still virgin and surrounded by mountains with many rivers.

Much of the province, in the western part is occupied by the Sierra de Bahoruco. There is also the Sierra Martin Garcia bordering Azua, the eastern end of Neiba Sierra and Loma de Sal y Yezo.

The main river is the Yaque del Sur, which flows a few kilometers north of the city. The second major river in the province is the Nizaito. Other rivers are Palomino, Bahoruco, San Rafael, Sito and Los Patos.

The economy depends mainly on mining and tourism, with an industrial port and free zone dedicated to mining. The main agricultural products are bananas and coffee, and mineral products, the larimar and the marble.

This province has many tourist attractions. Beaches, along with rivers, attract many people. Of these, we cite Saladilla, San Rafael, los Patos and Quemaítos. Other attractions are the Lagunas de Moncion and Cabral and the magnetic pole. Pictures of Barahona to discover this beautiful region of the Dominican Republic.

The city is also known as the Pearl of the South.

Because of its distance from major tourist centers of the Dominican Republic, is a region untouched by mass tourism but it has a few small boutique hotels. It is a region with many ecotourism excursions.

River in Barahona