parque nacional submarino la caleta

La Caleta Underwater National Park, one of the first in the region, is a popular dive site located close to Santo Domingo. It’s known for its multiple shipwrecks, but also for its abundant marine life ready to be explored by all levels of divers, from beginner to advanced. Depths go from six meters (20 feet) […]

Playa boca chica

Because of its proximity to Santo Domingo, Boca Chica is considered the capital’s main beach. Stretching a near mile long with brilliant, white sand, this bustling stretch is well protected by a large coral reef, and its shallow turquoise waters—not more than four feet in depth, and often compared to a giant natural pool—make it […]

Barceló Rum Historical center

Journey to the city of San Pedro de Macorís, 15 minutes’ drive east from Juan Dolio, for an informative visit to Barceló’s distillery–one of the top rum brands in the country. Opened in 2012, the Barceló Rum Historical Center offers a comprehensive museum display on the history of rum making in the country, its role […]

Playa caribe

Facing a picturesque cove, this half-moon shaped beach attracts surfers and boogie boarders on the weekends, flocking here from the capital for a bit of wave action. There are surfboards for rent, and you can get an introductory lesson. Fill up afterwards with a seafood lunch.

Guavaberry golf & country club

Designed by Gary Player, the 18-hole Guavaberry Golf & Country Club is located just 30 minutes’ drive east of Santo Domingo’s international airport, in the resort town of Juan Dolio. The course opened in 2002 and borders a nature reserve. Although it quickly earned a reputation as a tough course, it is playable for golfers […]

Cueva de las Maravillas

Located between San Pedro de Macorís and La Romana, this enormous cave system houses hundreds of well-preserved Taino pictographs and petroglyphs dating back thousands of years. This is one of the most accessible caverns in the DR, thanks to an excellent lighting system, ramps, a footpath and a modern elevator. Stroll amid impressive samples of […]

Alto velo wreck

A small tugboat, the Alto Velo sunk off the waters of Playa Caribe on the southeastern coast. Resting at eight meters (26 feet), an ideal depth for beginners, it quickly turned into an artificial reef surrounded with abundant marine life.

Museo del Ámbar

Puerto Plata’s Amber Museum, sitting smack in the heart of the city in a neo-classical style residence, displays some of the DR’s stunning amber stones on several floors, including samples containing animal fossils. Showcased in a room designed like a cave, you’ll view close-ups of stones containing a near 43-centimeter (17-inch) lizard, a scorpion, a […]

Mount Isabel de Torres

Hike your way up or hop on the only cable car in the Caribbean to reach Mount Isabel de Torres, flanked by a giant statue of Christ the Redeemer–one of the province’s iconic landmarks. You’ll be standing 793 meters (2,600 feet) above Puerto Plata’s verdant hills, surrounded with phenomenal views of Puerto Plata’s Atlantic Ocean […]

Malecón de Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata’s residents proudly state that theirs is the most beautiful seafront boulevard in the Dominican Republic. You’ll realize why when you see the multiple white sand beaches that line the city’s main avenue, each bearing a name. Aside from days at the beach right within the city, the boulevard’s long, shaded sidewalk is ideal […]