Dominican Republic travel guide

Although the Dominican Republic hasn’t had a great reputation in the past, allowing over development and huge resorts, the responsible tourism movement is gaining ground here. With 16 national parks, jungle, rivers, coast and mountains, Dominican Republic holidays offer activities from rafting, hiking and canyoning, to diving and watersports. Our Dominican Republic travel guide includes a map and highlights, so you can zero in on the best places to visit.

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Dominican Republic travel guide

Hispaniola is divided into Haiti and the Dominican Republic. While the former attracts just a handful of travellers, the latter is the most visited destination in the Caribbean. The Punta Cana area, which has the highest concentration of all inclusive resorts in the world, swallows up many of the visitors, leaving much of the DR unexplored. And for ‘the rest’ read four mountain ranges, desert plains, lush valleys, tropical rainforests and 27 different climatic zones – a topography way more diverse than on neighbouring islands.

There's more to the Dominican Republic than beaches – think architecture, lofty peaks and lush forests, all rocked by a merengue beat.

Merengue music was born here, and blasts from the corner shop-cum-bars or colmados everywhere, while carnivals and fiestas pepper the calendar. Towns boast crumbling mansions and friendly cafes where local people play spirited games of dominoes. Responsible tourism is still in its infancy, but it’s gaining momentum, working to preserve and cherish the DR’s culture and landscape, and providing an exciting alternative to identikit resorts.

Find out more in our Dominican Republic travel guide.

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The Dominican Republic is...

a Caribbean dream, with wild landscapes complementing its tropical beaches.

The Dominican Republic isn't...

Dominica, which is the mountainous Caribbean island between Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Things to do in the Dominican Republic…

Embrace the culture. The DR is geographically diverse, but its natural beauty is backed up by rich history and culture, too. In the capital Santo Domingo you’ll find the first cathedral, castle, monastery and fortress built in the Americas, and in Puerto Plata, you’ll find crumbling gingerbread houses built by wealthy German tobacco merchants in the 1870s. Or go further back and explore the Pomier Caves, where the indigenous Taino people created pictographs and carvings 2,000 years ago. Get active. The Dominican Republic is well known as a relaxing beach destination, but it’s also an adventure seeker’s paradise. The north coast in particular is developing as an outdoor activities hotspot, with great diving and watersports on the coast and adrenalised treats such as zip lining, canyoning, and stand up paddle boarding. Or try river kayaking in the mountains and forests just inland. You can see a lot in just a week here, but rather than base yourself in one place, stay in a handful of locations. That way, you’ll experience a mix of landscapes and accommodation and, if you plan an active break, can stay conveniently close to the DR’s best adventure locations. Mountain ranches, eco friendly beachfront hotels and elevated jungle cabins are fun, responsible accommodation options, a world away from the big resorts that clutter parts of the coast.

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Things not to do in the Dominican Republic…

Stay in an all inclusive resort. Although there are exceptions, all inclusive holidays generally create limited local economic benefits and have a large environmental footprint. Responsible alternatives often exist with the same convenience and price as an all inclusive. You can, for instance, book a holiday that has activities, accommodation and meals included in the price through a responsible operator. Just as convenient, but you’ll also discover more about the destination and local cultures and increase the benefits to local communities. Read more about our stance on all inclusives. Sosúa by day is family friendly and great for diving, but by night it is a sex tourism hotspot. Dominican and Haitian sex workers flock to its bars and men are openly propositioned. While local police tolerate this, child sex tourism is never acceptable, so if you suspect or see teens or children being abused, don’t fail to act – report it to your hotel, tour operator or the local authority. You can also flag it with ECPAT, a global NGO committed to ending the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The Dominican Republic has hundreds of kilometers of coastline and a lot of life happens on the beach, but don’t ignore the interior, a wild landscape of fertile plains, rainforests, mountains and even desert. Get a taste of authentic Dominican rural life here and try a host of adventure activities.

Dominican Republic travel guide