Main touristic attractions of Dominican Republic are its world-class beaches with white, gold and gray sand ringed with palm trees. In addition to relaxing beach vacations, this tropical Caribbean island country also entices active visitors with diverse sports opportunities such as excellent golf courses and plentiful opportunities for water sports such as surfing, snorkeling and sailing.
An island country located in the Caribbean Sea, Dominican Republic encompasses two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola between Cuba and Puerto Rico. The western side of the island belongs to Haiti. Dominican Republic is world-famous for its superior quality cigars and as a home of merengue music. As one of the most popular Caribbean holiday destinations, Dominican Republic receives over four million foreign visitors a year.
Cities & activities. For more active visitors, Cabarete on the North coast of Dominican Republic is famous for its excellent kite- and windsurfing, and many other sport activities are available. Away from the beach resort towns, the capital city of Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo offers a mixture of local culture, fine dining and nightlife. The numerous historical attractions in and around this large city are sure to impress visitors interested in colonial history and archeology.
How to get there. Dominican Republic hosts eight international airports situated throughout the country, offering flights to Dominican Republic's popular resort areas and its main cities. Many visitors also enter the country by sailboat or on board a Caribbean cruise. When entering the Dominican Republic, you need to purchase a tourist card.
Public transport in Dominican Republic is available in form of buses, mini-vans, public taxis and Motorbike taxis. Regular taxis are widely available with fixed rates depending on the travel distance.
An island country located in the Caribbean Sea, Dominican Republic encompasses two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola between Cuba and Puerto Rico. The western side of the island belongs to Haiti. Dominican Republic is world-famous for its superior quality cigars and as a home of merengue music. As one of the most popular Caribbean holiday destinations, Dominican Republic receives over four million foreign visitors a year.
What to see and do in Dominican Republic: beach resorts, golf courses and historical cities
The best beach destinations in Dominican Republic, such as Punta Cana in the east coast, Sosua on the north, Playa Dorada and Playa Grande are all home to high-quality all-inclusive vacation resorts that make Dominican Republic a perfect destination for honeymoons and romantic getaways. The casinos of Dominican Republic cater for the keen gamblers and resort spas offer treatments for those in need of pampering. Golf courses can also be found from the resort areas.Cities & activities. For more active visitors, Cabarete on the North coast of Dominican Republic is famous for its excellent kite- and windsurfing, and many other sport activities are available. Away from the beach resort towns, the capital city of Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo offers a mixture of local culture, fine dining and nightlife. The numerous historical attractions in and around this large city are sure to impress visitors interested in colonial history and archeology.
Dominican Republic travel tips and information
The climate in Dominican Republic is tropical with warm weather around the year. The temperatures in Dominican Republic are at their highest from June to October, which is also the rainy season in most parts of the country. The high season for tourism in Dominican Republic is from December to March, while hurricanes are occasionally encountered from July to November.How to get there. Dominican Republic hosts eight international airports situated throughout the country, offering flights to Dominican Republic's popular resort areas and its main cities. Many visitors also enter the country by sailboat or on board a Caribbean cruise. When entering the Dominican Republic, you need to purchase a tourist card.
Public transport in Dominican Republic is available in form of buses, mini-vans, public taxis and Motorbike taxis. Regular taxis are widely available with fixed rates depending on the travel distance.
Photo: Dmitry Sumin, used under Creative Commons License (By ND 2.0)
Domestic air service within Dominican Republic is also available.
Tourism infrastructure and the vibrant nightlife in Dominican Republic are concentrated in the resort areas around the superb beaches along the country’s 1,000-mile long coastline, as well as in the lively capital city Santo Domingo. Popular beach resorts in Dominican Republic such as Punta Cana and Cabarete offer some of the best Caribbean beach holiday package deals in the Caribbean with a great variety of services available. Spanish is the official language of Dominican Republic, but most employees in hotels and touristic areas speak also English.
Safety. Dominican Republic is generally a relatively safe destination, although problems with petty crime such as theft exist. Many of the beach resorts of Dominican Republic are guarded and well suitable for families with children.
Short history of Dominican Republic
The island of Hispaniola was discovered in 1492 by Christopher Columbus during his first voyage to the Americas. During those times the island was inhabited by Taino Indians who eventually got extinct during the Spanish rule due to diseases and slave labor. The area that was to become Dominican Republic switched hands between the Spanish, the French and Haitians. Therefore, today's culture in Dominican Republic features Spanish, French, Haitian, and African influences. Dominican Republic gained its independence from Spain in 1844, but still suffered from Haitian, Spanish and US interventions until the early 1900s. Today, Dominican Republic has the second largest economy in the Caribbean region, attracting illegal immigrants from the neighboring Haiti.hint See also these nearby destinations: Sosua, Santo Domingo, Cabarete, Port-au-Prince
