The Dominican Republic as a Tourist Destination

The impressive diversity of the Dominican flora and fauna, the abundant and varied exotic landscapes that show its vast natural wealth (from beautiful and lush beaches and imposing mountains, including the highest peak in the Caribbean, to fertile valleys and deserts with dry forest vegetation), and the great human warmth of its people, make the Dominican Republic a paradise for tourists.

For mountain lovers, the Dominican Republic offers multiple options:

• The towns of Jarabacoa and Constanza, in the province of La Vega, offer natural wonders such as Salto de Jimenoa and Salto Baiguate, as well as the Valle Nuevo National Park, and eco-tourism adventure options, such as horseback riding, cycling routes, river rafting, canyoning, trekking, zip-lining, bird watching or seasonal fruit picking. In addition, tourists can delight their eyes with unparalleled panoramic views.   

For those who prefer the beach, the entire coastal area offers multiple options, each one worthy of being experienced.

• Starting in the northeast part of the country, the beautiful Samaná province stands out. It offers a very diverse selection: from its beautiful beaches of Las Terrenas, El Limón, Portillo and Rincón, to environmental getaways and interesting whale watching tours, visits to Cayo Levantado, Los Haitises National Park (for bird watching, and sightseeing the mangroves and cave paintings), Salto del Limón, Playa Rincón and Boca del Diablo.
• In Puerto Plata, located on the country’s northern coast, the towns of Cabarete and Sosúa with beautiful panoramic views and water sports options such as surfing, parasailing and sailing, among others. The beaches of Cabarete host many international competitions associated with these sports, thereby attracting thousands of tourists from around the world every year. For the more adventurous, the 27 Charcos de Damajagua guarantee a lot of adrenaline due to the natural beauty of the area.
• Montecristi offers a visit to its Morro and the beaches of Punta Rucia and Los 7 Cayos.
• On the southwest coast, the natural beauty of Barahona and Pedernales stands out. Both provinces have idyllic beaches, such as Bahía de las Águilas, but also natural thermal water pools and recreation options like mountain biking, canoeing and hiking. The area also hosts annual events, such as the Regatta Palito Seco and the Surfing Tournament.
• On the east coast of the country are the best known beaches, with beautiful white sand and crystal clear waters, from Juan Dolio and Guayacanes, La Romana and Bayahibe, to Punta Cana, Bávaro, Macao and Uvero Alto. A large number of lodging supply and tourist attractions make this area an important world class destination. This area offers craft markets, trips to the Saona or Catalina islands where diving and snorkeling can be practiced, visits to Altos de Chavón, extreme sport and adventure activities, high-level golf courses and, in addition, the possibility of visiting natural springs. It also has an active nightlife where bars, restaurants and nightclubs can be found and enjoyed. In Macao there are important surfing tournaments and, like Cabarete, it has multiple schools where this sport is taught.
• In Santo Domingo, the country’s capital, visitors can enjoy another type of tourism, such as a visit to the Colonial Zone and all its historical wealth, the National Zoo, the Botanical Garden and the National Aquarium. They can also visit the Santo Domingo Market, where countless gifts, crafts and local species may be found. A diverse gastronomy and shopping centers make this city a more cosmopolitan tourist option.

Did you know? Cueva de las Maravillas is a natural museum with cave paintings located between the Soco and the Cumayasa rivers, 500 meters from the San Pedro de Macoris-La Romana highway.

We invite you to purchase the GFDD/Funglode printed publication Lo Dominicano I All Things Dominican, so that you can enjoy all the beauty and the great diversity as well as the natural and cultural wealth of the Dominican Republic. For more information, please press here. 

Enjoy this beautiful video about the Dominican Republic. It has been prepared by the Dominican Ministry of Tourism here.

Links of interest:
Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic (MITUR): www.godominicanrepublic.com
MITUR’s YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC8_EabuVBfgUtb11kW09O_g
Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES): www.asonahores.com