The Dominican Republic packs Caribbean beaches, lush mountains and the oldest European city in the Americas into one island half. Here are the experiences worth planning a trip around.
Colonial City of Santo Domingo
Walk the cobbled Zona Colonial, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the first European settlement in the New World. See the Catedral Primada de America (1540), the Alcazar de Colon built for Christopher Columbus's son, and the Calle Las Damas, the oldest paved street in the Americas.
Punta Cana beaches
The east coast's Bavaro and Punta Cana strip is the country's resort heartland, with powdery white sand and warm turquoise water. Even outside the all-inclusives, beaches like Playa Macao stay wild and surfable.
Saona Island
A short boat trip from Bayahibe, Isla Saona sits inside the Cotubanama National Park. Catamaran tours stop at natural pools where starfish drift over white sandbanks.
Damajagua Waterfalls
Near Puerto Plata, the 27 Charcos de Damajagua let you climb, swim and jump through a chain of limestone waterfalls and pools with a guide and helmet.
Cabarete and kitesurfing
On the north coast, Cabarete is the Caribbean's wind-sports capital. Kite Beach and Encuentro draw kitesurfers and surfers from around the world, with lessons easy to arrange.
Pico Duarte
The Caribbean's highest peak (3,098 m) is a two-to-three-day guided trek from Jarabacoa or La Cienaga through pine forest and cool mountain air.
Los Tres Ojos
In Santo Domingo, this open-air cave system holds three turquoise freshwater lagoons in a lush sinkhole, reachable by a short walk and a hand-pulled raft.
Bahia de las Aguilas
In the remote southwest, this 8 km arc of untouched sand inside Jaragua National Park is widely called the country's most beautiful beach.
Samana whale watching
From mid-January to mid-March, thousands of humpback whales gather in Samana Bay to breed, one of the world's best whale-watching seasons.
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