Most popular destinations
Dominican Republic
La Romana
La Romana is the seventh largest city in the Dominican Republic, with an estimated 2010 population of around 214,000.
The city is the capital of the southeastern province of La Romana, opposite Catalina Island.
The Casa de Campo resort is the flagship of La Romana's all-inclusive resort zone. Built in 1975 by Gulf Western to be the Caribbean's premier destination, it has lived up to the hype.
Altos de Chavón is a replica of a 16th-century Mediterranean village located just a few minutes from La Romana.
The Casa de Campo international tourist port (Muelle Turístico Internacional Casa de Campo), located on the west bank of the La Romana or Rio Dulce river, was used primarily for berthing commercial vessels, mainly for transporting sugar and molasses.
After outgrowing its port, the Central Romana Corporation built its new tourism-oriented port on the east side of the river.
The platform on the west bank was renovated and the river channel dredged to a depth of 10.50 meters (34.4 feet). Inaugurated with the arrival of the Costa Marina ship in December 2002, the Central Romana Corporation invested $12 million to extend the existing port by over 40,000 square meters (430,000 square feet).
The port is a modern hub and port terminal, with capacity for two large, modern cruise ships.
Today, the new facilities feature two berthing platforms (east quay: 255 meters (837 ft.) long, west quay: 225 meters (738 ft.) long), a 1,000-square-meter (11,000-square-foot) passenger terminal and parking facilities for 24 buses.
Link to the Dominican Republic tourist office La Romana region
Link to the Dominican Republic tourist office La Romana region
Puerto Plata
The city is famous for its seaside resorts such as Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada.
There are a total of 100,000 hotel beds in the city.
The only cable car in the Caribbean is in Puerto Plata.
It takes you to the 793-metre summit of Mount Isabel de Torres in the city.
The mountaintop features a botanical garden and a replica of Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro's famous statue.
La Isabela, the second permanent settlement built by Christopher Columbus in Hispaniola, is located in Puerto Plata.
The Province of Puerto Plata has many places of interest, for example:
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San Felipe de Puerto Plata
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Fortress of San Felipe
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Gri-Gri Lagoon
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Loma Isabel de Torres
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Cathedral of San Felipe Apóstol
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The Amber Museum
Link to the Dominican Republic Tourist Office Puerto Plata region
Punta Cana
Punta Cana is a seaside resort in the municipal district of Punta Cana-Bávaro-Veron-Macao, in the municipality of Higüey, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic.
The region's beaches and resorts face both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, making it the Dominican Republic's tourist destination par excellence.
The Punta Cana region has an estimated population of 50,000, with an annual growth rate of 6% in 2009.
European entrepreneurs, particularly Spanish hotel chains, all own more than 50 resorts in this destination.
The province's 100 kilometer (62 mi) coastline tends to be slightly windy.
The ocean waters are predominantly shallow, with several natural marine pools in which visitors can safely swim.
From north to south, the main beaches are Uvero Alto, Macao, Arena Gorda, Bávaro, El Cortecito, Las Corales and Cabeza de Toro, all to the north of the cape; and Cabo Engaño, Punta Cana and Juanillo to the south of the cape.
The weather in this region is hot and humid, especially in late summer and autumn, when the northern tropics receive their most direct sunlight.
Link to the Tourist Office of the Dominican Republic Punta Cana region
Samana
Overlooking the northeastern shore of the DR and basking in the ocean, the natural haven that is the Samaná Peninsula is as coveted today as it was in the 16th century.
Pirates lurked in its lush, palm-filled forests, secluded beaches, and hidden caves, while European and Haitian troops fought over its deep waters and protected bay.
Today, Samaná is well connected by land and air, but remains the Dominican Republic's secluded paradise escape, with its wild beaches, coconut plantations and tropical forests.
Its mountains and rolling valleys form the crystalline rivers that flow into the Atlantic, as they cascade onto brilliant white sand beaches that stretch for hundreds of kilometers around the peninsula's rocky coastline.
Some 2,500 humpback whales visit Samaná Bay every year, enjoying this natural splendor as much as visitors. The giant mammals return every year to this special corner of the Dominican Republic to mate, birth and bask in this magnificent tropical landscape.
In addition to seasonal whale-watching boat trips in the picturesque bay of Samaná, other ecotourism adventures are just around the corner: bodyboarding and kitesurfing in Las Terrenas; trekking, birdwatching and caving in Los Haitises National Park; canyoning or horseback riding to reach the El Limón waterfall; and boating to magnificent white-sand beaches at the foot of 90-meter (300-foot) cliffs, or off the island of Cayo Levantado.
Link to the Tourist Office of the Dominican Republic Samana Region
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, officially Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population.
In 2010, the city had a total population of 2,908,607, including the metropolitan area.
The city coincides with the boundaries of the Distrito Nacional ("D.N.", "National District"), itself bordered on three sides by the province of Santo Domingo.
Founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1496 on the east bank of the Ozama River, then moved by Nicolás de Ovando in 1502 to the west bank of the river, the city is the oldest continuously inhabited European colony in the Americas and was the first seat of Spanish colonial rule in the New World.
Santo Domingo is the site of the first university, cathedral, castle, monastery, and fortress in the New World.
The city's colonial zone has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
La zone coloniale de la ville a été déclarée site du patrimoine mondial par l'UNESCO.
Santo Domingo was called Ciudad Trujillo from 1936 to 1961, after the dictator of the Dominican Republic,
Rafael Trujillo, who gave his name to the capital. After his assassination, the city reverted to its original designation.
Santo Domingo is the cultural, financial, political, commercial, and industrial center of the Dominican Republic, with the country's most important industries located in the city. Santo Domingo is also the country's main seaport.
The city's port at the mouth of the Ozama River is home to the country's largest vessels and handles both heavy passenger and cargo traffic.