About the Dominican Republic

Imagine porcelain-white sands, swaying palms, blue seas and the lilting sound of the merengue drifting in the air and you've got the essence of the totally tropical gem.

The Dominican Republic is a colorful tapestry of Spanish, French, Haitian and African influences woven by a rich and storied history. Christopher Columbus described this lush land as “a beautiful island paradise with high forested mountains and large river valleys”. This statement is still as true today as it was in 1492. In addition to the comforts of sun, sea and sand, the Dominican Republic offers an exciting and unique cultural experience that will captivate your senses.

This is a destination like no other, a sensual feast of dazzling landscapes, exotic cuisine and a remarkable variety of arts and entertainment options. The pulse-pounding thrill of the merengue, intriguing relics from centuries past, premium cigars and even world class baseball awaits you. The Dominican Republic is a surprising place that will delight even the most experienced traveler.

The North Coast

Featuring the popular towns of Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Cabarete, the North coast has often been referred to as the Amber Coast due to the prevalence of this semi-precious gem, the Discovery Coast thanks to Christopher Columbus’s discovery of the island of Hispaniola and the Silver Coast, after Columbus named the area Puerto Plata or silver port because of the effect the sun made on the water as he approached from sea.

Regardless of what visitors call it, the North Coast brings together some of the country’s best features – lush jungle forests, rolling mountain ranges, ethereal blue waters and golden sandy beaches. And it is because of these characteristics that this area is today considered the country’s most versatile playground. Here vacationers can jump river beds on a mountain bike, fight the waves on a kite-board, test their strength on a rock face or rub elbows with the rich and famous who come for the North Coast’s luxurious accommodations. No matter what activity you choose to partake in, however, you will find that everything here is done with legendary Dominican flair.   

The City of Puerto Plata

Located on the northern coast of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, the province of Puerto Plata is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Dominican Republic. Blessed with beautiful stretches of pristine beaches, lush green valleys, and cradled by a chain of majestic coastal mountains, Puerto Plata was described as "the fairest land under heaven" by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Over 500 years later, the province of Puerto Plata has continued to captivate visitors from around the world with an intoxicating potion of Latin American culture, incredible natural beauty and the extraordinary kindness of its people.

At the heart of this region, the city of Puerto Plata curves around the base of towering Mt. Isabel de Torres, whose pinnacle can be reached by an electrified sky lift system called the teleférico. A manicured botanical garden dominated by an illuminated statue of Christ - a scaled-down version of the one in Rio de Janeiro - crowns its summit. More adventurous types can reach the summit on foot. 

The charm of Puerto Plata, the largest city on the North Coast, is enhanced by the extent and variety of its Victorian architecture, unrivaled by any other Dominican city. With 200,000 residents, Puerto Plata is the largest city on the Dominican Republic's North Coast. The center of the town is called Old City and it is here that Puerto Plata's famed Victorian houses and narrow streets can be found. Stylistically, the gingerbread motifs, wooden 'lace' filigree, and pastel colors of its houses and public buildings convey the romantic aura of an earlier time, but functionally they house a tourist-oriented city's businesses, offices, shops, bars, restaurants and clubs.

History is also preserved here in the imposing San Felipe Fort, built by the Spaniards in the 16th century as protection against seaborne invaders. The fort, which was used as a prison until the 1960's, now houses a fine museum that documents its interesting history. Visitors strolling the city's picturesque streets will also want to take time to see Puerto Plata's extraordinary Amber Museum, the Brugal rum factory and stroll the length of the Malecón, the lively seaside boulevard.

Sosúa

A little further east lies the charming village of Sosúa, with its totally unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere. By far one of the prettiest spots on the North Coast, Sosúa is situated on a breathtaking Caribbean bay spotted with white sand beaches, rock formations and luxurious homes and resorts. Many would contend that Sosúa's crescent-shaped beach hugged by a sheltering cove bracketed by Los Charamicos to the West and El Batey to the East is the country's most applauded beach.

Settled by Jewish refugees from Europe more than a half century ago, Sosúa has remained popular with European visitors and its vibrant streets are punctuated with casual European-style open air restaurants, bars and cafes.   The nightlife is compelling here too, with discos jumping into the early morning hours. This once sleepy fishing village is now a top tourist destination as evidenced by the wealth of bars, restaurants and shops that line its streets. Despite this, Sosúa has hung onto a small town charm that is all its own.

The main attraction of Sosúa is the beach, the shops and restaurants. Sosúa beach is a U-shaped beach of fine white sands in a sheltered cove. Multiple water sports can be hired right on the beach. Snorkeling is a popular option. Snorkelers can swim about 150 feet from shore and find coral reefs with delightful opportunities to take underwater pictures of flounder, parrot fish, grouper, porcupine and dozens of other varieties of fish. The water is very calm in most areas and is crystal clear on most days.

Cabarete

The Amber Coast's windsurfing and kite-boarding Mecca is Cabarete, just a 15-minute drive east from Sosúa. This windsurfer's paradise is situated on a strip of land between a bay and a lagoon. The prestigious Professional Windsurfing Association World Cup competitions have been held here and an annual Cabarete Race Week brings the best of amateur competitors from around the world. Besides windsurfing and kite-boarding, Cabarete offers tennis, golf, hiking, mountain biking, rock-climbing, white-water rafting and horseback riding. Cabarete also serves as a point of departure for numerous ecotourism excursions – horse ranch tours, cave tours in El Choco National Park (Laguna Cabarete and Laguna Goleta) and mountain biking in the neighbourhood.

Given Cabarete's popularity with the younger set, it's no wonder that the town sports nightlife as varied as its daytime activities. Carretera 5, the town's main road, is jam packed with bars and discos, many of which feature live music. In the evenings, restaurants also place their tables on the beach to serve dinner. While most are plastic tables, don’t be fooled. The quality of some of the restaurants is first class. Cabarete attracts a young crowd so expect the nightlife to be lively while it happens right on the beach strip that during the evenings converts to restaurants, bars and discos.

While Cabarete caters to a young sports-minded crowd, it is also perfect for those who just want the leisure of sitting in the shade or lying on the beach, and for parents with little children. An annual Sand Castle Festival is held in mid February weekends at Cabarete Beach with participation open to children and adults.