Dominican Republic · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Dominican Republic
More than a hundred hand picked restaurants, beaches, waterfalls, bars, museums and stays across Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, Samaná, Puerto Plata, Jarabacoa and Bayahibe. Classics sit alongside quieter, local favourites, so you can find your Bliss whatever your budget.
Places to Visit in Santo Domingo
Things to Do
- Catedral Primada de América (Parque Colón, Colonial Zone)
The first cathedral of the Americas, with a coral stone façade and quiet chapels off Parque Colón. - Fortaleza Ozama (Calle Las Damas, Colonial Zone)
The oldest European fortress in the Americas, with a tower you can climb for river views. - Faro a Colón (Santo Domingo Este)
A vast cross shaped monument said to hold Columbus's remains, which casts a beam of light into the sky.
Arts and Culture
- Alcázar de Colón (Plaza de España, Colonial Zone)
The palace of Diego Colón, furnished as it might have been in the early sixteenth century. - Museo de las Casas Reales (Calle Las Damas, Colonial Zone)
Armour, maps and colonial rooms that tell the story of Spain's first base in the Americas. - Museo del Hombre Dominicano (Plaza de la Cultura)
The best introduction to Taíno, African and Spanish roots of Dominican culture, including carnival masks. - Museo de Arte Moderno (Plaza de la Cultura)
Four floors of Dominican and Caribbean painting and sculpture in a modernist building. - Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito (Plaza de la Cultura)
The national theatre, staging opera, ballet, concerts and Dominican shows.
Events
- Grupo Bonyé at the Ruinas de San Francisco (Colonial Zone)
Sunday evening son and merengue among monastery ruins, where whole families dance under the stars.
Nature and Outdoors
- Los Tres Ojos National Park (Santo Domingo Este)
Limestone caves hiding turquoise lagoons, reached down steep stone steps and by a small raft. - Jardín Botánico Nacional (Los Ríos)
Shady gardens, a Japanese garden and a little tourist train, a cool escape from the city heat. - Playa Boca Chica (Boca Chica)
The capital's weekend beach, with shallow calm water and fried fish shacks.
Shopping and Markets
- Mercado Modelo (Avenida Mella)
A crowded old market for larimar, amber, cigars, paintings and botánica curiosities; bargain with a smile. - Calle El Conde (Colonial Zone)
The pedestrian spine of the old town, lined with shops, cafés, street painters and buskers.
Restaurants
- Pat'e Palo European Brasserie (Plaza de España, Colonial Zone)
Dine on the terrace of what claims to be the oldest tavern in the Americas, facing the Alcázar. - Mesón de la Cava (Mirador Sur)
A restaurant set deep inside a natural cave, memorable for a special night out. - Adrian Tropical (Malecón)
A seafront Dominican classic for mofongo and sea breezes, open long hours. - El Conuco (Gazcue)
Traditional Dominican food in a rustic setting, with merengue dancers in the evenings. - Buche Perico (Colonial Zone)
Creative Dominican cooking in a leafy, plant filled courtyard. - Jalao (Parque Colón, Colonial Zone)
A colourful, lively restaurant celebrating Dominican music, dishes and dance. - Barra Payán (Avenida 30 de Marzo)
A no frills institution for pressed sandwiches and fresh fruit shakes, open late.
Bars and Nightlife
- Lulú Tasting Bar (Calle Padre Billini, Colonial Zone)
Cocktails and small plates in a candlelit colonial courtyard.
Stays
- Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando (Calle Las Damas, Colonial Zone)
A hotel set in the restored sixteenth century home of a colonial governor, overlooking the river. - Casas del XVI (Colonial Zone)
Restored colonial houses rented as intimate boutique suites with courtyards and plunge pools.
Places to Visit in Punta Cana
Nature and Outdoors
- Bávaro Beach (Bávaro)
The classic long, wide sweep of palm lined white sand that made the east coast famous. - Macao Beach (Macao)
A public beach with no resort in front, popular with surfers and Dominican families. - Juanillo Beach (Cap Cana)
A calm, curving beach with turquoise water and soft sand at the southern end of the coast. - Los Corales Beach (Los Corales, Bávaro)
A public stretch with small beach bars and restaurants open to anyone. - Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park (Puntacana Resort)
Freshwater lagoons fed by underground springs where you can swim among the trees.
Things to Do
- Scape Park and Hoyo Azul (Cap Cana)
A turquoise cenote at the foot of a cliff, plus caves and zip lines in the jungle. - Dolphin Explorer (Bávaro)
A marine park where families learn about and swim with dolphins and sea lions. - Monkeyland (Anamuya, Higüey)
Feed friendly squirrel monkeys in a jungle setting, often combined with a plantation visit. - Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia (Higüey)
A striking modernist basilica that is the country's most important pilgrimage site. - Altos de Chavón (La Romana)
A re-created Mediterranean village above the Chavón River, with an amphitheatre and galleries.
Restaurants
- Jellyfish Restaurant (Playa El Cortecito, Bávaro)
Open sided beachfront dining with fresh seafood and the sound of the waves. - La Yola (Puntacana Marina)
A restaurant built on stilts over the marina, best for a sunset dinner. - Captain Cook (El Cortecito, Bávaro)
Pick your fish and lobster from the ice and eat with your toes in the sand.
Bars and Nightlife
- Coco Bongo Punta Cana (Bávaro)
A high energy show nightclub with acrobats, live acts and tribute performances. - Imagine Punta Cana (Carretera Barceló, Bávaro)
A nightclub set inside natural limestone caves.
Shopping and Markets
- Palma Real Shopping Village (Bávaro)
An open air mall with shops, restaurants and evening crowds near the main resorts. - Downtown Punta Cana (Bávaro)
A mall with restaurants, a cinema and a supermarket, useful for supplies outside your resort.
Stays
- Eden Roc at Cap Cana (Cap Cana)
A luxury boutique resort of suites and villas with private pools. - Barceló Bávaro Palace (Bávaro)
A large all inclusive on one of the best stretches of Bávaro Beach, with plenty for families. - Excellence Punta Cana (Uvero Alto)
An adults only all inclusive on a quieter northern beach. - Tortuga Bay (Puntacana Resort)
Villa style suites by a calm beach inside the Puntacana Resort.
Places to Visit in Samaná
Things to Do
- Whale watching in Samaná Bay (Santa Bárbara de Samaná)
Watch humpback whales breach and sing in one of the world's great breeding grounds each winter. - Puente de Samaná (Santa Bárbara de Samaná)
Footbridges linking small islands in the bay, a quiet walk with water views.
Nature and Outdoors
- El Salto del Limón (El Limón)
A forty metre jungle waterfall reached on foot or horseback through the hills. - Los Haitises National Park (Samaná Bay)
Mangroves, limestone islets and caves with Taíno drawings, explored by boat. - Cayo Levantado (Samaná Bay)
A small island in the bay with a public beach, popular for swimming and lunch. - Playa Rincón (Las Galeras)
A long, wild beach of white sand and palms with a cool river at one end. - Playa Frontón (Las Galeras)
A remote cove beneath cliffs reached by boat or a hike, with good snorkelling. - Playa Madama (Las Galeras)
A tiny, sheltered cove ringed by rocks and forest. - Playa Bonita (Las Terrenas)
A quieter beach with small hotels and sunset views west of town. - Playa Cosón (Las Terrenas)
A huge, empty sweep of sand lined with coconut palms.
Bars and Nightlife
- Pueblo de los Pescadores (Las Terrenas)
A row of former fishermen's huts turned beachfront bars and restaurants.
Stays
- Peninsula House (Cosón, Las Terrenas)
A plantation style boutique hotel with just a handful of rooms on a hill above Cosón. - Sublime Samaná (Playa Cosón, Las Terrenas)
Beachfront suites and villas with pools set in palm gardens. - Balcones del Atlántico (Las Terrenas)
Spacious apartments and pools, good for families.
Events
- Whale season (Santa Bárbara de Samaná)
From mid January to late March the bay fills with humpbacks and the town fills with visitors.
Places to Visit in Puerto Plata
Things to Do
- Teleférico Puerto Plata (Mount Isabel de Torres)
A cable car to a mountain top Christ statue, gardens and big coastal views. - Fortaleza San Felipe (Malecón, Puerto Plata)
A sixteenth century fort on the point, with cannons and sea views. - Calle de las Sombrillas (Puerto Plata)
A short street shaded by colourful umbrellas, beloved for photos. - Ocean World Adventure Park (Cofresí)
A marine park with sea lion and dolphin shows and encounters.
Nature and Outdoors
- 27 Charcos de Damajagua (Imbert)
Climb, jump and slide down a canyon of natural waterfalls with a guide. - Kite Beach (Cabarete)
Watch or learn kitesurfing at one of the world's great kite beaches. - Playa Encuentro (Cabarete)
A reef break beach where surf schools give lessons each morning. - Playa de Sosúa (Sosúa)
A sheltered bay with calm water, snorkelling and beach stalls. - Laguna Gri Gri (Río San Juan)
Boat trips through mangroves to caves and coves. - Playa Grande (Río San Juan)
A long, golden Atlantic beach backed by cliffs and palms.
Arts and Culture
- Museo Judío de Sosúa (Sosúa)
The story of Jewish refugees who founded a settlement here in the 1940s.
Bars and Nightlife
- Lax (Cabarete Beach)
A beach bar where Cabarete's nightlife begins, with music on the sand.
Stays
- Casa Colonial Beach and Spa (Playa Dorada)
A boutique hotel with a rooftop pool overlooking the beach. - Natura Cabana (Cabarete)
Thatched cabanas and yoga by the sea, built from natural materials.
Places to Visit in Jarabacoa
Nature and Outdoors
- Salto de Jimenoa Uno (Jarabacoa)
A tall, thundering waterfall reached by a short path and steps. - Salto de Baiguate (Jarabacoa)
An easy walk or horse ride to a pretty waterfall and pool. - Balneario La Confluencia (Jarabacoa)
Where two rivers meet near town, a local spot for a cool dip. - Pico Duarte (La Ciénaga, Manabao)
A multi day guided trek to the highest summit in the Caribbean. - Aguas Blancas waterfall (Constanza)
A high, cool waterfall in the farming valley of Constanza. - Valle Nuevo National Park (Constanza)
A high plateau of pine forest and chilly nights, the coldest place in the country.
Things to Do
- White water rafting on the Río Yaque del Norte (Jarabacoa)
The country's best rafting, with half day trips suited to beginners.
Stays
- Rancho Baiguate (Jarabacoa)
A ranch hotel and activity centre for rafting, horse riding and canyoning. - Hotel Gran Jimenoa (Jarabacoa)
Riverside rooms with the sound of the rapids below.
Restaurants
- Aroma de la Montaña (Jamaca de Dios)
A mountain top restaurant with sweeping valley views.
Events
- La Vega Carnival (La Vega)
Sunday parades through February with the famous diablos cojuelos masks.
Places to Visit in Bayahibe
Nature and Outdoors
- Saona Island (Parque Nacional del Este)
Palm lined beaches and clear water on the country's best known island. - Piscina Natural (Saona Island)
A shallow sandbar where you can stand waist deep in the sea and see starfish. - Playa Dominicus (Dominicus, Bayahibe)
A long, calm beach with clear water and a public section. - Catalina Island (off La Romana)
Reefs and white sand on an island popular for snorkelling and diving.
Things to Do
- Mano Juan (Saona Island)
A tiny painted fishing village with a turtle conservation project. - Cueva de las Maravillas (between La Romana and San Pedro de Macorís)
A lit cave with hundreds of Taíno drawings, accessible to most visitors.
Arts and Culture
- Museo Arqueológico Regional (Altos de Chavón)
A small museum of Taíno pottery and carvings in Altos de Chavón.
Stays
- Viva Dominicus Beach (Dominicus)
A family friendly all inclusive on the calm Dominicus beach. - Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus (Dominicus)
A large resort with a lagoon and direct beach access. - Casa de Campo (La Romana)
A vast resort with golf, a marina and Altos de Chavón on its grounds.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Mamey Librería Café (Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo)
A bookshop café in a colonial house, good for a quiet coffee and Dominican books. - El Sartén (Calle Hostos, Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo)
A small, old school bar where locals dance son and bachata. - Santo Domingo Carnival parade (Malecón, Santo Domingo)
The national carnival parade in late February or March, with costumed groups from across the country. - Huracán Café (Los Corales, Bávaro, Punta Cana)
A beach bar with swings and loungers for cocktails as the sun goes down. - Whale Museum (Museo de la Ballena) (Santa Bárbara de Samaná, Samaná)
A small museum with a whale skeleton that explains the humpbacks' annual visit. - Boca del Diablo (Las Galeras, Samaná)
A blowhole on a rocky coast where the sea booms and sprays. - La Terrasse (Pueblo de los Pescadores, Las Terrenas, Samaná)
French bistro cooking with your table on the sand. - Mi Corazón (Las Terrenas, Samaná)
A rooftop dining room with an inventive menu, a favourite for a treat night. - Villa Serena (Las Galeras, Samaná)
A peaceful small hotel facing the sea at the end of the road. - Calle Rosa (Puerto Plata, Puerto Plata)
A pink painted lane with umbrellas and murals in the old town. - Museo del Ámbar Dominicano (Puerto Plata, Puerto Plata)
A small museum of amber with insects and plants trapped millions of years ago. - Brugal Rum Visitor Center (Puerto Plata, Puerto Plata)
Learn how one of the country's best known rums is aged and bottled. - Playa Alicia (Sosúa, Puerto Plata)
A small beach that appeared after a storm, tucked beneath the cliffs. - El Choco National Park (Cabarete, Puerto Plata)
Caves with underground swimming pools in the hills behind Cabarete. - Otra Cosa (La Punta, Cabarete, Puerto Plata)
French influenced cooking on a garden terrace by the sea. - Mares Restaurant (Puerto Plata, Puerto Plata)
Dominican Caribbean cuisine in an elegant house in town. - Restaurante El Rancho (Jarabacoa, Jarabacoa)
A long running local favourite for Dominican and international dishes. - Café Monte Alto (Jarabacoa, Jarabacoa)
A coffee producer offering tours on how beans become your cup. - Jarabacoa town market (Jarabacoa, Jarabacoa)
Local produce and mountain coffee in the town centre. - Sendero Padre Nuestro (Parque Nacional del Este, Bayahibe)
A forest trail to caves with Taíno drawings and freshwater pools. - Captain Kidd Living Museum in the Sea (Catalina Island, Bayahibe)
An underwater museum around the remains of a 1699 shipwreck. - Bayahibe village beach restaurants (Bayahibe, Bayahibe)
Fresh fish and pescado con coco by the fishing boats.