Dominican Republic

⚠️ Entry rules and local regulations change without notice. Before booking, check entry requirements and local rules — visas, access, nature reserves, visitor quotas — with the official authorities.

Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola. A must-visit Caribbean destination, it offers 1,600 km of coastline, dream beaches at Punta Cana and Puerto Plata, a UNESCO-listed colonial capital, spectacular waterfalls and a vibrant, mixed culture.

Far more than Punta Cana

The country has a geography you would never guess from a beach club: it holds Pico Duarte (3,098 m), the highest summit in the whole Caribbean, and Lake Enriquillo, a salt expanse below sea level and populated by crocodiles. Between the two lie four quite distinct regions.

Punta Cana and Bávaro, in the east, concentrate the large all-inclusive resorts and forty kilometres of white sand. The Samaná peninsula, in the north-east, is the opposite: coconut groves, the El Limón waterfall, the Los Haitises national park and its mangroves. Puerto Plata and Cabarete, on the north coast, are kitesurfing country thanks to the trade winds. Santo Domingo, finally, deserves two days: its Zona Colonial, UNESCO-listed, is the first European city in the Americas, founded in 1498, with the continent's first cathedral.

Music is not decoration here: merengue and bachata, both recognised by UNESCO, are danced everywhere, and the best memory of a trip is often made on a Sunday evening in a village square.

The dry season — and the whales

From December to April the weather is dry and warm: this is high season. From August to October cyclone risk peaks and many establishments cut their rates. But there is a very precise reason to aim for mid-January to mid-March: humpback whales come to breed in Samaná Bay then, one of the most reliable gatherings in the world — several thousand animals, watchable from a few metres away.

Formalities, pesos and motoconchos

One formality not to forget: the country requires an electronic entry and exit form, completed online within the 72 hours before each flight. It is free, but without it you are stopped at boarding.

The Dominican peso is the official currency; the US dollar is accepted in tourist areas, often at an unfavourable rate — better to change locally. To get around, motoconchos (motorbike taxis) are everywhere and cheap, but without helmet or insurance: for longer distances prefer the intercity coaches, comfortable and punctual, or a hire car if you leave the beaten track.

Essentials & your questions