When planning a vacation, you chose the Caribbean? I will tell you about the resorts of the Dominican Republic: where is it better to relax. By what criteria to choose one or another resort. Although the Dominican Republic is a small island, the differences in resorts and coasts are huge.
Table of contents:
- Dominican Coast: General Facts and Key Differences
- Resorts of the Dominican Republic: list and description
- Resort Tips
Dominican Coast: General Facts and Key Differences
In this article, we will not consider the question of where the best hotels are, or where to find cool 5 star ultra all inclusive. You will read about all this in another article by the link. Here we will talk about the resorts of the Dominican Republic.
General facts that will give an idea about the resorts of the Dominican Republic
- The Dominican Republic is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the north and the Caribbean Sea in the south.
- If the temperature of the water is not reflected due to the Gulf Stream.
- There is a very big difference in climate and precipitation. The south is much drier and less green than the north.
- More about this in the article: Dominican Republic which sea or ocean.
- Safety in the resorts of the Dominican Republic is different
- Yes, the differences are not significant. Yes, now in general everything is fine in the Dominican Republic.
- There are resort areas where there are few or no large cities with a local population. In such resort areas, mainly from local, only attendants.
- Thus, in these zones, crime tends to zero. Even at night, within reason, it is safe to walk.
Example:
An example of such a zone is the resort of Punta Cana and what has already formed around it is also Cap Cana and Bavaro. These zones are for package tourists. There are many great hotels, cool beaches and completely safe.
Resorts of the Dominican Republic: list and description
Next, I will list all the main resorts of the country and give a brief description. Highlight the pros and where to show the cons. Then you yourself will decide what is critically important for you and what is not. It is to the resorts from the list below that all tour operators sell tours.
And what to take with you to the Dominican Republic, read the article at the link.
Northern resorts of the country
Let’s go in order. Below is a list of resorts that are located on the Atlantic Ocean and are located on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic.
Samana Peninsula
The most non-touristic resort, where the hotel business is in its infancy. But at the same time, there are interesting hotels on the seafront with cool views.
There are two towns on the peninsula, namely towns that are famous for their beaches. And the beaches of Madama and Fronton, which are quite difficult to get to, are in the TOP-20 of the most beautiful beaches in the entire Caribbean.
Two resort towns popular with tourists:
- Las Galeras
- Las Terrenas
Pros:
- Not crowded
- Lots of greenery
- Cool beaches. The beaches are really cool everywhere, but especially here.
- Most recently, some of the roads have been updated and expanded.
- Of the cool sights and excursions that are mandatory for everyone and which are within walking distance:
- El Limon waterfall
- Humpback whales
- Fronton Beach
- Madama beach
- Near Las Terrenas there are spots for surfing and kite surfing.
Cons:
Almost all flights from Europe arrive at Punta Cana Airport. It will take around 5 hours to get to Las Galeras from the airport. And at least 3 hours – from the capital Santo Domingo. It is perfect for this resort to arrive to Puerto Plata airport. But there, as a rule, flights arrive from North America: the USA and Canada.
Guide to the Samana Peninsula – available at the link.
Northern resorts of the Dominican Republic: Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete
The distance between the first and last city is 35 km. And in the middle is Sosua.
Pros:
- Good infrastructure, as these are cities where the locals live. There are supermarkets, markets, hospitals, bus stations, etc.
- A cool long beach is in Cabarete. Very popular with surfers.
- Of the cool attractions in the area:
- Dudu Lagoon and $1 bungee ride
- 27 waterfalls
- Cable car to Mount Isabel de Torres
- Monkey park
Cons:
- Puerto Plata is a large port city, not the best place for an all-inclusive holiday. The ocean here is more black than azure. Although from a height, from Mount Isabel de Torres, it’s even nothing.
- If you are looking for a hotel in Puerto Plata, then my advice is to look on the outskirts. And to the left and to the right of the city there are good hotel areas with cool beaches. And the port will be far away. The main thing here is that the farther from the center of Puerto Plata is better.
- Sosua is a town for which tourism is important, but not the main direction, such as Punta Cana. Of the cons of Sosua: there are only 4-5 small beaches. In season and on weekends, they are crowded with tourists and locals. Read more about Sosua here.
My personal choice from this trinity: Cabarete.
Southern resorts of the Dominican Republic
The southern resorts of the country are located on the Caribbean Sea. If you have already read the article about the weather in this guide, yes, it was written at the beginning. The water temperature in both the north and the south is the same all year round, differing by less than 1 degree Celsius. This is because, in the north and south, the warm global current of the Gulf Stream flows.
General advantages of the south:
- In general, a calmer area. The waves are smaller. Resorts here are usually located in lagoons.
- There are less winds than in the north. This is especially true during the rainy season.
- The water is more azure, but not everywhere and not always.
Bayahibe and Saona Island
Not the most popular resort, but one of the largest in terms of the number of vacationers in the south. There are both 5-star all-inclusive hotels and a large number of apartments with a kitchen, both for daily rent and for a couple of months.
I often hear that it is quite dirty on the beach. Honestly, I didn’t see it when I came here. Yes, not the cleanest beach in the country, but like all the others.
Pros:
- Although this is already the south coast, there is still enough greenery and palm trees.
- Calm sea.
- Close to Punta Cana airport.
- Of the cool attractions that are nearby:
- Undoubtedly, Saona Island with cool snorkeling and diving. Everyone who wants to visit this island departs from the province of La Romana, Bayahibe beach.
- City of artists – Altos de Chavon in colonial style. If anything, this is not a real city, but a tourist complex.
- Relatively not far away is Mount Redonda with its heavenly swings. Well, from Punta Cana and Bavaro twice as close to Mount Redonda. More about these resorts below.
- And only an hour and a half drive to the capital of Santo Domingo.
- Not far from the beach there are several caves with underground lakes.
Cons:
- The Bayahibe resort itself has very poor infrastructure. There are no large stores, no entertainment other than the beach either. To go further across the country, you need to go to La Romana, all trips are only with transfers.
- There are also few restaurants. Since all hotels operate on an all-inclusive basis.
In general, this resort will be good for those who have 5-7 days of rest, who need palm trees, a warm sea, an all-inclusive hotel. Less wind and travel around the island. Then this mini vacation will be perfect for you.
Boca Chica
A small resort where you can also buy a package tour. What is important to know about Boca Chica is that it is a poor suburb of Santo Domingo. The locals live here. Looking at the city, you understand that the poorest residents of Santo Domingo live here.
All the first line is occupied by good hotels. There are no complaints about them, everything is fine on the territory of the hotels, but not so much behind the fence. Immediately begin “slums”.
Let’s start with the cons.
- There is not much to do outside the hotel.
- Even more so at night.
- The infrastructure is weak, to the nearest good store along the highway towards Santo Domingo – 5-7 km.
- Where to walk, what to see: apart from the neighborhood of Santo Domingo, there is nowhere else to go.
Pros:
- The main airport of the country Las Americas, where flights from Europe also arrive in 10 minutes by taxi
- Well, I already wrote that the pros include the fact that the capital is very close.
This is where the pros ends. For me personally, this is my least favorite resort. Only if you stay in the hotel without getting out, because there is nothing interesting outside.
It is important to know:
In the south there is also the Bay of Eagles “resort”. This is a very beautiful national park. Getting there is long and difficult. There are no 5 * hotels there, 4 *, 3 *, 2 *, by the way, there are none either. But there is a cool Glamping and a cool Caribbean Sea! And since this is not a resort, I don’t write about it anymore here. But you should know that there is such a place in the south, and in detail about the Bay of Eagles, follow the link.
Eastern resort area of the Dominican Republic
These are resorts that are located right on the east coast of the Dominican Republic. There are no mountains that hold back clouds, there are many palm trees everywhere, endless beaches. Where exactly the Atlantic ends and the Caribbean begins is just as hard to say.
Punta Cana, Cap Cana, Bavaro
This is a resort area in the province of Punta Cana. The beaches and hotels of Punta Cana and Bavaro are the most visited in the country. There are most tourists here. And the whole resort consists of many kilometers of beaches, hotels with palm trees and pools along the entire seafront. Bavaro, Punta Cana and Cap Cana are real resorts for tourists.
Pros:
- White sand, a million palm trees, kilometers of beaches
- Close to Punta Cana airport, 10-20 minutes by taxi
- Most of the hotels are all-inclusive, pools, sun loungers everywhere
- It’s completely safe here, even at night.
- Cool attractions in the area:
Cons:
- Lots of tourists during the season
- There are pretty high prices for everything.
- The infrastructure outside of the hotels is weak. There are few shops, few exchange offices, even fewer restaurants. It is difficult to find a SIM card, although in other regions of the Dominican Republic there are mobile communication stores everywhere.
- The most intrusive and annoying in the entire Dominican Republic are sellers of excursions and souvenir shops on the beach.
Tips for choosing a resort in the Dominican Republic
My favorite and most favorite place is Las Terrenas and Las Galeras on the Samana Peninsula. Then comes Koson beach, the same in the north. These are the most beautiful and deserted resorts of the country. But during the rainy season it will be quite rainy here. It is better to choose something in the south.
For holidays with children or just in a 5 * hotel, all inclusive, if you don’t even want to leave the hotel, but just lie down, sleep, swim, then Punta Cana or Bavaro is ideal. The link is a rating of 5-stars hotels in different resorts of the Dominican Republic.
The driest region in the rainy season: Bay of Eagles, but I already wrote about it. You can come here for 1-2 days, no more.
My least favorite resort is Boca Chica. As for me, it has not a single pros over other resorts in the Dominican Republic.
In conclusion: if you are traveling around the Dominican Republic not in June-August, I recommend choosing the northern resorts of the country, such as Samana, Sosua, Cabarete, Puerto Plata. The infrastructure is better here, there are more attractions, here you will see the real Dominican Republic, and not just a hotel, a restaurant and a beach. Punta Cana and Bavaro are suitable for those tourists who are looking only for a beach holiday.
White sand for you, warm sea, and palm trees as in the bounty ad!
Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Dominican Republic
- Flights at the best prices with discounts
- Car rental: DiscoverCars – a largest international resource
- Hotels and apartments:
- Vacation packages:
- Tours, excursions and extreme activities:
- GetYourGuide – more than 800+ tours and water activities.
- Viator – 3500+ tours and excursions in Dominican.
- Comprehensive travel insurance: EKTA
- Internet and Calls:
- Airalo – eSIM with internet package.
- Drimsim – universal SIM card (or eSIM) in any country in the world.
- Taxi and airport transfers: Intui.Travel