Dominican Republic

‘Nothing soothes the soul like a walk on the beach’

I couldn’t wait to visit Dominican Republic with its white sands, crystal blue waters and swaying palm trees... PARADISE!!

First a little bit of history... 

This island is also known as Hispaniola and is the second biggest in the Caribbean which is made up of Dominican Republic and Haiti. These two countries are separated by a boarder and the people living on either side of the island rarely mix after decades of political tensions and mutual fears fed by a history of wars and massacres. People from Haiti who come over to Dominican Republic do so looking for work as the Dominican Republic is the more greener, rainier side of the island and has better farmland which means more jobs especially working in the sugar cane fields. Also it is a popular tourist destination which also creates more job opportunities. It’s sad to think that this is how things have ended up but hopefully in the future the government will sort themselves out and Haiti will be on many people’s travel lists as much as Dominican Republic is! 

Anyways... back to Dominican Republic!!

This beautiful place has so much to offer for couples, families and friends who are travelling together. Dominican Republic is a relaxing destination as well as an adventurous place so it is suited to your travelling preferences, you can do lots of exploring, or you can sit on a sun lounger all day taking in the beautiful views, it’s completely up to you!!! 

Punta Cana

This part of Dominican Republic is at the eastern tip and is a popular choice for most tourists. We stayed here at a resort called ‘Secrets’ and wasn’t disappointed. The hotel itself was fantastic but the 32km of white sand and clear blue water that was on our doorstep was breathtaking. We walked most of the beach whilst away, taking in all the different resorts situated on the front, breathing in the sea air and enjoying the warm sand beneath our feet. What a beautiful place! One thing I should mention is there are guys selling things everywhere along the beach front, as soon as you say no though they leave you alone. To be honest we got talking to a few guys finding out more about them and their lifestyle which was really interesting. 

Punta Cana is also known for its water sports, there are many options from kayaking to jet skiing, paragliding to snorkelling, there are so many options to take advantage of on this beautiful section of the coast. 

This part of the island is for relaxing, adventure or enjoying some of the nightlife. There are options for everyone! For me I was here to explore the beautiful island, relax with my partner and try all the local cuisine (as I love food) but I know that in Punta Cana town most people ventured out in the night to check out the clubs and bars. Also most of the hotels offer beach parties, shows and music but if that isn’t your thing then you can also enjoy peace and quiet and relax in your own space. 

Santo Domingo 

This is the capital city of Dominican Republic and offers rich historical heritage here on the island. It has museums, monuments and the first cathedral founded in America-The Columbus Alcazar. The streets are split between cobbled alleys where you can shop the day away and the other is a urban lifestyle which comes alive at night. 

Santo Domingo is also known for its largest market, Mercado Modelo, it’s not your typical market or shopping. Here you can buy love potions, exotic flowers, unusual artwork as well as try the local produce, you may grab yourself a bargain you never no. 

Samaná

This beautiful part of Dominican Republic is a colourful town surrounded by mountains and overlooks Samaná bay. We reached this destination by small aircraft which took us up in to the  mountains. Up here the famous waterfall ‘El Limón’ is situated but is only accessed by horseback or by foot. A very muddy and uneven trek but worth the visit. Below the 150m waterfall is a natural pool that you can cool off in or soak your feet ... A pretty place to see. 

Samaná town is colourful and looks like something from a film scene. The town is known for the humpback whales that visit at the sea front during the winter months, there is a museum on the front that gives you more details about the marine life and whales that visit.

Samaná bay is a beautiful island which is accessed by boat and shows off its white sands and crystal clear waters. There is one hotel on this island but you wouldn’t know as the island is very quiet and very pretty to walk around. We collected the most wonderful shells here.

Santiago

This is the second largest city in Dominican Republic and is known for its tobacco products and sugar cane fields that surround the city. This part of Dominican Republic is situated north of the island. The city has many notable landmarks like San Luis Fort which is now a museum for you to visit. 

Many travellers overlook Santiago but it is a good place to contemplate the real Dominican lifestyle. There are two parts, on one side the houses are constructed with iron roofs and look like they could fall down at any minute, and on the other you have a more wealthier neighbourhood where the roads are lined with mansions... but no matter who the people or where they live they always come together to cheer on their home team at a baseball game. Their stadium, Estadio Cibao, have games played two to three times a week by the countries 6 baseball teams. 

Saona Island 

A delightful island which is accessed by boat. We travelled here on a day trip by catamaran and was excited to explore the seas, see the marine life, visit the mangroves and see the palm fringed beaches. 

The island is located on the southeastern tip of the Dominican Republic. On the island there is a fishing village known as Mano Juan which has colourful shacks dotted about and is also home to a turtle sanctuary. Also on the west of the island is the Cave of Cotubanamá which has pre-Columbian rock art. 

There were many trips organised to go to this island so the main part became very busy, but we walked up the coastline to a more quieter spot and enjoyed snorkelling in the water seeing all the marine life around the corals and we loved the peace and quiet of a more deserted part of the island. 

Close by there is a natural pool where star fish come to rest at the bottom of the sea. The pools are shallow so you can literally walk around the middle of the ocean. The water is so clear here and we enjoyed seeing the colourful fish and bright starfish floating around. 

You are allowed to pick the starfish up but the bottom half of the starfish must be kept under water, if you take them out completely then they won’t be able to breath. 

So this was just some of the places we explored whilst exploring Dominican Republic, if we had more time we probably would of seen even more. 

This holiday destination should definitely be on your travel list to do, even if you don’t want to explore the island and your looking for a peaceful, beautiful relaxing holiday then this place is also for you, just do your research on hotels. 

I can definitely recommend ‘Secrets Resort’ in Punta Cana, this all inclusive hotel has a beautiful pool, good entertainment, helpful staff, lots of activities and options to explore and a relaxing feel. The big thing for me was the food, delicious and a wide selection. 

The only thing to keep in mind though is it is a adult only hotel which is great for people who are like us who don’t have kids, but not for families. The hotel next door ‘Dreams’ was for families and look great fun but you would have to look into it.

You won’t regret booking a holiday to Dominican Republic... trust me!!