Dominican Republic Guide
Things not to miss
1 Colonial Santo Domingo Chock-full of 500-year-old architecture – including the hemisphere's first cathedral, university, hospital and more.
2 Old-style Cuban son at the Mauna Loa Don't miss a Cuban son show in a plush Santo Domingo ballroom.
3 Parque Nacional Los Haitises Take a boat ride through a surreal snarl of mangrove swamps and prehistoric caves in the island's remote southeast.
4 Whale-watching in Samaná The unforgettable spectacle of humpback whale migration; catch it from December to February.
5 Playa Cosón The best beach on the island bar none, with gentle turquoise currents, swaying palms and soft white sand stretching for miles – and no crowds.
6 Watersports in Cabarete A bustling international enclave with the best windsurfing and kiteboarding in the hemisphere.
7 Hiking the Cordillera Central Pristine alpine wilderness in the Caribbean's highest mountains.