The Dominican Republic isn't one destination. Depending on where you stay, it's five different trips, and choosing the wrong one is how people end up bored at a resort or wishing they'd had more beach.
Choose the region first, then the hotel.
Punta Cana and Bávaro: the beach holiday
White sand, calm turquoise water and the country's biggest all-inclusive resorts.
- Best for: relaxing, families, honeymoons, first-timers who want it easy
- The catch: it's a resort strip. Most visitors never see the country. Plan at least one day out.
- Read: where to stay in Punta Cana, things to do in Punta Cana
Santo Domingo: history, food and city life
The capital, and the Zona Colonial, the oldest European city in the Americas. Cobbled streets, rooftop bars, the best food in the country.
- Best for: culture, food, nightlife, digital nomads
- The catch: it's a big, loud Caribbean city, and the beaches aren't the point
- Read: where to stay in Santo Domingo, the Zona Colonial
Puerto Plata and the north coast: town, beach and adventure
A real city with Victorian houses and a cable car, next to Sosúa's calm bay and Cabarete's kite beaches, with the 27 Charcos waterfalls inland.
- Best for: active travellers, longer stays, cruise passengers
- The catch: the beaches are wilder than Punta Cana's
- Read: Puerto Plata and the Dominican coast, Cabarete
Samaná and Las Terrenas: nature
A green peninsula of palm-lined beaches, waterfalls and, from January to March, humpback whales.
- Best for: nature, couples, whale season, slow travel
- The catch: it's further away and you'll rely on boats and motoconchos
- Read: Las Terrenas, whale watching in Samaná
Bayahíbe and La Romana: the quiet village
A small fishing village with calm water, the best diving in the country and the boats to Saona and Catalina islands. Casa de Campo and Altos de Chavón are next door.
- Best for: divers, quiet stays, a break between the capital and Punta Cana
- Read: the Bayahíbe guide
Combining regions
- One week: Punta Cana plus two nights in Santo Domingo. How to get between them.
- Ten days: add Samaná in whale season, or Puerto Plata the rest of the year.
- Full plan: the 7-day Dominican Republic itinerary.
Wherever you stay
The best day of most trips is the one spent with someone who lives there. Local Friends on Roavi can show you their part of the country: Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, Samaná.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best area to stay in the Dominican Republic?
It depends on the trip. Punta Cana for an all-inclusive beach holiday, Santo Domingo for history and city life, Puerto Plata and Cabarete for activity and a real town, Samaná for nature, and Bayahíbe for a quiet village and diving.Is Punta Cana or Puerto Plata better?
Punta Cana has the calmer, whiter beaches and the big resorts. Puerto Plata has more to do outside the hotel: a real city, the cable car, waterfalls and the kite beaches of Cabarete nearby.Where should I stay for my first trip to the Dominican Republic?
Most first-timers pick Punta Cana for ease. If you can, add two nights in Santo Domingo's Zona Colonial to see the country beyond the resort.Where should I stay to see whales?
Samaná, from roughly mid-January to late March, when humpback whales gather in Samaná Bay. Las Terrenas and Santa Bárbara de Samaná are the usual bases.