About 2 million visitors make their way to the Dominican Republic every year; visiting the island for the superb sprawling beaches, great year round weather and the excellent value for money resorts. There’s so much more on offer too, from arid desserts and vast mountain ranges to magnificent waterfalls, lush tropical rainforests and of course the Latin American charm. The north is the most popular area, providing affordable accommodation, great golden beaches and a lively nightlife. The west coast is quieter, offering more upscale resorts and some stunning white sandy beaches. In the south you’ll find the most secluded resorts, the island’s most breath-taking beaches and it’s ideal for exploring the island’s capital Santo Domingo.
Things to see and do in the Dominican Republic:
Attractions: The island’s UNESCO-listed capital, Santa Domingo, in the South of the island is a wonderfully energetic city with beautiful sights to explore. Head to the heart of the city, the Zona Colonial, with its cobbled streets and stunning historic sights such as the The Cathedral of Santa María la Menor (also known as Catedral Primada de América) the oldest cathedral in the Americas – and the equally historic fortress the Fortaleza Ozama. Elsewhere on the island, if you can tear yourself away from the stunning white beaches, there are plenty of other attractions to explore. Take an exciting excursion to the Damajaqua Cascades (also called 27 Waterfalls) in Puerto Plata to view some of the country’s thrilling cascades or discover the colourful tropical birds and butterflies at the Parque del Este National Park in Bayahibe.
Events/festivals: In February, head to the streets of Santo Domingo or La Vega for the biggest of the island’s Carnival celebrations. The carnival began as a religious pre- Lent activity but has now included the celebration of Dominican independence, which is on the 27th February and you will find parties, processions, salsa dancing and live music taking place across all the weekends in the month. The Dominican Republic Jazz Festival (or DR Jazz Fest) is an annual event that takes place in November in the North of the island where local and international artists come together to perform, take workshops and generally make music!
Sports: Baseball is big business in the Dominican and the Winter Professional Baseball Championship sees the island’s six professional teams compete against each other in an exciting event. This event takes place between mid October at the end of December and is a great time to catch a game. If watching golf is more your thing, head to Punta Cana in November for the Dominican Republic Golf Open when top class golfers compete in this event. The Dominican Republic is renowned for having some great golf courses with several championship courses dotted across the island. Watersports are also in abundance and you’ll find some fabulous scuba diving sites and and snorkelling opportunities.
Nightlife: The Dom Rep has plenty of nightlife options to suit all tastes – from bars with live music, nightclubs to more relaxing spots where you can chill out with a cocktail or two or a bottle of the island’s most famous beer, Presidente. The capital of Santo Domingo has a vibrant nightlife scene as has the more tourist spots of Puerto Plata, Punta Cana and Bavaro where you’ll find lots of bars and clubs. For the most authentic night out in the Dominican, visit a car wash at night – it might sound a little crazy, but these are transformed at night into mini nightclubs with a heady mix of booze and Dominican music and lots of locals.
Eating/Drinking: Many of the hotels on the island offer an all-inclusive option with a range of gourmet international cuisine. Dominican cuisine itself is a mix of Spanish, Taino and African flavours. Some of the tasty local dishes include pastele en hoja which is a meat turnover wrapped and steamed in banana leaves, and chicharrones de poola which is chicken fried in a mild spicy batter. Popular drinks are Presidente beer which is produced on the island and Mama Juana which is a heady concoction of local wines, rum, honey which is soaked in a bottle with herbs and tree bark.
Shopping: Shopping in the more tourist parts of the Dominican Republic usually involve open air markets and small shopping centres where you can pick up some local crafts, souvenirs cigars and rum. For the best shopping on the island however, head to the capital of Santo Domingo where you will find larger shopping centres and many smaller shops and boutiques.
When to go
The Dominican Republic is a great destination for warm weather all-year-round, thanks to its location next to the equator. The most popular time of year to visit is in the winter months when crowds escape cooler climes in other parts of the world. Hurricane season runs between July and September, however, storms don’t often linger and usually pass in about 24 hours.
Offering total seclusion and privacy, this ultra-luxurious boutique hotel, affiliated with Relais & Châteaux is one of Punta Cana's finest.
Learn MoreThis luxury resort rests on a stunning beach and is a great all-rounder, providing a tropical experience for both couples and families.
Learn MoreThis hotel offers great value for money and its location is ideal, set on a peaceful stretch of beach yet close to Puerto Plata's nightlife.
Learn MoreThis impressive resort is ideally situated on the palm fringed sands of Punta Cana and perfectly combines luxury and comfort.
Learn MoreLocated near the lively town of Puerto Plata and resting upon the beautiful shores of Playa Dorada, this resort offers everything.
Learn MoreResting on a gently sloping beach, near to the fishing village of Bayahibe, this beautifully hotel provides luxurious relaxation.
Learn MoreWhy choose eShores?
One to One Service
Our experienced personal travel consultants will ensure you find the most suitable holiday, whilst taking care of every last detail. Everything from start to finish will be effortless.
100% Tailor Made
We can use any hotel, in any destination, so we will craft an itinerary to suit your exact needs. Also, as we can provide any itinerary, the only holiday we'll offer, is the one that's right for you.
Fully Protected
Our ATOL bonding provides you with the financial protection you need and as a member of the Travel Trust Association, you'll have 100% financial protection. Covering you for any eventuality.
Competitive Pricing
As a tour operator & travel agent, we'll search the market to ensure that we find you the best price. Also as an online business, we can ensure our prices are as competitive as possible.
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TeresaFrancina
Eshore’s are an excellent company I can’t praise them enough, especially Adam who has been amazing. He was really patient as I’m indecisive and changed my mind several times. He persevered and found us a dream holiday and put together great itinerary covering every aspect of our journey . Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances we had to cancel the trip and Adam went above and beyond to recoup as much as possible for us. It was a huge help & felt very personal as if he were a friend. We have rescheduled the holiday & will use Eshores for all future trips’
Posted 20 hours ago -
DebbieAnn
Nick was helpful from start to finish, helped us with any concerns, would recommend( not been on the holiday yet but sure we won’t be disappointed)
Posted 1 day ago -
KarenBryant
Lynette has been very accommodating it meeting all of our requests and changes and also with her suggestions. Price was good too.
Posted 2 days ago -
Chuk
I had never heard of eshores till I decided to plan a multi-stop holiday in Turkey some weeks ago. The decision to use eshores was based on a quick internet search for any help I could get with this. So, i wasnt really expecting much. As the planning was at relatively short notice...and we had never travelled to Turkey, I was pleasantly surprised at the support I had from Rachel at eshores who listened to what I wanted and was patient to go back and forth with me till I had the exact holiday I wanted (Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya). I always had a response with every query(and I had quite a few!!). The travel itself worked like a dream...both international and domestic flights were straightforward, but even more surprising was how reliable the multiple taxis to and fro airports were, even when picking up at 0330!! Overall, the experience has been very positive and I would be very happy to use the service again
Posted 3 days ago -
carol
We have just booked a two centre holiday in the Caribbean through eshores. This was the first time we've used this company them and found them to be GREAT. Lynette helped us find the perfect holiday, she was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and efficient. Thank you.
Posted 5 days ago -
Stephen
To be honest, I had not used eShores before, however, after arranging our holiday plans with Michelle, I will certainly be back. Very helpful and knowledgeable and we are delighted with the advice received and all the travel arrangements, choice of hotels and flight times. Thank you so much.
Posted 6 days ago -
Michaela
Booking was great and easy with Rachael. She was polite and listened to our requirements. I am positive the experience will be a fantastic holiday in October !
Posted 6 days ago -
Carole
Just booked a two centre Caribbean holiday through eShores and Rachel was extremely helpful. She listened to our needs and nothing was too much trouble for her. Her pleasant and friendly manner made it easy to discuss our requirements and made the whole process so easy.
Posted 1 week ago -
John
I found eShores efficient and helpful. Dave Felton found me good times, prices and hotels for a twin trip to Krakow & Warsaw and dealt effectively with any concerns I had. Definitely recommended.
Posted 1 week ago -
Debbie& Mick
Nick arranged a 2 week trip to Argentina & Brazil for us in March. We were happy with the itinerary he put together and his choice of hotels. We had a good level of contact from taxi companies for collections at airports & hotels. On our return he checked everything had gone smoothly which was a nice touch. I mentioned that I was looking for a beach holiday in a couple of months and he put together some hotels at a good price so I’ve booked again with him. I would definitely use Nick, EShores, again and recommend them to friends.
Posted 1 week ago
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