Dominican Republic Resorts
Our Resort Guides give you the opportunity to read first hand all about the diverse and beautiful Island of the Dominican Republic and help you choose where you would like to spend your vacation time. Our resort guides are written by people living on this fantastic island so the information is truthful, accurate and fun! Welcome to The Real DR
Tourism is nothing new to the Dominicans, after all they have been receiving a multitude of island revellers since Christopher Columbus dropped his anchor in 1492 invited or otherwise. Yes it has to be said that the Spanish were the first tour operators on the island followed ninety years later by the British Sir Francis Drake in 1586 (introducing a pint and plate of chips to the local Taino Indians) and not to be left out of this booming new business the French appeared on the map around 1605 bringing forth the first Pirate Ship boat.
Thankfully the more Genoese tour operators left the island some 600 years ago and the Dominican Republic opens her arms to a multitude of tourists from around the world each year. So where to go and what to see, where to stay and where to play, read on mis amigos.....
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Punta Cana is the most visited destination in the Caribbean. Located east of the Dominican Republic, bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and with a temperature ranging from 20ºC in winter to 32ºC in the summer is the perfect place to spend a great vacation.Punta Cana is made up of areas (from south to north) of Cap Cana (Juanillo), Punta Cana, Cabeza de Toro, Bavaro, El Cortecito, Arena Gorda, Macao and Uvero Alto. Today, Punta Cana has become one of the…
Bavaro, along with Punta Cana, is one of the most gorgeous resort areas in the Dominican Republic - It shares the same geographical area as Punta Cana - and can be reached by various means. Bavaro is one of the fastest growing resort areas in the Caribbean famed for it's white sand beaches and beautiful turquoise waters. For years Bavaro was sparsely populated with few hotels and dusty pot-holed roads that inter-linked them. A hand ful of visionaries at that…
Cap Cana is without doubt the most upmarket, upscale and luxurious resort in the Dominican Republic if not the Caribbean.Approximately the size of Manhaten and located on the most eastern coastline of the Dominican Republic, Cap Cana is literally ten to fifteen minutes away from Punta Cana International Airport, and within striking distance of the rapidly growing and firm travel favorite resorts of Bavaro and Punta Cana. Cap Cana is set to be one of the worlds finest vacation and…
Puerto Plata is the largest coastal town in the north and the eye line is dominated everywhere by the dramatic 2,600ft high Peak of Mount Isabel de Torres. Worth a trip up in the cable car (named the Teleferico) to amble slowly around the crumbling walls of the botanical gardens. Always cool and refreshing after the quivering heat waves in the town, the botanical gardens also retain a slice of rain forest and nature reserve with over 30 species of…
Playa Dorada is a short westerly 15 to 20 minute taxi/coach ride from Greogrio Luperon International Airport. Emerging from the airport you will pass through the sugar cane fields that line either side of the road swallowing you up in their tropical splendour. Playa Dorada is a lush resort set amidst tropical gardens and a superb Robert Trent Jones Golf Course 18 holes par 72. The 14 hotels in Playa Dorada are run on an ‘all-inclusive’ basis and are all…
Sosua is a unique yet typical Dominican seaside town located on the north coast of The Dominican Republic approximately 15 minutes taxi ride east of the Gregorio Luperón International Airport. Located on and around the beautiful bay of Sosua, the town is perfect for sunworshippers and those looking to enjoy a true tase of what life here in the Dominican Republic is all about. Just 15 minutes drive to the east of Sosua is the Watersports capital of the Dominican…
Cabarete has burst, exploded and errupted into being the fastest developing resort on the north coast. Only a 25 minute ride away from Gregorio Luperon International Airport in an easterly direction prepare yourself for the surfing and kite boarding Mecca in the whole of the West Indies. The towns development owes everything to this addictive sport when the legendary windsurfer Jean Laporte put Cabarete on the map back in 1984 after he discovered it’s near perfect surfing conditions. Benefiting from…
Samana can be reached by road just simply heading further east along the coast from Playa Grande and then Cabrera, and so on. One will find that the two main bus companies Metro and Caribe will drive into Samana from the north coastal town of Puerto Plata from the east coast and also Santo Domingo. Over the very hilly southern side of the peninsular leading you first into the pretty town of Las Terrenas the road is relatively good and…
Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and is a massive melting pot of cultures, customs, history and traditions, vibrant and colourful as the “old new world” meets with the modern. Santo Domingo is accessible from all parts of the DR, and is located in the South of the country. Great bus services from the north and south of the island do run on an hourly basis whilst the international airport of Las Americas welcomes people from overseas.…
La Romana is a busy coastal town located close to the Eastern side of the country about half way between Santo Domingo and Punta Cana and is the 3rd largest city Dominican Republic. It´s main economy is tourism and sugar and is even "richer" than San Pedro de Macoris, a town nearby and much larger mainly due to very large tourist complex in the city - Casa de Campo. La Romanas population in 2005 was estimated at around 250,000, however…
Las Terrenas situated on the north east coast of the peninsula can be reached by the steep mountain road (up to 450 metres high) or by small private plane. The road is in pretty good condition and the views are so spectacular, the countryside with its abundant greenery makes for a delightful drive anyway. Gua guas (local buses) will take this route also.Once a pretty fishing village with only Dominican families Las Terrenas was a relatively quiet rustic place until…
The main reason visitors stop here is to use it as base camp from which to visit Parque Nacional Del Este, a park just east of Bayahibe on a peninsula jutting south into the Caribbean. The national park maintains a maze of forests, trails, caves and cliffs, home to an impressive array of birdlife and signs of early Taíno activity. Not much of the park, however, is conveniently accessible; no roads lead directly into its interior, and the best method…
If you are looking for a quiet and relaxing family vacation, then Juan Dolio is the destination in the Dominican Republic for you. Juan Dolio is almost exactly half way between Santo Domingo and La Romana and only 20 minutes away from Boca Chica. This small town is almost a complete reverse to Boca Chica - It is a lot less crowded and there are less hustlers and hawkers, but does offer privacy along with some stunning tropical views. Juan…
To reach Barahona follow the coast west from Santo Domingo as it curves along the Caribbean coastline. The is a small international airport on the outskirts of Barahona called Maria Montez but most people travel by road. The carretera Sanchez (coast road leaving from Santo Domingo) eventually becomes Highway 44 and stretches all the way to the Haitian border. The road is in pretty good shape but be warned after leaving west of Barahona there are some pretty scarey windy…
Bahia Maimon (Riu Merengue, Riu Bachata and Riu Mambo Hotels). Still traversing in a westerly direction and past Cofresi lies the sleepy fishing village of Bahia Maimon. About a fifty minute journey from Gregorio Luperon International airport you will find the Riu Hotel chain have built 3 truly 5 star hotels. The Riu Merengue , Riu Mambo and the newest hotel the Riu Bachata complete with in house casino. All 3 hotels have restaurants and service of the highest quality,…
Luperon is a good 1 hour and 40 minutes or so commute from Gregorio International Airport in Puerto Plata. The new airport in Santiago is probably a little closer (by 15/20 minutes) and most large charter and scheduled companies from Canada and the United States now fly in and out of Santiago airport. European charter flights are still not available from Santiago airport. Luperon is coastal however one needs to travel inland a good way to reach out to the…
Just 15 minutes east of the Dominican Capital, Santo Domingo, lies Boca Chica. This is a fishing village that has had its share of problems in the past as a tourist destination. Now, Boca Chica has shrugged off most of the negativity surrounding it and has become a popular destination for local and foriegn visitors alike. Being so close to Santo Domingo, Boca Chica´s beach is considered as "the" beach of Santo Domingo. Due to its proximity to Santo Domingo´s…
Cofresi is just outside the town of Puerto Plata still heading west and set on a hillside affording those the spectacular view of the deep blue and green turquoise waters of the Atlantic. Approx 45 minutes from Gregorio International Airport. Cofresi earned it’s name after the infamous Puerto Rican pirate named Roberto Cofresi. The stunning resort of EMI Sun Village Hotel (Currently closed for refurbishment and under new management) is located right at the entrance to Cofresi and the whole…
Constanza is located 30 miles south of Jarabacoa and is a small town situated in a valley at the agreeable altitude of 4,264 feet. Lush and picturesque Constanza brings an almost Swiss like feeling amidst this Caribbean Island. A lot of the surrounding area has now been deforested however there is still masses and masses of farmland with potato, garlic and strawberry, lettuce and apple crops. A town with a lot of diversity many wealthy Dominicans have vacation retreats here,…
Considered one of the more beautiful places to live and visit in the Dominican Republic, Cabrera is a relativly small town in the province of María Trinidad Sánchez about 15km east of Rio San Juan and appoximately 1.5hr drive from Puerto Plata´s International Airport. Cabrera was originally named "Tres Amarras" when it was founded on July 1st, 1891 - but soon renamed itself in honor of General Jose Cabrera who was one of the heroes of the famous Capotillo Battle.…
Punta Cana is a fast paced resort on the east coast of the Dominican Republic. The hotels and all inclusive resorts offer an unrivelled asortment of sports and relaxation on the same complex. Its little woncder that Punta Cana is so popular with American, Canadian and European visitors. There is, however, another side to Punta Cana, that some, but not all visitors experience to the maximum of what is out there. We've put together this simple list of things to…
