Is it worth flying across the ocean to lie on the sand, even snow-white, or swim in the ocean, even in the Atlantic? This is how skeptics who have never been to the Caribbean argue. Local beaches are considered the most beautiful in the world, and their images decorate advertising brochures and guidebooks for a reason. For those who appreciate beauty, a beach vacation in the Dominican Republic will be the most delightful adventure and will leave a mark for a long time in the form of a bronze tan and memorable photos in a family album.
Where to go to sunbathe?
The coast of the Dominican Republic stretches for several hundred kilometers, and its best resorts are located on the shores of the Atlantic and the Caribbean:
- Only the lazy has not heard about Punta Cana. It's here - bounty-style beaches, aromatic cigars, hundreds of cocktail recipes in every bar, and ideal snorkelling conditions.
- The beaches of Boca Chica are always warm. Located on the Caribbean coast, the resort beats its competitors a few extra degrees of heat even during the winter season.
- But Puerto Plata, on the contrary, is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. In its "asset" - more than a dozen comfortable hotels, each of which is a self-sufficient club with a complete set of tourist infrastructure. The white beaches of Puerto Plata stretch for 120 km.
- The Samana Peninsula and Las Terrenas are a great choice for those who cannot imagine a vacation without a vibrant nightlife. With sunset, dozens of nightclubs and bars with discos open at the resort, and therefore the main local contingent is young people.
Weather features of a beach holiday in the Dominican Republic
The climate of the Dominican Republic is tropical, although the heat is often mitigated by trade winds. The air temperature, even at the height of the summer season, rarely exceeds + 30 ° С, and in winter it is never colder than + 25 ° С on the beaches of the Dominican Republic. The water on Atlantic beaches warms up to + 24 ° C in winter and + 27 ° C in summer. The Caribbean Sea is equally warm at any time of the year - up to + 27 ° С.
In the Dominican resorts, the weather differences are quite insignificant. The rainy season on the local beaches usually starts in May and lasts until the first weeks of autumn. Precipitation is frequent, plentiful, but rather short-lived and usually spills in the afternoon. From August to October, hurricanes sometimes sweep over the island of Haiti, where the Dominican Republic is located, affecting the Atlantic coast. During this period, strong humidity is also added, and therefore the end of summer is not the best time for a beach holiday in the Dominican Republic.
Caribbean paradise
Boca Chica resort on the Caribbean Sea is located near the capital of the Dominican Republic. By the way, it is from here that it is easiest to go on an excursion to Santo Domingo. The lagoon, in the depths of which local beaches stretch, is protected from the waves by a coral reef, and therefore Boca Chica is an ideal place for families with children and for divers.
Active travelers prefer the resort for its varied sports opportunities. On the beaches of Boca Chica, there are rental shops for equipment for water skiing and diving, windsurfing and snorkeling. Yachts in the local marina are ready to go to sea at the first request of fans of sailing or fishing, and those who love horse riding will love the local friendly horses.
When choosing a resort for families with small children, keep in mind that the local hotels are located at a sufficient distance from the beach.
For divers and aesthetes
The best resorts for divers in the Dominican Republic are considered La Romana. However, they should have at the same time a fairly solid wallet, because the local hotel complex has been assigned the highest class in the hotel classification.
To services of visitors - tennis courts and horseback riding, diving and golfing. Great entertainment in La Romana is sea fishing. Its organization is dedicated to the business of local travel companies, and the result can be a record catch in the form of barracuda, tuna or swordfish.
The high level of prices for tours to La Romana forms a special contingent. Here you can meet solid American businessmen, wealthy tourists from Europe and wealthy Mexicans. Young people, even the most "golden", will find it boring in La Romano - the resort does not have noisy entertainment. Family vacations with children are not practiced here due to the not very convenient entrance to the sea: sharp corals can be dangerous for babies.
Acquaintance with the Caribbean culture
When choosing a place for your upcoming beach holiday in the Dominican Republic, pay attention to the schedule of cultural events and festivals. Carnival in the capital of the country takes place on the eve of Great Lent, and another one in August is dedicated to the Day of Restoration. The Caribbean Culture Festival is one of the largest events in the country, taking place in June. Its program includes jazz and blues concerts and folklore shows in the Puerto Plata resort.
Useful information
- Many Dominican hotels were built a couple of decades ago, and due to the local climate and mentality, some of them no longer correspond to the declared stars. When booking a tour and choosing where is better, be sure to study the reviews of previous guests.
- If animation in a hotel is a prerequisite for your vacation, do not expect too much that it will be in Russian or even English. Most of the staff at local hotels speak only Spanish.
- For a beach holiday in the Dominican Republic, you should prefer the all-inclusive option, since the tourist infrastructure outside the hotel area is not very developed here. When going outside the hotel area, it is important to be careful and attentive and carefully look after personal belongings.
- It is not recommended to use ice in drinks sold on the streets.
If you dream of getting to the Dominican Republic during the Caribbean Carnival, book tours in advance. In February, there is usually a large flow of tourists, and therefore hotel prices skyrocket and you may not choose suitable rooms in the high season.
