The best Dominican resorts on the Caribbean Sea. Dominican Republic: which coast to choose for your holiday? Dominican Republic beaches on the Caribbean Sea

If you are just going on vacation and are mentally prepared for a transatlantic flight, then a holiday in the Caribbean will be the right choice at any time of the year. Read reviews from tourists about the Dominican Republic - here are the best beaches in the world for comfortable swimming and relaxing with children. Believe me, or better yet, check it out. Americans love the Dominican Republic as much as, probably, only Canadians adore Cuba. For them, this visa-free paradise is much closer. And if you want to meet and celebrate New Year at sea, then you should come here too. How long is the flight to the Dominican Republic? Which resort should you choose? Let's find out! And the rating of the 10 best resorts in the Dominican Republic, which the editors compiled based on reviews from professionals, will help with this.

How to get there?

There are no trains to America yet, you will have to fly. The flight to the Dominican Republic will take about 13 hours if you fly from Moscow or St. Petersburg on a direct flight to Punta Cana. Or a little longer with a connection in Europe or the USA.

Resorts of the Dominican Republic. What to choose?

As they say, “what is good for a Russian is death for a German.” Ours are looking for the best beaches, foreigners prefer to relax by the pool. Families with children choose hotels with a large territory and abundant “all inclusive”; active young people prefer sports, new interesting places and bright nightlife. We offer brief description top 10 popular resorts, and the choice is yours.

No. 1. Punta Cana

If you don’t want to guess about where to go and which Dominican resort to choose, go to Punta Cana. Transfer from the airport will take no more than half an hour. There is the largest selection of hotels from international hotel chains. There is no point in comparing Barcelo and Melia, Iberostar and Bahia Principle. Everyone is good. But 5* and 4* differ greatly. Both in price and in terms of food, and in terms of the number of services and amenities included in the “all inclusive” package. If the size of the room is not important to you, the presence of branded cosmetics in the bathroom, if a good buffet is enough for you and you don’t need themed ala cartes, if the minimal selection of imported alcohol does not bother you, and you came for the sea and sun, - 4* for first line would be a good choice. Punta Cana is the most popular resort among tourists from Russia. People come here for gorgeous beaches and palm groves, easy shopping within walking distance, discos and casinos, the usual large hotels (on the territory, the buildings are no taller than a palm tree), a carefree resort atmosphere and an abundance of daytime and evening entertainment inside the hotel.

No. 2. Cap Cana

Cap Cana is for those who want to choose a new, prestigious and most expensive resort. Punta Cana Airport is just a stone's throw away. Truly wealthy people can afford to relax here. People like Donald Trump, for example. They say that he already owns half of the local real estate. And it’s not even a matter of superlatives and epithets that beg to be spoken in this fabulous place. It's expensive here and smells of money. Luxurious villas with private areas and swimming pools, golf courses from world-class designers, luxury yachts in the marina and boutique hotels scattered along the endless beach among palm groves. Everything is very beautiful. So much so that all young couples who choose the resorts of the Dominican Republic for a festive ceremony and honeymoon dream of a wedding photo shoot in Cap Cana.

No. 3. La Romana

Less popular among our tourists due to its distance from the airports of Santo Domingo and Punta Cana. La Romana's own airport does not yet accept flights from Russia. But Americans feel at home here. The huge private tourist complex Casa de Campo covers an area of ​​7,000 hectares. Built with American style, the resort has two excellent world-class golf courses, a shooting range and hunting club, tennis courts, stables, excellent diving and spearfishing. But with “all inclusive” it’s not so good. The entire territory is built up with villas, which Americans rent or timeshare with large families and companies. Everything is quiet, cultural, private. You can find out whether the villa is occupied by the presence of a car in the parking lot, the aromas of barbecue and children's laughter from behind the fence.

No. 4. Boca Chica

Just 30 km from Santo Domingo and you are in Boca Chica. The beaches are not as wide as in Punta Cana, but just as snow-white. But the coral reef comes very close to the shore. Small children here need to be supervised at all times. The entrance to the water is gentle, but sharp pieces of coral constantly wash up on the beach. But there is plenty for lovers of water sports: windsurfing, sailing, water skiing. Every April, Boca Chica hosts an international sport fishing tournament. Local hotels quite modest 3* and 4*.

No. 5. Juan Dolio

Like Boca Chica, the resort town of Juan Dolio is located on the Caribbean coast of the Dominican Republic. The capital of the country is 55 km away. There are also a lot of corals near the beach, budget hotels and coastal cafes. Good diving, but going into the water without special shoes is unlikely to be possible.

No. 6. Puerto Plata

No. 7. Cabarete

Isn't it a sonorous name for a small resort village on the Atlantic coast of Puerto Plata? Respectable parents with a litter of children do not come here. Young people with boards ride the waves during the day and have fun in the evenings in bars and discos. Here it is equally easy to make non-binding acquaintances in the rhythms of merengue and bachata or meet your destiny. It’s not for nothing that local beauties regularly make their competitors in the Miss Universe contest nervously chew their manicures.

No. 8. Sosua

Another haven for young and lonely lovers of a hassle-free holiday. The small town is comfortably hidden in a quiet bay not far from Puerto Plata. As in Cabarete, it is full of bars, discos, entertainment and drinking establishments, between which young and not so fond of new acquaintances move. Even if you've had too much to drink, you're not in danger of waking up alone on the beach or getting caught by the police. Local residents have long been accustomed to tourists and will always give them a helping hand in any situation.

No. 9. Samana

The protected Samana peninsula will be appreciated by romantics and ecotourism lovers. The best sandy beaches are deserted, and in the sea you can see dolphins and manatees. And the nature here is so pristine that, if you are lucky, you will see with the naked eye the mating games of humpback whales from mid-January to mid-March. Best place for a romantic getaway away from the bustle of the city and for observing the underwater beauty is located here. This is the island of Cayo Levantado. Only three 5* beach hotels in the all-inclusive category belong to the Spanish chain Bahia Principe.

No. 10. Saona

The largest and most deserted island off the coast of the Dominican Republic. There are no hotels here, but you can relax in two ways. The first is to go on an excursion on a yacht or boat for a couple of hours, the second is to buy a villa, as Bill Gates, Madonna and Julio Iglesias have already done. Tourists often choose the first. The excursion includes boat trip with a stop on a sandbank: depth 1 m, starfish live at the bottom, with which everyone loves to take pictures, but you need to release the stars back into the water quickly, air is contraindicated for them. And, of course, swimming in the shallow lagoon, massage in the shade of palm trees, barbecue and cocktails on the beach.

Summarizing the above, we can answer the question of what are the pros and cons of the Dominican Republic. If everything is more or less clear with the advantages, then the disadvantages are not so obvious, or rather, there are practically none. Maybe a long flight? Or an overabundance of sea and sun, love and joy? Or the feeling that all good things come to an end and it is unknown when you will be able to escape the cold winter again? You need to live today! Come to the Dominican Republic, this is great option to celebrate the New Year at sea.

There is a bar with drinks and a cafe with food on the beach. So you can lie on the beach and drink and eat all day without going far). You can take gondola boats to the sea for free from the hotel. At first it seemed difficult to row the oars and I was afraid that we might capsize, but as it turned out, everything was simple, the main thing was to row synchronously. We sailed on boats to the mangroves. Here, in some places, it is also not deep and you can stand in the water up to your waist. There are many nests with egrets on the tops of mangrove trees.

You can rent catamarans, we negotiated for $8 for 4 adults and a child. Catamarans are cool with a slide.

The hotel beach is separated from the public beach by pebbles. This is to local residents, traders could not enter the territory where tourists rest.

But there was also an unpleasant incident on the beach. At first there were enough sun loungers for everyone on the beach. After breakfast we went to the beach and there was always a place to lie down. But closer to the weekend there were more people, there were a lot of races. And in the morning, no matter what time you came, everything was occupied with towels, and there were no people on the beach. We started the riot. There were three sun loungers on top of each other and on the top towel; we took the two bottom ones. The security guard ran up to us and in clear Spanish, as we understood, told us “busy.” My husband said in pure Russian that he didn’t understand him, and that there were no people at all, which means the sunbeds were free. Then a German came to the beach and also began to get angry that there was no one and everything was busy. He collected all the towels from the sun loungers and scattered them along the beach. We took our sun loungers and shook hands with the German. The whole problem is that the guard took money from tourists in order to take their places from the very beginning of his working day. We don’t know exactly what the hotel management did with him afterwards. But the next day after this incident, more sunbeds appeared and the security guard himself ran and brought us sunbeds when we came to the beach.

At the hotel reception you can sign up for dinner at the Caribbean restaurant, which is located on the beach. Well, nothing surprised us there, the same dishes as on the buffet. But lobster and shrimp are available for a fee. And what they brought us was not what we ordered from the menu.

The weather pleased us. Not a single rain in all the days. The sea is a little cool in the morning, but by lunchtime, and even more so in the evening, it is pleasantly warm. The sun is not scorching, the climate is comfortable. In the morning it became light around seven o'clock and dark at seven in the evening.

The local population is allowed to carry firearms, so everyone here has a pistol. We watched as two local guys staged a showdown during the day, pointing pistols at each other, but as I understand it, they measured each other with guns and went in different directions. The city has one main street with benches and shops; in the evening it is blocked off and tables from cafes are placed on the road. You need to bargain with the sellers, they must knock off at least half of the price. So we negotiated excursions well. We bought it right on the beach from Roberto. To the island of Saona $50, to the capital Santo Domingo $10 per person. The locals are very fond of the word commission; for every tip, wave of the hand, etc. they ask for a tip.

Excursion to Saonu Island.

We specially took it on a day off, since there are a lot of local residents on our beach on weekends. so it is difficult to enter the sea. I was amazed by the punctuality; the bus arrived at the hotel on time without delay. Next, as always, we collected all the tourists and went to the city from where the boat departs. On the boat they serve rum and cola, which promotes a good mood. Saona is the largest island of the Dominican Republic.

The Caribbean beckons us with its exoticism, snow-white beaches and incredible tropical beauty. The Dominican Republic boasts the best resorts with developed infrastructure in the Caribbean - real paradise for romantics.

We will tell you about the most popular resorts Dominican Republic, let's take a walk through picturesque beaches this country, we will look for calm places with no waves and snow-white sand, we will find out everything about prices and holiday conditions. You have heard about Macau Beach and Punta Cana before, but now you will explore them thoroughly.

The most popular Dominican resorts

Dominican resorts are rightfully considered elite - kilometers of carefree, oblivion and sun. Whatever your purpose for flying to the Dominican Republic, this country will fully meet your expectations. Here are the main vacation destinations at the local resorts:

• nightlife (clubs, discos, restaurants);
• family vacation;
• diving;
• windsurfing;
• yachting;
• holidays and carnivals;
• honeymoon trips;
• beach holiday.

There are many resorts in the Dominican Republic, but which one is better? How to navigate what to choose in this tropical diversity? Dominican resorts have one thing in common - it is for this reason that travelers strive to get to the Caribbean region. The beaches here are distinguished by an atmosphere of calm, comfort and privacy. We will mention the most popular holiday destinations in the Dominican Republic, and which resort to choose is up to you:

• La Romana;
• Punta Cana;
• Puerto Plata;
• Juan Dolio;
• Viking;
• Macau Beach;
• Boca Chica;
• Santa Domingo.

List these paradises it is possible ad infinitum, but we will focus on resorts located in the water area Caribbean Sea. The water here is saltier, the tides are weak, and the sea is calm.

The cost of a helicopter trip is $60.

The best Dominican beaches: three of the most beautiful

Dominican Republic resorts on the map

To better understand the location of Dominican resorts, you need to independently find them in the geographical open spaces. For this reason, we have placed a map of the Dominican Republic on the website - admire it and choose a place to your liking.

In search of calm seas and white sand

Where are the best beaches in Dominican Republic? Criteria for evaluating beaches can vary significantly. Some tourists like high waves and the opportunity to go surfing, others look for picturesque underwater caves, and still others adore secluded lagoons hidden from prying eyes by mountains.

Travelers flocking to the Caribbean coast of the Dominican Republic strive to find serene peace, a sea with best beaches without waves, strewn with white sand. We have compiled this review for them.

So, we bring to your attention white sand beaches:

Dominican beaches on video

In addition to large and crowded beaches, there are real “pearls” here. For example, the small beach Fronton. I just want to feel the touch of gentle waves, a light breeze and the warmth of the sun on my mortal body.

The best resorts in the Dominican Republic

The Caribbean coast is considered an ideal place for a family holiday - this is where the concentration of best resorts Dominican Republic Holidays on the Caribbean coast are memorable for both adults and children - everything is thought out to the smallest detail.

Below is brief overview with a description of the key resorts in the Caribbean region.

Punta Cana

This resort is spread over east coast Dominican Republic Fans of family holidays and romantically minded couples flock here. The local beach is considered one of the best in the country – kilometers coconut trees and white sand.

Most tourist centers and hotel complexes are built on the first line of the coast. Sports infrastructure is also developed:

• tennis courts;
• swimming pools;
• dive centers;
• horse trails;
• windsurfing schools;
• golf courses.

The resort provides plenty of opportunities to do active recreation– Caribbean fishing, jeep safari, agritourism. If desired, you can book a helicopter ride.

Punta Cana is a deserted area where you can walk endlessly. Outside hotel complexes– only mangrove trees, secluded beaches and caves.

Viking

This elite resort has a scandalous reputation. From here, sexy cruises to the Caribbean are regularly organized.

Viking is a VIP resort for sexual entertainment.

If you are too lazy to travel, you can stay in a luxury villa and enjoy local hospitality:

• four bedrooms;
• air conditioning;
• gorgeous beach;
• staff of servants;
• satellite television;
• uninterrupted Internet connection;
• personal car;
• hired girls.

Not everyone can afford such a vacation. Mostly rich men flock to Viking, not burdened with principles and not deprived of finances.

La Romana

This resort is located relatively close to Santa Domingo - only 131 kilometers separate the beaches of La Romana from Dominican capital. Local beaches completely covered with white sand, but this is not the only advantage of the resort. La Romana is very easy to get to because it has its own airport.

La Romana is a tiny town that is not distinguished by an abundance of attractions (like most resorts in the Dominican Republic). Tourists stay in picturesque bungalows clustered in the Duarte Park area. On Saturdays, a handicraft market opens where you can buy rare souvenirs.

Once outside the city, you find yourself in picturesque valleys covered with lemon trees and sugar cane.

In the fishing village of Bayahibe you can explore the life of the indigenous population of the Dominican Republic. A yacht port is also located there and excursions to the islands are organized.

There are other active entertainments:

• tennis;
• sport fishing;
• agritourism;
• jeep safari.

How much will the trip cost?

Accommodation prices in Dominican Republic resorts depend on a number of factors, including seasonality, type of housing, region, and level of service.

The most expensive resorts concentrated in the vicinity of Santa Domingo, but if you want to save money, go straight to Samana.
The difference is impressive: a night in a Samana hotel costs about 20 dollars, in Santa Domingo you will have to fork out 300.

For fear of overpaying, keep in mind that cheap rooms may not have air conditioning.

Housing prices jump sharply during the dry season. Compared to the wet season, you overpay about 50% of the total cost of living.

Now about the food. For five bucks you can have a good meal in a cozy restaurant - the main thing is to choose the right place.

The prices for products here are approximately as follows:

• drinking water – dollar for 19 liters;
• cocoa – 0.7 dollars per half kilo;
• loaf of bread – 0.07;
• half a kilo of cheese – 3.5;
• a dozen eggs - 0.8;
• half a kilo of beans – 0.8;
• tomatoes – 0.7;
• kilogram of chicken – 1.5;
• half a kilo of ham – 3.5;
• hamburger – 1.78;
• four bananas – 0.35;
• half a kilo of coffee – 3;
• sugar – 0.4.

Some people find it easier to pay for a package tour than to figure out their diet and run around grocery stores, and then add it all up. For those who prefer freedom of movement, we advise you to think about.

If you are planning to go on excursions, get ready for an unpleasant surprise: a ticket for a city bus costs $3, traveling to another region will empty your wallet by six “greenbacks”.
Taxi drivers charge 4-5 bucks per kilometer. There are no meters, so everyone negotiates individually.

Last minute trips to the Dominican Republic (departure from Moscow) start at $1,230. The trip lasts for a week. Accommodation in a five-star hotel and all-inclusive system are provided.

A surprise for many travelers is the tax that you have to pay upon arrival in the Dominican Republic ($10). The same amount will be pulled out of your wallet at the end of your vacation. A temporary visa costs 20 greenbacks.

Dominican Republic

In this article we will help you navigate Dominican Republic: we will tell you where the Caribbean Sea is in the Dominican Republic, which side it is washed by the ocean, where which resorts are located, and what are their main differences.

The Dominican Republic is located in the eastern part of the island of Haiti. This island is one of the Big Islands Antilles which are located in Central America. The southern coast of the island is washed by the Caribbean Sea, and the northern coast by the Atlantic Ocean.

The most popular and largest resort in the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana, is located in the eastern part of the island, which is washed by the Atlantic. However, resort guests have an excellent opportunity to travel a little further south and appreciate the beauty of the Caribbean Sea.

After all, just not far from Punta Cana is the Eastern national reserve, and its pearl is the island of Saona, which attracts tourists year after year with its magnificent pristine beaches. The island of Saone is already the Caribbean Sea.

Between Saona and the coast of the Dominican Republic is the Catuana Strait - it is believed that this is where the waters of the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea connect.

There are hotels on the Caribbean Sea, but there are not so many of them compared to the Atlantic coast.

This is due to the fact that on the southern side of the island sandy beaches very little. As a rule, the coast is a shallow coral reef, or mangroves extend along the coast.

Resorts on the Caribbean Sea:

• Barahona
• Boca Chica
• Juan Dolio
• La Romana
• Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is also located on the southern coast. But beach lovers have nothing to do there. Although there are, of course, decent city-type hotels in the capital (for example, Hilton). But nearest beaches are already outside the city limits - in the small settlements of Juan Dolio and Boca Chica.

The resorts of the Caribbean Sea are distinguished by the presence of not very large and comfortable hotels, clean beaches, and there are rarely such strong waves as on the Atlantic. Eat good places for snorkeling, diving. Another bonus for aesthetes is the magical sunsets! Well, proximity to the capital, of course, will be a plus for many.

Resorts on the Atlantic

There are much more resorts on the Atlantic; we will list the most famous and popular:

• Punta Cana (Bavaro)
• Puerto Plata
• Sosua
• Cabarete
• Samana
• Las Terrenas

Of course, the largest resort on this list is Punta Cana. It is famous for its beautiful beaches and excellent all-inclusive hotels. This is a real tourist paradise. Here you can find entertainment for every age, taste, and budget.

Hello, reader! 💐

1. You can fly to the Dominican Republic at any time of the year. Absolutely any time. You don’t even need to frantically scroll through Yandex to type into the search bar: “rainy season in the Dominican Republic,” “high season in the Dominican Republic,” “when to go to the Dominican Republic.” Because no matter what month you go there, the weather will be great. I am confident in my judgment since we went to this country in October, after hurricanes Irma and Maria, which, by the way, passed without a trace for the country’s resorts. No hotels were damaged, despite the funny Russian television, which frightened all the tourists in their “reports”, people who were about to fly away on a long-awaited planned vacation. Don’t be afraid, hurricanes regularly hit the country in September, and this process is common there; it does not cause any particular inconvenience to either the country or vacationers - you will have to spend a maximum of 1 day on the hotel premises. It’s not scary, the wind is picking up and it’s raining, that’s all. All hotels clean up their areas within 24 hours. We also talked about the weather with local residents, not indigenous, but living in the country for 8 years or more. In their opinion, you can also travel to the Dominican Republic at any time of the year. The temperature differs only by minus/plus 3-5 degrees. It's always summer, there are no strong fluctuations in the weather. You can't tell the seasons there by the weather. It can rain anytime, regardless of the month or time of day. Personally, out of 3 weeks of our stay in October, we saw rain 5-6 times maximum. It was comfortable. It doesn't rain for days. There were either heavy downpours, passing in 2-3 hours, drying up in a couple of hours, or light rains, passing in 15-20 minutes, also drying up as if they had never happened. There was sunshine every day, every day there was an opportunity to sunbathe and swim. Even in the rain we swam and it was warm. It is impossible to say that the Dominican Republic is rainy in any particular season; feel free to go whenever you want.
2. In one trip you can “kill two birds with one stone”: swim in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Most likely, you will go to a hotel where there will be an ocean on its territory. Because there are many hotels near the ocean. There are significantly fewer hotels near the Caribbean Sea, only 5-7, no more. While the Atlantic in the Dominican Republic has tens of times more. In any case, everyone will have the opportunity to swim in both the sea and the ocean. At least on your own, by renting a car, or during excursions. In my opinion, it is more logical to stay at a hotel on the Atlantic and then go to the Caribbean. Because otherwise you are unlikely to want to go to the Atlantic; the Caribbean Sea is somehow more attractive and magical. Although the Atlantic Ocean is clean, beautiful, pleasant for swimming.
3. In this country, you can choose the simplest hotel and you will still be satisfied with the country - ocean, sea, palm trees and sand in sunny days will delight you every day, regardless of the amount you paid for your hotel stay. I didn’t stay in the simplest hotel, on the contrary, in one of the best 5* hotels in the Dominican Republic, with all-inclusive service, in the resort of Punta Cana, beach in the Bavaro area. However, while we were looking for hotels on websites, we saw very simple and budget ones, where there were minimal private beach and a swimming pool. At the same time, the areas were very green, well-groomed, and the beach was picturesque. Therefore, you can choose either the cheapest or the most expensive hotel in a given country. It is important to remember that it is the sensations that are remembered, most likely it will be solitude with nature, and not with the hotel.

These are the main criteria that, in my opinion, should interest every tourist planning their vacation in absolutely any month of the year.

We flew to the Dominican Republic in October 2017 and spent three weeks in the said country. Someone will ask: aren’t you tired of resting? No, I’m not tired at all, I really like long trips, I don’t see the point of flying on a plane for more than ten hours to spend a week on vacation. Although the Dominican Republic is worth every hour spent.

The tour was taken as a package from Anex Tour, I liked everything - no flight delays due to the fault of the travel agency, a good plane with adequate food and good recommendations by hotel choice.

We flew to the Dominican Republic via Moscow on an Azur Air plane. The long flight of 13 hours did not cause us any inconvenience, since we slept more than half of the time. It’s not true that you can’t straighten your legs while sitting in a seat on an airplane. This can be done easily, if you are not extremely obese. By the way, I don’t see the point in taking seats with increased space, because such seats are located near the toilet, but you can stretch your legs to their full length, since there will be no chairs in front, there is free space, and to the left and right of the toilet - people walk around non-stop, The light is brighter, it is more difficult to fall asleep. Therefore, when flying to the Dominican Republic on an Azur Air plane, you should not take seats with extra legroom, in this case. you exchange an awl for soap while paying for a more expensive flight. I will write a separate review about Azur Air in detail.

Let me remind you that the time difference in the Dominican Republic compared to Moscow is 7 hours. Despite this, we felt fine upon arriving in the country at 06 a.m. Dominican time, although we fell asleep in the Dominican Republic at 21:30-22:00 maximum, usually we want to sleep much later. There was no acclimatization, no mood swings or colds, etc. Getting used to the local climate happened within a day.

The peculiarity of the Dominican climate is that the air is always very humid. The air temperature does not fluctuate much, plus or minus a couple of degrees, most often 28-30 degrees. In connection with the above, I strongly recommend not to take decorative cosmetics with you, as they will all run off. I didn’t take any risks; I didn’t wear any makeup at all for the entire three weeks. You will have to put your hair in your hair, since it is hot with it, those who have thick hair will understand. Those who have porous hair will only curl it this way; you don’t even need to use a straightening iron. It is better to take hair gel to gently remove it.

We arrived at Punta Cana airport - the roof is made of palm flooring, branches with leaves are used. These are not our Russian airports that are tightly closed. There are fans with blades under the ceiling, but they really don’t provide much coolness.

At the airport there is Dutyfree with souvenirs, rum, mamajuana, coffee and cocoa - everything that is usually brought from the Dominican Republic. There are also cosmetics and sweets - just like in any DutyFree.

I don’t recommend buying gifts for family and friends at Duty Free, since everything that is on sale as “Dominican gifts” can be bought cheaper on the premises at the holiday destination. If price is not the first criterion for you when purchasing, then buy at the airport, the product is of high quality. The advantage of such purchases is that they can already be made upon departure from the country, including if there is no time for purchases during vacation.

On the way back, when we were leaving, the airport was decorated with Halloween paraphernalia. Dominicans prepare for the holidays a month or a couple of months in advance.

The airport in Punta Cana is clean and safe. The food area here is extensive and there is plenty to eat. Prices at the airport, like any other, are high.

I'll be back when I arrive in the country. Upon arrival, everyone fills out immigration cards, this is something like a certificate confirming your arrival in the country; when you fly back, you fill out the same one at the airport.

We were given these forms right on the plane so as not to waste time filling them out at the airport. Immediately ask for two pieces on the plane to fill on way back. Many people get confused and call this immigration card a visa. This is not a visa. A visa to the Dominican Republic is not required. Only if you are flying to the country for a period of more than 30 days will you need a visa. At the airport we went through passport control and then picked up our suitcases.

Then we were met by a bus from Anex Tour and we went to our hotel. I have written a separate detailed review about the hotel.

1️⃣ What to see in the Dominican Republic, what excursions are worth visiting without fail and which travel agency to buy a voucher from.

Don’t believe the rumors that there is nowhere to go and nothing to see in the Dominican Republic; apparently these “walking sources” are not entirely informed. Since our hotel had two Russian-speaking guides - Anex Tour and Biblio-Globus, we took excursions from these companies. You will be surprised and ask why we didn’t take excursions from local residents or hotel guides. It must be remembered that it is much more interesting to travel with a Russian-speaking escort. In this case, you can resolve all the issues that arise rather than pretending to understand the local language or wanting to save money on something that is not advisable to do so.

Costs and maintenance vary among different travel agencies. If you save, then most likely the content will be the same economical plan. I can confidently say for the content and justification of the three excursions:

• Saona Island: We took this excursion from Anex Tour and I recommend taking it from Anex. Its full name is "Saona Deluxe". There is also “Saona Classic” and “Saona VIP”. Of all those offered, take the Deluxe: you will get by bus to the La Romana area (a fishing town with the Caribbean Sea),

  
  Then you will board a high-speed boat and with the breeze you will get to a sailing catamaran, where all-inclusive drinks and snacks await you, dancing, relaxation, catching starfish in the sea,

  
  where a waiter will be waiting for you at a table with champagne and snacks right in the sea.

  Then you will sail to the island, have lunch - buffet and lobster with wine and other drinks, then swim and sunbathe, enjoying the surrounding beauty.

  
  A beautiful return to the Caribbean awaits you and back

  
  - see the city of millionaires and the city of artists,

  

  
  

  
  not just a glimpse, you can walk there and do a lot of things beautiful photos. The perfect excursion In my opinion, I highly recommend it for everyone. If you choose one excursion from the five dozen offered, then Saona (I’ll tell you more about the excursion in a separate review).

  
  

• Santo Domingo: This excursion was taken from Biblio-Globus. I recommend taking it from them. The price-quality ratio of the excursion is optimal. At Anex, this excursion costs more, and the “more expensive” price does not include a visit to the Columbus Lighthouse.

  The excursion is purely historical. If you don’t like history and stories about famous personalities of the past and what the country was like then and now, choose something else. Santo Domingo historical center Dominican Republic, you can go here once to at least see the capital of the Dominican Republic: how the locals live, what they do, how they spend their free time, and so on. Would you say that Santo Domingo is a vibrant and bustling capital? Vice versa. As a center for retirees and schoolchildren. During the tour you hear historical facts, driving along the road along the Caribbean Sea,

  
  Unfortunately, you don’t have time to swim in it, first you visit the Three Eyes caves, then head to the very center of Santo Domingo.

  
  

  
  Next you go to the Columbus Lighthouse, then it is planned walking to explore the surrounding area and local attractions. Next - lunch, free time. Then everyone gets ready for the bus and the journey back awaits everyone. Along the way, the bus stops near a souvenir shop and the travel agency Biblio-Globus gives away $100. Everything is fair, you need to spend this amount in the same store. A nice bonus that Anex tour does not have. It’s up to you to decide whether or not to go on this excursion, but I’ll say this: if you have few days of rest in the country, it’s better to enjoy the islands, choose more scenic spots for a visit, and if you have a few weeks of vacation, and you no longer plan to repeat your trip to the Dominican Republic, then visit the capital, at least you will know what it looks like not quite tourist center(I’ll tell you more about the excursion in a separate review).

• Park Lahacienda:

  
  We took this excursion from Anex Tour. Biblio Globus doesn't have it. Very eventful: buggy rides, safari, horseback riding,

  
  ride the cable car and zip lines, try local drinks and fruits, have lunch and head back to the hotel. If you like variety, and if you have not yet experienced the listed entertainment, then you will really like it (I will tell you more about the excursion in a separate review).

  In general, the Dominican Republic has a wide variety of excursions, for every taste and color: sightseeing, tasting, relaxation excursions, activity excursions. There are excursions in the form of transfer to nightclub- for example, to the Coco Bongo Club. A very famous club.

  Excursions in general are not a cheap pleasure. On average, in rubles, one excursion per person costs 4,000-7,000 thousand rubles. To the islands - twice as expensive.

  What to take on excursions: swimsuits, flip-flops, money - you can always ask the guide who sells you vouchers for the excursion about this. It’s better to ask what to take in case the guide misses this information. I recommend taking a change of clothes for each excursion, in case it rains, the chance that the excursion will be canceled or you can wait for rain is 1% out of 100%. You don’t need to take documents or a lot of money.

  For clarity, I will attach the price list of the Anex Tour company for excursions that are conducted throughout the Dominican Republic:

  

  

  

  

  2️⃣ Is the Caribbean Sea different from the Atlantic Ocean (both are located in the Dominican Republic).

  I decided to answer this question separately, because I am sure that everyone who has not yet been to the Dominican Republic asks this question. More hotels are located on coastline Atlantic.

  
  The Atlantic Ocean is calm and clean. Sometimes algae washes onto the sand, but this is a natural process. Beaches in hotel areas are always cleaned every day. I can say with confidence that your holiday by the Atlantic will be truly beachy and beautiful. The Caribbean Sea is even cleaner, but in my opinion it is more exciting.

  
  The color of the Caribbean Sea is even more beautiful and mesmerizing.

  
  

  3️⃣ Safety in the Dominican Republic. Car rental in the Dominican Republic. Taxi in the Dominican Republic.

  When we were traveling on the bus to our hotel, the guide told us that the Dominican Republic was not entirely safe in terms of free walking or driving. In my opinion, all the horror stories were invented by the guides themselves so that tourists would take excursions more often and so that the business of travel agencies would flourish and prosper. I didn’t see any wild or strange or scary people on the street. I can only characterize road traffic on the positive side - speed bumps are wider than in our country and specially lumpy, ensuring timely stopping of the driver and reducing speed, there are no crazy drivers at all. Locals travel by car, scooters, and mopeds.

  Taxis can most often be found near hotels and shopping centers. You can take a walk outside the hotel, but there is nowhere in particular - to certain points you will have to take a taxi or a rented car, or a transfer for an excursion.

  The cost of a taxi can be described as affordable. By paying 15 dollars you can travel about 8-10 kilometers.

  You can rent a car with a driver's license.

  4️⃣ What to bring from the Dominican Republic? Dominican coffee, Dominican cigars, Dominican chocolate, Dominican cocoa, Dominican rum, Dominican mamajuana.

  In the Dominican Republic you can buy locally produced products as gifts for loved ones - rum, coffee, cocoa, mamajuana, chocolate, cigars. In fact, these items are very good as gifts, it’s always interesting to try, the cost of the above is quite affordable, but not cheap, as tourists are told. More or less adequate coffee per package costs 15-20 dollars, given the fact that high prices there shouldn’t be any money for these goods here, since they grow here and producers don’t have to pay money for their transportation, and producers don’t have to spend money on other needs. Therefore, bargain and reduce the price.

  We bought various coffee beans in the Dominican Republic, I am not a coffee lover or connoisseur, so I can’t say about the difference with our usual coffee, but I liked both the classic one and the one with additives - macadamia, hazelnut.

  

  Of course, it is better to take cocoa without sugar, since in this case you pay for the sugar, not the pure product. It’s better to add sugar to already brewed cocoa. Cocoa is different from what we are used to, as if without any special taste effects (no additives, etc.).

  If you decide to buy cigars, then buy the weakest ones. Cigars are very tart and in any case they will be stronger than cigarettes. You need to buy from places where their storage conditions are ensured - refrigeration chambers must provide proper storage. There is no need to take cigars on the beaches and in booths; buy overpriced fakes made from unknown leaves. Better in shopping centers and stores.

  The rum is light - transparent and richer with a golden to dark cognac hue. The lighter the drink, the lighter the drink; light rum is a cocktail rum. Dark rum is considered the best. Dark rum tastes very hot, it becomes warm, its aroma alone speaks of a high degree, but the drink is interesting. Prices for rum vary, you can buy it for quite affordable price, Not expensive prices and for dark rum, relatively inexpensive, comparing the price tags for alcohol in general.

  I haven’t tried mamajuana, but we took it as gifts. This is a traditional Dominican drink. Each family prepares it differently. You can buy a ready-made drink, or you can buy a dry mixture - twigs and sticks, infuse it in alcohol and you will get the same mamajuana. Usually men love her. We must not forget that this is an aphrodisiac, so to speak, a drink for male strength. Mamajuana is not an expensive drink, very affordable, it’s cheaper to buy it in dry form, if you don’t want to bother with preparation, take a ready-made drink. Dry mixes cost about 3-5 dollars.

  You can try Dominican chocolate.

  
  We were at the shopping center and bought a lot of coffee and cocoa. We asked a Russian-speaking girl whether it was worth buying cocoa balls, she said that it was just cocoa, there was nothing remarkable about it, we didn’t try it, and were happy with the pure product.

  Also in the Dominican Republic you can buy cosmetics that are not available in Russia. I had never heard anywhere that Dominiana is famous for high-quality cosmetics, so I did not pick up whale sperm creams and snail creams. I took coconut oil for myself and as gifts. That's it, the coconut oil here is 100% natural and without any unnecessary cost-cutting additives.

  I try not to buy magnets and figurines when I travel, since in fact they are all made in China, they just change the names of the countries on the products, but why take such dubious toy pleasures?

  In general, the Dominican Republic is not a country for shopping. The shops here sell the most common goods. Shopping centers with interesting things no. Therefore, if your goal is shopping - Dubai is better, for the itchy end - Moscow will do.

  5️⃣ Who is a holiday in the Dominican Republic suitable for? Beach holiday. 18+. Dominican Republic or Dubai?

  Separately, I would like to note that both young and old vacation in this country. Both family vacations and couples' vacations will be successful here. A solo vacation will probably be boring. I saw families here with small children, babies, and teenagers. There are hotels intended for adults marked 18+. Everyone will feel comfortable here. 18+ hotels can be located on the territory of a hotel group, which is convenient if you are traveling with a group consisting of a young family and friends without children. With this mark, hotels have longer, appropriate night programs, have a more relaxing atmosphere, since there are no children on their territory, and greater freedom of behavior is assumed. It's noisier and more disco-heavy here. But this does not mean that hotel areas without this mark are boring. We rested without the 18+ mark, despite this, both the morning and night were filled with entertainment programs.

  As for the other side of the coin, there are categories of recreation - beach/non-beach. Beachy! If we compare the Dominican Republic with another hot country, which is also hot 12 months a year, with Dubai, then the Dominican Republic wins. The Dominican Republic is the ideal beach holiday. No Dubai beach was even close to the white, clean, fine sands of the Dominican Republic. Although it is believed that everything is the best in Dubai, but no, beach holidays are more successful here, on the Caribbean Sea or near the Atlantic Ocean.

  
  

  6️⃣ Things that you 100% need to take with you on vacation to the Dominican Republic.

  The Dominican Republic has a very bright and powerful sun, which is reflected by both the sand and the sea and ocean. As you already understand, a holiday in the Dominican Republic is simply unthinkable without sunscreen: sunglasses - it’s simply impossible to take them off from the very morning until the sun sets, albeit a very bright sun; UV protection cream - if you are white-skinned, take the most maximum protection, in our hotel we sold products with protection with SPF 70, this is what you need in the first days of your vacation. Then you can use SPF 35, no lower. Of course, you need to protect your lips from the sun. Moisturizing creams are very useful after sun exposure.

  
  Be sure to take a hat with you, at least to protect the hairline near the forehead - this area burns very quickly. Better a cap or Panama.

  If we talk about clothes, then you don’t have to worry too much. Heels and evening dresses will most likely not be needed. Be sure to take a swimsuit with you, preferably more than one, as nature encourages you to take a lot of photos by the pool and by the ocean/sea. A couple of light light T-shirts, T-shirts, denim shorts, a couple of light dresses. It is better to take comfortable shoes, flip flops/clogs/low-top sandals, light sneakers.

  You won't need warm clothes in the Dominican Republic. The most you can take from your warming wardrobe is a sweatshirt; suddenly there will be a downpour, and somewhere on an excursion you will want to throw it on. But this probability is small.

  I tried to cover all the main points about holidays in the Dominican Republic. If you have any questions, you can ask them personally in messages or in comments, I will try to answer.