Holidays to Dominican Republic
Sipping rum cocktails on the beach, zip-lining above lush rolling hills, dipping your hips to merengue music … it can only be a Dominican Republic holiday!
Bonitas beaches
With a whopping 1,000-ish miles of coastline, the Dominican Republic has a beach with your name on it. Choose between the smooth Caribbean waters of the nation’s south coast and the rough-and-ready Atlantic surf in the north.
Punta Cana’s shores are jaw-on-the-sand stunning, with floury beaches and warm, azure water – picture a perfect Caribbean beach and this is literally it. Want to splash wild? Head to Playa Grande on the northern Atlantic coast for surf lessons.
Cap-tastic Santo Domingo
Take a city break in Santo Domingo to geek out on all the “firsts” in this history hotspot capital. It’s home to the first cathedral, hospital and university in the Americas. Yep, Columbus woz ere.
It’s also insanely pretty. Wander along cobbled streets, gaze out from wrought iron balconies, and watch folks play dominoes in the park. In the evenings, oil up your hips – the city’s merengue scene awaits.
Adrenaline adventures
Switch the sunhat for a helmet to explore the Dominican Republic’s plush inland. Strap in at Samaná to soar like a bird, 350 feet above green hills and valleys, on one of its 12 ziplines.
Prefer to get down and dirty? Spelunking isn’t just a fun word to say, it’s a fun thing to do at Cueva Fun Fun (it’s literally in the name), where you start your adventure by rappelling into a cave!
Marine mindset
Wet your gills in the Dominican Republic’s Atlantic ocean, Caribbean sea, lagoons, waterfalls or lakes. Snorkel off Bahía de Neiba in the south or scuba in Parque Nacional La Caleta, near Santo Domingo, with its creepy but cool shipwrecks.
Surface side, there’s high-energy windsurfing along the Atlantic north coast, where the world competitions are held. Alternatively, find beginner-friendly conditions in the south. Oh, and winter is humpback whale-watching season!
Sneak Peek
Best for... Sunny, all-inclusive holidays with spicy Latin nightlife ☀️
Go... Travel from December to April for warm, dry conditions 😎
You have to... Get on the merengue dance floor – don’t be shy 💃
Dominican Republic holiday deals
Occidental Caribe
4.6
Excellent
- 1 Jul 2026
- 7 nights
- All-inclusive
- From Gatwick
Prices from
Grand Palladium Select Bávaro
4.7
Excellent
- 1 Jul 2026
- 7 nights
- All-inclusive
- From Gatwick
Prices from
Royalton Bavaro, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort & Casino
4
Very Good
- 1 Jul 2026
- 7 nights
- All-inclusive
- From Gatwick
Prices from
Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana
4.7
Excellent
- 1 Jul 2026
- 7 nights
- All-inclusive
- From Gatwick
Prices from
Top destinations in the Dominican Republic
Punta Cana
Puerto Plata
Prices from
£879 pp
Playa Dorada
Prices from
£1,000 ppDetails
Currency
Dominican Peso
Language
Spanish
Time difference
GMT -4
Cost of a beer
100 RD$
3-course meal
900 RD$
Flight time
London: 9-10 hrs
Caribbean or Atlantic?
For turquoise water, soft sand, all-inclusives and thrilling activities, it’s all about Punta Cana beaches. Craving alone time? Take a boat to the undeveloped Bahía de Las Águilas, where you’ll find five miles of snow-white sand (possibly) all to yourself. This may actually be DR’s most stunning beach.
Or find the fiesta at the southern Playa Boca Chica, where bars line the white-sand beach. On the opposite coast, Cabarete is adventure central, with kitesurfing, windsurfing and even regular ol’ surfing!
The DL on the DR
Dive into Dominican history in Santo Domingo. The 16th-century cathedral is the oldest one this side of the pond. And at Museo Alcázar de Coló you can nosy around the Columbus family’s stuff (and check out the Gothic 16th-century building, too).
Get your Dominican art fix at Santiago’s Centro León museum. And no DR culture dive is complete without a night of merengue and bachata! Hit up Santo Domingo’s Sabina Bar for the best Latin beats.
Blended bites
Dominican food is a mix of indigenous Taíno, Spanish and African flavours. Rice and beans is a classic, often with chicken and served with fried plantains. Dig in at Jalao in Santo Domingo.
Cafeterías (casual little joints found all over) are best for cheap-as-chips food like fried fish and the Dominican Republic’s national brekkie, mangú (mashed plantains). For fresh seafood and cocktails (name a more elite combo), kick your flip-flops off at the Jellyfish beach club in Bavaro.
When to go to the Dominican Republic
Handily, a great time to visit the Dominican Republic is the worst time to be at home – our bleak winter months are dry and sunny over in DR, with daytime temperatures around 25C. It’s also when the humpback whales are in town.
The wettest and hottest time of the year is from May to October, with peak temperatures of around 33C. If you can handle the humidity, that’s when you’re more likely to find a good deal for a cheap Dominican Republic holiday.
FYI - it’s hurricane season from June to November, though hurricanes rarely hit the island directly.
