Dominican Republic Away From the Beaches and Resorts

The Dominican Republic is known for its beautiful beaches, lovely climate and vibrant culture, but the nation has many hidden gems unknown to many visitors. There are countless resorts to choose from, but if you are looking for a vast amount of resorts in the Dominican Republic, Barcelo or Punta Cana may be the ideal choices of accommodation.
Once you book your trip to this paradise island, you can explore these off-the-beaten-path locations if you ever get tired of sunning and water sports activities.

THE ZONA COLONIAL

The Zona Colonial is the iconic heartbeat of Dominican Republic’s capital city, Santo Domingo. This square-mile of elegant streets and shady parks and squares consists of some of the most ancient colonial buildings in the Western Hemisphere, including the cathedral. Strolling through the Calle de las Damas is like backtracking through the years of the fist Spanish conquerors, who used Santo Domingo as headquarters for the invasion of the Latin America. The Zona Colonial, not just an extensive museum, though. Its is peppered with restaurants, cafes, shops and may ancient colonial architecture. It is also a neighbourhood, where families sit outside to enjoy the balmy Caribbean breezes.

LAS GALERAS

This remote fishing village at the eastern edge of the Península de Samaná is a getaway from your paradise. Fewer development and little or no tourists mean that Las Galeras features some of the most picturesque spots in all of the Dominican Republic. Dancing palm trees border beaches ready-made for a movie scene and waves lap the edges of the cliffs. Make the journey out to Restaurant El Cabito for at least one sunset, where you might get a glimpse of dolphins or maybe humpback whales.

RIO YASICA BOAT TOUR

Journey just east of Cabarete to explore the not-so-popular Isla Bon, where an undeveloped road meanders its way to the entrance of the Rio Yesica. Take a guided river tour on a wooden boat, and then head back to the bottom of the road escape of La Boca Grill to feast on freshly caught seafood. Take the trip to the Iguana Mama for an adventurous mountain biking excursion, or for a more relaxed activity, take a quick van ride to the private spot for a half-day trip.

Explore THE CARIBBEAN’S LARGEST CAVE

There are just a few spots in the Caribbean where you can get a horseback ride through a cave.

In Los Haitises National Park, situated about three hours west of Dominican Republic’s famous resort town, Punta Cana Fun Fun Cave (pronounced “Foon Foon”) is known to be the largest grotto in the Caribbean. Though the cave itself is known to be a National Park, acres of the land goes through a secluded ranch and requires a tour guide.

While the journey from Punta Cana is rather extensive and choppy, the trip to the inside, the scenes through your windows will provide stunning views of Dominican Republic’s countrysides and rural areas. School children wave, sugar cane dances and mangos fall from trees.

EASTERN NATIONAL PARK

The EASTERN NATIONAL PARK (Parque Nacional del Este), a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a primary habitat for thousands of species of plants and animals including more than 100 species of birds. The reserve also borders the Caribbean’s largest marine parks with a colossal coral reef system. Manatees as well as four species of turtles, dolphins, and numerous species of fishes and other marine life reside in the tropical waters. Also, The rich biodiversity of Dominican Republic’s Eastern National Park (Parque Nacional del Este) made it the perfect habitat for a variety tropical vegetation. The Eastern National Park is also home to rare Paloma Corona, also known as the white-headed or crown dove and the rhinoceros iguana.