Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is perhaps the most mainstream and affordable Caribbean island. The value for money here is excellent with many tour operators offering sensational deals year round from airports all over the United Kingdom. A holiday in the Dominican Republic provides a real and tropical sun kissed holiday option at a very affordable price and with a deal at one of the many fantastic beachfront all inclusive hotels this generally provides much better value than the Mediterranean.

The island itself is a tropical getaway and inland is covered with vast forests which can be visited on one of the many excursions available locally. Swimming with dolphins is another popular and rewarding trip that provides a once in a lifetime experience.
The Dominican Republic is split into two regions that are served by different airports. Below is a brief description of what each region provides to help you decide which best suits you.

North Coast

Playa Dorada is the north’s major resort and here you will find a lively and buzzing atmosphere, there are many bars and restaurants meaning you are not confined to your resort hotel. Golf is another highlight of this region and it is rapidly growing as a destination for this market. Puerto Plata is the regions main town and here you will fine a colourful place to visit with loads of shops to keep you busy. The north is also a green a lush part of the island and many tropical waterfalls can be found if you choose to spend some time exploring. Sosua is a quieter resort with the best beach on the north coast and the hotels are a little smaller in general that elsewhere. Overall the north is a great place to stay if you want to see real Caribbean life and enjoy some hot nightspots; it is also a great place to explore the regions stunning scenery from. The beaches are not the best the island has to offer and are rougher that you can expect elsewhere but golden sand can be found and your hotel pool will certainly have appeal. The Dominican Republics north coast offers excellent value for money and real bargains are to be had here, check out MyTravel and Thomson for some great deals.

East Coast

The beaches here are first class, gentle waves lapping the golden soft sand is what you will find here, coral reef makes for stunning snorkelling and divers have plenty to keep them busy. Nightlife is lower key than the north but many hotels have several bars and restaurants on an all inclusive basis so you will not get board. Depending on the season this is also a great place to go whale watching and from January to April humpback whales can be viewed which is a must see experience. The region has many large hotels ranging from three stars to five star deluxe offering incredible facilities, check out MyTravel, Thomas Cook and Thomson for the very best deals.

The climate of the Dominican Republic is typical Caribbean, hot all year round with a rainy season from May to October, rain is however generally short and sharp and soon passes. The hurricane season again runs through the summer months but these are extremely rare and are unlikely to be an issue whenever you visit. The following table shows the average temperature, hours of daily sun and rainfall to give you a guide on what to expect.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Av Temp Celsius

29

29

29

29

30

31

31

31

31

31

30

29

Hours of sun

8

8

8

8

7

8

9

9

8

8

7

7

Rainfall CM

6.7

6.5

5.7

6.8

14.8

13.5

14.6

19.3

18.6

18.3

12.0

8.1