Lonely Planet, the leading travel publisher, has named Dominican Republic as one of its Top 10 Countries for 2013 in its annually published Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2013. Lonely Planet draws upon the input of its staff, authors and online community for recommendations for the book, with the final list being decided upon by an in-house panel of experts..."We chose the Dominican Republic for Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2013 as the country has all the elements of a perfect vacation destination," said Catherine Craddock-Carrillo , Commissioning Editor for the Americas. "With sun-drenched beaches, ecotourism, a rich culture of music and dance, influential art galleries and museums, and of course a warm and welcoming people, it's no surprise that the Dominican Republic is about to see a new wave of visitors."read more »

Puerto Plata
Puerto Plata is the capital of the Dominican Republic province of the same name. With a total population of under 500 000 people, this quaint Caribbean town is famous for its tourist resorts and stunning beaches. These resorts include the acclaimed Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada. Along with these resorts, Puerto Plata boasts a total of 100 000 hotel beds, meaning plenty of room at this popular tourist hotspot.

Visitors can enjoy a unique trip to Pico Isabel de Torres via an aerial tramway. This novel mode of transport glides to the mountain that is almost 800 metres high. Once at the top, the views of the city are incredible. Botanical garden and a replica of the Rio de Janeiro Christ the Redeemer statue are popular sights that also appear at the top of this mountain. During your time in Puerto Plata, it is recommended that you visit the Fort, Ocean World and El Faro amongst other attractions. The Fort, Fortaleza de San Felipe, was completed in 1577, and was built in order to protect Puerto Plata against bandits and pirates...read more »

Punta Cana
Punta Cana is on the east coast of the Dominican Republic. It is considered one of the top 100 places to visit in the world, and there is good reason for this. The pristine beaches are the most popular attraction in Punta Cana along with surfing, and golf is not far behind. One of the most fun things to do in Punta Cana is ziplining. It offers an adrenalin rush for adventure tourists, as they fly over trees from platform to platform while they are secure in their safety equipment.

The most popular zipline tour in Punta Cana is Canopy Adventure Zipline tour, which boasts over 700 meters of cables with spectacular jungle views. There are expert guides and every step is explained clearly, so participants are sure to have a great time. Everyone says there is nothing like the thrill, and it is one of the things to do in Punta Cana that should not be missed...read more »

The last week of July every summer since 1967, the three-million-plus inhabitants of Santo Domingo have converged on the Malecon, a seven-kilometre strand of palm-lined Caribbean boulevard that runs along the southern side of the Zona Colonial, for the Dominican Republic's biggest event of the year. The Fiesta de Merengue is the ultimate rum-drenched tropical blast-out, with twenty different bandstands belting out live music from local stars past, present and future, including the city's former mayor, hip-swivelling singing legend Johnny Ventura. The atmosphere and location are unbeatable with an expansive ribbon of turquoise sea stretching out into the distance, and headline acts playing under the spectacular limestone palace of Christopher Columbus and the ruins of the walled city he built five centuries ago.

The Fiesta fills the beachfront Malecon, a labyrinth of jam-packed venues that has been dubbed the world's largest disco. As always at such events, the crowd is more than half the fun. Phalanxes of drunken youths bump up against white-haired old folks cutting quick, graceful moves across the asphalt; beaming teenage girls in formal, powder-pink dresses couple off together at the fringes and giggle in rhythm as they bob up and down...read more »

Leading world travel luminaries like Lonely Planet, Fodor's and Golfweek praise Dominican Republic's exuberant golf, beaches and exciting ecotourism and culture. Centrally located in the Caribbean with delicious gastronomy, friendly people and world-class resorts, Dominican Republic is the place to go in 2013!

"Dominican Republic boasts an unrivaled and carefully nurtured natural environment with culturally rich cities and friendly Dominican towns that keep visitors coming back to our 1,000 miles of sunny coastline every year," said Magaly Toribio , Marketing Advisor for the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. "The charm and lure of the country comes from our exuberant people, abundant recreation and excursions, rich culture and superlative relaxation enabling visitors to transcend their cares and restore their joy."...read more »

Ecotourism
Dominican Republic is the Caribbean's most bio-diverse country, with 25 percent of its lush land and pristine coastline protected as national parks, reserves and sanctuaries. With the creation of the Dominican Republic's Marine Mammal Sanctuary for Humpback Whales in 1962, Dominican Republic has been a forerunner in environment and marine-oriented protections ensuring magnificent nature abounds.

"We work hard to preserve Dominican Republic's nine distinct ecological zones so that visitors can have incredible eco-adventures and witness nature's wonders," said Magaly Toribio , Marketing Advisor for the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. "Our 19 national parks, many forest reserves, natural monuments and wildlife refuges are a national treasure protected for generations to come."

January through March is an especially exciting time in Dominican Republic as up to 5,000 whales migrate to the Northeast Coast and Samana Bay 's warm waters. The males claim the outer bays while the females nurse their young by the inner cove's shallow waters. It is a sight to see, and tours make it easily accessible...read more »

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