Tours in Dominican Republic

Start in the morning, before the heat settles, with a coffee that is stronger and sweeter than you expected. In the Dominican Republic the day moves to a rhythm of motorbikes, merengue leaking out of a colmado, and neighbours leaning on doorframes to talk. Slow down to match it and the country makes sense quickly.

Santo Domingo is where most trips begin, and it rewards a full day. The Colonial Zone is the part everyone has heard of: stone streets, plazas where people sit in the shade, and the Cathedral at the edge of Parque Colón. Walk it without a plan and you will keep turning corners into small courtyards. Outside the old centre the city is a different animal, loud and busy and very much lived in. The Cable Car lifts you above the neighbourhoods so you can see how far it spreads. Los Tres Ojos is the surprise, a set of open caves with still water and green hanging over it, so go in shoes you can trust on stairs. The Columbus Lighthouse is a huge, strange monument you will want a local to explain.

Beyond the capital, the country opens out. Punta Cana and the east are the beach coast, with palm-lined sand and resorts. Samaná on the north-east shore is greener and quieter, with hills dropping to the water. Puerto Plata and Sosúa sit on the north coast, and Santiago is the big inland city, with its own character and its own pace. Up in the mountains around Jarabacoa the air cools and the rivers run fast. Along the way, eat mangú for breakfast and sancocho when you can, and stop at a roadside stand for fruit.

We have a private tour of Santo Domingo below, run by a guide who grew up there. If you want to see somewhere else, a waterfall, a colonial fortress, a rum distillery, or a day in the mountains, ask. A local guide can often take the request.