Dominican Republic

Beyond the all-inclusive resorts lies a Caribbean island of dramatic mountains, cascading waterfalls, and vibrant culture. Our active holidays reveal the Dominican Republic’s wild heart through hiking, canyoning, and encounters with a side of the island most visitors never see.

Pico Duarte, the Caribbean’s highest peak at 3,098 metres, offers a multi-day trek through pine forests and alpine meadows that feels a world away from the beach. The Damajagua Waterfalls present a thrilling natural waterslide of 27 cascades, while the limestone caves of Los Haitises National Park contain ancient Taino petroglyphs and mangrove-fringed coastline teeming with birdlife.

The capital Santo Domingo is the oldest European settlement in the Americas. Walk the Zona Colonial, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and explore 16th-century cathedrals and fortresses. In the Cibao Valley, cigar factories and cacao plantations offer a taste of rural Dominican life. And when you are ready for the beach, the Samana Peninsula delivers some of the Caribbean’s most unspoilt stretches of sand.

The Dominican Republic enjoys warm weather year-round, with the driest months from December to April. British passport holders do not need a visa for stays up to 30 days. The currency is the Dominican peso. Direct flights from London Gatwick reach Punta Cana in approximately 9 hours.