©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Dominican Republic North Coast p145 Península Central de Samaná HAITI Highlands p124 p223 p180 Punta Cana & the Southeast p91 The Southwest & #_ Península de Santo Pedernales Domingo p203 p56 Ashley Harrell, Kevin Raub PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD Welcome to the SANTO DOMINGO . 56 PENÍNSULA DE Dominican Republic . 4 SAMANÁ . 124 Dominican Republic Map . 6 PUNTA CANA & Samaná . 126 Dominican THE SOUTHEAST . 91 Las Galeras . 132 Republic’s Top 17 . 8 Juan Dolio . 94 Las Terrenas . 136 Need to Know . 20 La Romana . 97 First Time . 22 Bayahibe & Dominicus NORTH COAST . 145 What’s New . 24 Americanus . 102 Puerto Plata . 147 Higüey . 108 If You Like . 25 Playa Dorada & Bávaro & Punta Cana . 110 Costa Dorada . 152 Month by Month . 29 Playa Limón . 119 Costambar . 153 Itineraries . 32 Miches . 120 Playa Cofresí . 154 Eat & Drink Sabana de la Mar . 122 Sosúa . 155 Like a Local . 38 Cabarete . 161 Outdoor Activities . 44 Río San Juan . 171 Regions at a Glance . 53 MATT MUNRO/LONELY PLANET © PLANET MUNRO/LONELY MATT © PROKHOROV/500PX ANDREY SANTO DOMINGO P56 MATT MUNRO/LONELY PLANET © PLANET MUNRO/LONELY MATT EAT & DRINK LIKE A LOCAL P38 Contents UNDERSTAND Luperón . 174 THE SOUTHWEST Dominican Punta Rucia . 174 & PENÍNSULA DE Republic Today . 268 Monte Cristi . 177 PEDERNALES . 203 History . 270 Dajabón . 179 Baní . .205 Music & Dance . 281 Ázua . 206 Baseball: A Dominican Passion . 284 San Juan de la CENTRAL Arts & Architecture . 286 HIGHLANDS . 180 Maguana . 207 Dominican Santiago . 182 Comendador del Rey (Elías Piña) . 209 Landscapes . 289 San José de las Matas . 188 Península de La Vega . 189 Pedernales . 210 Jarabacoa . 190 Parque Nacional Jargua . 211 Parques Nacionales Barahona . 211 Bermúdez & Ramírez . 196 South of Barahona . 213 Constanza . 199 Larimar Mine . 216 East of Santiago . 201 Laguna Oviedo . 216 SURVIVAL Islas Beata & Alto Velo . 217 GUIDE Pedernales . 217 Parque Nacional Sierra de Bahoruco . 218 Directory A–Z . 294 Lago Enriquillo & Transportation . 302 Isla Cabritos . 219 Language . 307 Jimaní . .. 220 Index . 313 Map Legend . 319 HAITI . 223 Port-Au-Prince . 225 Around Port-Au-Prince . 237 Route de Kenscoff . 237 Plaine du Cul-de-Sac . 239 Côte des Arcadins . 240 Northern Haiti . 242 Cap-Haïtien . 242 The Citadelle & Sans Souci . 245 Beaches West of Cap-Haïtien . 247 Gonaïves . 248 Southern Haiti . 249 Jacmel . 249 Kabic . 253 The Southwest . 254 CABARETE P161 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 32 Itineraries Sosúa Cabarete •# •# Río San Juan AT L A N T I C O C E A N É •# Las El Península de É Terrenas É Limón Samaná •# •# •#Las Galeras Bahía de Jarabacoa •# Samaná f# Parque ÷# É •# Nacional Los Haitises Playa É É Limón Bávaro •# Lago Enriquillo •# É #_ É Punta É Cana SANTO DOMINGO Barahona •# Bahía de Neiba C A R I B B E A N S E A 2 WEEKS Dominican Circuit This ‘greatest hits’ itinerary visits every major attraction in the DR, from the New World’s oldest city and the adrenaline-packed central highlands to the country’s best beaches and natural environs. Start with two days exploring Santo Domingo, the Zona Colonial and essential Do- minican experiences of baseball and dancing to merengue. On day three head to Jara- bacoa. Visit the waterfalls in the afternoon, with white-water rafting or canyoning the next day. Head north to Cabarete, which has world-class water sports and mountain biking. Spend several days diving and beach-bumming in nearby Sosúa and Río San Juan, then bolt for whale-watching from Península de Samaná. If it’s the off-season take a boat trip to Parque Nacional Los Haitises to see mangroves, cave paintings or the waterfall near El Limón. Spend two days hiking or boating to the beaches around Las Galeras, or for more nightlife, base yourself in Las Terrenas. The southeast is perfect for some more relaxing beach time – go for either deserted Playa Limón or per- ennially popular Bávaro and Punta Cana. Return to Santo Domingo. To the southwest is a spectacular drive to Barahona, and crocodiles in Lago Enriquillo. Spend a night or two before returning to Santo Domingo. 33 Península Las Terrenas de Samaná East Coast •# •# Península de Samaná #– É •# É Las Galeras Aeropuerto El Limón Internacional É El Catey B A H Í A D E S A M A N Á f# AT L A N T I C PLAN YOUR TRIP É O C E A N ÷# É •# Parque Playa Nacional Limón Los Haitises É Bávaro •# É É IT I NERAR SANTO •# Punta É Cana DOMINGO É #_ É I ES •# Bayahibe C A R I B B E A N S E A Peninsula de 1 East Coast 5 WEEK DAYS Samaná An east-coast sampler efficiently combines From beaches to whale-watching to water- the colonial charm of the Americas’ oldest fall hikes, this itinerary is all about water. city with total beach relaxation. If you can, fly directly into Aeropuerto Fly into Santo Domingo or Punta Cana, Internacional El Catey, the closest airport and regardless of where you start, allow a to the peninsula. Otherwise, get in a full day to explore the old colonial center puddle jumper from another DR airport of Santo Domingo. or consider taking a bus or driving from Santo Domingo – the new highway makes Base yourself in the southeast at the hub it a painless transfer. of Dominican tourism, Bávaro and Punta Cana, where the all-inclusive resorts are If possible, plan your trip for mid- tailor-made for families; if all you want to January to mid-March, when humpback do is splash about in the water, you could whales migrate to the Bahía de Samaná do worse than check in here. Many are and whale-watching tours are in full steam. particularly child-friendly, and activities Base yourself either in Las Terrenas or include go-karts, bowling, sailing trips and Las Galeras. Las Terrenas has a cosmo- parasailing. Resorts also offer tours to local politan mix and a relatively sophisticated sights; for more independence, rent a car European vibe. Kitesurfing and other water and head out on your own. Singles, couples sports are deservedly popular here and you and those seeking nightlife can certainly can choose from day-trips horseback riding find their own Shangri-la here as well. to the waterfall near El Limón or a boat Not far south of this area is Bayahibe, trip to Parque Nacional Los Haitises to a tiny town on the edge of a national park, see the mangroves and cave paintings. with the best scuba diving in the DR and a Las Galeras is a small laid-back town number of excursions, including catamaran at the far eastern tip of the peninsula. The tours to an island beach and snorkeling beaches around here rival any in the DR and trips. For more privacy, head to deserted there are chances to really get to the prover- further up the coast. Playa Limón bial end of the road. 34 North Coast Puerto AT L A N T I C O C E A N Central Highlands Plata •# Sosúa É Cabarete •# É •# Aeropuerto #– B A H Í A PLAN YOUR TRIP Internacional E S C O N D I D A Gregorio Luperón É •# Río San Juan Santiago •# É #– IT Parque Nacional I Armando NERAR Bermúdez É ÷# É •# I Jarabacoa ES É R •#Valle de É ÷# É Pico Tétero Duarte Parque Nacional (3087m) José del •# Carmen Ramírez Constanza 1 1 WEEK North Coast WEEK Central Highlands For a less-traveled beach holiday that comes The most extreme adventures in the Carib- with a side of thrill-seeking and a splash of bean are concentrated here, along with a history and culture, head due north. window into rural life in the DR. Fly into the Aeropuerto Internacional Fly into the airport outside Santiago and Gregorio Luperón. From here, choose your spend a day exploring downtown and taking base for the week, but allow yourself at least in Dominican painting at the Centro León. an afternoon in Puerto Plata. Wander the Take a tour of a tobacco factory and see a city’s downtown streets lined with restored baseball game at the stadium if you’re here Victorian homes, explore the city’s museums during the winter season. and have a drink at a Malecón restaurant. On the following day, head to Jaraba- Active types will want to stay in or coa, gateway to Parques Nacionales Ar- around the water-sports mecca of Caba- mando Bermúdez and José del Carmen rete, east of Puerto Plata; it also has a lively Ramírez. The two parks cover much of the bar and restaurant scene. Carve out several DR’s central mountain range, including Pico hours or days learning the ropes of kitesurf- Duarte. Visit the waterfalls in the afternoon, ing, windsurfing or just plain surfing from with white-water rafting, or canyoning and the best. Of course, the beaches are equally mountain biking for the next day or two. alluring for doing absolutely nothing but Or arrange your trip around climbing Pico sipping cocktails and reading a good book. Duarte. The standard trip is three days, but Scuba divers and those looking for a more consider arranging a side trip to beautiful raucous nightlife should look into staying Valle del Tétero, which adds two days. in Sosúa. Unwind in the mountain town of Con- Further east near the quiet town of Río stanza, only a short drive from Jarabacoa, San Juan are several terrific beaches, and where you’ll find cooler temperatures and there are snorkeling and even cave-diving stunning views. Rent a 4WD and off-road it opportunities nearby.