Dominican Republic

This is the Central Highlands chapter from Lonely Planet’s Dominican Republic guidebook.

When you eventually overdose on sun and sand, come to the cool, mountainous playground of the Central Highlands. Sit at dusk, huddled in a sweater, and watch the mist descend into the valley as the sun sets behind the mountains.

• ride the Caribbean’s only raftable river, the turbulent Río Yaque del Norte near Jaraba-coa
• maps
• scale the Caribbean’s highest peak, Pico Duarte, and linger at the top to take in the views
• transport
• watch the sunset as the mist descends into the high-altitude valley surrounding Constanza
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Santiago & Around, San José de las Matas, La Vega, Jarabacoa, Parques Nacionales Bermúdez, Ramírez, Constanza.

This is the Haiti chapter from Lonely Planet’s Dominican Republic guidebook.

As those who come to assist Haiti often learn, an encounter with the soul of this fascinating, beautiful country often benefits a traveler far more than one could ever hope to help it.

• join the country’s most theatrical parade and street party, Jacmel Carnival, which celebrates Vodou, sex, death and revolution
• maps
• discover a mountain fortress above a ruined palace – Citadelle Laferrière – a symbol of the world’s first black republic
• transport
• hike past weird broken rock formations with views out to the Caribbean Sea in the Parc Na-tional la Visite
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Port-Au-Prince, Around Port-au-Prince, Route de Kenscoff, Plaine du Cul-de-Sac, Côte des Arcadins, Northern Haiti, Cap-Haïtien, The Citadelle & Sans Souci, Beaches West of Cap-Haïtien, Gonaïves, Southern Haiti, Jacmel, Kabic, The South-west, Understand, Haiti Today, History, Culture, Survival Guide.

This is the North Coast chapter from Lonely Planet’s Dominican Republic guide-book.

From east to west on the Dominican Republic’s north coast, you’ll find world-class beaches, water sports galore and out-of-the-way locales evocative of timeless rural life. There are forested hills, dry desert scrub, and jungly nature preserves.

• learn how to kitesurf or windsurf with the pros in Cabarete, dig your toes into the sand, and feast afterward on the beach
• maps
• jump and slide down the cataratas at the Twenty-Seven Waterfalls of Damaja-gua.
• transport
• playa Grande Worshipping the sun or taking a surf lesson as the waves roll in,
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Puerto Plata, Playa Dorada, Costa Dorada, Costam-bar, Playa Cofresí, Sosúa, Cabarete, Río San Juan, Luperón, Punta Rucia, Monte Cristi, Da-jabón.

This is the Península de Samaná chapter from Lonely Planet’s Dominican Repub-lic guidebook.

This sliver of land is the antithesis of the Dominican-Caribbean dream in the southeast, where resorts rule. Far more laid-back, Samaná offers a European vibe as strong as espresso; where escape is the operative word.

• take in the spectacular sight of majestic humpbacks breaching and diving in Bahía de Sa-maná
• maps
• dine precariously above a stupendous blue sea on the edge of the country at El Monte Azul in Las Galeras
• transport
• lose yourself for hours on the gorgeous sun-toasted sands of Playa Rincón
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Samaná, Las Galeras, Las Terrenas.

This chapter contains the Welcome to the Dominican Republic, Need to Know, First Time Dominican Republic If You Like..., Month by Month, Itineraries, Eat & Drink Like a Local Outdoor Activities, Regions at a Glance, and What’s New chapters from Lonely Planet’s Dominican Republic guidebook.

Your journey to Dominican Republic starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on outdoor activities.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about local food & drink
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to the Dominican Republic, Need to Know, First Time Dominican Republic If You Like: White-Sand Beaches, Outdoor Adventures, Relaxing at a Resort, Wildlife, Nightlife & Dancing, Romantic Getaways, Diving & Snorkeling, Ruins, Ar-chitecture, Month by Month, Itineraries, Eat & Drink Like a Local Outdoor Activities, Regions at a Glance, and What’s New.

This is the Punta Cana & the Southeast chapter from Lonely Planet’s Dominican Repub-lic guidebook.

A Caribbean workhorse of sun and sand, the southeast is synonymous with go-big-or-go-home tourism and carries the weight of the Dominican Republic’s most dramatic beaches and turquoise seas on its deeply tanned shoulders.

• throw caution to the wind on an all-inclusive binge of pristine beaches and bountiful buffets at Punta Cana
• maps
• ogle mangrove-infested forests on a tranquil kayak excursion in Parque Nacional Los Hai-tises
• transport
• dunk into crystal-clear waters on a snorkeling or diving trip in Parque Nacional Cotubanamá
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Best Places to Sleep, Juan Dolio, La Romana, Baya-hibe, Dominicus Americanus, Higüey, Bávaro, Punta Cana, Playa Limón, Miches, Sabana de la Mar.

This is the Santo Domingo chapter from Lonely Planet’s Dominican Republic guidebook.

Amid the cobblestone streets it would be easy to forget Santo Domingo is in the Caribbean. But this is an intensely urban city, home not only to colonial-era architecture, but also to hot clubs, vibrant cultural institutions and elegant restaurants.

• wander the 500-year-old cobblestone backstreets of the Zona Colonial in the New World’s first city
• maps
• enter Catedral Primada de América, the first church in the New World, and imagine how 16th-century worshippers felt
• transport
• root for the home team at Estadio Quisqueya, one of the best places to watch a baseball game in the DR
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: History, Sights, Courses, Tours, Festivals & Events, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping.

This is the Southwest & Península de Pedernales chapter from Lonely Planet’s Dominican Republic guidebook.

Talk about criminally undervisited. Few travelers make it to the southwest of the Dominican Republic: it’s remote, and its little-known highlights take some effort to uncover – but that’s exactly the reason to visit.

• take a spectacular boat ride to the most remote and beautiful beach in the DR, Bahía de Las Águilas
• maps
• drink in paradise at Eco del Mar, the DR’s most blissful beach bar
• transport
• spot flamingos and turtles on a boat tour to the salty lagoon of Laguna Oviedo
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: West of Santo Domingo, Baní, Ázua, Inland, San Juan de la Maguana, Comendador del Rey (Elías Piña), Península de Pedernales, Parque Nacional Jargua, Barahona & Around, Larimar Mine, Laguna Oviedo, Islas Beata, Alto Velo, Pedernales & Around, Parque Nacional Sierra de Bahoruco, Lago Enriquillo, Isla Cabritos, Jimaní.

This chapter contains the Dominican Republic Today, History, Music & Dance, Baseball: A Dominican Passion, Arts & Architecture, Dominican Landscapes, Directory A–Z, Transportation, and Language chapters from Lonely Planet’s Dominican Republic guidebook.

All the info you need on everything from history and arts to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and lesbian travellers, trav-ellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids. And get the most out of your conversations with a handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on the DR’s infectious music and dance
• info on the Dominican grand passion: baseball
• full coverage of the DR’s stunning landscapes and diverse ecosystems
• details on the fascinating and turbulent history of the region

Coverage includes: Dominican Republic Today, History, Music & Dance, Baseball: A Dominican Passion, Arts & Architecture, Dominican Landscapes, Directory A–Z, Transportation, and Language.