A little more
Dominican.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Dominican: what to know before you go

The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and is one of the Caribbean's most visited countries, with white-sand beaches around Punta Cana, the oldest European-built city in the Americas in Santo Domingo, mountains in the interior and humpback whales in Samaná Bay. It suits beach holidays and families, but also travellers who want history, merengue and bachata, and outdoor adventure.

Where to go

• Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo. The UNESCO-listed old city founded by the Spanish in the 1490s, with the first cathedral in the Americas, the Alcázar de Colón palace built for Christopher Columbus's son, and the cobbled Calle de las Damas.
• Punta Cana and Bávaro. The eastern tip of the country has long beaches of soft white sand lined with coconut palms and resorts.
• Saona Island. An island in the Parque Nacional del Este, reached by boat from Bayahibe, with palm-fringed beaches and a shallow natural pool where starfish lie on the sand.
• Samaná Peninsula and whale watching. Humpback whales gather in Samaná Bay each winter to mate and calve.

Best time to visit

December to April is the dry season and the most popular time to visit, with sunny days, lower humidity and peak prices. Humpback whales are in Samaná Bay from roughly mid-January to late March.

Staying online in Dominican

Mobile coverage is good in cities, tourist resorts and along main highways, with 4G widely available. Signal can be patchy in the central mountains, in national parks such as Los Haitises, on boats and islands, and in rural parts of the south-west. Resorts, hotels and cafés usually offer Wi-Fi, though in large resorts it can be weak away from the lobby. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.