Travel

This Caribbean Country Has Colonial Towns and the Tallest Island Mountain

Rewards beyond the resorts.

©Marco Bottigelli/Moment/Getty Images
©Marco Bottigelli/Moment/Getty Images
©Marco Bottigelli/Moment/Getty Images

Don’t be fooled by anyone making the “stick to your resort” claim when it comes to this Caribbean gem. Sure, you can opt to solely load up on calm turquoise waters, soft white sand, and gallons of mamajuana (a Dominican staple of rum, red wine, honey, and spices) at your all-inclusive hotel in Punta Cana. There is certainly a well-deserved time and place for that.

But if you have a travel itch that needs to be scratched, the Dominican Republic offers the highest mountain peak in the Caribbean, a world-class kite-surfing utopia, and a capital city with a colonial zone that boasts 500-plus years of history. The glue to each endeavor is the unbeatable kindness of the Dominican people.

It’s never been easier to explore the Dominican Republic than now. A brand-new highway connecting the Dominican Republic’s second largest city, Santiago, and the northern port of Puerto Plata opened late last year. And, as easy as it can be to rent a car and plot your own journey through windy, mountainous roads, it’s growingly easier to find a friendly guide to make DR journeys seamless, too.

With visits to coffee farms, whale watching excursions, and hiking or gondola rides to the tops of mountains, the Dominican Republic is a world of adventure-one whose finest qualities are too often shoved to the back burner amid a stationary resort stay. Here are some of the best escapades for those who truly want to experience the Dominican Republic.

GoDominicanRepublic
GoDominicanRepublic
GoDominicanRepublic

Hike the Caribbean’s tallest peak

Towering at 10,164 feet and situated in the central and vast Armando Bermúdez National Park, you’ll find the highest peak in the entire Caribbean, Pico Duarte. Let’s reiterate here: The park is massive-296 square miles(!) to be exact-and has many entrances in many towns. Head to the town of Manaboa, approximately 35 minutes west of Jarabacoa, where you’ll find a park entrance with the most seamless route, known as La Ciénaga.

The journey to the top of Pico Duarte is nearly 15 miles (25 kilometers) so, at a minimum, plan on the hike lasting two full days, including an overnight camp. Contrary to the landscape here, it is not “a walk in the park,” and count on a solid sweat during your trek. For extra help, the park office offers guides and even trusty mules to help lug your gear.

GoDominicanRepublic
GoDominicanRepublic
GoDominicanRepublic

Walk through centuries of preserved history in Santo Domingo’s Zona Colonial

The Santo Domingo metropolitan area is as bustling as a capital city gets, with a waterfront boulevard (Malecón) full of parks and walking/biking paths or its Piantini neighborhood lined with skyscrapers and luxury shopping. To experience the capital’s most unique side, head to Zona Colonial, a UNESCO World Heritage site that dates to the late 1400s. Baroque-style buildings, stone walls, and pops of tropical color make up the neighborhood. Historical staples include the first cathedral and castle in the Americas (Basilica Cathedral of Santa María la Menor and Alcázar de Colón).

For as much historical elegance that the Zona packs, it knows how to let loose, too. Calle El Conde is a tourist-friendly, pedestrian-only street that includes cafés, souvenir shops, and small bars where locals down Presidente beers on the regular. For a craft cerveza, head to La Cacata, which regularly weaves in Dominican-grown crops-from mango to cacao-into its brews.

Calcalí Coffee
Calcalí Coffee
Calcalí Coffee

Tour a coffee plantation and drink a lot of it, too

Fun fact: The Dominican Republic is the 35th largest coffee producing country in the world and it has six coffee growing regions. And while the staple Santo Domingo coffee is advertised everywhere, the country is experiencing a specialty coffee revolution. Leading the charge are a handful of small batch coffee roasters, cafés, and farmers throughout the country. To experience Dominican coffee at its finest, book a farm tour and/or cupping experience with the country’s specialty coffee king, Alfredo Diaz of Café Don Alfredo. He has farms as well as a roasting/tasting room near Jarabacoa in the heart of the country and, best of all, he’ll make you feel like family.

Lovers of pour overs (e.g. Chemex and V60-brewed coffee) and fancy lattes have limited options in the Dominican Republic. The spots that will pass any coffee aficionado’s litmus test include El Rincón Del Café in Puerto Plata, CalCalí Coffee Roasters in Santiago, and Casa Barista & Co. in Santo Domingo.

lemontune.com/Shutterstock
lemontune.com/Shutterstock
lemontune.com/Shutterstock

Hop on the Teléferico Puerto Plata for panoramic mountain and water vistas

From the center of the bustling Northern port town of Puerto Plata, you may see a tiny red dot making its way up a green mountain in the distance. It’s the Teléferico Puerto Plata, the Caribbean’s only fully-operational cable car system, which has been running since 1975. The ride takes about 10 minutes up the 2,600-plus foot mountain, where a botanical garden where nearly 600 types of plants, the restaurant, and Christ the Redeemer statue await. From the top, see how many Puerto Plata icons you can spot in the distance, including the Brugal Rum distillery, Ocean World Adventure Park, and Fortress of San Felipe.

Judith Lienert/Shutterstock
Judith Lienert/Shutterstock
Judith Lienert/Shutterstock

Watch humpback whales breach in Samaná

If you find yourself in the DR between January and the end of March, head straight to Samaná Bay along the country’s western edge. This is the window to see hundreds upon hundreds of humpback whales hanging out in the heart of their migration season. During this timeframe, the bay is noticeably absent of vessels except for the occasional whale-watching craft. To see them frolic up close, book an excursion with Kim Beddall, a Canadian-born conservationist that has been in the biz for decades.

And even if you don’t catch the legendary beasts, Samaná Bay is a fantastic beach destination with humps of land spread across the ocean and connected by bridges, making for a gorgeous stroll.

Angelita Niedziejko/Moment Open/Getty Images
Angelita Niedziejko/Moment Open/Getty Images
Angelita Niedziejko/Moment Open/Getty Images

Kitesurf and then eat some waffles in cozy Cabarete

The beach towns along the DR’s northern coast run the spectrum from Sosúa, with its raucous streets lined with bars, to Cabarete, with its blue, coral reef-clad waters. With kitesurfing signage sprinkled along Cabarete’s Camino Cinco main drag, you’ll quickly pick up that it’s the quintessential thing to do in this Bohemian town. The spot has been the sight of many global kitesurfing competitions through the years, so whether you’re a novice or pro, there are instructors and equipment for you. For a lesson, hit up Kite Club, Pro Kite Cabarete or Progress Kitesurf.

Post-beach, Vagamundo Coffee and Waffles has open-air quarters with live music and waffle-inspired spins on global dishes, such as a Graceland waffle topped with peanut butter, bacon, and maple syrup.

Adrian Tropical
Adrian Tropical
Adrian Tropical

Eat beef with plantains, fish with plantains, and everything with plantains

The Dominican Republic itself is a colorful hybrid of influences, spanning indigenous Taíno, Spanish, African, and more. Its cuisine is no exception. Adrian Tropical, on Avenida Abraham Lincoln in Santo Domingo, remains an unpretentious must for trying Dominican staples like mofongo and sancocho under one roof. For a more upscale take on Dominican fare in the capital, Don Pepe and Laurel are mainstays as well.

Beyond the capital, culinary experiences often match the vibe of their surroundings. For a panoramic mountain view like no other, head to Jamaca de Dios outside of Jarabacoa, whose carpaccio, croqueta, and paella offerings are as tantalizing as the vistas. In Puerto Plata, take in the town’s buzzing and historic town square (Parque Central Independencia) from the upscale Victorian house-gone-restaurant, Casita Azul. Order the eggplant dip-with plantains, cream, and onions-and prepare to book a trip back to Puerto Plata just to have it again.

Hotel Gran Jimenoa
Hotel Gran Jimenoa
Hotel Gran Jimenoa

Unwind at the DR’s finest hotels and resorts

If you are looking for the all-inclusive, carefree vibe, Punta Cana is your destination, with Iberostar Grand Bávaro and Eden Roc at Cap Cana catering to your every need. If you hit the latter, pack your golf clubs as there is a Jack Nicklaus golf course.

For a jumping off point for central DR adventures-spanning Pico Duarte treks to coffee experiences-book the Gran Jimenoa Hotel in Jarabacoa, situated next to a rushing river that you can watch flow from your room. The hotel has its own raised bridge up in the jungle canopy, so you can feel like you’re hanging out in an exclusive treehouse.

In Santo Domingo, the Casas del XVI is an intimate collection of houses-gone-hotels in the Zona Colonial. You can either opt for a single room or rent the entire house. Many of the houses have their own courtyard or private swimming pool, and are perfect for big groups. Some buildings were former convents, monasteries, or 16th century buildings that preserve their history with modern updates. The hotel offers experiences like clay workshops, gallery tours, and cigar classes.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Jesse Scott is a contributor for Thrillist.

Travel

Ditch your Phone for ‘Dome Life’ in this Pastoral Paradise Outside Port Macquarie 

A responsible, sustainable travel choice for escaping big city life for a few days.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

The urge to get as far away as possible from the incessant noise and pressures of ‘big city life’ has witnessed increasingly more of us turn to off-grid adventures for our holidays: Booking.com polled travellers at the start of 2023 and 55% of us wanted to spend our holidays ‘off-grid’.  Achieving total disconnection from the unyielding demands of our digitised lives via some kind of off-grid nature time—soft or adventurous—is positioned not only as a holiday but, indeed, a necessity for our mental health. 

Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, an accommodation collection of geodesic domes dotted across a lush rural property in Greater Port Macquarie (a few hours’ drive from Sydney, NSW), offers a travel experience that is truly ‘off-grid’. In the figurative ‘wellness travel’ sense of the word, and literally, they run on their own independent power supply—bolstered by solar—and rely not on the town grid. 

Ten minutes before you arrive at the gates for a stay at Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, your phone goes into ‘SOS ONLY’. Apple Maps gives up, and you’re pushed out of your comfort zone, driving down unsealed roads in the dark, dodging dozens of dozing cows. Then, you must ditch your car altogether and hoist yourself into an open-air, all-terrain 4WD with gargantuan wheels. It’s great fun being driven through muddy gullies in this buggy; you feel like Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park.  As your buggy pulls in front of your personal Nature Dome, it’s not far off that “Welcome…to Jurassic Park” jaw-dropping moment—your futuristic-looking home is completely engulfed by thriving native bushland; beyond the outdoor campfire lie expansive hills and valleys of green farmland, dotted with sheep and trees. You’re almost waiting to see a roaming brachiosaurus glide past, munching on a towering gum tree…instead, a few inquisitive llamas trot past your Dome to check out their new visitor. 

To fully capture the awe of inhabiting a geodesic dome for a few days, a little history of these futuristic-looking spherical structures helps. Consisting of interlocking triangular skeletal struts supported by (often transparent) light walls, geodesic domes were developed in the 20th century by American engineer and architect R. Buckminster Fuller, and were used for arenas. Smaller incarnations have evolved into a ‘future-proof’ form of modern housing: domes are able to withstand harsh elements due to the stability provided by the durable materials of their construction and their large surface area to volume ratio (which helps minimize wind impact and prevents the structure from collapsing). As housing, they’re also hugely energy efficient – their curved shape helps to conserve heat and reduce energy costs, making them less susceptible to temperature changes outside. The ample light let in by their panels further reduces the need for artificial power. 

Due to their low environmental impact, they’re an ideal sustainable travel choice. Of course, Tom’s Creek Nature Domes’ owner-operators, Cardia and Lee Forsyth, know all this, which is why they have set up their one-of-a-kind Nature Domes experience for the modern traveller. It’s also no surprise to learn that owner Lee is an electrical engineer—experienced in renewable energy—and that he designed the whole set-up. As well as the off-grid power supply, rainwater tanks are used, and the outdoor hot tub is heated by a wood fire—your campfire heats up your tub water via a large metal coil. Like most places in regional Australia, the nights get cold – but rather than blast a heater, the Domes provide you with hot water bottles, warm blankets, lush robes and heavy curtains to ward off the chill.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

You’ll need to be self-sufficient during your stay at the Domes, bringing your own food. Support local businesses and stock up in the town of Wauchope on your drive-in (and grab some pastries and coffee at Baked Culture while you’re at it). There’s a stovetop, fridge (stocked as per a mini bar), BBQs, lanterns and mozzie coils, and you can even order DIY S’More packs for fireside fun. The interiors of the Domes have a cosy, stylish fit-out, with a modern bathroom (and a proper flushing toilet—none of that drop bush toilet stuff). As there’s no mobile reception, pack a good book or make the most of treasures that lie waiting to be discovered at every turn: a bed chest full of board games, a cupboard crammed with retro DVDs, a stargazing telescope (the skies are ablaze come night time). Many of these activities are ideal for couples, but there’s plenty on offer for solo travellers, such as yoga mats, locally-made face masks and bath bombs for hot tub soaks. 

It’s these thoughtful human touches that reinforce the benefit of making a responsible travel choice by booking local and giving your money to a tourism operator in the Greater Port Macquarie Region, such as Tom’s Creek Nature Domes. The owners are still working on the property following the setbacks of COVID-19, and flooding in the region —a new series of Domes designed with families and groups in mind is under construction, along with an open-air, barn-style dining hall and garden stage. Once ready, the venue will be ideal for wedding celebrations, with wedding parties able to book out the property. They’ve already got one couple—who honeymooned at the Domes—ready and waiting. Just need to train up the llamas for ring-bearer duties! 

An abundance of favourite moments come to mind from my two-night stay at Tom’s Creek: sipping champagne and gourmet picnicking at the top of a hill on a giant swing under a tree, with a bird’s eye view of the entire property (the ‘Mountain Top picnic’ is a must-do activity add on during your stay), lying on a deckchair at night wrapped in a blanket gazing up at starry constellations and eating hot melted marshmallows, to revelling in the joys of travellers before me, scrawled on notes in a jar of wishes left by the telescope (you’re encouraged to write your own to add to the jar). But I’ll leave you with a gratitude journal entry I made while staying there. I will preface this by saying that I don’t actually keep a gratitude journal, but Tom’s Creek Nature Domes is just the kind of place that makes you want to start one. And so, waking up on my second morning at Tom’s —lacking any 4G bars to facilitate my bad habit of a morning Instagram scroll—I finally opened up a notebook and made my first journal entry:

‘I am grateful to wake up after a deep sleep and breathe in the biggest breaths of this clean air, purified by nature and scented with eucalyptus and rain. I am grateful for this steaming hot coffee brewed on a fire. I feel accomplished at having made myself. I am grateful for the skittish sheep that made me laugh as I enjoyed a long nature walk at dawn and the animated billy goats and friendly llamas overlooking my shoulder as I write this: agreeable company for any solo traveller. I’m grateful for total peace, absolute stillness.” 

Off-grid holiday status: unlocked.

Where: Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, Port Macquarie, 2001 Toms Creek Rd
Price: $450 per night, book at the Natura Domes website.

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