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Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
You can dedicate the first day of your trip to the Dominican Republic completely
to the colonial city of Santo Domingo. Refer to my recommendations above for
what to do and where to go. Depending on your arrival time, you can easily spend
two days in the city, as there is so much to explore. Check out this blog post
for further information.
- Parque Mirador Sur
- Parque Duarte
- Parque Nacional Los Tres Ojos
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Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic
In the morning of the second day of your 1-week trip to the Dominican Republic
you are going to leave Santo Domingo and head towards Jarabacoa. The city is
located in the foothills of the Central Mountain Range at an altitude of 600
meters and is therefore called the “city of eternal spring”, due to its slightly
milder climate. Once there, my recommendation is to visit Salto Jimenoa I, a
beautiful waterfall a few kilometers outside of Jarabacoa. You will have
marvelous views of the surrounding mountains during the journey. The hike to the
waterfall is quite steep but well-marked, so it is one of the easier hiking
options in the Dominican Republic. If you are in decent shape, count with 30
minutes for each way plus time to relax and swim at the natural swimming pool of
the waterfall.
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Punta Rucia, Dominican Republic
After enjoying the mountain views of Jarabacoa, it’s time to head back towards
the ocean. Punta Rucia is your destination for today, a small and quiet fishing
town with the charm of a seaside village like 30 years ago. Time seems to have
forgotten this place which makes it one of the best tourist attractions in the
Dominican Republic. Depending on your preferences, you can either arrive early
to Punta Rucia and enjoy the afternoon at the beautiful and empty beaches while
sipping on a rum and coke with more rum than coke – that’s how they prepare it
in the Dominican Republic if you are in local areas.
- La Ensenada
- Playa Punta Rusia
- Cayo Arena
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Cabarete, Dominican Republic
Punta Rucia is also home to one of the most scenic attractions in the Dominican
Republic called Cayo Arena. This is a sandbar in the open ocean with a fantastic
reef to snorkel and amazing views for unique and gorgeous photos and it should
be on your 7-days Dominican Republic itinerary. Cayo Arena can be reached by
boat from Punta Rucia. It is absolutely recommendable to go early morning so
that you can enjoy the island on your own.
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Samana, Dominican Republic
Still wondering how to spend one week in the Dominican Republic? Day 6 is
another perfect road-trip day, as you are going to drive along the north coast
and can visit several beautiful spots. One particularly recommendable place is
Laguna Dudu, a freshwater lagoon between Cabrera and Nagua, which is spanned by
a zipline. To make it exciting, it’s a one-way zipline – once you are heading
off, there is no way back, the only option is to fly until the middle of the
lagoon and let yourself fall – approx. 25 feet into the water. It’s a super
exciting activity and so much fun for everyone, it doesn’t matter if you jump or
just watch.
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Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic