Last Updated
The Dominican Republic is poised to become one of the trendiest ecotourist destinations in the Caribbean in 2023. Despite its small size, the tropical country is home to an impressive variety of stunning landscapes, ranging from white-sand Caribbean beaches to lush rainforests. With a tropical climate characterised by year-round warm weather and humidity, the Dominican Republic offers travelers abundant opportunities for nature exploration. Interest in nature-based tourism is growing steadily as travelers become increasingly environmentally conscious. In this article, we’ll tell you why the Dominican Republic should be on every nature lover’s radar.
The Dominican Republic Is Home To 29 Gorgeous National Parks
With over 29 national parks, travelers can find some of the Caribbean’s best landscape in the Dominican Republic. According to local officials, ecotourism has grown by over 20% in the Dominican Republic over the past year, and more efforts are being made to create new parks and improve existing ones. The government, led by president Luis Abinader, has created several initiatives recently to boost ecotourism opportunities in the country, such as creating new protected nature areas for travelers to explore.
Travelers headed to the Dominican Republic can visit the Parque Nacional Jaragua – the largest protected area in the Caribbean. The park, measuring over 1300 square kilometres in size, is great for independent exploration, but travelers can also take advantage of several guided tours. Officials recently announced that improvements have to be made to one of the best waterfalls in the country, Monumento Natural Saltos de Jimenoa as well as the manatee sanctuary Estero Hondo.
A Hotspot For Eco-friendly Accomodations
Travelers can sleep surrounded by tropical nature in every direction thanks to the many eco-friendly hotels and resorts in the Dominican Republic. The country’s lush rainforests and white-sand beaches provide an idyllic setting for travelers to soak in the surrounding views in an environmentally friendly way.
Destinations like Puerto Plata, Miches, and Pederanles abound with eco-chic accommodations, including villas, bungalows, and treehouse-style rooms. Travelers can easily explore vast natural areas, opting for activities such as hiking, mountain treks, and birdwatching. Travelers in Punta Cana can also enjoy several eco-friendly resorts that have made improvements to lower their carbon footprint.
Award-Winning Beaches
While the Dominican Republic is famous for its pristine jungles and waterfalls, the country is most associated with its white-sand beaches. With more than 1000 miles of coastline, it’s no surprise that this tropical island is one of the best destinations for beach lovers. Travelers looking for the picture-perfect seaside holiday should opt for Punta Cana, where beaches and luxurious all-inclusives welcome travelers for an idyllic Caribbean getaway.
Travelers looking to escape the crowds can opt for day trips to one of the Dominican Republic’s stunning tropical islands, such as Isla Catalina or Isla Saona. Puerto Plata – famous for its mountainous scenery – is also a popular resort destination.
New Destinations Are Opening Up
The Dominican Republic has invested heavily in creating new ecotourism areas for travelers to explore, including Miches, where untouched virgin beaches await tourists. The sun-soaked country is currently making massive improvements to infrastructure to improve access to these areas, and there are plans to build a new airport in Pedernales. Meanwhile, hospitality firms are opening up several new hotels in ecotourism hotspots, including two new Temptation hotels which were inaugurated earlier last year.
Cruising is also experiencing a surge in popularity, and passenger numbers are quickly reaching pre-pandemic levels. The Dominican Republic is currently building Port Cabo Rojo, the country’s flagship cruise ship port in the southwestern tip of the country.
Plan Your Next Dominican Republic Vacation:
Traveler Alert: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip!
Choose From Thousands of Dominican Republic Hotels, Resorts and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties
↓ Join the community ↓
Subscribe to our Latest Posts
Enter your email address to subscribe to Dominican Republic Sun’s latest breaking news affecting travelers, straight to your inbox.