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The winding but well-maintained road leading up from Bonao to the Constanza Valley is one of the country’s most fabulous. It meanders through pine forests and over rushing streams. As the temperature drops, there are superb views of the mountain range and the valley.

In this variant on canyoning, the participant jumps through a waterfall into the pool at the bottom. The Salto de Jimenoa is a recommended spot.

A pleasure ride on a catamaran is a favorite and is on offer at every beach hotel. It normally involves a couple of hours at sea, followed by a stop at a cove where drinks and lunch are served. El Caballo can organize such trips.

The country’s rugged limestone terrain is riddled with underwater caves and canyons which can be explored by experienced divers. You can swim through some tunnels, and examine the huge sponges and other sea creatures that live in the half-light of this submarine world. Caradonna can plan your diving tours.

This idyllic, cool valley is the starting point for many recommended trails, which take you through pine forests and into flower-covered mountain meadows. Bird-watching is a big draw here, with Hispaniolan woodpeckers, parakeets, and hummingbirds in abundance. The trail to the Salto Agua Blanca is manageable and often spectacular (see Constanza & “The Dominican Alps”).

A long, gray-sand beach backed by a few fishermen’s huts and palm trees faces the Bahía de Ocoa, a calm inlet of glittering water ringed by mountains. The view across the bay is a marvelous mix of distant hillsides and sky, while the imposing Sierra El Número mountain rises behind.

Although cycling isn’t safe in most towns and cities, the countryside is full of relatively quiet, if potholed, roads, and there is no shortage of off-road possibilities, especially in the Cordillera Central. Bikes can be hired from specialist tour operators, who also lead organized excursions.

Whether on or off road, cyclists will enjoy fantastic views as well as a warm welcome in villages, where you can always buy drinks.

Home of the Samaná Peninsula’s biggest all-inclusive, this popular beach features every possible sporting activity.

This power hitter enjoyed a long career as a player and award-winning manager.