DK Travel : Dominican Republic : Places of interest

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Acuario Nacional

This technically impressive installation uses natural seawater to fill its various tanks, displaying an enormous and colorful range of tropical marine life. The pride of this place is Tamaury, an orphaned manatee, which was saved in 1995 after its mother was killed and now basks, apparently quite happily, in a large tank. A pleasant snack bar looks over the sea (see Acuario Nacional, Santo Domingo).
Acuario Nacional, Santo Domingo

Flanking the Caribbean Sea, the aquarium features a large plastic tunnel in which spectators are surrounded by water, sharks, rays, and conger eels. Colorful shoals of fish swarm around the tunnel, while exhibits explain different sorts of marine environments. The most popular family attraction, though, is an orphaned manatee.
Agua Splash Caribe, Santo Domingo

This theme park has everything for swimmers and water-lovers, including 12 slides and pools of varying depth. There is ample shade, and refreshments are available. Weekends are extremely popular with local families.
Azua

Swelteringly hot in the plains between sea and mountains, Azua de Compostela looks like an ordinary Dominican town, but it is one of the New World’s oldest cities. It was founded in 1504 by Diego de Valásquez, who went on to conquer Cuba. The old colonial settlement was ravaged by war and earthquakes, and the town was rebuilt away from the sea. There are some pretty painted wooden houses at a distance from the main road, but most visitors and locals prefer to head for the Playa Monte Río, a quiet and undeveloped beach with fabulous views over the Bahía de Ocoa and surrounding mountains.
Baní

Set among flat sugarcane-producing land, Baní is an industrious place, its relative wealth due to nearby coffee plantations, salt mining, and commerce. It is also renowned nationally for its particularly delicious mangoes, in season from May to July. Its most famous son is Máximo Gómez (see The Northwest), who with José Martí was the foremost champion of Cuban independence. His house, now containing a small museum, can be reached on foot from the pleasant Parque Central. Also worth a look is Baní’s local beach, Los Almendros, with rough sand but with restaurants and plenty of atmosphere at weekends.
Barahona

The biggest town in the region, the port of Barahona is the gateway to the South-west’s natural attractions. A broad seaside boulevard runs the length of the town, and the narrow streets around the Parque Central have some nice old buildings. The advent of an international airport in the 1990s encouraged some tourist development, including a beach-side resort in the town itself. But few visitors confine themselves to Barahona, preferring to explore the coastline to the south and the two nearby national parks.
Baseball

Older children may enjoy the buzz of an evening baseball game, especially if familiar with the rules. The floodlit spectacle is usually accompanied by lots of music and razzmatazz as well as snacks galore. Children are welcome, though the game may end rather too late for younger ones.
Bayahibe

Until the 1990s this was a quiet fishing village, with nothing much more than a few boats pulled up on the beach. But a wave of tourist development has changed its character, bringing more amenities and many more visitors. Even so, the pastel-colored wooden huts and gracious palm trees that line the beach still form a pretty scene, while the jetty is the starting point for boat trips to the offshore Isla Saona and Isla Catalina. Bayahibe is also well endowed with eating and drinking spots.
Boca Chica

The easiest beach to reach from Santo Domingo is a boisterous and unpretentious place, verging on the raucous at weekends when tens of thousands of people escape from the capital to swim and listen to music. During the week it’s a lot quieter, but even then there’s no shortage of bars and restaurants. There are a number of hotels and guesthouses, too, offering good-value accommodation. The main draw is the beach (see Boca Chica Beach), a lovely strip of sand set in a protective bay with clear water.
Boca Chica Beach

Probably the safest and child-friendliest beach in the country, it lies inside a reef-protected cove with gently sloping sand and shallow water. You can wade out at low tide to a tiny offshore island, or build sandcastles or snorkel.