DK Travel : Dominican Republic : Santo Domingo & the South Coast

From the bustling capital city to the huge expanses of beach that make up the Costa del Coco, the Dominican Republic’s South Coast is an intriguing mix of tourist activity and natural beauty. The southeast contains the country’s traditional sugar territory, with huge plantations stretching to the horizon. This is also the heartland of baseball culture, centered around La Romana and San Pedro de Macorís, where local kids dream of making it big in the United States. Some of the country’s most established seaside resorts are here, as well as the modern complexes of Bávaro and Punta Cana, offering a choice of quiet swimming or crowded people-watching. Most of the coastline can be reached by the scenic Carretera 3, which runs adjacent to the sea, but the remote wilderness of the Parque Nacional del Este is only accessible by boat.

Page
1
2
3
4
5
6

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).
Adrian Tropical

Local dishes such as mofongo , and international cuisine, in an attractive setting by the sea.
Alisios Bávaro

A hotel restaurant set by a pool, serving Mexican food four days of the week and Thai food the other three.
Aqua Sushi Bar

Good Japanese fusion food for lunch or dinner.
Arena

The leading gay club in Santo Domingo, Arena (formerlyknown as Aire) hosts popular theme nights, and lots of parties, and plays music from the 1970s and 80s (see Arena, Santo Domingo).
Atarazana 9

Located by Alcázar de Colón, Atarazana 9 is acafé and bar offering live musicand a relaxed atmosphere (see Atarazana 9, Santo Domingo).
Barceló Bávaro Casino

Five Barceló hotels share the facilities of a 24-hour casino, a theater featuring Las Vegas-style Tropicalísimo casino shows, and a disco which plays a variety of music.
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 Yate

This French-owned small hotel with a restaurant and bar specializes in fresh lobster and seafood. It’s popular with guests from the all-inclusive hotel opposite.

Jump to top

Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal and a beer for one including tax and service.
- under $10
- $10–$20
- $20–$30
- $30–$40
- over $40