One Island, Two Nations • Colonial History • Mountains & Whales
Plan Your Dominican Republic TripHispaniola is the second-largest island in the West Indies after Cuba, covering about 76,192 square kilometers. It's shared by two countries: Haiti in the west and the Dominican Republic in the east. The two nations have distinct languages, cultures and histories, from the Spanish-colonial streets of Santo Domingo to Haiti's mountaintop Citadelle.
For travelers today, the two halves of the island are very different. The Dominican Republic offers all-inclusive resorts, colonial history, mountains and whale watching. Haiti is currently under the U.S. State Department's highest advisory level, Level 4: Do Not Travel. This page focuses on what visitors can do safely and points you to our full Dominican Republic guide.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990, Santo Domingo's Ciudad Colonial was the site of the first cathedral, hospital, customs house and university in the Americas. It's walkable, with plazas, museums and restaurants.
From roughly January to March, humpback whales gather in Samaná Bay to mate and calve. Licensed whale-watching boats depart from the peninsula.
The Dominican Republic is home to Pico Duarte, the highest peak in the Caribbean, reached on guided treks.
Punta Cana, La Romana, Puerto Plata and Samaná offer very different beach scenes, from all-inclusive resort coasts to quiet bays. See our Dominican Republic guide for picks.
Haiti has a remarkable history and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers (inscribed 1982). However, the State Department rates Haiti Level 4: Do Not Travel (issued July 10, 2026), citing crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest and limited health care, along with a national state of emergency in effect since March 2024, and there are currently no U.S. commercial flights to Port-au-Prince. We aren't offering Haiti itineraries at this time and recommend following the official advisory.
Try Dominican staples such as la bandera ("the flag": rice, beans and stewed meat) and mangú (mashed plantains, often served at breakfast). Read more in our Caribbean food guide.
Nearby islands: Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico · Explore the Northern Caribbean
The drier months from December to April are peak season; January to March is also whale season in Samaná. Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30.
The Dominican Republic has several international airports, including Punta Cana (PUJ), Santo Domingo (SDQ) and Puerto Plata (POP), with nonstop service from Miami.
Use resort transfers or licensed taxis. The State Department notes the Dominican Republic has one of the world's highest road-fatality rates, so think twice before driving yourself, especially at night.
Let our team plan your Dominican Republic trip, from a colonial weekend in Santo Domingo to whale season in Samaná.
Plan My Dominican Republic TripPhoto: “Cayo Levantado, Samaná 32000, Dominican Republic - panoramio.jpg” by Максим Улитин, CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), via Wikimedia Commons; resized.