Villa in Dominican Republic

The North Coast of the Dominican Republic

The North Coast of the Dominican Republic

Featuring the popular towns of Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Cabarete, the North coast has often been referred to as the Amber Coast due to the prevalence of this semi-precious gem, the Discovery Coast thanks to Christopher Columbus's discovery of the island of Hispaniola and the Silver Coast, after Columbus named the area Puerto Plata or silver port because of the effect the sun made on the water as he approached from the sea.

Regardless of what visitors call it, the North Coast brings together some of the country's best features - lush jungle forests, rolling mountain ranges, ethereal blue waters and golden sandy beaches. And it is because of these characteristics that this area is today considered the country's most versatile playground. Here vacationers can jump river beds on a mountain bike, fight the waves on a kite-board, test their strength on a rock face or rub elbows with the rich and famous who come for the North Coast's luxurious accommodations. No matter what activity you choose to partake in, however, you will find that everything here is done with legendary Dominican flair.

Cabarete

This is the serious vacationer's destination. Cabarete has an enormous, beautiful bay, considered one of the best in the world for windsurfing. The lovely, white-sand beaches are postcard perfect.. Do not miss the bars and discos where live music is served fresh nightly to hundreds of well-dressed party people.

Playa Encuentro Beach, Sosua, Dominican Republic

The windsurfing attracts people from all over the world. You can rent all the equipment you will need and sign-up for a few lessons from any of several operators located on the beach. If surfing is more your speed, visit Playa Encuentro where some of the DR's best waves for surfing break. Playa Encuentro is located to the west of Cabarete, where the surf breaks over coral reefs worth exploring in their own right. You can rent surfboards and boogie boards in Cabarete.

Sosua

Sosua Beach, Dominican Republic Sosúa is more than just another perfect beach town, still in the early stages of development yet impossibly rich in wide sandy shores and coconut trees. Sure, there are scores of sunbathers there, taking advantage of the pleasant restaurant scene and lively nightlife, but many of them don't know this community's interesting history.

The entire area was owned by United Fruit until the late 1920s, when dictator Rafael Trujillo bought the land up cheaply and sold it at a profit to Jewish organizations in the USA. These groups were trying to secure land for Jews fleeing an increasingly anti-Semitic central Europe. In 1940, some 350 Jewish families moved onto the land, and tried for several years to develop an agricultural product that could thrive in the tropical climate and survive long overland treks to Santo Domingo. They raised livestock for milk, cheese, sausages and other products, then used the profit to build a successful distribution system. Everything ran smoothly until the 1960s, when peasants began squatting on the farmland, rendering it useless for grazing. The police refused to help the Jewish community, and most eventually emigrated to the USA or Israel. Though only a few Jewish families remain today, the Jewish Community Museum offers a peek at their fascinating history. Why not drop by, before or after sunning your hangover away next to the clear, sparkling waters (where there are some fantastic diving opportunities, by the way).

Puert Plata Town area

Victorian architecture in Central Park - Around 150 late 19th and early 20th century preserved edifices housing homes and public buildings with gingerbread motifs, wooden lace filigree and pastel colors. The best collection is right around Central Park.

San Felipe Fort - Built by the Spaniards in the 16th century on the waterfront to fend off pirates. The 2000 square meter fort is the oldest standing edifice in Puerto Plata and the only remnant of the colonial time architecture. It overlooks the statue of General Gregorio Luperon, hero of the war that restored the rule of the country to the Dominicans from the Spanish.

Puerto Plata Lighthouse - Built in 1879 it was restored in 2002 with a grant from the World Monuments Fund that valued this 24.4 meter high rare cast iron tower, only one of very few still standing in the Americas.

Brugal Rum Factory - The largest in the Dominican Republic and third largest producer of sugar cane rum. A tour can be taken to observe part of the manufacturing process. The tour ends with a daiquiri tasting and the opportunity to purchase the finer quality rums at best prices.

Amber Museum - Located in a 1919 built mansion, the Amber museum shows off one of the better collections of amber anywhere in the world. See the mosquito-encased amber that Steven Spielberg used in the film Jurassic Park or a 42.5 centimeter lizard fossil, or the biggest bio-inclusion feather fossil in the world.

Taino Art Museum - Visit this museum for insights into the lives of the settlers of the island when Columbus and the Spaniards arrived.

The Amber Coast

The northern coast of the Dominican Republic gets its name from the world's richest deposits of amber which are found in the hills nearby. Its reputation is squarely based on the 120km (75mi) string of beautiful beaches stretching east of Puerto Plata. The Amber Coast is the most developed stretch of the island. There are several small towns where the laid-back atmosphere of palm-thatched restaurants and local guesthouses still prevail.
Puerto Plata, the main hub of the coast, has it's share of local street life, gingerbread architecture and tree-lined plazas. Away from it's beaches, you will have fun promenading the Malecón or taking the funicular to the 780m (2600ft) peak of Mt. Isabel de Torres.

Bookmark with: