Puerto Plata Holidays

Puerto Plata is one of the biggest cities in the Dominican Republic, located on the northern coast of the country. It is one of the major trading ports of Dominican Republic and it regularly attracts lots of tourists. There are many things you can do and attractions to see in Puerto Plata. Fortaleza San Felipe dating from the 16th century is an impressive fort near the Puerto Plata harbor. Amber Museum is also very interesting place to visit, while the settlement called La Isabela is another attractive place to see near Puerto Plata. It was built in the discovery ages by the famous explorer Christopher Columbus.

Puerto Plata has a tropical monsoon climate, meaning hot summers and wet winters. The temperatures are always around 30s C, so no matter which period of the year you visit Puerto Plata the weather will be warm. The only difference are the quick heavy showers that typically occur in the winter months.

The main beach in Puerto Plata is a long stretch of soft white sand. There are many options for water sports on the beach or you can just rent a lounge chair and enjoy the nice views. The public beach in Puerto Plata is close to the interesting Wal-Mart, while there is one pretty good private beach about fifteen minutes away from the center of the town. The beach gate is guarded, but tourists can often pass without any problems. In Puerto Plata there are many excursion companies offering their services. Horseback riding and safari trips can easily be arranged at the hotels, or you can go on many catamaran cruises.

When it comes to shopping, Puerto Plata has one nice souvenirs market near the main square and La Sirena is a popular shopping center with a wide range of products. The central park in Puerto Plata is great place for walking and relaxing, and there are live musicians playing every weekend. If you want to explore Puerto Plata you can go on a city tour which starts from most of the hotels in the resort. The tour includes a stop at a local market, a visit to a cigar or jewelry factory, visit to the Fortaleza San Felipe and a visit to the Mount Isabella de Torres. At the top of the mountain is the impressive monument of Jesus Christ – Christo Redentor from where you can enjoy great views on the town and the coastline.

Another interesting tour which you can take is going on the La Ruta Panoramica. This scenic road goes through the mountains and it connects Puerto Plata with the Santiago City. The drive lasts for a couple of hours and it includes stops at local farms and stop in the nice coffee-producing town called Pedro Garcia. Other popular excursions you can go on include visits to the towns of Cabarete and Sosua, visit to the Ocean World Park, as well as a trip to see the set of 27 waterfalls on the River Damajagua called Las Cascadas de Damajagua.