On the northern coast of the Dominican Republic is the large city of Puerto Plata that is home to several clusters of affordable resorts that are very popular with Europeans and Americans.
The area is famous for long beaches and package holidays, but not for diving and snorkeling like many other Caribbean islands. Spanish is obviously the local language, but English is understood and spoken by nearly everyone in the tourism business so you won’t have much problem communicating.
Puerto Plata is also home to many of the cheapest Caribbean resorts, especially all-inclusive ones, so it’s one of the best places for a cheap package holiday including airfare and an all-inclusive resort hotel on the beach.
| Population | 150,000 |
| Area | 150,000 |
| Timezone | UTC-4 |
| Currency | Dominican Peso |
Most people who visit do so with the intention of swimming right offshore, sunbathing, and relaxing by a pool. The larger resorts situated on the beach tend to have beach loungers and umbrellas available as well.
Nightlife can be hopping here with both clubs and casinos available to try your luck at. When combined with relaxing days at the beach, you’ll find a pretty well-rounded vacation spot.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 29.00 - 72.00 |
| 38.00 - 143.00 |
| 60.00 - 125.00 |
| 280.00 - 280.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | - |
| Local Breakfast | Both inside and outside of your hotel you'll find local breakfast specialties including mashed platanos, a banana like fruit. | $2.50 - $5.00 |
| Local Lunch | Fish and other meats are a lunch time favorite served in soups and sandwiches. | $4.00 - $7.00 |
| Local Dinner | Fish soup is a great dinner choice if you're looking to try a local dish. | $8.00 - $14.00 |
| Beer | Presidente, the local beer is found at most dining locations including all-inclusive resorts. | $2.50 - $4.00 |
Though snorkeling isn’t the biggest attraction in the area, there are still some good snorkeling tours you can partake in. Horseback riding and zipline tours are popular among guests and can easily be set up at your resort.
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 83 | 68 | 4.4 |
| February | 83 | 67 | 1.4 |
| March | 85 | 68 | 2.8 |
| April | 86 | 71 | 1.7 |
| May | 88 | 72 | 1.5 |
| June | 90 | 74 | 0.6 |
| July | 91 | 74 | 1.6 |
| August | 92 | 74 | 1.5 |
| September | 91 | 74 | 1.5 |
| October | 89 | 73 | 1.9 |
| November | 86 | 71 | 4.0 |
| December | 85 | 69 | 3.2 |
If you love kitesurfing or kiteboarding, your best bet is to visit during late summer or early fall when the winds have started picking up. If you love the beach, you might want to consider avoiding summer as the sand sometimes gets so hot, you have to keep your sandals on.
Winter tends to be the best time to visit with cooling winds, lack of rain and warm waters. When packing, remember to bring layers if vising during the winter months. Even though you’ll be in the tropics, the nighttime lows can sometimes reach into the 60s.
| 21 Mar | 6:43am | 6:51pm |
| 21 Jun | 6:04am | 7:19pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:28am | 6:37pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:07am | 6:08pm |
There are nearly 100 resorts and hotels in the Puerto Plata area, in addition to innumerable smaller inns and lodges aimed at the budget and domestic crowd. Many of the resorts favored by Europeans run on an all-inclusive basis, with large grounds, daytime activities and nightlife all in one place. Puerto Plata literally has the cheapest all-inclusive deals on any Caribbean island during the high season, so check out the updated specials just below.
>>>Best Puerto Plata all-inclusive resorts for couples, families, nightlife, foodies, casinos, and more
As one of the cheapest islands in the Caribbean, you’ll find great prices throughout all of the towns and during every part of the year. However, there is a bit of a price change during the seasons.
Peak season, or high season, showcases a price increase. This increase affects both hotel and flight rates. It is also the time of year when most people visit the region. High season runs during the winter months and ends around mid April.
Low season, during the summer months and into fall, is when you’ll notice that prices decrease quite a bit. This is also the season that sees the least amount of visitors, great for those who are seeking a more quiet vacation.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| - |
| 29.00 - 72.00 |
| 38.00 - 143.00 |
| 60.00 - 125.00 |
| 280.00 - 280.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | - |
You’ll be flying into Gregorio Luperón International Airport, which is a large and busy facility that is suited to aircraft of all sizes, including wide-bodies. It’s served by major airports all over North America and Europe.
Nonstop flights from:
San Juan, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, New York-JFK, Newark, Calgary, Montréal-Trudeau, Québec City, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver, Dublin, London-Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Brussels, Zurich, Lisbon, Stockholm
There are a few ways to get around town with the motor scooter being a very popular choice and an option at most of the resorts. You could also use a taxi, but you’ll want to agree on a price with your driver before they start driving.