The eastern half of the island of Hispaniola, shared with Haiti, to the east of Cuba, the Dominican Republic is the Caribbean’s most popular tourist vacation destination. Over 6 million tourists normally arrive annually to visit its beaches, explore its mountains and lakes, and absorb its colonial splendor. Tourism accounts for over 11.5% of its GDP and is key to the local economy.

Famous beach resorts include Punta Cana, La Romana, Boca Chica, Sosua, Puerto Plata, Playa Dorada, Cabarete, Las Galeras, which offer many affordable accommodations, include all-inclusive options that are popular with European and North American visitors. Elsewhere there is the Eastern National Park and Lake Enriquillo, where you can see crocodiles and many species of birds, and the Samaná Peninsula and Silver Bank, which humpback whales migrate to every year to calve and feed. Santo Domingo, the coastal capital city, is also worth a visit as it is home to many fascinating architectural treasures, such as the First Cathedral of America – the oldest cathedral in the western hemisphere, its historic ‘Zona Colonial’, its museums and other buildings that date back to the times of Christopher Columbus. The Dominican people are also key to the popularity of the country, being a friendly mix of African, Spanish and Indian descent.

The tourism industry was abruptly halted on 1 March 2020, when the first known case of COVID was confirmed. The first death was recorded on 16 March. A state of emergency was declared the next day, all schools were suspended, and national borders were closed 19 March. Night time curfews of up to 13 hours per day were imposed, which were protested by many in Santo Domingo. However, its strict protocols and strong public healthcare sector appeared to have to desired result, and the Dominican Republic re-opened its international airports on 1 July 2020. The tourist sector report latest hotel occupancy at 85%, clearly demonstrating that there is tourism life after COVID.

To date 355,000 COVID cases have been confirmed among the population of 11,000,000, and 4,000. This ranks the country at a very 117 in the list of countries in the world with the most deaths per capita. When looking at excess death figures, the picture is not quite so rosy, with deaths being at over 6,000 – 50% higher – but still very positive.

Current health measures include various levels of curfew that vary province-to-province, temperature checks on airport arrival, and random antigen testing of international arrivals. No negative test result is required though, apart from arrivals from a small list of countries. Tourists are also required to complete an electronic immigration form. Further information can be found here: GOV UK – entry requirements. 45% of the population have been fully vaccinated.

Dive The world offers liveaboard cruises in the Dominican Republic during the months of January to April. The pupose of these trips is to snorkel with the large gatherings of humpback whales that migrate to Silver Bank to calf and feed. These spectacular collections of up to 3,000 animals are thought to be the largest in the northern hemisphere. We offer 2 different yachts that operate weekly tours, including cabin accommodation, all meals, drinks, and of course memorable snorkeling encounters with the whales: The Explorer and the Aggressor.

Other marine creatures you could see are dwarf sperm whales, Atlantic sailfish, and various dolphin species – bottlenose, spinner, Risso’s and Fraser’s. Water temperature is 78-80°F / 25-27°C. A 3 mm wetsuit is recommended.