Unlike most other Caribbean island holidays, vacation packages to Dominican Republic are not just about sun n\’ sand. Instead, DR offers everything from the old world charm of Santo Domingo to spectacular coral reefs, jungles, national parks and some lovely beaches and resorts facing the Atlantic and Caribbean coasts. That\’s why DR vacations have to be planned carefully.

Visitors have an opportunity to explore half of the second largest Caribbean island (Hispaniola) and a wealth of destinations and attractions. But it won\’t really be possible to see all of it in a weekend or even a week. What most visitors do is book a stay for one destination and try to squeeze in some of the nearby places.

For visitors planning to fly in across the Atlantic, the most popular hotspots are Punta Cana, Puerto Plata and Samana. These are all picturesque beach resort destinations. The Punta Cana and Bavaro area on the island\’s eastern side has many dive spots for scuba divers looking to explore the coral reef and shallow waters.

It also has 12 superb golf courses, many of them championship courses designed by legends like Jack Nicklaus and Nick Price. A package deal here would likely include access to at least one of the golf courses, if not a full-fledged golf vacation. It would also include scuba diving in the coral reef, for those interested.

Many of the resorts in Punta Cana are all inclusive. This means everything from restaurants offering different cuisines to spas and health clubs, swimming pools, beach access, golf, tennis and water sports. Not to mention luxurious ocean view suites and villas with well stocked mini-bars.

If the package includes flight tickets and airport transfers, there\’s not much else left to spend on. Well, maybe a little on shopping, nightclubs, casinos, etc. Moving up north from Punta Cana along the coast brings visitors to a paradise on earth otherwise known as the Bay of Samana.

There are hundreds of beaches fronting crystal clear turquoise waters, a beautiful bay and a coast famed for its humpback whales. Not to mention lush tropical forests, waterfalls, coral reef and national parks. All said and done, a very good way to get back in touch with nature, so a package deal in Samana would have to be a resort getaway for nature lovers.

Further up to the north is Puerto Plata. The airport is conveniently close, and guests will find long stretches of beaches awaiting them. The location also makes it easy to explore nearby destinations like Cabarete, so this would be more along the lines of a traditional tourist beach vacation and sight-seeing package.

Obviously, these are not the only vacation packages to Dominican Republic. There are cultural trips to Santo Domingo, mountain climbing expeditions to Pico Duarte and an isolated getaway to the mangrove lined lagoons and beaches of Isla Saona, to name a few. As mentioned above, it\’s difficult to choose… But hopefully this guide will help narrow down the choices based on what visitors want to do while on vacation.

Author Bio: Canadian travel agency offering the best Last minute vacations deals. Offering inexpensive rates to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and many other Dominican Republic Vacations Packages.

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