The Province of Puerto Plata

    •  North of Santo Domingo, the capital of Dominican Republic, along the Atlantic shore is the glittering Amber Coast, home to the world’s richest deposits of amber, which allows local residents to produce a variety of the one-of-a-kind jewelry creations found throughout the country. Surrounded by a spectacular mountain range, the Province of Puerto Plata, from the cosmopolitan cities of Puerto Plata and Sosúa, to the beach towns of Luperon, Costambar, and Cabarete,  offers a wide variety of historic sites, luxury resorts and challenging golf. The Province of Puerto Plata is located on the northern coast of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Dominican Republic. In 1492, Christopher Columbus described Puerto Plata as "the fairest land under heaven" and he was right. The Province of Puerto Plata is blessed with beautiful stretches of pristine beaches, lush green valleys, and cradled by a chain of majestic coastal mountains. Nowadays the province of Puerto Plata continues captivating visitors from all over the world with its intoxicating Latin American culture, marvelous, natural beauty, great re-creative amenities and the open hearted kindness of its people. Our Guide was created to be an invaluable resource in locating accommodations off the beaten path and in preparing for an enriching vacation in the Dominican Republic. 

     Welcome to Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic)!

    Puerto Plata is the best destination for those looking for an attractively - priced “Rest and Relax vacation”, offering a lot of options for visiting historic and other interesting places, too. Being a quaint resort city located at the base of the towering Mt. Isabel de Torres, Puerto Plata features the largest number of luxury and comfortable resorts in the Northern Playa Dorada, home to the majority of Puerto Plata's "all-inclusive" resorts sharing over 15 miles of golden sandy beaches offering two golf courses, casinos and a shopping mall, where you can meet friends or fellow travelers during evening outings. The city’s central Parque, called Parque Luperon, is worth visiting for people-watching or to see the picturesque church “Iglesia de San Felipe”. Some inexpensive coffee shops are nearby for resting and you can make good shopping strolls in the numerous stores, which are specialized in typical local crafts. If interested in architecture, you will find the last remaining Victorian gingerbread buildings in downtown Puerto Plata, very elegant structures of the 19th century, which are very fast disappearing due to the commercial development.

    Come to Puerto Plata and indulge yourself in a heaven on earth to the tourism.

    The Amber Museum

    One of the best-known tourist attractions of Puerto Plata is located on the second floor of a Victorian mansion, the Amber Museum, featuring collections of fossilized resin (Amber), some containing remarkably preserved specimens dating back thousands of years. It opens from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday; admission is about $2 U.S. 

    Mount Isabel de Torres

    A very popular tourist attraction of Puerto Plata is the 2,600 foot Mount Isabel, a very impressive geographic feature, which can be reached via the “teleferico”, an electric sky lift system. Here visitors will find lush botanical gardens and the statue of Christ, a smaller version of Rio de Janeiro’s The redeemer.  A breathtaking panorama of the city and the surrounding sea is waiting for the guests after a seven-minute ride in the cable car up the nearly vertical slope and a exquisite restaurant offers superb meals and a great time to enjoy. Open Tuesdays and Thursday through Sunday from 8 am until 5 pm. Admission is about $10 U.S.

    Columbus Aguaparque

    Arguably the Caribbean's finest attraction of its kind, the Columbus Aguaparque has quickly established itself as a favorite with kids of all ages for a day-long outing. Featuring a restaurant, small gift shop, showers, and lockers. Open daily from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm. Admission is about $10 U.S. for the day, or about $5 U.S. after 4:00 pm.

    The Brugal Rum Factory

    Brugal is the drink of choice for many North Coast Dominicans with Barcelo rum being favored in the South. Brugal produces over a million and a half liters of white and dark rum each year and the company offers a brief tour of Brugal’s bottling operations although no distillation actually takes place at the Brugal Factory. All guests are treated to a refreshing drink featuring, but of course, Brugal rum.  Open 9:00 am - noon & 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

    The Malecón & Fort San Felipe

    The ocean side road is called  “Malecón” and features numerous cafes and small restaurants to sit down and enjoy the fresh ocean breeze. Although the small beach is not suitable for swimming, a leisurely stroll along the Malecón is an excellent opportunity for people-watching. Locals and tourist meet here, especially at night and on weekends when roadside vendors prepare small snacks and several discos blast music into the early morning hours.

    Fuerte San Felipe

    Walking down the malecón to the west you will reach Fuerte San Felipe, Puerto Plata's only remaining colonial structure, which is located on a small peninsula called Bahia (bay of) de Puerto Plata. Here, Columbus wanted to install the first Spanish colony in the New World, but it did not last very long and the Spaniards resettled on the Southcoast at Santo Domingo. The fort features a moat, historical artifacts, and a small museum. Admission is about $1 U.S.