Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic covers the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola, the island Columbus named on his first voyage, set between the Caribbean Sea to the south and the Atlantic to the north. The east coast – Punta Cana, Bávaro and Cap Cana – is a long run of pale sand shaded by coconut palms, with coral reefs and calm turquoise water. Further west along the south coast, La Romana is home to Altos de Chavón, a hilltop artists’ village above the Chavón River, and to world-class golf, with the islands of Saona and Catalina a short boat ride away.

The Atlantic north feels different: Puerto Plata with the beaches of Playa Dorada, breezy Cabarete, a favourite with kitesurfers, and the green coves of the Samaná Peninsula. Santo Domingo, the capital, keeps its Colonial Zone of cobbled streets and stone churches – the oldest European settlement in the New World – while inland the Cordillera Central rises to Pico Duarte, the highest peak in the Caribbean.

It is warm all year, but the driest and most comfortable months are December to April; hurricane season runs from June to November. The country suits beach and golf holidays, families and honeymooners alike.