Puerto Plata, Dominicana is a famous resort town located on the Atlantic Ocean. For the first time it was mentioned in the late 90s of the last century-since then, the Amber Coast or Silver Port, as this exotic place is also called, has managed to turn into one of the main tourist destinations in the country.
General information
San Felipe de Puerto Plata is a popular resort located at the foot of Mount Isabel de Torres on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. The city, which has a population of about 300 thousand people, is famous for its beautiful nature and a large number of sandy beaches offering recreation and entertainment for every taste. But perhaps the most important value of Puerto Plata is the deposits of Dominican amber, including the world-famous black amber.
Attractions and entertainment
Puerto Plata is famous not only for its golden beaches and exotic landscapes, but also for a lot of attractions that reflect the flavor of this resort city. Let’s look at just a few of them.
Cable car and Mount Isabel de Torres
The Teleferico Puerto Plata Cable Car consists of two cabs – one of them goes up and the other goes down. Each trailer is designed for 15-20 people. The seats in them are only standing – this allows passengers to move freely around the car and enjoy the view that opens up to the Atlantic Ocean.
The cable car is a way to take tourists to Mount Isabel de Torres, one of the main natural attractions of Puerto Plata. At its top, which rises as much as 800 m above the ground, you will find a souvenir shop, a small cafe and an observation deck with several spyglasses.
In addition, there is a smaller copy of the Brazilian statue of Jesus Christ, installed on the site of the prison, and the National Botanical Park, which became the filming location for some scenes from Jurassic Park. This protected area is inhabited by up to 1000 rare plants and exotic birds that fill the air with their trills.
On a note! Mount Isabel in the Dominican Republic can be reached not only by funicular, but also on foot or by car. The ascent here is steep, so don’t forget to pre-evaluate your strength and check the serviceability of the brakes.
- Location: Calle Avenida Manolo Tavárez Justo, Las Flores, Puerto Plata.
- Opening hours: from 08: 30 to 17: 00. The last ride is 15 minutes before closing time.
- Duration of the trip: 25 minutes.
Cost of travel:
- Adults — 510 RD$;
- Children 5-10 years old – 250 RD$;
- Children under 4 years old – free of charge.
27 waterfalls
Among the most famous sights of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic is the cascade of “27 waterfalls”, formed by several mountain rivers at once. Located a 20-minute drive from the city center, this nature attraction has 3 hazard levels: 7, 12 and 27. If children under 8 years of age are only allowed on the first descent, then adults can also descend from the highest height. You have to climb these steps yourself – on foot or with the help of rope ladders.
Safety at the waterfalls is monitored by specially trained guides, but visitors themselves must also follow the basic rules of behavior. Each participant of the descent is given free helmets and life jackets. In order not to injure your feet, put on special slippers for swimming. In addition, do not forget to take a set of dry clothes, because you will just have to get wet from head to toe. If you want to capture your descent on camera, order a photo or video recording. Shots of 27 waterfalls are incredible.
- Location: Puerto Plata 57000, Dominican Republic.
- Opening hours: daily from 08: 00 to 15: 00.
The ticket price depends on the level:
- 1-7: 230 RD$;
- 1-12: 260 RD$;
- 1-27: 350 RD$.
Ocean World Adventure Park
“Ocean World”, located near the western city border, includes several zones at once – a zoological garden, a marine park, a marina and a large artificial beach. Being one of the most striking sights of Puerto Plata, it is popular not only with children, but also with adults.
The complex offers the following types of entertainment::
- Swimming with dolphins-held in the largest dolphin lagoon, it involves swimming, dancing and playing with 2 dolphins right in the ocean waters. The program lasts for 30 minutes. Children under 5 years of age are not allowed to have fun;
- Swimming with trained sharks – although the park staff guarantees the complete safety of their charges, this option is unlikely to suit people with weak nerves. The program is exactly the same as in the previous case, but here young children are also joined by women in the same position;
- Introduction to the sea lion-lasts the same half hour, during which you will be able to interact in every possible way with this completely harmless animal.
In addition, on the territory of Ocean World Adventure Park you can see exotic birds and all kinds of fish, feed stingrays and tigers, enjoy a show of whales and parrots.
On a note! Instruction in the park is conducted in English. You are not allowed to use your own photo and video equipment – only employees of the complex can take pictures. The cost of a photo is 700 RD$ per piece or 3000 RD$ for the entire set.
- Where to find: Calle Principal # 3 / Cofresi, Puerto Plata 57000.
- Opening hours: daily from 09: 00 to 18: 00.
Ticket price:
- Adult – 1,699 RD$;
- Children (4-12 years old) – 1,399 RD$.
Amber Bay
Looking at a photo of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, you will probably notice one of the newest attractions in this region. We are talking about the Amber Cove cruise port, which opened in 2015 and has two separate berths. It was assumed that Amber Cove would receive up to 30 thousand passengers every year, but 2 years after its opening, this figure increased almost 20 times, turning Amber Cove into the largest transport hub in the country.
By the way, it was with its appearance that the active development of Puerto Plata itself began. Currently, Amber Cove has a car rental service, a pharmacy, and a tourist center. Taxi drivers crowd the exit of the terminal-they ask for a lot, but you can bargain.
Location: Amber Cove Cruise Park | Cruise Terminal, Puerto Plata 57000.
San Filipe Fortress
Fort St. Filipe, which is the oldest colonial bastion in America, is a small structure built in 1577. Initially, it was intended to protect the city from attacks by Spanish conquistadors, and as soon as the pirates were completely defeated, it turned into one of the city’s prisons.
Today, Fort San Felipe houses a local museum of both historical and architectural value. It takes no more than 40 minutes to explore the exhibits and explore the surrounding area. At the entrance, users receive an audio guide with several languages – unfortunately, there is no Russian in them. But even if you are not very interested in the history of Puerto Plata, be sure to climb the fortress walls – from there you can enjoy a beautiful panorama of the city’s attractions.
- Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 08: 00 to 17: 00.
- Ticket price: 500 RD$.
Amber Museum
Amber Museum, located in the heart of the city, is a two-story building with a small gift shop on the ground floor. Here you can buy various crafts and decorations made by the hands of folk craftsmen.
The museum’s exposition contains unique exhibits that formed the basis of the famous collection of Dominican amber. World experts have included it in the register of semiprecious stones, and local craftsmen vying to claim that of all the existing options, their amber is the most transparent.
In the museum, you can see unprocessed pieces of solidified tree sap, painted in a variety of shades-from light yellow and bright blue to black and brown. In most of them, you can see patches of scorpions, wasps, mosquitoes and other insects. Well, the largest captive of wood resin was a lizard, whose length is more than 40 cm.
- Address: Duarte St 61 / Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata 57000.
- Opening hours: Mon – Sat from 09: 00 to 18: 00.
- The price of an adult ticket is 50 RD$. Admission is free for children.
Cathedral of San Filipe
The Cathedral of San Filipe, built in the early 16th century on the site of an even older church, is located in the central town square. Being the only Catholic church in the resort of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, it attracts not only parishioners, but also numerous tourists, for whom English-language excursions are regularly organized here.
The cathedral is small, but very quiet, bright and cozy. Decorated in a colonial style. Admission is free, the amount of donations, as well as tips for guides, depends only on your capabilities. There are no special requirements for the appearance of visitors, but, of course, the outfit should look appropriate.
Location: Calle Jose Del Carmen Ariza, Puerto Plata 57101.
Beaches
The resort area of Puerto Plateau (Dominicana) includes several wonderful beaches, the total length of which is about 20 km. Among them there are both “quiet” ones, designed for a serene family holiday, and “restless” ones, washed by the stormy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. As a rule, it is on these beaches that lovers of surfing, diving and sailing stop. In addition to medium and large waves, there are many sports clubs that offer not only equipment rental, but also the help of professional instructors.
Well, the biggest surprise is the color of the sand on Puerto Plata. It is found here in two versions at once-snow-white and golden. The origin of the latter is explained by the rich deposits of amber.
As for the most popular resort areas, these include Dorada, Cofresi, Sosua and Long Beach.
Dorada (Golden Beach)
Located 5 km from the city, the Playa Dorada resort complex includes 13 high-end hotels, several bungalows with wicker furniture, a golf course, equestrian and night clubs, a casino, a shopping center and several fashionable restaurants. The main advantages of the beach can be called a gentle shore, a gradual increase in depth and crystal clear water, awarded the international prize “Blue Flag”.
As one of the most peaceful beaches in Puerto Plata, Playa Dorada offers a small amount of water activities, limited to bananas, jet skis and other traditional options. But in the evenings, concerts, Creole dances, contests, shows and other cultural and entertainment events are regularly organized here.
Kofresi
Named after a famous pirate who hid his treasures in the area, Confreci Resort is set in a lagoon of dazzling white sand. On its territory you will find a dozen hotels, several private villas, as well as a lot of cafes and restaurants. All these structures are located in the middle of a palm grove, suitable almost to the water itself. In the immediate vicinity of the beach is the famous Ocean World.
The entrance to the water is gentle, the coastline is quite wide, and the ocean is clean and warm. Other advantages of the Cofresi include free sun beds, umbrellas and toilets. In addition, professional rescuers work here every day.
Sosua
Sosua is a small resort town located in a picturesque bay, the shape of which resembles a horseshoe. It includes several beach areas (Playa Alicia, Los Charamicos and the beach at The Sea Hotel), as well as many bars, restaurants, cafes, discos, night clubs, beach equipment rental points and sports grounds. The length of the coastline is just over 1 km, it can accommodate fans of various types of recreation. It should also be noted that the developed infrastructure makes your stay in Sosua as comfortable as possible.
Long Beach
The view of the beaches of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic is completed by Long Beach, characterized by clean sand and a diverse landscape. So, the eastern part of the beach is straight and long, and the western part is dotted with numerous coves and bays. In addition, there are several rocky formations and 2 small islands located near the shore.
Long Beach is a public beach that is considered a favorite holiday destination for locals and tourists coming here. They are attracted not only by the clear water and golden sand, but also by the presence of several sports clubs that provide equipment for surfing and sailing.
Accomodation
As one of the main resort cities of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata has a huge number of hotels, hostels, guest houses and other accommodation options that fall into different price categories.
If accommodation in a 3* hotel double room starts from$ 25 per day, then renting the same room in a 5* hotel will cost$100-250. The largest variation in prices is observed when renting apartments-their cost starts at$ 18, and ends at $ 250 (prices are indicated for the summer period).
Food
When you arrive in Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic), you will definitely not go hungry – there are more than enough cafes, restaurants, bars and various eateries serving local and European cuisine. Most of the national dishes were borrowed from Spain, but that doesn’t make them any less delicious.
The most popular Dominican dishes are La Bandera, a kind of “hodgepodge” made from meat, rice and red beans, Sancocho, a thick soup of chicken, vegetables and young corn cobs, and Mofongo, fried banana puree mixed with pork. Among drinks, the palm belongs to Brugal, a cheap rum made in one of the local factories. Traditional street food, such as burgers, fried fish, French fries, and a variety of seafood products, is also in high demand (grilled shrimp is most appreciated).
The cost of food in Puerto Plata depends not only on the class of the establishment, but also on the variety of the dish itself. So, for dinner in a budget diner, you will pay about$ 20 for two, a middle-class cafe will cost a little more – $ 50-55, and a haute cuisine restaurant should take at least$100.
Weather and climate. When is the best time to arrive?
What do you need to know about Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic so that a trip to this resort city will leave only a pleasant impression? This list includes many different factors, but perhaps the most important of them are climate and weather conditions. In this regard, the Amber Coast is very lucky – you can relax here at any time of the year. At the same time, each season has its own characteristics.
| Season | Average temperature | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | +32°C | The hottest months are July and August. They are also the most windy.This does not interfere with rest and sightseeing, but the skin burns much faster in this weather, so it is better to apply a cream with UV protection in advance. Despite the abundance of tourists, it is not necessary to huddle on the beaches – there is enough space for everyone. |
| Autumn | +30°C | In autumn, the wind subsides, but frequent and heavy rains begin (fortunately, short-term). The rainiest month is November – precipitation can fall daily at this time. |
| Winter | +28°C | There is almost no wind, and the rains also stop. The heat subsides a little, but the water and air temperature remains quite comfortable. |
Useful tips
If you decide to visit Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic), do not forget to read the tips of those who have already visited this amazing place:
- It’s very easy to get sunburned in the land of eternal summer. To prevent this from happening, bring a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen with a filter higher than 30.
- The format of power outlets in Puerto Plata does not coincide with electrical appliances. If you don’t want to overpay for the adapter, take it with you. By the way, the standard mains voltage at the resort rarely exceeds 110 volts.
- When going to explore the city’s attractions, you should be extremely careful and careful, because motorcycle taxis carrying up to 3 passengers at a time are driven through the streets at breakneck speed. As for cars, local drivers often violate basic traffic rules, so when crossing the road, it’s better to just skip them.
- Tap water in the Dominican Republic is used only for technical purposes – you can not even wash your face and hands with it.
- To avoid infection with viruses and bacteria, stock up on plenty of antiseptic gels and wipes.
- When paying for checks in stores, cafes or restaurants, it is better to use cash – this will save you from possible cloning of the credit card.
- Use repellents – mosquito bites and venomous insects are not subject to treatment under travel insurance.
- Don’t leave your valuables unattended, or even better, come to Puerto Plata without them. Even hotel safes can’t save you from theft in the Dominican Republic. At the same time, the claims of tourists who were robbed in hotel rooms are most often ignored.
