Caribbean

You Gotta Do This: Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Back in June, I traveled to the Dominican republic for my first time. I wasn’t there very long as I was on a Fathom cruise from Miami to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic for only a week. So with travel time at sea, I really only had about three days in Puerto Plata to work with. On top of my limited time, I was volunteering for a large chunk of those three days as part of Fathom’s impact travel activities, but that didn’t stop me from still getting out there and seeing what this city had to offer.

Although I covered quite a bit of ground in three days, these five things were the things that stood out to me as a “must-do” while visiting Puerto Plata.

Brugal

Brugal Rum Factory

You don’t need all day to do this tour, in fact, 15 minutes is probably enough time as it is quite short (but it’s still worth a visit). You’ll be brought through a set up display area which will take you through the history of the family, and how they make their different types of rum. You’ll end the tour in the bottling plant which is pretty mesmerizing to watch as the factory creates over 20,000 bottles of rum a day. P.S. you’ll also get some free samples.

Open Monday to Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm. 

Puerto Plata Square

Town Square of Puerto Plata 

Visit the town square of Puerto Plata to enjoy the beautiful Victorian architecture from 1830-1910. Check out the cathedral, and grab an ice cream at the shop across the road and sit and people watch for a bit.

Puerto Plata Fort

Fortaleza San Felipe 

This fort is what remains from Puerto Plata’s colonial days and was built in the 16th century. It was built to keep pirates away from the only protected bays in the north coast, but it never saw any action and was used as a prison for most of its life. The views, combined with the old structure make for a great visit.

Open Sunday to Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm, costs $100 RD (approx $2.00 USD) for adults. 

cable car

Teleferico Cable Car

Take the cable car to the top of Pico Isabel de Torres on a clear day while in Puerto Plata to see incredible views of the city and coastline. Try to arrive in the morning while the sky is clear, and take some time to walk around the botanical garden and structures at the top.

Open Monday to Sunday, 8:30am-5:00pm, costs $350 RD (approx $8 USD) for adults. 

Damajaqua Cascades (27 Waterfalls)

This excursion isn’t for the type that likes to sit on the beach all day as it does require you to be in pretty good shape. You’ll climb, jump off of and slide down waterfalls among the rolling hills of of the Northern Corridor Mountain Range. You can choose between doing 7, 12 or all 27 waterfalls and the price includes a life jacket, helmet and an experienced guide that will make sure you make it to the end. This is a fun experience for the adventurous at heart!

Open Monday to Sunday, 8:00am-3:00pm, costs $280 RD (approx $6 USD) for 7 waterfalls, $340 RD (approx $7.50 USD) for 12 waterfalls, or $500 RD (approx $10.90 USD) for all waterfalls. 

Do you have any must-do things in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic? Share them below in the comments to help other travelers! 

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