Things to do in Santo Domingo
The heated capital of the Dominican Republic is full of flair and beautiful architecture, and will most likely be your first stop when traveling around this Caribbean island.
It’s the perfect place to stroll around and enjoy colonial buildings and forts by day, and then head out to a local salsa club by night. And that’s all without mentioning the passionate locals and culture you’ll bump into along the way too!
Backpacking Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic
In this guide we’ll explore Santo Domingo, what to see and do, the best places to stay as well as our own top tips for a backpacking trip here.
Why Travel to Santo Domingo?
First of all, the Dominican capital is full of timeless colonial architecture, which is mostly centered around the historic center.
There are lots of colorful buildings, strategic forts and quaint churches all to keep an eye out for – and later in this guide we’ll take a look at what are the very best to see.
As well as exploring the past, we can also enjoy the culture and vibes of the present. The Dominican Republic as a whole is a fiercely proud nation with loud and proud locals, and they are often themselves the highlight of a trip here.
Not only are they super friendly and can give great tips on where to try local foods and explore different parts of the city, they are also incredible at dancing Salsa too.
Last of all, Santo Domingo is also a great basecamp to use to explore the surrounding region. This includes nearby gems such as La Cueva de Tres Ojos, which is very similar to the cenotes found in Mexico’s Riviera Maya region. There are also some world-class beaches nearby too, such as those of Playa Boca Chica and Playa Juan Dolio.
How to Get to Santo Domingo
The only practical way of getting here (and the only one to be honest) is by flying. The Las Américas International Airport is the main gateway into the Dominican Republic, and welcomes flights in daily from all over the world. Once here, Santo Domingo is a half an hour taxi drive away.
If you first flew into Punta Cana, then you can catch a bus to the capital which takes around two hours. Similarly, if you first flew into Punta Cana and then headed elsewhere on the island, there is an extensive bus network that connects well to Santo Domingo.
For example the bus from Puerto Plata will take roughly 5 hours, whilst the bus from Las Terrenas will take just over 2 hours.
Overall Santo Domingo is a perfect destination to add onto any travel itinerary around the Dominican Republic given how easy it is to get to.
Where to Stay in Santo Domingo
By far the best area to stay in within the capital is the Zona Colonial. Not only is it the major touristy zone, it’s also close to all of the very best city highlights. We’ll also find quite a range of accommodation options too that suit all types of budgets.
Those who want to spend the minimum will want to stay at La Choza. Equipped with an outdoor pool and cooling facilities, this hostel also has dorm beds that are relatively inexpensive. You’ll also be close to the main strip in town too with plenty of food and nightlife options.
If you’re looking for a more private room experience, then Hotel Aluge will be a better option for you. Not only is it just a couple of blocks away from the central Parque Colón, here you’ll also have air-conditioning as well as a private bathroom during your stay.
Travelers who are after a more luxurious stay will love the Mosquito Boutique Hotel. Located right next to Parque Colón, you’ll have everything you need right at your feet. You’ll also be staying in a spacious comfortable room within a beautiful colonial building. They also have an on-site restaurant and bar to enjoy as well.
Best Time to visit Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo has both a dry and wet season which are good to know about before you head here The dry season runs from December until March, and is the overall best time for a visit.
Temperatures are at their most comfortable, with averages of 75°F, highs of 86°F and lows of 67°F. It’s also during this time where you’ll find the most clear blue skies, with just 0.5 inches of rainfall falling throughout each of these months.
The wet season is quite a long one here, although it’s also very mild too for usual Caribbean standards. It begins in late April, and continues all the way until November. Daily temperatures are much hotter, with averages of 78-80°F, highs of 89°F and lows of 70°F.
Rainfall hovers between 1.5-2.5 inches each month, which isn’t that much however can catch you out at times. If anything though – these showers will be much welcomed given how hot the city gets!
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Best Things to do and see in Santo Domingo
Now that we’ve covered some of the basics about Santo Domingo, let’s take a look at the very best things to see and do here.
Head to the Fortaleza Ozama
At its height, the Spanish Empire was a real force to be reckoned with, who ended up colonizing the vast majority of Latin America. The Dominican Republic was the first area they arrived to, and today we can find many landmarks that mark this occasion.
The Fortaleza Ozama is one of these, which built in 1502, is the oldest military colonial construction in the entire Americas region. It’s worth walking around the historic site where you can see old cannons as well as climb up the main tower that is still standing today.
Enjoy a Typical Dominican Night Out
Santo Domingo is the true beating heart of the country’s nightlife scenes, where sizzling salsa meets foreign influences and larger style nightclubs.
Here we can enjoy many awesome venues around the Zona Colonial, which again is ideal since it’s quite safe and easy to get around.
The Meringue Club is great for grabbing some quick cocktails, whilst those who want a wild Salsa night will want to head to Mamma Club which is located in downtown Santo Domingo.
Visit La Cueva de Los Tres Ojos
Definitely one of my own personal favorites here (George), this site is essentially a collection of four cenotes which are all located right next to each other.
Here we can see stunning caves with transparent blue waters, and also the infamous green lagoon which was used in one of the Jurassic Park films. La Cueva de Los Tres Ojos is just a short 20 minute Uber ride from the Zona Colonial, which makes it a perfect half-day trip to include in your plans.
Explore the City’s Colonial Architecture
Having already looked at Fortaleza Ozama, there’s many more historical sites that are worth taking the time to get to know. These include the Alcázar de Colón, Museo de las Casas Reales as well as the Panteón de la Patria.
It’s also nice to take a look at the different churches too, such as the imposing Catedral Primera de las Américas de Santo Domingo (which is right in the Columbus Park), as well as the Iglesia Conventual de los Dominicos. We highly recommend joining this fun bike tour which is a great way of seeing all of the highlights with a professional guide leading the way.
Santo Domingo Backpacking Tips
Now we’ll share some of our best tips for exploring Santo Domingo, based on our own experience
- We recommend spending between 3-5 days in Santo Domingo. This will give you plenty of time to see all of the architectural highlights without rushing, which is important given how hot the city can get! You’ll also find it a nice amount of time to enjoy the culture before exploring other parts of the island.
- As we mentioned earlier in this guide, the Zona Colonial is by far the best area to stay in. As well as housing all the top highlights, it’s also pretty safe too.
- Just be cautious when heading out at night given the main park (and streets outside the zone) can get quite seedy. You can learn more about staying safe in the Dominican Republic as a whole here.
- It goes without saying, but you’ll want to make sure you drink plenty of water daily. It’s common to get dehydrated here, and also to burn given how hot the sun gets (you’ll want to reapply sunscreen several times a day). Also, make sure that you only drink from sealed bottles of water – and never from tap water.
Things to do in Santo Domingo
And that’s all for our backpacking guide to Santo Domingo.
The main gateway into the Dominican Republic, this city combines sultry flair, friendly locals and beautiful architecture all into one vibrant capital.
Here you’ll also be able to enjoy great day trips from the capital such as to the stunning green and blue lagoon caves of Las Cuevas de Los Tres Ojos.
In this guide we’ve covered everything you’ll need to know about Santo Domingo. This includes the best things to see and do, the best time to visit, where to stay and much, much more.
We hope you enjoyed reading this guide! If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Also, be sure to see our guide to backpacking Domincan Republic for even more tips.
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