Republic of R&R
The large and lively Dominican Republic is an enthralling land of modern attractions alongside an authentic and fascinating island culture. Zip lining, water sports and diving around the Punta Cana Reef please the avid adventurer, while stunning beaches offer the perfect slice of R&R. For the perfect break away from the hustle and bustle, a Dominican Republic holiday is the perfect choice.
Where to stay in Dominican Republic
Hotels in Dominican Republic
Explore the Dominican Republic with Virgin Voyages
Sail from Miami to the snow-white shores of the Dominican Republic, arriving at Puerto Plata by 9:00am. Spend the day lazing by the beach, or if excitement calls take a cable car to the peak of Mount Isabel de Torres for an Insta-worthy picture.
Essential information for Dominican Republic
Yes. Tourist visas are required for British citizens. They cost US$10pp and can be obtained pre-departure or on arrival.
Departure Tax: US$20
Departure tax is US$20. Scheduled airlines sometimes include this charge in the price of the ticket. Please check at time of booking.
Sun-soaked Dominican Republic holidays
You know the scrunchy feeling you get when you curl your toes in fine white powdered sand? That tingle when you run splashing into the most beautiful warm water you’ve ever seen? The deep relaxation that comes from simply soaking up the tropical sun? That’s what our Dominican Republic holidays have to offer. Ultimate. Beach. Holiday. And the area has so much more to give – astonishing culture, sumptuous food and scintillating music. But best of all it’s still a bit of a secret.
Holidays to the Dominican Republic feature more than their fair share of superb, sun-drenched beaches, sympathetically-designed resorts and stunning golf courses. Resorts pulse to a syncopated beat that’s made up of a mix of the most extraordinary diversity of cultures; Spanish, African, American, French and the native Taino all thrown together like a rainbow clay. And what emerges is some of the freshest, most vibrant and exotic cultural forms you will ever experience. We’re talking great food, wonderful music and super-friendly people. One of the most popular Dominican Republic resorts, Punta Cana, won the 2016 TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards as the number one place to go in the Caribbean. It’s also a favourite Dominican Republic honeymoon destination. Will you be the next to discover this stunning destination?
What amazing things can you do on Dominican Republic holidays?
For the ultimate luxury experiences try the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino or The Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real. The Hard Rock Hotel brings swagger in the form of double hydro tubs throughout, 13 swimming pools with distinct vibes, epically entertaining bars and the magnificent Rock Spa. The Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real, meanwhile, features an exclusive beach club, a concierge service and adults-only restaurant headed by Spanish chef supreme, Martin Berasategui, holder of no less than eight Michelin stars. Whether the Hard Rock Hotel or Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real or is for you, both offer an unforgettable all-inclusive Dominican Republic experience.
If you love golf then you’re going to be very happy in the Dominican Republic as the country is a stick and bag heaven on Earth. Designed by heavyweights such as Tom Fazio, PB Dye and Jack Nicklaus, the golf courses here are out of this world. They’re big, they’re open and they rank consistently among the top golf courses anywhere. Punta Cana itself has three amazing oceanside courses plus the 27 holes of La Cana Golf club. Find out why the Dominican Republic is such a buzz among golfers. Try staying at the Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa hotel with two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses just a stroll away.
Dominican Republic is home to some of the most exhilarating, absorbing and spectacular water sports opportunities anywhere in the world. Kite surfing is the latest adrenaline-surging craze, and is available on most beaches, as are opportunities to snorkel and swim with the fishes on spooky sunken wrecks and stunning coral reefs. For the more adventurous, deep-sea fishing trips can easily be arranged where tuna, shark and marlin are all potential catches of the day that will take some wrestling on to the deck. For those just looking to take it easy, cruises offer romantic views of sunsets, while wining and dining you. The Barcelo Bavaro Grand Resort is situated on Bavaro Bay where shimmering tropical waters are calmed by a large coral reef offshore, making it ideal for water sports enthusiasts, and anyone seeking an all-inclusive Dominican Republic holiday.
You may never get enough of the beach, but if you want to be adventurous the Dominican Republic has so much more to offer. You can explore majestic mountains, amazing beaches, the bustling, thriving metropolis of Santo Domingo and some sublimely beautiful national parks. There’s the coral reef to dive on, and the lucky may even get to catch a glimpse of a manatee or whale.
Just like all the other Caribbean islands, the people of the Dominican Republic like nothing better than a party. Wherever you go music and good times will be happening all around you. But the Dominican Republic has more in common with Latin America than with England, so instead of calypso or plodding reggae, you’ll find your booty vibrating to the sophisticated rhythms of merengue and bachata, as you discover a whole new kind of music. Suavemente!
The Dominican Republic is rightly famous for its amazing food. Influenced by French, Spanish and local cuisines, the food is like nothing else in the world. Sure, there’s incredible grilled fish to be had everywhere, but you’ll also discover:
While the rest of the Caribbean may flip its lid for cricket, baseball (béisbol) is the national sport of the Dominican Republic. You’ll see it played on every street corner, on the beach and in a national league that runs from October to December. If you’ve never experienced a match, and happen to be in the right place at the right time it’s a richly rewarding experience, and a great way of getting right under the skin of local life.
Ready to book your dream Dominican Republic holiday? Browse our range of hotels in the Dominican Republic now.
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Over the past few weeks, we have repatriated our customers from overseas who wanted to come home.
Please visit this page to keep up to date with the Government’s travel advice on returning to the UK, and to register for email alerts.
We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.
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For extra piece of mind, new bookings made before 30 September 2020 for travel up 30 April 2021 also have the flexibility to amend free of charge. If you need to change don’t worry, you can move your holiday as far out as 31 December 2021 subject to availability.
With many customers needing our help, we are prioritising those customers due to travel before 31 December 2020. Log in to Manage my booking where you can message us about your options or you can give us a call. Bear in mind you may have to wait longer than expected. We continue to review this and working to open up these options to more customers. In the meantime check out our FAQs to see if this can help answer any immediate questions.
Rest assured; we will notify you as soon as we know if your holiday has been affected.
We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.
Please look out for emails from us or visit our dedicated Covid-19 (Coronavirus) page for the latest updates.
If you need to speak to us to change or cancel your booking you can call our team on 0344 472 9646.
For the latest information on Covid-19 you can check our FAQs here.
Don’t worry if you’ve missed a payment or just need a little more time to pay; we have options available to help you. If your holiday is going ahead as planned, you can continue to pay for your holiday in Manage my booking, even if travelling in less than 12 weeks. If you’re unsure, you can delay any additional payments by choosing a new time to travel by requesting a call back in Manage My booking for one of our team to look at options. If your holiday is more than 6 months away, you may wish to set up a Direct Debit to spread the cost. This can be arranged whilst rebooking or afterwards in Manage my booking.
We understand that you may wish to change your holiday plans and we appreciate the need for flexibility.
We'll be in touch by email letting you know how to register to change your holiday plans. You can also log into Manage my booking to find the details there.
Please look out for emails from us or visit our dedicated Covid-19 (Coronavirus) page for the latest updates.
If we haven’t notified you of any changes, your holiday will be going ahead as planned but if you prefer to move your holiday to a later time we can help. You can call our team on 0344 472 9499 who can look at options for you.
Payments are being prioritised based on when the request was made, working in order from March 2020 onwards. We will always try to process refunds at the earliest opportunity, for requests before August our maximum timeframe is 120 days. As we are steadily reducing the maximum processing time for each new request, for refund requests made in August, we expect the maximum processing time to be 80 days, from the date the refund is requested. For those requesting a refund in September, we expect it to be processed within a maximum of 60 days, and then reduce to 30 days for refunds requested in October, before returning to normal levels.
To finalise the amendment, one of our customer advisors will phone you. We need to work through amend requests in departure date order so we can prioritise those with the most imminent travel plans, so you may have a longer wait than usual until we’re able to ring you back. We will help everyone that wants to move their holiday.
You can contact our team by emailing feedback.backhome@virginholidays.com to discuss options on unused portions of your holiday. If you need to contact our team about amending an existing holiday or requesting a refund please log in to manage my booking.
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