Dreamy beaches, tropical resorts, palm trees that kiss the sky and sunshine everyday. The Caribbean Islands are places most of us only ever dream about. But if the expected price tag hurts your bank account, have you ever thought about backpacking across Dominican Republic?
For us, the Dominican Republic was an unlikely and unplanned destination that we knew nothing about. The only information we could find on the internet was mostly about the abundance of the all-inclusive resorts. Honestly we were worried about attempting to backpack Dominican Republic as we had safety concerns, didn’t know about the transport situation and thought the cost of accommodation was going to blow our budget.
Instead, we discovered deserted beaches, luscious jungle, cheap hostels and a backpacking trip to remember. This Caribbean Island is sure to be the next backpacking hotspot. So do it quick before the world knows our secret!
SANTO DOMINGO
Holding the title of the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas and one of the most populous cities in the Caribbean, Santo Domingo was a great place to start our journey. The city is a mix of old Spanish charm and modern Latin flair.
We had the rescue-dog from Island Life Hostel named Hamilton lead us across the city. He had us weaving in and out of all the sneaky back streets, with his nose always stopping to smell the food. We enjoyed (too many times) the 50 cent cheese empanadas that tempted us on every corner. The hustling city streets had an overload of barber shops, take-away chicken restaurants dominating the food scene and the vintage books stores were stacked up high like a Harry Potter library.
CABARETE
The Gua Gua’s (pronounced wah wah’s) make traveling Dominican Republic cheap and easy. This $6 bus may have you cuddling your backpack and squeezed beside a stranger, but these reliable methods of transport will get you to your final destination. Cabarete is a kiteboarding paradise and a surfers secret haven. This little seaside village will get your booty shaking late into the evening with an abundance of sandy bars and clubs with an ocean view.
The friendly folk at Hostel Laguna Park will pack your minds with fun local activities. With our hired scooters we darted in and out of the traffic trying to dodge the mass of pot-holes. On our way to Sosua, we cruised up random dirt roads finding secluded white sandy beaches and watched the speedy kitesurfers as they zoomed past us out at sea.
LAS TERRENAS
High into the mountains on the northeastern peninsula lies breathtaking beauty, hillside villages and inland palm trees. The sea side village of Las Terrenas has perfect Caribbean beaches, artsy studios with outdoor galleries and a cute range of cafe’s that will fulfill your coffee craving and get your taste buds racing. Be sure to check out Good Food Cafe and taste one of their in-house empanadas.
We stayed at Dan and Manty’s AirBnb, with delicious home cooked food every night that never fails to please the appetite!
EL LIMON
The highlight of not only the peninsula, but of Dominican Republic was Cascada El Limon; a beautiful waterfall falling 52 meters down from the pristine jungle and into a waterhole. Don’t fall for the mass of tourist scams, which they will put in your face quite aggressively. Simply put it, protect the horses, save money and adventure alone by taking the DIY hiking approach at El Limon like we did. We took a Gua Gua from Las Terrenas to the entrance.
We hiked the track alone, huffed and puffed the humid air, got muddy feet from the sludgy terrain and zig-zagged across the river in knee deep water. The view along the path was outstanding and worth the pain our totally unfit bodies endured.
The jewel at the end of this exhausting but scenic hike was a stunning waterfall with water gushing down from high into the jungle. Our sweaty bodies had been dreaming about this moment since our first hill. The water certainly was refreshing, and jumping off the cliffs into the churning water was such a thrill.
BACKPACKING IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominican Republic surprised us. We arrived expecting the all-inclusive resort deals and were handed a backpacking journey across a Caribbean island for a fraction of the expected price tag. No matter if you are seeking an adventure vacation filled with jungle waterfalls and surfing hotspots, or want a relaxing holiday with picture-perfect beaches and cocktails, this Caribbean island has it all. And it won’t hurt your budget!
We hope this article has inspired you to visit the Dominican Republic. If you have any questions about the destination or have your own travel tips to share please leave these in the comments below.
Want to share your own travel tips by guest writing for We Are Travel Girls? Go to our Contribute page for guidelines and to submit your article.
Our Top Places To Stay In The Dominican Republic
- Afreeka Beach Hostel
- Eternity Casa Hospedaje
- Casa de Campo Resort & Villas
- Catalonia La Romana
- Find the best price on hotels in Punta Cana
- Find the best price on hotels in Santo Domingo
- Sign up to AirBnB with this link and receive a US $35 off your first booking
Read More About The Caribbean
- Exploring Cuba
- Things To Do In Jamaica
- St John & The Virgin Islands
- Grand Cayman: 12 Things Not To Miss
We Are Travel Girls Contributors Alyssa Gunn & Hannah Moloney of TheOdysea.com
Connect with Alyssa + Hannah Instagram | YouTube
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Nana says
I have always wanted to go to The Dominican Republic and this article inspired me a lot :) Its on my bucket list – maybe in 2018 or 2019! I got to convince my husband (though I dont think its gonna be a problem, hehe).
Beautiful pictures as well. Best regards, Nana
We Are Travel Girls says
Thanks for reading Nana! So pleased to hear that this article inspired you – hope you get to the Dominican Repuplic in 2017!
Emma says
Hey guys,
Looks amazing I’m hoping to do some backpacking around the carribean over the next few months. May I ask how you got there? And whether you think it would be easy to travel to other islands from there?
Thanks!
We Are Travel Girls says
HI Emma, Thanks for reading and commenting! This post was written by WATG contributors Alyssa Gunn & Hannah Moloney of TheOdysea.com – perhaps you could reach out to them directly to ask how they got over to the islands in case they don’t see the question here. Have a great trip! XO, Becky
Anonymous says
I am sorry, the $6 bus? ”Wah Wah” (it’s really guaguas) cost like half a dollar! It’s 25 pesos (a dollar is 49 pesos).
Jairo says
They might be refering to the intercity Guaguas (buses) instead.
Amy D says
I have been to Dominican Republic twice but to all inclusive resorts. Since then I have wanted to go back but into the cities and not in the resort setting. I have never heard of anyone doing it but it seemed like a friendly enough place and welcoming when I was there. Thanks for your story.
Jairo says
If you’re planning to go there and backpacking, try to go with locals friends. As in any other country in the world you cpuld end up in a bad place at the wrong moment.
sophie says
Hi – where did you travel in from and travel out to? Was that transport expensive? Thanks!