1

Samaná Peninsula has beautiful beaches - check out Las Terrenas (small, lively town w/ nightlife) and Las Galeras (small, quiet village).

I've never been to Cabarete, but look into that if you want to do windsurfing/surfing/kiteboarding and the scene that goes with those activities.

there are a lot of nice beaches all around the Dominican Republic. Take a look on Google Earth - you should be able to find nice beaches, then take a look at nearby terrain and communities to see what you like.

Las Terrenas has the advantage of having Fata Morgana - a very nice place to stay, inexpensive - kind of like a hostel spread over a large, verdant lot. has a kitchen, dining area - very sociable.

I've never been to Santo Domingo - it interests me, but I can never tear myself away from Las Terrenas.

2

Because of the limited time, you'll want to stay pretty close to Santo Domingo, so you don't spend the whole trip driving, which leaves you with basically two options: the Punta Cana area, and, as the poster above said, and Samaná. Where to go depends on the vibe you want. Punta Cana is more touristy and more crowded (though you don't mention what time of year you're going, if in the off-season, it won't be as bad). Samaná is beautiful, and far less touristy - we stayed in Las Terrenas and had a great time. Playa Rincón, further down the peninsula, is thought by many to be the best beach in the DR...we didn't make it, but I've heard great things.

3

yes - I should have added - consider the travel time. if you have the funds, there are domestic flights. LT is about 3 hours from SD by road, 20 minutes by plane. If you decide to go to Samana, check back for transportation, if you need advice. If you are flying into SD, the eastern end of the island will be your place.

4

Las Galeras on the Samana Peninsular is a good option, especially as we do have a direct 'fast' air conditioned mini coach that goes direct from SD. We have a great range of accommodation here, every thing from sleeping in a Hammock for 200 peso per night to more upmarket bed and breakfast hotels. Plenty to see and do especially now as we have the whales in the Bay

5

Take a look at Bayahibe, pretty little fishing village on the south coast. 90 minutes east of Santo Domingo airport, 2 hours east of Santo Domingo Colonial Zone (will take a bit longer by bus).

Take bus from central Santo Domingo (terminal near Parque Enriquillo) to La Romana. Ask the driver to drop you at the “parada para Bayahibe”, then change to local bus (guagua) to Bayahibe.

List of accommodations in Bayahibe village with weblinks and map http://bayahibesup.com/bayahibe-map/

Bayahibe's main public beach is quite small with plenty of natural shade but the water is calm, turquoise and clear. Take a boat trip to Saona Island for stunning white sand beaches - Canto de la Playa or Playa Pepe (much less crowded than the other Saona beaches). Bayahibe Fishing Centre can take you to Playa Pepe or Canto for a reasonable price.
Bayahibe public beach photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.375748185813985.97936.157428524312620&type=3

Punta Cana does have beautiful beaches but it is spread over 35 miles of coast so it's hard to get around to reach the more secluded beaches (expensive taxi fares). The central beaches like Cortecito and Bavaro do have gorgeous white sand and but are pretty crowded and lined with low rise resorts.

From Santo Domingo take the Bavaro Express http://puntacanabavaro.com/travel/express-transportion-punta-cana-santo-domingo.html Note: it's a different bus station from the Bayahibe bus.