Punta Cana & the Southeast

It wouldn’t be out of line to equate the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic as a sort of sea and sun Disneyland – after all, it is here where the all-inclusive resorts snatch up broad swaths of cinematic beaches faster than the real estate agents can get the sun-soaked sands on the market. The beaches along the coastline from Punta Cana to Uvero Alto rival those anywhere else in the Caribbean, both in terms of their soft, white texture and their warm aquamarine waters. Despite a lack of restraint on development in the area, the resorts and beaches here still manage to offer an idyllic Caribbean seascape for a seemingly endless crowd of sunseekers.

But it's not all buffet lines and bottomless cuba libres. Independent travelers can enjoy the sun and fun, too – even if it is slightly more challenging than flopping down on a resort beach-lounger for a week.

Around 9km west of Sabana de la Mar, Parque Nacional Los Haitises is certainly the best reason to visit this small bayside town. Its name means ‘land of the mountains,’ and this 1375-sq-km park at the southwestern end of the Bahía de Samaná indeed contains scores of lush hills, jutting some 30m to 50m from the water and coastal wetlands. The knolls were formed one to two million years ago, when tectonic drift buckled the thick limestone shelf that had formed underwater.

Much more than simply Isla Saona, which is all that most people see on a group tour, the Parque Nacional Cotubanamá (formerly known as Parque Nacional del Este) also includes eight emerged reef terraces, 400 or so caverns, some with pictographs and ceramic remains, and Islas Catalinita and Catalina. Designated a national park in 1975, it stretches over 310 sq km of territory, the majority of which is semihumid forest.

This dramatic mountaintop viewpoint has been discovered by the Instagram generation – Dominicanos flock here on weekends to take photos swinging in sky-high swing sets, hammocks and teeter-totters, or flying on broomsticks. The 360-degree mountain and sea views are jaw-dropping, among the DR's most cinematic. Transport from the parking lot is RD$700, but you can group together and pay RD$100 each. The bumpy, steep ride up is as wild as a roller coaster (some folks walk the 2.1km).

Extending for 840m between Río Cumayasa and Río Soco, this lighted and well-marked massive underground cavern complex is off the highway some 20km west of La Romana. More than 500 pictographs and petroglyphs can be seen on the 45-minute guided tour (some English is spoken); the tour is included in the entrance fee so there’s little reason to wander around on your own.

Juan Dolio, once tipped as the Caribbean’s next hot spot, attracted real estate speculators and investors in droves. The market has heated up and cooled several times since the late 1980s leaving large stretches of beachfront, especially at the western end called Villas del Mar, blocked by towering half-built and partially occupied high-rise condominiums. Of course, the news isn’t all bad: Juan Dolio is one of the few beach towns in the area that cater somewhat to independent budget travelers, and the laid-back feel around town makes losing a few days here far from difficult.

Playa Limón, about 20km east of Miches and just outside the hamlet of El Cedro, is a 3km-long, picturesque Atlantic beach lined with coconut trees leaning into the ocean. Sadly, coveted beachfront like this in the Dominican Republic doesn't stay undeveloped forever – news is five large resorts and a golf course are in the pipeline. Horseback-riding tours sometimes descend upon it a few hours a day, generally from late morning to early afternoon.

Estadio Tetelo Vargas on the north side of Hwy 3 in San Pedro de Macorís is home to the baseball team called the Estrellas Orientales (the Eastern Stars). During big games you'll get cheerleaders and marching bands through the stands – quite a contrast for those used to Major League Baseball in the USA!

This made-to-order fresh-lobster madhouse offers a meal to remember for crustacean lovers. Call ahead and make a reservation so they know to send a fisherman out to catch the right amount of lobsters, which will then be quickly thrown on the grill right in the middle of diners. The prix-fixe menu includes fresh fish, drinks and desserts.