Dominican Republic : Profile

Facts

The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, one of the Greater Antilles; the other third of the island is Haiti, culturally very different from the Dominican Republic.
Unlike the recent past, foreign yachts are welcome in most places and facilities are steadily improving. Entry formalities are now completed quickly in most ports of entry when all the paperwork is in order.
Most yachts sail along the north coast as they make their way either east or west between the USA and the Virgin Islands or Lesser Antilles. This is a wild and rugged coast with only a handful of sheltered anchorages. As it is difficult to cover the distances between them in one day's sail, cruising here needs careful planning. There is no doubt that this coast is best enjoyed if heading westward, otherwise the continuous beating into the trades can mar the pleasure of discovering this unspoilt area.
One paricularly attractive stop is at Samana Bay, on the east coast. This is an area to which humpback whales migrate for the breeding season.
Because of the prevailing NE winds, the south coast offers more protected anchorages and attractive harbours, ranging from Punta Beata in the west to Isla Saona at the far eastern end of the island.
The best facilities are to the east of the capital, Santo Domingo, at Boca Chica and further east at Casa de Campo. West of the capital, Las Salinas is probably the best stop. Outside of the large industrial centres, repair facilities for yachts are virtually non-existent although minor repairs can be dealt with by ordinary workshops.
Luperon is popular with cruising sailors, having a well sheltered harbour and a lively cruising social life, but facilities are limited.
There are some relatively new large resorts which have marinas within their complexes at Punta Cana, Casa de Campo and Cofresi (3NM W of Puerto Plata).

The Dominican Republic lies in the outer tropical zone, so there is little temperature variation between summer and winter. The varied relief of the large island means a diverse climate, from warm and tropical to arid and more temperate.