Christopher Columbus may have made an error when he landed on North America and declared that it was India, but he made no such mistake in describing Puerto Plata as “the fairest land under heaven.”

Known as “La Novia del Atlántico,” or “The Bride of the Atlantic,” Puerto Plata sings a siren’s song to visitors and locals alike, dancing them through lush tropical terrain and pristine beaches that invite anyone who lays eyes on them to relax for a lifetime and never go back.

While Puerto Plata is the ultimate destination for relaxation, and also most likely where you will fly into the Dominican, the keen traveler will most likely look to the developing town of Samaná.

One of the beautiful and off-the-beaten-path destinations in the Dominican Republic is the Samaná Peninsula. If you are lucky enough to visit in between mid-January and mid-March, you will be treated to the spectacle of thousands of hump-back whales that migrate here every year. READ MORE