As the second largest country in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic is a tropical island of stark contrasts that defy easy categorization. Rugged mountain peaks are capped by misty clouds, while deep verdant valleys carve a prehistoric maze through interior alluvial plains. Hundreds of miles of golden-and white-sand beaches rim both the Atlantic and Caribbean coasts, fronting light turquoise, emerald, and cobalt-blue seas. Those beaches are back-dropped by acres upon acres of lush palm tree forests running from sea to sea, hence the nickname: The Coconut Coast. Lastly, an intoxicating array of culturally important communities are draped in colonial charm, reflective of the Dominican Republic’s historical levity. It was here in Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo where sailors aboard the ships of Christopher Columbus laid the very foundations of the New World.

That ruggedly romantic landscape and cultural dynamism are responsible for attracting legions of couples in love to these shores. They come seeking a vacation where nature overwhelms the hotel, and not the other way around. They’re booking the sun-splashed postcard, the promise of passion, the dream of an endless honeymoon. For active couples, the island also offers an unlimited wealth of eco-tourism adventures in staggering settings both in and out of the water.... more