Puerto Plata, where tourism began in the Dominican Republic, remains one of the favorite destinations for visitors. Its spectacular and extensive landscape combines sea, mountains, green valleys, rivers and a number of beaches. Its fertile soil gives rise to cocoa and coffee plantations, while under the earth, lies the lightest amber in the world.

The cunning explorer, Christopher Columbus knew that there was much to discover on the Atlantic coast of the island, where he eventually found gold deposits, when he saw her from his ship in 1492. Attracted by the clouds shining on the Isabel de Torres Hill that illuminated the Vast blue coast, baptized the area as "Puerto Plata", and settled in La Isabela with a mixed community of Spaniards and Taínos, the first inhabitants of the island. There he built the first church and his first home in the Americas. You can follow the path of Columbus and travel through these archeological ruins that are now part of a national park.

The natural abundance of Puerto Plata continues to amaze those who put their eyes on "The Bride of the Atlantic", as the locals call it. Cable Car Puerto Plata, the only one in the Caribbean, will take you to the top of the Loma Isabel de Torres with its beautiful botanical garden, where you have a panoramic view of the Atlantic coast with its more than 100 kilometers of beaches that adorn the many. In addition, Puerto Plata is home to colonial vestiges, including the largest collection of 19th-century Victorian houses in the Caribbean, the world's oldest amber fossils in the Amber Museum, and one of the region's first colonial fortresses, Fort San Felipe, dating from 1577.

From east to west along the coast of Puerto Plata, the constant trade winds, the various rivers, the vast Northern Cordillera and the Atlantic Ocean conspire to create a world of outdoor adventure, including coastal towns famous for their water sports. Less than half an hour from the city, the town of Sosúa, founded by Jewish immigrants who fled Nazi Germany, where expatriates and locals live, has beautiful beaches and various dive sites. A few kilometers away, Cabarete is a world famous center for kitesurfing, surfing and windsurfing, and a favorite cosmopolitan hideaway for those fleeing the winter. Playa Dorada is the ideal place for those who want to relax in style, with activities by the sea near the city, from canyoning in the waterfalls of the 27 Charcos de Damajagua to snorkeling in Cayo Arena and a relaxing afternoon at the Marina de Ocean World In addition to nature, Puerto Plata has many villages that provide a wealth of cultural experiences. Community tourism center, here you can visit family plantations of cocoa or coffee, learn to play and dance merengue with a family of musicians, or immerse yourself in the Dominican ball at the Bartolo Colón stadium and museum. Along the way, you will find a wide variety of culinary experiences, from sandwiches by the side of the road to seafood by the beach, and international gourmet restaurants.

The main points of entry to Puerto Plata include the Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP), located 15 minutes from the city center and the hotels of Playa Dorada or Costa Dorada, and the Amber Cove Cruise Center in Maimon.

To know the hotel, gastronomic and service offer of Puerto Plata, visit:

Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Companies of the North (ASHONORTE)

For more information: