Why winter is the best time to visit Dominican Republic

Put away your snow boots and grab your beach towel. Dominican Republic weather is beautiful and tropical throughout the year, making a beach getaway a sun-soaked experience any time you visit. But it’s especially nice in the winter, when you can leave behind frigid temperatures at home for a Punta Cana escape. Your Instagram posts from the beach will leave your friends and family completely jealous! Winter weather in Punta Cana is usually less rainy and humid than other times of year, which is an added bonus, and you’ll avoid Dominican Republic hurricane season.

Dominican Carnival (carnaval dominicano) is one of the best festivals in the Dominican Republic. Taking place every Sunday during the month of February, Carnival is a vibrant celebration – and one of the most fun places to experience it is in the capital city of Santo Domingo. You’ll enjoy colorful parades filled with incredible sights, authentic Dominican cuisine and friendly locals. If you’re looking for one weekend to visit, choose the one near February 27 – Dominican Independence Day. Year after year, the parties and parades are legendary, with Dominicans donning intricate costumes and masks that symbolize characters from the country’s past. Head to Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone to get in on the Dominican Carnival action.

A winter vacation to the Dominican Republic will get you up-close-and-personal with nature’s most impressive spectacles: Dominican Republic whale watching season. The Sanctuary of the Humpback Whales in Samaná, located in the northeast corner of the Dominican Republic, is one of the world’s most important destinations for humpbacks – they love Dominican Republic weather, too! Between January and April every year, at least 2,000 of these magnificent mammals congregate in the warm waters – it’s a must-see humpback social gathering. Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort is the perfect home base for a Dominican Republic whale watching adventure, just a short shuttle drive from the coast, where vessels await to take you out on the water. This is one of the best whale watching spots in the world – Samaná’s waters are off-limits to any boats except for whale watching boats, so the whales are comfortable and friendly.

• Good to know: Humpback whales are known as the “acrobats of the sea,” thanks to their breaching behavior, when they hurl themselves out of the water to create an enormous splash.

The age of discovery comes to life at this one-of-a-kind destination – known as the cradle of western civilization. Located at the mouth of the Ozama River, the Colonial City of Santo Domingo (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) was the first permanent establishment of the “New World,” founded in 1498. For a look into real Dominican Republic culture, plan your trip close to January 26, when the city celebrates Juan Pablo Duarte, a Dominican founding father and national hero.

That’s just the beginning of the fun that takes place in the Dominican Republic’s winter season. Start planning your Punta Cana vacation now!