Things to do in Dominican Republic

Descend a rocky staircase into a natural sinkhole of impossibly blue water fringed by jungle, fed by an underground river at the base of a towering limestone cliff.

Weave through stalls piled high with mangoes, zapotes and fresh coconut water, while the scent of roasting coffee and local spices fills Santo Domingo's largest public market.

Step inside La Vega's living museum where demon-like masks, dazzling costumes and towering flamboyant figures bring centuries of February carnival tradition to life.

Stroll the oldest paved street in the Americas, lined with 16th-century buildings, gas lamps and the quiet grandeur of the first colonial city of the New World.

Sit under ficus trees in the beating heart of the Colonial City, where shoe-shiners, artists and merengue rhythms orbit the bronze figure of Christopher Columbus.

Hurt through dense tropical forest on a seven-line zip circuit, zip right through the treetops and finish by feeding curious squirrel monkeys.

Lose yourself on the dancefloor of this legendary Santo Domingo nightspot, where live bands hammer out fast-paced merengue and locals twirl until dawn.

Descend into a subterranean gallery 25 metres below the sugar-cane fields, where Taino petroglyphs and rock formations glow under discreet lighting.

Navigate a labyrinth of limestone islets, sea caves and emerald channels while frigatebirds and pelicans wheel overhead in this pristine coastal wilderness.

Dig into the Dominican Republic's hearty seven-meat stew served with rice and avocado, amid the cowboy-hat decor and live guitar music of this folkloric restaurant.

Stand before the colossal concrete arch of the nation's holiest shrine, dedicated to the Virgin of Altagracia, its modernist stained glass flooding the nave with blue light.

Walk the battlements of this 16th-century Spanish fortress guarding Puerto Plata's bay, where cannons still point seaward and a museum traces the city's pirate-defying past.

Trek through cloud forest and dwarf pine to stand on the roof of the Caribbean, 3,098 metres above the sea, feeling the temperature drop and the horizon stretch endlessly.

Descend into a subterranean nightclub built into natural rock, where LED lights bounce off stalactites as international DJs spin electro beats until sunrise.

Enter a sacred network of 55 limestone caves where pre-Columbian artists left hundreds of pictograms and petroglyphs, still vivid after almost a millennium.

From January to March, slip quietly onto the water as male whales breach and tail-slap, their songs reverberating through the bay while mothers nurse their calves.

Start the day like a true Dominican with a mound of creamy mashed plantains, fried queso frito, salami and sunny-side eggs, served with pickled onions at this classic eatery.

Join locals strolling the sea wall as the sun melts into the Caribbean, with the silhouettes of ships and the rhythmic crash of waves against the coraline shore.

Stand before intricate zemí stone carvings, recreated canoes and burial relics that tell the story of the island's indigenous Taíno people in this anthropological treasure house.

Harness the trade winds that blast across the bay, launching yourself into the sky above turquoise shallows as kites crackle overhead in this world-renowned freestyle arena.

Pitch a towel on this mile-long crescent of golden sand backed by lush jungle and cliffs, a quiet paradise that feels worlds away from the bustling north-coast resorts.

Wander the stone foundations of the 1493 settlement, ringed by a skeletal church and a small museum that holds Taino artefacts and conquistador relics.

Follow a forest trail to this roaring cascade deep in the Central Mountains, then plunge into the cold, deep pool beneath a curtain of white water.

Savour grilled Caribbean lobster with passion-fruit sauce on a leafy terrace in Las Terrenas, where French finesse meets Dominican seafood in a hidden garden setting.

Sit at the famous corner of Calle El Conde where local guitarists pour out soulful bachata ballads, turning the cobblestone square into an open-air living room.