Overview

La Romana is a beautiful destination on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic. Stunning turquoise waters and palm-fringed shores greet visitors to a handful of surrounding beaches. Just off the coast is the secluded island of Catalina, where some of the Caribbean’s finest beaches and wild flora remain untouched by human development. Serene shores and clear waters have made La Romana a perfect destination for scuba diving, snorkeling, and a variety of other water activities. You’ll also find a selection of stunning golf courses that are built within Domincan’s jungle landscape. Some of these courses have received international recognition and offer the most magnificent golfing in the Caribbean. The mix of stunning beaches, sightseeing, water sports and historic attractions all make La Romana an ideal destination for family trips, adventure seekers, and romantic endeavors.

Things to Do

Various water and land sports are available within the La Romana area. Serene shores and clear waters naturally offer excellent snorkeling or scuba diving adventures. Other water sports such as windsurfing, kayaking and body-boarding are also readily available on La Romana’s shores. On land, tennis, volleyball and the open fairways of several golf courses. Check out the resort/hotel descriptions for a detailed list of sports and other activities.

Surrounding the resort areas is a wild landscape featuring magnificent flora and various animal species. Take a jeep safari through the heart of the Dominican or gallop through open trails on horseback.

The National Park of the East lies in the southeastern part of the island, comprising some 120 sq. miles of dry forest, one of the largest such forests in the Caribbean. The park is home to over 100 known species of birds, a total of eight endemic to the Dominican Republic including the Hispaniolan lizard-cuckoo, the black-crowned oriole, the black-crowned palm tanager, the limpkin, and the red-legged thrush.

This is a fascinating park to explore as it is the site of trails, cliffs, caves, mangrove estuaries, sandy beaches, and even Taíno Indian ruins. The terrain through the park can be strenuous, as no road leads into its lush interior. The most convenient way to explore is by hiring a boat in Bayahibe where you can often find trails from the shore and head in from there.

Beaches

La Minitas, Casa de Campo's main beach and site of a series of bars and restaurants all its own, is a small but immaculate beach and lagoon that requires a 10-minute shuttle-bus ride from the resort's central core. Transportation is provided by bus, or you can rent an electric golf cart. A bit farther (about a 30-min. bus ride or a 20-min. boat ride), Playa Bayahibe is a large, palm-fringed sandy crescent on a point jutting out from the shoreline. Lastly, Playa Catalina is a beautiful beach on a deserted island, Isla Catalina, surrounded by clear blue waters; it's just 45 minutes away by motorboat, the only way to reach it.

Off the coast of La Romana lies Isla Catalina, which attracts divers and snorkelers, though there are no facilities. It is mainly uninhabited, so bring whatever you need, including fresh water. The tour desks of Casa de Campo or other hotels can arrange excursions, although nothing is organized into a central agency for bookings. Catalina lies only two-quarter miles south of La Romana but 11 miles west of Bayahibe.

Nightlife

The nightlife of La Romana is surrounded by lively resorts situated on the oceanfront. Open bars, discos, and beach parties are in full swing after sunset. Head to the piano bar for some relaxing music or stroll on the beach for a romantic, moonlit walk. Each of the all-inclusive resorts offers its own collection of nighttime adventures. We recommend checking with your hotel for a detailed list of the nightlife offerings at your resort.

When it comes to evening dining, you’ll find La Romana offers a beautiful presentation of native and international cuisine at any of the all-inclusive resorts. The specialty restaurants with menus from around the world keep the most varied appetites appeased.

Alternative Attractions (museums, theaters, etc.)

The main cultural center of the region is the Altos de Chavon. This open-air museum was opened here more than 30 years ago. This museum is a recreation of a medieval town, the likes of which were located here in the era of Spanish colonization. All the buildings look very realistic, as they were built in accordance with the 15th-century traditions. Visitors to the museum will have a chance to see beautiful historic houses and villas, stroll along cobbled streets and appreciate the decoration of old houses. Altos de Chavon is often called the `City of Artists.` Since its foundation, this complex has attracted artists from all over the world, providing them with the opportunity to rent housing and workshops here. The museum has a very interesting art gallery, which contains collections of paintings, sculptures, and other artworks. Most of the works presented here are available for sale, many tourists come here specifically to buy interesting souvenirs. This village also provides entertainment daily. It is a place where you can spend an entire day with several attractive restaurants to enjoy as well.

Interesting master classes are held for museum guests every day. They can learn to make souvenirs from clay, master macrame techniques and even jewel-crafting. In the museum, you will find an interesting religious landmark - the beautiful church Iglesia San Estanislao de Cracovia. Built in 1979, it now looks like a typical medieval temple.

In the vicinity of the resort is another important historical site - Cueva de las Maravillas. The beautiful cave is where you can appreciate stalactites and stalagmites. Researchers have discovered interesting rock drawings whose age is several thousand years. Now the cave is perfectly equipped for excursions, a convenient lighting system, and viewing platforms were built inside.

La Romana is home to García Cigar Factory, the largest tobacco factory in the Dominican Republic, which has long become a popular historical attraction. In recent years, the factory is open to tourists where they can come to tour the facility. Interesting workshops are held for visitors to make their own cigars. The factory houses a large store where you can always buy the best tobacco products.

Fans of exploring historical sites often take trips to Santo Domingo, which is famous for its variety of historic buildings. Since the days of colonization, many beautiful mansions and old churches have been preserved here, creating a unique historical appearance of the city. There are a lot of unique historical monuments here, most of the colonial villas today are converted into museums and art galleries. The old colonial city is great for walking, it has preserved old cobbled streets along with historic architecture.

One of the region's most iconic historic sights is the Lighthouse Faro a Colón where regular tours are also organized from La Romana. Today, this lighthouse is one of the most respected historical sites for locals. Part of the lighthouse is occupied by a mausoleum, in which the remains of the world-famous navigator are stored. Once the old lighthouse served its intended purpose facilitating navigation for vessels coming here. Today it is one of the main historical symbols of the capital.