Journal destination
Stories from this city location. Explore published field notes, guided trips, and local perspectives.
The collection
01A 16th-century fortress that still watches the Atlantic: Fort San Felipe is the literal and cultural backbone of Puerto Plata, where amber trade, colonial defenses and modern seaside life meet. Learn how to visit thoughtfully and pair the fort with the city’s best cultural and adventure experiences.
02A tiny sandbank off the Dominican North Coast, Cayo Arena is a living aquarium: turquoise shallows, colorful reefs, and a mangrove-lit approach that makes the trip feel like a discovery. Here’s how to get the most from a day at Paradise Island.
03Amber Cove condenses the best of Puerto Plata into a single, high-energy port day—waterfall jumps, dune-buggy dust, rainforest treks, and a rum-punch party on the return. It’s efficient adventure with a strong sense of place.
04Carved by time and fed by mountain streams, Damajagua’s 27 pools are a natural playground of slides, jumps, and swimable basins. This is a practical, on-the-ground guide to making the most of the canyon: how to prepare, what to expect, and why the descent is more than a thrill — it’s a full-sensory day in nature.
05A ladder of cascading pools and natural slides near Puerto Plata, the 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua is part hike, part canyoning playground. This guide explains what to expect, what to bring, and how to make the most of the wet, joyful route.
06A compact, high-reward adventure north of Puerto Plata: Damajagua’s 27 waterfalls mix scrambling, slides and cliff jumps into one thrilling, accessible circuit. This private tour pairs ease of transport with local guiding for a safe, splash-forward day.
07Don a helmet, learn a few throttle cues, and ride past sugarcane fields, a cigar workshop, and a final shoreline swim—this half-day ATV tour around Puerto Plata blends motion, culture, and a sea rinse.
08A 2–3 hour mix of hiking, scrambling and river jumps leads you through the famous 27 Charcos—cascading basalt pools a short drive from Puerto Plata. Expect adrenaline, local culture, and a proper rum stop afterward.
09Trade the resorts for riverbeds and mango trees: a three-hour buggy loop from Puerto Plata delivers rough terrain, cultural encounters and a hands-on look at Dominican rural life. Perfect for thrill-seekers who also want context.