The Dominican Republic receives a lot of tourists each year coming from all over the world, attracted by its white sanded beaches and crystal clear water as you can see in Punta Cana.
Not only that, but this place offers a wide range of water and in-land activities. But most visitors tend to miss the truth and essential beauty of all the hidden gems in the Dominican Republic. In today’s post, you’ll learn about traveling off the beaten path to this amazing country.
Read here beach resorts in Punta Cana and breakfast in Dominican Republic
Read here the Dominican Republic sim card and best Dominican Republic travel tips!
WHERE TO STAY IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
There are dormitory rooms that you can rent the bed for as low as $10 USD a night if you want the cheapest option. Double-room hostels can cost up to $30-40 USD a night while mid-range hotels cost more or less $80 USD a night.
Click here if you want to find the best deals with Booking in Dominican Republic.
Punta Cana
Punta Cana is a world-class tourist attraction, pretty well known for its beaches, hotels, and accommodations like Iberostar’s Dominican Republic all inclusive resorts, but that’s not it, there’s a huge amount of off-the-beaten-path attractions to visit in the Dominican Republic. From a unique beach to a stunning lagoon and an amazing river.
The biggest draw about the Dominican Republic is its biodiversity, offering a ton of different areas to explore, in a few min or hour trips you can head to a mountain to do outdoor activities and at the end of the day enjoy a romantic sunset at the beach.
Hidden Gem in the Dominican Republic

Playa San Rafael
San Rafael Beach is one of the unique places to visit in the Dominican Republic and the world. As expected of the area, a pebble stone beach with turquoise water combined with a mountain, and its green trees and vegetation. Not only that, you can also find pools of river water with cascades where you can swim!
A unique beach with different amenities, offering water activities like surfing and a stand to buy local food and drinks.
Laguna Gri Gri
If you head to Rio San Juan village, you’ll find an amazing lagoon surrounded by vegetation and gri gri trees. Gri Gri lagoon is a paradise for bird watchers and nature lovers where you can take boat trips to enjoy the mangroves or do stand-up paddleboarding.
An amazing option for outdoor travelers that enjoys a close look at local wildlife.
Rio Yasica
One of the best-hidden gems in the Dominican Republic is a beautiful crystal clear river that flows from the mountains, where you can embark on a kayak adventure. Not only that, you can just swim on its water or go tubing to explore its shores.
The river is located on private land, so an entrance fee is expected. The access to the river is easy, a nice 15-min hike by the mountain.
Playa Grande

Playa Grande is a long beach with more than 2 km of sand, waves, and fun often visited as a stop for people traveling from the Samana area to Puerto Plata. A well-known beach for its good waves suitable for surfing, and rows of local shacks with music selling local seafood, people are humble, funny, and ready to serve you!
If you head to Playa Grande, I highly advise you to not swim too far away from the shore, since it can be somewhat dangerous due to the winter’s undertow.