Things to Do in Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata sits on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, in the shadow of Mount Isabel de Torres. It’s much older than Punta Cana — founded 1502, with a Victorian-era waterfront, an active 19th-century rum trade, and the Caribbean’s largest deposit of amber. The vibe is more local-Dominican and less tourism-zone-controlled than the east coast. The international airport (POP) is small but functional; flights connect through Miami, Toronto, and a handful of Northeast US hubs. North of the city, Costa Dorada and Sosúa make up the resort strip; further east, the small town of Cabarete is the kiteboarding capital of the Caribbean.