Wat er het hele jaar speelt in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Dominicaanse Republiek

Topdrukte — Virgen de la Altagracia, Dry season and peak weeks

• Natuur

  Humpback whales in Samana Bay

  15 jan – 31 mrtWalvisseizoen

  Thousands of North Atlantic humpbacks calve in Samana Bay, and the environment ministry opens and closes the watching season by decree each year. It is a long day trip from here, three hours each way, and February is the thick of it.

• Feestdag

  Virgen de la Altagracia

  20–22 janNationale feestdagSluitingenDruk

  The country's patron day on 21 January, and the basilica at Higuey half an hour inland takes pilgrims through the night. Offices and banks close and the road west of Punta Cana crawls. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Dry season and peak weeks (1 dec – 30 apr), Christmas and New Year peak (18 dec – 5 jan)

Topdrukte — Dominican Carnival, Dry season and peak weeks

• Festival

  Dominican Carnival

  1 feb – 5 mrt · meestalDruk

  The diablos cojuelos parade every Sunday in February, loudest at La Vega, and the national parade closes it on Santo Domingo's Malecon at the end of the month. Almost none of it reaches the resort strip, so it is a drive. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Humpback whales in Samana Bay (15 jan – 31 mrt), Dry season and peak weeks (1 dec – 30 apr)

Topdrukte — Dominican Carnival, Semana Santa

• Risico

  Sargassum on the east beaches

  15 mrt – 31 aug · meestalSargassumseizoen

  Bavaro and Macao face east into the drift and take the brunt of it; hotels rake at dawn and the sheltered coves clear faster. It swings hugely week to week, so a live tracker beats any average. Bron ↗

• Natuur

  Turtle nesting on the east coast

  15 mrt – 15 nov · meestal

  Hawksbills and the odd leatherback come up the Bavaro and Macao sand from spring to late autumn. The resorts stake the nests off and dim the beach lights; the hatchlings go out after dark.

• Feestdag

  Semana Santa

  29 mrt – 5 aprPasen & Goede WeekDrukBoek vroeg

  Dominicans take the whole week off and drive to the coast, so the east fills with domestic traffic on top of the flights. Expect road checkpoints and restricted alcohol sales around Good Friday. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Humpback whales in Samana Bay (15 jan – 31 mrt), Dominican Carnival (1 feb – 5 mrt (meestal)), Dry season and peak weeks (1 dec – 30 apr)

Topdrukte — Semana Santa, Dry season and peak weeks

In april begint er niets nieuws.

Nog steeds bezig: Sargassum on the east beaches (15 mrt – 31 aug (meestal)), Turtle nesting on the east coast (15 mrt – 15 nov (meestal)), Semana Santa (29 mrt – 5 apr), Dry season and peak weeks (1 dec – 30 apr)

Tussenseizoen — een gewone maand

In mei begint er niets nieuws.

Nog steeds bezig: Sargassum on the east beaches (15 mrt – 31 aug (meestal)), Turtle nesting on the east coast (15 mrt – 15 nov (meestal))

Tussenseizoen — schoolvakanties in 3 van de markten die de plek vullen, een gewone maand

• Risico

  Hurricane season

  1 jun – 30 nov

  Hispaniola sits in the main track and the risk is loaded into the September and October half of the season. Most weeks pass without a warning, and the resorts price it accordingly, but the change policy is the thing to read. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Sargassum on the east beaches (15 mrt – 31 aug (meestal)), Turtle nesting on the east coast (15 mrt – 15 nov (meestal))

Druk — Summer school-holiday peak, schoolvakanties in 3 van de markten die de plek vullen

• Seizoen

  Summer school-holiday peak

  1 jul – 31 augSchoolvakantiesDrukBoek vroeg

  The second peak and a different crowd: Dominican, Latin American and Spanish families on school holidays rather than the winter sun crowd. Family rooms and connecting doors go first.

Nog steeds bezig: Sargassum on the east beaches (15 mrt – 31 aug (meestal)), Turtle nesting on the east coast (15 mrt – 15 nov (meestal)), Hurricane season (1 jun – 30 nov)

Druk — Summer school-holiday peak, schoolvakanties in 3 van de markten die de plek vullen

In augustus begint er niets nieuws.

Nog steeds bezig: Sargassum on the east beaches (15 mrt – 31 aug (meestal)), Turtle nesting on the east coast (15 mrt – 15 nov (meestal)), Hurricane season (1 jun – 30 nov), Summer school-holiday peak (1 jul – 31 aug)

Rustig — schoolvakanties in 2 van de markten die de plek vullen, een van de slechtste maanden qua weer

In september begint er niets nieuws.

Nog steeds bezig: Turtle nesting on the east coast (15 mrt – 15 nov (meestal)), Hurricane season (1 jun – 30 nov)

Rustig — een van de slechtste maanden qua weer

In oktober begint er niets nieuws.

Nog steeds bezig: Turtle nesting on the east coast (15 mrt – 15 nov (meestal)), Hurricane season (1 jun – 30 nov)

Rustig — een van de slechtste maanden qua weer

In november begint er niets nieuws.

Nog steeds bezig: Turtle nesting on the east coast (15 mrt – 15 nov (meestal)), Hurricane season (1 jun – 30 nov)

Topdrukte — Dry season and peak weeks, Christmas and New Year peak

• Seizoen

  Dry season and peak weeks

  1 dec – 30 aprDrukBoek vroeg

  The drier half of the year and the reason every seat from the north is full: the trade wind blows most afternoons, the sea flattens, and the all-inclusive strip runs at capacity from mid-December to mid-April.

• Feestdag

  Christmas and New Year peak

  18 dec – 5 janKerst & nieuwjaarDrukBoek vroeg

  The most expensive fortnight of the year here by a wide margin, with minimum-stay rules at most of the bigger resorts and New Year's Eve dinners sold separately. Book it in spring or take January instead. Bron ↗