Погода: Санто-Доминго, февраль

The humpback season in Samana Bay runs from 15 January to 31 March, and February into early March is its peak - mid-February is the date regulars give for the height of the migration. The weather is the variable rather than the whales: a trip at the start of one February came back with cloud, chop and everyone in soaked rain jackets, and operators cancel for weather with a re-book or a refund. Our row's 14.1 precipitation days carrying only 40.7mm is the usual Caribbean shape, frequent short showers rather than wet days. The record: 26.8C days that feel like 29C, 22.9C nights, 10.4 hours of sun and a 25.8C sea.

Forum posters describe July across the Dominican Republic as very hot, sunny and humid, with warm evenings and occasional showers rather than full days of rain - posters compare typical rain here to Cuba's pattern, heavy but brief, often just 10-30 minutes. Posters are direct that rainy days are relatively rare this time of year, with some describing weeks going by without any rain at all. Posters flag hurricane season as technically running May through November, but consistently note most storms actually cluster around September, making July comparatively low-risk - posters recommending the north coast specifically as a fairly hurricane-resistant option for anyone especially cautious. Posters generally rate July as hot and humid but still a good, deal-friendly time to visit Santo Domingo.

Forum posters describe January in Santo Domingo as a mix of rain and grey skies alongside plenty of blue-sky days - it sits right at the edge of the wetter season, with the broader Dominican dry season (December-April) bringing lower humidity overall. Regulars note that with shifting weather patterns the exact split of sun-to-rain days has gotten harder to predict year to year, though January and February are usually counted among the driest months. Beyond the weather, the Colonial Zone - a UNESCO World Heritage site and the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas - is repeatedly named the best base, with plenty of boutique hotel options right in the old streets.