Know before you go: The Dominican Republic

A direct flight from London or Manchester to the Dominican Republic will take just over 9 hours. Flights from Scotland will require a connecting flight and can take around 14 hours total travel time.

The island has multiple airports, but most international flights arrive via Punta Cana International Airport. If you’re travelling to a resort, you should book your airport transfers with them. Otherwise you can hire a car or get a taxi to your hotel.

When you book your flights with Club Med to Club Med Punta Cana and Club Med Miches Playa Esmeralda your transfers are included in the package.

Carnaval de la Vega in February is the Dominican Republic's biggest annual celebration with a street party every weekend the whole month through. People hold carnivals all over the country, but El Carnaval de la Vega is the most spectacular of them all. Expect parades, floats, colourful costumes, pop concerts, food, drinks and dancing all-day and all-night.

Cabarete Sand Castle Festival in February. Head down to Cabarete coast in February and you’ll find giant dragons, towering castles, intricate pyramids and elegant mermaids all carefully sculpted out of sand. For 10 days every February, Cabarete beach is transformed into a fantastic sand sculpture park to celebrate Carnaval season. Enjoy the sights and get inspired to make a sandcastle of your own.

Semana Santa in April. Walk through the streets of Cabral in April and you could find yourself being playfully whipped by a ‘devil’. Semana Santa fuses Catholic Easter traditions with Afro-Dominican Vodú celebrations, making it a very interesting time to visit the Dominican Republic. Dominicans celebrate with parades, beauty pageants and by dressing up as devils to ‘punish’ passers by.

Rum: Thanks to the Dominican Republic’s history of sugar plantations, rum is one of the island’s most famous exports. Book a rum-tasting tour at one of the island’s many distilleries and learn all about the Dominicans’ favourite drink.

Cigars: The Dominican Republic is also well known for its excellent cigars. You’ll find specialist cigar shops throughout the country and even cigar bars where you can select something special to enjoy with an after dinner digestif.

Tostones: Crispy fried slices of unripe plantain can be found everywhere on the island where they’re also known as platano frito or “fried greens” and are enjoyed salted like crisps or chips.

Pastelitos: A classic Dominican street food, these Cuban empanadas or little hand pies come filled with cheese, guava, pineapple or coconut

Hahichuelos con Dulce: A sweet, creamy pudding made from red beans, sweet potatoes, raisins, coconut milk and evaporated milk, spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

Bizcocho Dominicano: Usually made by a master baker, “Dominican Cake” is airy and moist with a baked-in pineapple filling and spectacular meringue icing. A must-try for travellers!

Take a tour out onto the beautiful blue waters off the Samana Peninsula and you could catch sight of Humpback Whales. These graceful giants come to the Dominican Republic in the winter months to mate and rear their calves, and can often be seen waving their flippers, lobbing their tails or even breaching up into the air in Samana Bay.

This hypersaline lake is home to the Dominican Republic’s most flamboyant inhabitant. Pink flocks of flamingos can be spotted close to Isla Cabritos and the east side of the lake between April and July. You’ll also spot saltwater crocodiles between January and June, and friendly iguanas sunbathing on the rocks all year round.