What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words “Dominican Republic”? Most likely you think of beautiful beaches, coconut trees and Latin music. That’s just the tip of the iceberg of what the DR has to offer. Follow us through a photo essay of the landscapes of the Dominican Republic to see just how much there is to see in this beautiful country.

We’ve heard there are 9 different ecological regions in the Dominican Republic. We searched high and low to find out what they are, but came back with nothing. If anyone knows what the 9 regions actually are we’d be more than happy to update the post!

The Mountains:

Let’s start with the more far fetched of the landscapes of the DR. The mountains. On this island you can actually find the highest peak in the Caribbean. A nine hour hike will take you to the top of this beautiful island with a stunning view. Altitude means cold. At 3, 087 meters you need a few layers to keep you warm. The pictures above and below are from our hike to the top of Pico Duarte.

Pine Forest:

Pine forests are found in various regions of the Dominican Republic. Countless miles of soaring pines as far as the eye can see. A few years ago there was actually a huge forest fire that wiped out a large section of pine trees in the National Park, Pico Duarte. It’s astounding to see miles of burnt down forest in the state of recovery.

Rivers and Lakes:

Cutting through the terrain and landscapes of the DR are huge rivers and lakes. Over the years, and due to climate changes, some have dried while others have grown. A typical Sunday in the DR consists of a day spent at a river or lake, cooking, drinking, playing dominoes and simply having a good time with friends and family. If you’re more of the adventurous type you can also kayak, hike, propel down or jump off certain parts of the many rivers, streams and lakes in the country. Check out one of our canyoning adventures down one of the rivers in the mountains.

Rolling Hills:

Almost like a mountain, but not quite there yet: the rolling hills. These landscapes span across miles and miles of terrain. Atop most hills is a spectacular view. On a clear day you can see all the way to the ocean, or the mountains.

The Desert:

Yup there’s desert on this island. It’s not your typical Sahara desert with miles and miles of sand dunes but there are cacti, dunes, sand and HEAT. We had ourselves a little adventure in the Dunas of Bani. I ran down one of the dunes while Jade rolled down with a GoPro. You can check out that adventure by following the previous that link.

The Jungle:

Streams, rivers, fruit trees, animals, insects and pure nature. There’s also plenty of jungle all over the island. Lush green plants, fallen giant trees, hidden natural pools and beautiful sounds. The jungles of the Dominican Republic are BEAUTIFUL!

The Beaches and Ocean:

The beaches are the most renown landmark of the Dominican Republic. It’s an island so you have ocean on all sides. Some are reef, some sand, some pebble but most are beautiful. What I love about the beaches here is that you can drive ten minutes, sometimes even walk, and you’ll enjoy a completely different beach.

It’s amazing that such a, relatively, small island can have so many different landscapes. You could literally spend a lifetime living in the different regions of this island and you would feel like you’re in a completely new place every time.

What is your favorite part of the Dominican Republic?
What’s your favorite geographical region worldwide?