Want to celebrate the new year 2021 on the beach with merengue music? Go to the sunny Dominican Republic! We tell you about the weather, New Year's traditions and prices for tours. Find out what to do on your vacation and what tourists say about their winter trip to the tropics.
Weather in the Dominican Republic for the New Year
When traveling to the Dominican Republic for the new year 2021, you shouldn't worry about the vagaries of the weather. The island state lies so close to the equator that air and water temperatures remain almost unchanged during the year.
In winter, the country is in the midst of a dry season. Humidity does not exceed 63%. There are no hurricanes or strong storms, and precipitation is infrequent. Intermittent rains usually pass at night and do not in any way interfere with a serene rest.
In late December and early January, the thermometer rises to + 28 ... + 29 ° С during the day, and drops to + 21 ° С at night. Sea water is warmed up to + 27 ... + 28 ° С. These are very comfortable conditions for long swims, swimming for children, diving and windsurfing.
It is less humid on the Caribbean coast, especially in the popular tourist resort of Punta Cana. On the northern coast, in Puerto Plata, due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, precipitation falls almost twice as much.
Advice... For walks during the day, shorts, a T-shirt and a headdress are enough. For evening promenades by the sea, a windbreaker or a light sweater will not be superfluous.
How to celebrate the New Year in the Dominican Republic
The most important holiday of the year in the republic has its own unique features. Ate does not grow here, so temperamental Dominicans are happy to decorate artificial trees or ordinary palms. In the tropics, colorful shells, corals, painted pebbles and fresh flowers become decorations.
Local residents are not at all couch potatoes. They love to have fun, so the holiday is colorful and joyful. Residential buildings and hotel buildings are decorated with colorful ribbons and balloons.
The color of the holiday is red. In the Dominican Republic, it is customary to celebrate the New Year in red clothes and give each other pots with plants that have red leaves. Expensive gifts are not expected: by tradition, the Dominicans present each other with sweets, small souvenirs and postcards.
The Dominican Republic for the new year 2021 offers everything that a sophisticated tourist can dream of. New Year's feast for holidaymakers is usually organized right on the beachwhere tables are set and where musicians are invited. Noisy fun begins with the onset of darkness and continues until the morning. Bars and discos are in full swing, there is a lot of music, rum, champagne, fruit cocktails, incendiary Latin American dances and colorful fireworks.
On January 6, Dominican Catholics celebrate Epiphany or Epiphany. In all churches, solemn masses are held, and parades and costume shows are held on the streets of cities.
Dominican beaches map
What to do during the holidays
After our snowdrifts and cold weather, the New Year in the warm Dominican Republic is attractive in itself. But most tourists are not limited to swimming in the sea and the promenade under the palm trees. How can you diversify your beach holiday in the middle of winter?
Walk around Santo Domingo... The capital of the country deserves a separate excursion. See the city sights on your own or together with a group of tourists. Santo Domingo was founded in 1496 and became the first city in the New World discovered by Europeans. Walk through the picturesque Colonial Quarter and see the majestic Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary. Visit the great Christopher Columbus lighthouse, where the remains of the great navigator lie in a marble mausoleum.
Take an ecotour... Several nature reserves have been established in the Dominican Republic. The largest of these is the Jaragua National Park, which is located in the southwest of the country. Explore wild mangroves, deciduous forests and tropical shrubs, home to over 100 bird species. The eastern part of the park, in Laguna Oviedo, is home to the country's largest flamingo colony.
From coastal resorts, tourists are taken on interesting excursions:
- reserved Samana peninsula and El Limon waterfall - $ 130;
- Fun-Fun cave - $ 140;
- boat trip to Saona Island - $ 105;
- humpback whale watching - $ 100-200;
- Catalina Island - $ 75;
- swimming with sharks and rays in the ocean - $ 70;
- La Khalda waterfall (120 m) by helicopter - $ 275.
Go on an extreme journey... Those who like to have an unusual experience are planning real adventures for the new 2021 in the Dominican Republic. Popular among extreme lovers:
- climbing the highest mountain in the country - peak Duarte (3175 m);
- flight to the Samana Peninsula and jumping in tandem with an instructor from a height of 4000 m;
- safari in jeeps, hummers, ATVs and buggies;
- helicopter tours over the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea;
- rafting on mountain rivers;
- kayaking on mangroves;
- horseback riding tours in the jungle.
Get a vibrant experience at tourist attractions... If you come to the Dominican Republic for the New Year with children, visit entertainment centers and zoos. Great for family vacations:
- Adventure Park Ocean World in Puerto Plata;
- Manati Park, Marinarium, Dolphin Explorer and Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park in Punta Cana;
- Adventure Park entertainment center in Bavaro;
- Monkey Land Monkey Park near Punta Cana.
Taste Dominican cuisine... Most tourists come to the Dominican Republic on New Year's Eve on all-inclusive tours. However, vacation in an exotic country is fraught with many culinary temptations. In any restaurant, tourists are offered a stew with banana, beans and rice - la bandera... The color of the tasty dish resembles the Dominican flag. Savor a hearty meat soup with young sankocho corn, stewed pescado con coco marinated fish, and abichuelas con dulce, a sweet red bean dessert with coconut milk.
Look for original souvenirs... Dominican shops and markets are a treasure trove for lovers of handicrafts and authentic memorabilia. From a New Year's trip to the Dominican Republic, tourists bring boxes of cigars, rum, coffee, chocolate, strong herbal liqueur "Mamahuana", jewelry made of blue semiprecious stone larimara, Lime dolls, fancy shells and starfish.
Prices for New Year's tours
Last Minute Tours search on the services Level.Travel and Travelata - they will find the best deals among different tour operators. Want to save money? Check out our 7 rules for buying tours online.
The Dominican Republic is a popular winter destination. But due to the 12-hour flight, the prices for tours to Dominican resorts in any season are not cheap. On New Year's Eve, so many tourists come to bask in the tropical sun and swim in the warm sea that the prices for vouchers are breaking all records. They grow by 50-80% compared to the beginning of December.
Here is the cost of tours for the New Year 2021 from Moscow per two adults (in rubles):
| 7 nights | 11 nights | 14 nights | |
| Punta Cana | 222000 | 249000 | 278000 |
| La Romana | 248000 | 324000 | 360000 |
| Juan Dolio | 222000 | 278000 | 283000 |
| Boca Chica | 194000 | 214000 | 242000 |
| Uverto Alto | 252000 | 328000 | 358000 |
Hotels
Look for hotels with discounts at Skyscanner Hotels. Here are the main rules for finding hotels.
The influx of tourists to the Dominican resorts begins in mid-December. Tens of thousands of tourists from Europe, Canada and the United States come to this country to celebrate Catholic Christmas and have a pleasant New Year's holidays. The demand for housing is driving up prices. On New Year's, the cost of rooms increases both in budget guesthouses and in elite 5 * hotel complexes.
- The 7 best hotels in Punta Cana
- The 10 Best Hotels in Dominican Republic
Prices on a festive night for a double room in hotels of different categories at resorts popular with tourists:
| Punta Cana | La Romana | Juan Dolio | Boca Chica | Santo Domingo | |
| Guesthouses | 45$ | 35$ | 40$ | 25$ | 20$ |
| Hotel 1 * | 50$ | 40$ | 40$ | 40$ | 50$ |
| Hotel 2 * | 55$ | 45$ | 45$ | 45$ | 35$ |
| Hotel 3 * | 70$ | 50$ | 50$ | 50$ | 40$ |
| Hotel 4 * | 340$ | 200$ | 120$ | 100$ | 80$ |
| Hotel 5 * | 720$ | 220$ | 130$ | - | 110$ |
Reviews about holidays in the Dominican Republic for the New Year and tips
pros:
- During the New Year holidays, the Dominican resorts have mild and warm weather, without heavy rains and winds. Temperatures of air and sea water are ideal for a comfortable beach holiday.
- There is a lot of entertainment in the Dominican Republic for the New Year. Sunbathing and swimming in the sea is easy to diversify with bus and walking tours, boat trips, snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, jeep safaris, horseback riding, paragliding and deep sea fishing.
- If you come to rest in the Dominican Republic in early January, you will still be in time for the holiday - the fun here stretches for several days.
According to reviews of tourists, disadvantages rest in the Dominican Republic for the New Year is a little:
- New Year's packages are expensive.
- In the middle of winter, resorts and tourist attractions are always crowded, and queues are often lined up at the box office.
- Tourist infrastructure, restaurants and shops are available only in hotels. For special purchases - medicines, diapers and food for children - you have to take a taxi to large shopping centers.
- Local residents do not understand English well and are ready to communicate only in Spanish.
Advice:
- If you want to relax with maximum comfort and not worry about anything, especially when traveling with a child, take the all-inclusive tour.
- Early booking or… luck allows you to save money. A hot tour to the Dominican Republic for the New Year sometimes costs half the price.
- When planning your trip budget for the New Year in the Dominican Republic, keep in mind that prices will be high for everything - accommodation, excursions, shopping and restaurant services.
- If you decide to go on a New Year's trip on your own, book a hotel and a table in the restaurant in advance for the festive evening.
