The stunning city on Dominican Republic’s Southeast

Travel Pulse.- La Romana. It’s a stunning destination, and not just for its white-sand beaches. It’s most famous for the 16th-century-style Mediterranean architecture of Altos de Chavón, as well as its beautiful natural scenery.

Home to one of the Caribbean’s most important sugar mills, the area turned to tourism in the 1970s and never looked back. Today, travelers can explore the sugar cane fields, as well as the surrounding tropical forests and cave systems within the Cotubanamá National Park, where one can find indigenous Taino rock art.

Romantic dinner in the beach

La Romana is also the gateway to Catalina and Saona Islands, in which sea turtles make their nests. Just off the coastline are stunning coral reefs just begging to be explored, as well as the various shipwrecks that are now inhabited by a variety of marine life.

The Altos de Chavón area is incredibly popular with tourists. Designed to look like a small Mediterranean town, its most prominent building is the St. Stanislaus Church, which is a popular wedding spot.

While in La Romana, make sure to check if there are any musicians performing at the open-air amphitheater, which has hosted Grammy award-winning artists like Frank Sinatra. Also located within the area is the Altos de Chavón Archaeological Museum, the Dye Fore golf course and ample restaurants and boutiques.

Located nearby are the charming fishing villages of Bayahíbe and Dominicus, which offer attractions of their own. Bayahíbe offers great nightlife, as well as the Bayahíbe Rose Garden. There you’ll find the Dominican Republic’s national flower: the pink Bayahíbe rose, a cactus flower that is native only to this one Caribbean island.

Playa Hotels & Resorts offers both an adults-only and a family-friendly resort option to stay at in this area, Hilton La Romana Adult Resort or Hilton La Romana Family Resort, both all-inclusive properties located between La Romana and Bayahíbe.

Surrounded by tropical forests and featuring brilliant white-sand beaches and a water park that’s fun for both children and adults alike, these tropical-style resorts are the perfect home base for exploration.

The rooms feature a modern, tropical design with brilliant pops of color to energize and excite. The suites offer either a private balcony or terrace and include free WiFi and 24-hour room service. Some suites even have terraces that open onto a pool, with private lounge chairs provided for two guests.

Featuring French, Italian, South American and other restaurants serving international cuisine, guests can explore the world through food, all for one all-inclusive price. The resort also has its own nightclub, Shake It, for adults to dance the night away.