Guide to Playa Dorada

'Culture city it ain't, but Playa Dorada offers the perfect recipe for a fun beach holiday.'

If you like to immerse yourself in the local culture, Playa Dorada is definitely a 'no, no'. If, on the other hand, you're looking for the ultimate beach holiday, with watersports, leisure pursuits and entertainment at your fingertips, welcome to paradise. This gated community comprises a dozen or so 'all-inclusive' resort-style hotels, kitted out with all the facilities you could want, including bars, restaurants, swimming pools, activity centres and more. You're shielded from the local community by a security patrolled perimeter, so you won't be bothered by beggars or beach sellers. There's an 18-hole golf course, two casinos, horseback riding areas, and the Plaza Playa Dorada has a reasonable range of shops, a couple of banks, internet facilities and a minimart. If you feel like catching a movie, there's even a small cinema. And budding Michael Schumachers can test their driving skills at the Fun City park just down the road, featuring go-karts, sprint and midgit cars, grand prix cars, bumper cars and more. As you'd expect, Playa Dorada's beach is a pretty impressive stretch of fine sand, and you can take your pick from the usual range of watersports, including paragliding, windsurfing and banana boat rides. As for dining out and evening entertainment, you mostly have to rely on the hotels, some of which have discos or nightclubs. However, there are a few informal restaurants in the Plaza. If you do fancy escaping from the confines of the resort and getting a taste of real Dominican life, it's just a short taxi ride to bustling Puerto Plata. There you'll find shops selling local handicrafts and a selection of traditional bars. Not to mention a few rather inviting rum distilleries!

Find the cheapest late deals to Playa Dorada leaving in the next six weeks.