Easter celebrations are a big deal in the Dominican Republic, as you’d expect of a country where almost 50% of the population are Catholic. The streets of the city will be full of party, with processions on Holy Thursday and Good Friday and locals gathering to eat and drink together. With glorious sunshine and very little rainfall, the beach is especially full at this time of year. You may encounter restrictions like no jet skis and swim curfews at extremely busy times. Semana Santa (Holy Week) is marked by parades, processions and partying with a focus on family get-togethers. For this reason, you might find shops are closed, especially over the long weekend when the population descends en masse to the turquoise waters of the coast.
There’s a lot of internal tourism from the residents due to Easter, particularly over the long weekend. You may find restrictions over easter, such as on watersports and alcohol sales. The latter is unlikely to affect an all-inclusive resort.
To avoid the busier beaches and to chill out by the pool choose a hotel in Bavaro, a small town with tranquil coral reefs and idyllic beaches. To embrace the festivities and peak season atmosphere stay in Punta Cana, with an average of ten hours of sunshine each day and high average temperatures, it is the perfect tropical escape in April.
April is typically the last of the busiest tourist months as it is the last month of the dry season. In April, the Dominican Republic has an average temperature of 27°C, with highs of 31°C and lows of 22°C. The chance of rain is low with an average of just 5 days of rain in the month.
General packing tips for April: