Puerto Plata is known for its glimmering beaches and entertaining resorts. However, straying away from the water for a day can yield a breathtaking experience. Blanketed in tropical flora, the 2,600 foot high Mount Isabel de Torres offers a splendorous morning adventure. To reach the peak you can drive, hike or take the scenic Teleferico (cable car). At the top of the mountain are lush botanical gardens, a souvenir shop, café and a 52 foot statue of an open armed Cristo Redentor overlooking the Puerto Plata environs. Along with some of the most splendid views of the Puerto Plata bay, you will find 35 square miles of native vegetation including enormous ferns, red gingers, hibiscus and 67 different species of miniature orchid, as well as tropical fauna including five species of indigenous birds. The mountain is one of four protected scientific reserves in the country and home to the highest altitude botanical gardens in the Caribbean. Views from the peak tend to be clearest in the morning hours.

History buffs may enjoy taking a group excursion away from the crowded beaches to Parque Historico La Isabela, about a two hour drive outside Puerto Plata city and just west of Luperon. The park is located on the site where Christopher Columbus built the first European settlement in the New World. In addition to a museum of relics from the site’s first discovery there are remains to explore on foot of what experts believe to be a church where the first mass of the New World was held and the house where Columbus lived.