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On the Dominican Republic’s northern coast, near the tip of the Samaná Peninsula, this unpopulated Atlantic beach stretches three miles from Cape Samaná to the cliffs of Cape Cabrón. To get here, you’ll need to take a four-wheel-drive vehicle or a boat charter from the small fishing village of Las Galeras, but once you arrive, you’ll find a nearly empty stretch of sand. The west end of the beach features calm waters ideal for swimming and snorkeling, while the east end has great waves for surfing. You’ll also find spots to rent kayaks, snorkeling gear, chairs, and umbrellas, as well as a few food vendors serving rice, beans, and seafood cooked over an open-hearth fire. This is the place to go when you want to get away from the crowds.

This three-mile stretch of white sand is the only public beach at the gated Puntacana Resort & Club. Even so, non-guests can only reach the beach after dining at the resort’s oceanfront Playa Blanca Restaurant. It’s worth it, though, as the calm turquoise water is ideal for swimming, kayaking, and catamaran sailing. A mesh barrier keeps seaweed out of the swimming and beach areas, ensuring pristine water and sand as far as the eye can see.

The recreational park, located at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, is filled with fun family-friendly things to do. The park is divided into four sections: An aquatics area, a playground, an indoor sports facility, and a game-infused restaurant. At the Aqua Park you’ll find a pool, three slides, lounge chairs and wacky sprinklers, while the playground allows children to test their physical capabilities through rope and climbing challenging. For those wanting to play sports, indoors you’ll find basketball, badminton, tennis, and volleyball. Visiting the Recreational Park’s American Diner doesn’t just mean delicious food, but also bowling, pool, video games, and a movie theater. Note: This attraction is open only to guests staying at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino or The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort.

For a refreshing swim, head to this deep mountain pool, which shines turquoise in the afternoon sun. On the upper reaches of the Hampstead River, the swimming hole even has a natural waterslide, fashioned from smooth, chafe-free rock. Pack and picnic and wear shoes suitable for the moderate rain forest hike in (1–2 hours roundtrip, depending on your route).

Named after the Creole word for “almond tree,” this flower-filled, open-air restaurant enjoys pride of place at the pioneering eco-boutique Rosalie Bay Resort. The kitchen employs healthy ingredients fresh from its organic garden in dishes like vegan gumbo, hummus with plantain chips, and a beet-goat-cheese salad. Omnivores should try the grilled lobster tail or citrus-honey chicken.

Remote and difficult to access, this three-mile beach on the Dominican Republic’s southwestern Caribbean coast (15 miles from Pedernales and close to the Haitian border) is also blissfully uncrowded. Playa Bahia de las Águilas, which translates to “Bay of Eagles,” can only be reached via a four-wheel-drive vehicle on an unpaved road, or a 15-minute speedboat ride from the little village of La Cueva at Cabo Rojo. Once there, however, you’ll discover a pristine beach, bordered by rocky cliffs and free of any hotels or restaurants—the beach is located in the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve, so building is forbidden. Turquoise water laps the white sand, while well-preserved coral reefs wait just offshore. Don your mask and snorkel to see starfish, sand dollars, and maybe even a manatee. Also remember to bring water and sunscreen as there’s virtually no shade, and pack lunch or plan to eat in nearby La Cueva.

Geothermal springs on the ocean floor release curtains of bubbles at one of the world’s most famous and unusual dive sites. Shallow enough for snorkelers and folks new to scuba, this spectacular reef has lavish sea life, from sponges to parrotfish to hawksbill turtles. Book a guided tour of this extinct volcanic crater or pay a small marine reserve entrance fee at the site’s excellent dive shop.

This challenging climb leads down to a black-sand cove on the Atlantic (go at low tide for more beach). The sheer descent involves rope ladders, safety lines, and tree-root “steps.” Once you reach the beach, cool off under the 150-foot waterfall, then face the really hard part: getting back uphill. A local guide— who can advise on the best techniques— is a smart investment for this nail-biting adventure.

A charismatic Rasta also known as “Irie Man,” Screw spent years building this colorful, open-air retreat, just a 20-minute drive east of Roseau. Here, you can slip into six pools of varying temperatures on a lush, leafy hillside, pierced by cascades and water features. Open from Tuesday through Sunday, the spa also offers massages and volcanic mud wraps.

Cooked in an open pit over pimento wood, the jerk preparations here are all authentic and—according to most locals—the best on the island. Traditionally spiced chicken and pork, as well as a less fiery fish version, served in a tin container along with rice and peas and festival bread (akin to hush puppies). Getting your order to stay means eating while perched on wooden barrels, which certainly adds local flavor. While enjoying the delicious meal, you’ll get to observe the seemingly endless line of customers, and perhaps get a ringside view of a lively and noisy game of dominoes.

Outdoor enthusiasts with a penchant for luxe living will feel right at home at this Brooklyn Heights stunner, which takes much of its inspiration from adjacent Brooklyn Bridge Park—the neighborhood’s very own opportunity to commune with nature while embracing the big city. Find natural elements in details like original heart-pine beams from the former Domino Sugar Factory, walnut from the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and pine flooring from the Old Crow Distillery in Kentucky, along with plenty of living green elements.

The thermal hot springs in Rincón de La Vieja at Rio Negro (Black River) may not be as well known as those in the Arenal area, but we had the pools and surrounding forest to ourselves. From where we stayed at the Hacienda Guachipelin Rincón de La Vieja, the springs were accessible by horseback or vehicle, followed by a short hike and crossing a rather dubious hanging bridge. The pools are heated by the Rincón de La Vieja Volcano, so you definitely want to test the steaming water. There are seven pools to sample of different shapes, sizes and temperatures. The first pool was too hot to plunge more than our toes into. And the pool that was “just right” was the last one, which happened to be ideally situated next to the churning river. After two days of horseback riding, hiking, canyon ziplining and rappelling, it was great to unwind at this private oasis. If a rainforest/volcano adventure beckons you, I recommend staying at Hacienda Guachipelin Rincón de La Vieja and getting an adventure pass from Adventure Tours--both are at Rincón de La Vieja National Park.

Doña Olga* is a large kiosk in Piñones, from which the smell of fritters wafts all the way to the beach. I often find myself getting a large order of bacalaitos (round cod fritters), empanadillas (turnovers), alcapurrias (dough of plantains or yucca and filled with meat), and piononos (deep-fried sweet plantain balls stuffed with meat and cheese). Halfway through the meal, I start thinking my eyes are bigger than my stomach, but the flood of Puerto Rican flavors in my mouth makes me devour every last morsel in front of me. Of course, there’s no way I’d be able to handle all that without a refreshing drink on hand. My drink of choice is coconut water. (It’s completely natural; an employee will chop off the top of the coconut with a machete and bring it to you with a straw.) After you drink the water, you can scoop out coconut meat (the white stuff), which serves as a pleasantly light dessert. A swim in the nearby beach (two minutes away walking) and a nice nap will perfect your day. *Doña Olga is my first choice, but this whole road is bursting with beachside kiosks selling fritters and other Puerto Rican fare.

One of my favorite dive sites on the west coast of Puerto Rico is Crashboat in Aguadilla. This shore dive is easily accessible for all levels of diving, and you’re guaranteed to see something amazing on this artificial structure. Crashboat is named for this once Air Force based marina, where the “crashboats” would deploy to retrieve the crashed planes from training sessions of Air Force pilots. It was later abandoned and turned into a recreational area for locals and dive enthusiasts. Scout the pilings for seahorses, frogfish, octopi, and lionfish. At maximum depth of 30 feet, find a sunken base where bigger fish like to hide. Bring your flashlight to scope out the interior. Not a diver? No problem. Enjoy the sandy beaches, reggaeton music, and aromas of delicious Puerto Rican food all day long. One entire side of this recreational park is lined with street vendors selling food, handicrafts, and drinks. Want that true Puerto Rican vibe? Want to see how the locals relax on a weekend? Crashboat is your place. But if you’re not interested in the crowds, come here in the morning on a weekday. I dive here regularly, and I avoid crowds by diving early. Enjoy!

In the heart of Morne Trois Pitons National Park bubbles this deep, flooded fumarole—the second-largest of its kind in the world. The hike to this dramatic, blue-grey cauldron traverses steep, rain-forested river valleys and skirts around mudpots veiled in steam. The 8.1-mile roundtrip is best navigated with a local guide. Heed trail closures and never swim in the lake. The temperature occasionally drops, but scalding water and harmful gases could erupt at any time with no warning.