Dominican Adventure
About Dominican Adventure
Sun, Surf, and Safari
Known for its impressive action sports scene, incredible green mountain backdrop, and beautiful beaches, Puerto Plata combines two mandatory grad trip experiences: adventure and relaxation.
If you’re into a more fast-paced vacation, don’t worry, we have some heart-pumping activities like ziplining, or safari tours through the epic rainforest. On the flip side, if you’re ready to chill out, spend the day riding some waves in Cabarete, or catch some rays while cruising the coast on an epic catamaran with your whole crew. Whatever your style is, Dominican Adventure has you covered.
Fast Facts
- City: Puerto Plata
- With its incredible mountain backdrop and dense jungle, the area around Puerto Plata was used to film parts of the original Jurassic Park back in 1993
S-Trip! Exclusives
There's so much to do on Dominican Adventure!
Puerto Plata Discovery Tour
We are taking you on a full fledged city tour of Puerto Plata.. Learn more »
Puerto Plata Discovery Tour
Your adventure depends on which resort you are staying at. Both are epic, and will be highlights of your trip!
If you are staying at the:
Bahia - Head to a ranch for horseback riding and traditional Dominican activities such as dominoes and cigar rolling. We then go to a typical Dominican house in the countryside for local coffee and cocoa tasting. We then head to the water and take an awesome boat ride through Laguna Gri Gri.
Grand Paradise or Gran Ventana - Head to a ranch for horseback riding and traditional Dominican activities such as dominoes and cigar rolling. We are then off to drive along the sea wall for some incredible view points. To top it off we're touring the Puerto Plata city centre for some light shopping and to visit some historical sites.
Alina Kahil
Day time hours were never a dull moment. Competitions like Mr. and Mrs. S-Trip!, battle of the sexes, pool parties and beach parties were always held to keep us busy and entertained.
Tip Top Catamaran
Spend a day out on the open water, exploring one of the Caribbean's largest coral reefs! Learn more »
Tip Top Catamaran
Spend a day out on the open water, exploring one of the Caribbean's largest coral reefs! This is an afternoon with good music, good friends and tropical water. We spend the first hour and a half cruising along the coast to our eventual snorkelling destination.
We get a brief safety lesson, and we hop into the water. Spend about 45 min discovering some of the most beautiful tropical marine life in the world. Hop back on board and dry off before a light lunch and refreshments are served. We turn up the music, play your favourite requests, and slowly cruise back to the harbour while dancing the day away out on the open water!
Encuentro Surf Camp
One on one surf lessons, beginner height waves, and lots of free time to work on your skills Learn more »
Encuentro Surf Camp
Hit up Encuentro Beach, a surf mecca and super laid-back beach town to catch some waves! One on one surf lessons, beginner height waves, and lots of free time to work on your skills will make this the perfect introduction to surfing.
Get lost in a slower way of life while you stroll down the beach and go home with a new favourite sport. And if you’re a self proclaimed surf pro, don’t worry! Head down the beach about 100 meters where the waves get gnarly, and you can really show off your skills!
Zip Line Adventure
Includes a 100% vertical drop into a cave 30 ft. underground! Learn more »
Zip Line Adventure
This zip lining adventure take us to a unique facility at the top of a Dominican mountain called Monkey Adventure! The Excursions starts with a 30 min drive to the top of a gorgeous dominican mountain. Once we arrive at, there is a thorough explanation of safety procedures and zip lining instructions.
The zipline course takes approx. 2 and a half hours, and includes a 100% vertical drop into a cave 30 ft. underground. One of the most heart pounding, adrenaline rushes you'll ever get! Afterward we get about an hour to actually go into a live wildlife habitat where you can feed the monkeys (they will even sit on your shoulders!), see exotic birds, and iguanas! You'll also get a chance to grab a snack before heading back to the resort.
Allie Raper
The white tee shirts we were given were like wearable yearbooks! Mines hanging up in my room and just makes me want to return to Dominican every time I see it!
Adam Laderoute
The Jungle Safari was one of the coolest things I did on the trip. I was introduced to some things that i never knew existed.
Night Events
6 incredible themed night events to celebrate your S-Trip!. Learn more »
Night Events
Are you ready for 6 incredible themed night events to celebrate your S-Trip! in paradise? Make sure to pack gear for each night to really stand out.
Tight N’ Bright - Your tightest and brightest
Graffiti* - One T-Shirt, one marker, endless memories
White Out - White clothing from head to toe
Oh Canada - Celebrating the maple leaf in style
Masquarade - Purple, gold, and green mixed with some fancy masks
Hawaiian Luau - Grab your leis, your hula skirt, and lets dance on the beach
*Each S-Trip! traveler gets their very own Graffiti T-Shirt free
Cabarete Beach
We head out to the town of Cabarete to celebrate on the beach. S-Trip! staff will be with you every step of the way as we crank up the music, and dance in the sand under the stars.
Day Activities
S-Trip! Central, your very own private section of the resort! Learn more »
Day Activities
We have a ton of daytime activities throughout the entire week. You can usually find everything at S-Trip! Central which will be your very own private section of the resort.
S-Trip! staff will organize contests like Mr. and Mrs. S-Trip!, staff vs. students, monster relays, beach soccer and volleyball games, inflatable shark races, capture the flag, school olympics, and more. You can see what’s happening each day at the S-Trip! Info Desk.
Volunteer Abroad
Aguas Negras Community Project
S-Trip! invites travelers to make a positive impact internationally during grad trip through sustainable development and community projects. Our goal is to become North America’s largest overseas volunteer program by getting all high school graduates on a volunteer project.
Did you Know?
- High unemployment, a large informal sector, and underemployment remain important long-term challenges.
- Only 12% of low-income students who start high school will graduate
- 1.9% of the GDP is invested into education compared to 5.5% in Canada and the US
Build and Restore
We start the day by making the quick drive to Aguas Negras, a community just outside of Puerto Plata, where you will experience the vibrant culture of Dominican Republic. We work with our partner organization to select a deserving family to receive your help in either building a home from the ground up, or to arrange repairs for multiple homes to benefit a number of families.
You will also get a tour of Aguas Negras, meet community members, and play a couple of games with kids from the area. Prepare yourself for an amazing half-day experience that will leave you with a new perspective on life in Dominican Republic!
Check out this blog post about the great work our travelers did on the most recent Dominican Adventure trip!
S-Trip! has given so much to our community! It is so much more than a house to the families. It provides a safe place where they can live, learn, and grow.Sandra Tineo, School Director and Community Leader, Aguas Negras