Now, the Dominican Republic isn’t all about sun, sea, and adventure. Oh no, they know how to throw a party! Carnivals, festivals, you name it, they've got it. Time your trip right, and you might just catch one of these corkers:

• The Punta Cana Carnival: Floats, music, and costumes, oh my!

• Santo Domingo Merengue Festival: Music, dance, and a whole lot of fun!

• Cabarete Kite Festival: Surfing the skies, anyone?

The Dominican Republic is a riot when the sun goes down. This isn't a place where you just ‘go out for a pint’. Oh no, here you immerse yourself in a heady blend of street parties, seaside clubs, and live music venues that hum with rhythm late into the night. Fancy a little salsa twirling or a hearty round of merengue? Santo Domingo's Malecón is the place to be. More of a chilled-out cocktail by the beach type? The bars of Punta Cana will sort you out. And for those who love to dance under the stars, the beach clubs of Cabarete are a dream come true. In the Dominican Republic, the mantra is simple: live the night like there's no tomorrow!

The Dominican Republic is a straight-up foodie paradise! Imagine a love child between the sultry spices of Latin America and the hearty comfort of the Caribbean, that's Dominican cuisine for you. Fancy a breakfast of champions? Then you gotta try "mangú," a belly-warming dish of mashed plantains. Lunchtime? How about a hearty "la bandera" - a colourful combo of rice, beans, and meat, just like the country's flag. And don't even get me started on the "mofongo", a plantain masterpiece that'll have your taste buds doing a merengue dance of joy! Simply put, Dominican food is the heart-warming, soul-satisfying kind of good that'll make you come back for seconds, thirds, and heck, maybe even fourths!

Restaurants and bars you've got to hit:

• Pate Palo in Santo Domingo: European-Caribbean fusion, yum!

• Onno's Bar, Cabarete: The place for beachside cocktails.

• Adrian Tropical: The best mofongo in town, promise!