Better known as simply ‘Puerto Plata’, the city of San Felipe de Puerto Plata is the capital of the Puerto Plata Province on the Dominican Republic’s north coast. Surrounded by towering mountains and lapped by the sparkling waters of the Atlantic, the beaches of Puerto Plata and the surrounding Amber Coast are arguably some of the best in the country. Affordable ocean-facing beach hotels hem the shoreline and offer world-class windsurfing, snorkelling, diving and whale-watching. Aside from the exquisite beaches, visitors will find an old colonial-era centre featuring pastel-coloured Victorian-era architecture and an impressive 16th-century Spanish fortress. Other popular attractions include a handsome seaside boulevard lined with excellent restaurants; the Dominican Amber Museum; and the 2,559-foot summit of Mount Isabel which provides unforgettable panoramic views of the glistening harbour below.