Tiny houses & cabins in Jarabacoa

Jarabacoa calls itself the city of eternal spring, and it is easy to see why: up in the Dominican Republic's central mountains, palm trees give way to pine forest and the air stays cool enough that a blanket at night feels normal rather than exotic. Small mountain casitas sit scattered around town, within reach of the Salto de Jimenoa waterfalls and the Río Yaque del Norte, where whitewater rafting trips launch, with Pico Duarte — the Caribbean's highest peak — rising beyond.

It is about 2.5 hours from Santo Domingo, close enough for a weekend but different enough in climate and pace to feel like leaving the Caribbean altogether. Days here go to rafting, waterfall hikes and canyoning rather than beach time; bring warmer clothes than you would pack for the coast, especially for evenings. November to April is the easiest stretch to plan a trip around, both for weather and for river conditions.