Dominican carnival: February on the north coast

Dominican carnival runs through every Sunday in February and finishes with a national parade at the beginning of March. Each town has its own characters and costumes. The star of the show is the diablo cojuelo, the limping devil, in a horned mask and a cape covered in mirrors and bells, carrying an inflated bladder on a rope which he uses to whack spectators on the backside. Getting hit is considered lucky, if painful. Puerto Plata's parade takes over the Malecón, with troupes, music trucks and thousands of people walking behind them. Santiago's carnival, an hour inland, is the most famous in the country and worth a day trip if you are here in February. Go early to get a spot along the route, keep valuables in a zipped pocket, bring cash for street food and be ready to dance. And if you see a devil approaching with a bladder in hand, turn to face him.