I visited the only 'world-class' theme park in the Caribbean, and its immersive attractions felt on par with competitors like Disney and Universal

Katmandu Park is the sister location to the original park that originated in Mallorca, Spain. Other Katmandu Parks are reportedly set to open around the globe, too.

This particular location is located on the Dominican Republic's eastern shore and it's operated by Falcon's Beyond, which also operates a resort next door, Falcon's Resort By Meliã.

I was surprised that guests of its hotel, Falcon's Resort By Meliã, received complimentary admission to Katmandu Park. Tickets begin at $85 and there are several ticket packages to choose from.

My stay was even more conveient because I was able to take advantage of my resort's complimentary shuttle to the theme park.

It took me just minutes to get from my hotel to the front entrance of the park.

The theme park's immersive elements are further explored with an accompanying digital footprint called BeyondME. This cutting-edge technology was unlike anything I've experienced at a theme park.

It allowed me to customize a virtual persona and throughout the park I could earn experience points similar to an online gaming platform. Everything was connected via a complimentary smart wristband that also functioned as my admission to attractions.

Much like bigger theme parks, Katmandu uses its own original story and characters throughout its attractions.

The park tells the story of "The Hidden Realms of Katmandu'' while combining elements of Himalayan storytelling with a bit of steampunk.

I was impressed by the number of live entertainers that I encountered throughout the park, from a band to stunt performers and dancers.

This added life to the already well-themed park and gave it an almost party-like atmosphere. At one point, a dance troupe performed an original Katmandu theme song.

The park's main draw are its four marquee attractions: Legend of the Desirata, EtherQuest, Challenge of the Mad Mage, and Voyage of the Fathom Wanderer.

Each is totally unique and uses pioneering technologies in the theme-park industry.

I'm a big fan of classic dark rides at theme parks, so Legend of the Desirata wound up being my favorite.

The 4D attraction explores the origin stories of Katmandu's original characters and combines physical set pieces with screen technology for full immersion.

EtherQuest was a unique walk-through attraction that reminded me of elements of an escape room combined with gaming technology.

During the 40-minute experience, a small group explored different rooms that ventured into different storylines from the park's original intellectual property, "the hidden realms."

In each room, we were tasked with a mission in order to move on and we were guided by a host that added a fun element of urgency.

I'm a big fan of attractions that are competition-based, and it was fun to compete with other park goers during Challenge of Mad Mage, a blaster-style game.

We were in an interactive theater before a massive, cinema-style screen while seated on electric motion seats. The interactive elements were really unique as the seat had vibrations, scent, and localized speakers to make you really believe you were inside the game.

The scoring was in real-time so I could see how I was doing. Our playing directed impacted the narrative making this fun to experience multiple times.

The experience was lengthy and, unlike most blaster games I've played, I could clearly see my target on the screen which made it much more enjoyable

The Voyage of the Fathom Wanderer is a unique attraction that mimics the sensation of flight. It takes place in a suspended theater, where a giant screen is used to depict the storyline of a mission of fending off a sea monster.

I thought this was similar to other suspended-theater attractions but with more up-to-date technology.

Unlike traditional theme parks, there were several activities on the property to partake in that I was pleased to discover were included in admission, like an elaborate ropes course called the Quadagon.

One of my favorite experiences during my visit was Expedition Golf, a 36-hole mini-golf course that took me through mountain-inspired settings and even inside caves. It was scenically the prettiest mini-golf course I've ever visited and I appreciated that it was included in admission.

I was most surprised by how much I loved the indoor multi-level play course for adults, The Quadagon, which houses four indoor obstacle courses with rope swings and spider walls. This part of the park felt like it'd be welcome in a high-tech Chuck E. Cheese that happened to be for adults.

I found multiple courses, including some that felt like taking part in "American Ninja Warrior." Since the courses are indoors, they're also a nice way to enjoy some air conditioning.

Also housed in the building (but tucked away) is a kids' obstacle course, Maiya & Kumar's Secret Ice Cave.

Above The Quadagon, I was able to enjoy a signature cocktail while looking down upon the play course.

I tried the Steampunk, a guava and vodka cocktail that used locally sourced fruit to showcase the offerings from the Dominican Republic.

Although I chickened out and didn't do it, a three-level-high vertical outdoor ropes experience, High Point Adventure, is also included in admission.

During my visit, I had dinner in the outdoor food-truck park, Candrama Food Square.

I ordered chicken tacos and churros from Fire & Spice, a Mexican food purveyor. Both were excellent and I was surprised the churros were so fresh and tasted similar to ones I've had in Spain.

Katmandu has several merchandise shops on the property that sell uniquely themed merchandise.

I was impressed with the quality of the designs and ended up purchasing a T-shirt and shot glass.

Katmandu Park impressed me with its high levels of theme and immersion. It was exactly what I'd expect from the big names in the industry, like the world-class parks of Universal and Disney.

The park's attractions were cutting edge and I loved the use of its own original intellectual properties. I also enjoyed being able to experience the entire park without feeling overwhelmed, in part because of its smaller footprint.

Little to no planning went into my visit to the park and I was simply just able to enjoy it.

Unlike normal theme-park trips where I can easily get burnt out, this felt like a well-rounded vacation as within minutes from my hotel room I could enjoy the park, beach, or pool.