Ultimate All-Inclusive Travel

Dominican Republic

There are two sides to the Dominican Republic, just like there are two sides of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola on which the Republic is situated. The Dominican Republic shares the island with neighboring Haiti. Inside the confines of the many resort hotels along the beautiful coastline, tourists languish in luxury, sipping cocktails under the palm trees and bathing in beautiful blue lagoons and on some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.

The other face of the Dominican Republic can be found along the country roads, among the sugar cane, coffee and cocoa bean fields, where people labour in the sun and men play dominoes. For the local people (there are 8.5 million people on this well-populated part of Hispaniola island) tourism is an important source of income, and the thousands of visitors who come to enjoy the resorts and explore the Spanish Colonial legacy in this country 'where America began' are welcome.

The South Coast contains some of the country's bigger cities and national parks. The capital, Santo Domingo, was the first Spanish settlement in the Americas. Christopher Columbus initiated the first European New World settlement here in 1496. His legacy is preserved in the bricks and mortar of the historic old section of Santo Domingo, which has been turned into an entertaining and interesting Colonial 'theme park'.

The other tourist spots in the Dominican Republic are the northern Amber Coast region around Puerta Plata, the beautiful Samana Peninsula, and the resort communities of the east coast, where stretches of pristine tropical beach have been bought and developed into all-inclusive resorts. However, those who take the trouble to explore a little behind the scenes will find plenty of unspoiled tropical paradise off the beaten track in the Dominican Republic, and locals ready and willing to offer warm hospitality.

Punta Cana is center of the east coast region and is becoming a growing tourist destination with a large number of up-scale beach resorts as well as several attractions. The 40-mile stretch of coast where the Caribbean meets the Atlantic offers pearly-white sand sprinkled with thousands of coconut trees and is largely unspoiled. Attractions in and around Punta Cana include the Manati Park, with its performing dolphins and sea lions, and an authentic replica of an ancient Taino Indian village.

Puerto Plata, the city capital of the Dominican Republic province of the same name, sits on the country's north coast and is the gateway to the numerous vacation towns and resorts on the coast. The coastline itself is blessed with beautiful stretches of pristine beach, lush green valleys and backed by the majestic Mount Isabel de Torres. Columbus described the spot as 'the fairest land under heaven' when he arrived there in 1492, and the thousands of visitors that arrive every day today tend to agree with him. The city sports a romantic air of days gone by, enhanced by its Victorian architecture with its filigree lace wood and ironwork and 'gingerbread' motifs that characterize most of the historic homesteads and public buildings.

If any city in the world could be declared the perfect vacation destination, then Santo Domingo would probably be a prime candidate, with its modern sophistication, old world charm and Latin charisma, not to mention its position on the tropical southern Caribbean coast of the Dominican Republic.

Santo Domingo is used to being first: it was the first European settlement in the New World; it boasts the western hemisphere's first cathedral, first monastery, first hospital, first university and first law court. This rich colonial heritage, sparked off in the 15th century by legendary Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus, has been turned into a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of the city. Known as the 'Colonial City' it is now a delightful area of cobblestone streets and 16th-century buildings interspersed with cafes, bars, small hotels and restaurants. Visitors don't need to stray from the Colonial City to enjoy a great time in the city, but it is advisable not to ignore the modern part of Santo Domingo. The superb shopping, delicious dining, dazzling casinos, seductive parks and vibrant nightlife all beckon enticingly, from the monumental Columbus Lighthouse right down to the depths of the Guácara Taina nightclub with its multi-level dance floors inside a real cave. And an opportunity to visit to the Estadio Quisqueya to watch a game of the Dominican Republic's adored national sport, baseball, shouldn't be passed up on by any visitor to the city.

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