| Map of the Dominican Republic | | |  | The Dominican Republic is in the Caribbean, sharing the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and constituting the eastern two-thirds of land. The landscape is forested and mountainous, with valleys, plains and plateaux. The soil is fertile with excellent beaches on the north, southeast and east coasts, rising up to the mountains. The old parts of the capital, Santo Domingo, have been carefully restored to retain their colonial charm. | | | The modern areas contain a thriving port city with discotheques and casinos. A few miles east of the city is a remarkable cave complex, Los Tres Ojos de Agua (The Three Eyes of Water), containing three turquoise lagoons, fed by an underground river and surrounded by stalactites, stalagmites and lush vegetation.
Native Dominican cooking combines Spanish influences with local produce. Local dishes include la bandera (comprising white rice, red beans, stewed meat, salad and fried plantain) and cassava (fried yucca) Locally produced beer and rum are relatively cheap.
| | "Native Dominican Cooking Combines Spanish Influences with Local Produce" | For nightlife, the choice varies from a Las Vegas-style revue, discotheques and casinos to a quiet cafe by the sea in Santo Domingo. The national music, merengue, is celebrated in several festivals which draw large numbers of national and international musicians.
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| Today, the Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, a former French colony. Most tourists who come to the island are initially attracted by the magnificent golden sand beaches along its 1,400km (870-mile) coast line. The island’s northern, Atlantic side contains the majority of tourist attractions, hotels and resorts, particularly in the 64km (40-mile) zone between Puerto Plata and Cabarete. Santo Domingo, in the south, features the very first monuments of the American continent: the first cathedral, the first hospital, the first chapel and the first university. In the center of the country, the three main mountain ranges run roughly parallel to each other in an easterly/westerly direction. The Cordillera Central is the highest mountain range on the island. It includes Pico Duarte, the highest mountain in the Caribbean at a height of 3,098m (over 10,000ft).
Western influence can be seen in the numerous colonial buildings of the capital Santo Domingo while the African heritage, introduced by African slaves brought to the island by the Spanish, is reflected in its music. The popular song and dance, the merengue, blends both heritages and is celebrated in several festivals which draw large numbers of national and international musicians.
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Dominican Overview
