Experience the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic (DR) covers the eastern two-thirds of the Caribbean’s second largest island, Hispaniola, and attracts more international visitors than any other Caribbean island. It is easy to see why. In addition to more than 1,000 miles of sugar-colored sand beaches, the DR contains probably the Caribbean’s most diverse terrain: both the tallest peak — 10,700-foot high Pico Duarte — and the Caribbean’s lowest point, Lago Enriquillo at 130 feet below sea level. In addition, there are tropical rain forests, fertile valleys, cascading waterfalls, rushing rivers, inviting ocean beaches, giant sand dunes, mangrove jungles, ancient Taino Indian ceremonial sites and caves with Taino pictoglyphs.
That kind of landscape is perfect for many diverse activities such as the tough climb up Pico Duarte in Armando Bermudez National Park, Class III whitewater rafting near Jaraboca and world-class kite boarding at Cabarete, a center also for many mountain biking, climbing and rafting tours. The myriad activities throughout the country along with intensive beach resort development in Punta Cana and other coastal areas today attract vacationers from countries as far away as Russia.
Dominican culture strongly reflects its country’s history, first recorded when Christopher Columbus landed here in December 1492 after visiting the Bahamas and Cuba. The landscape reminded him of Spain and so he named the island La Isla Espanola, later corrupted and changed to Hispaniola. Early Spanish explorers hungry to find gold began exploiting the formerly Taino Indians for labor. The natives rebelled but eventually their entire population was destroyed by war and disease.
French explorers also landed on Hispaniola’s west coast and began claiming land for themselves. In 1697, Spain ceded the western third of Hispaniola to France; the territory eventually became the Republic of Haiti. The Haitians were determined to expand their boundaries farther and in 1822, they conquered the entire island but owned it only briefly. In 1844, they were thrown out of Spanish territory and the new Dominican Republic was formed as an independent state. Of note is how the Taino were recalled in the country’s new name by the term “Dominican,” which honors the Dominican friars who fought for better treatment of the vanquished Taino.
Santo Domingo, the DR’s capital city, holds the title as the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the New World. Founded in 1496, the old Colonial City (Zona Colonial) continues thriving as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and tourist destination that’s a showcase of European firsts in the Americas: the first street, first hospital, first university and first cathedral, which still holds mass.
Today, the DR’s all-consuming passion and national pride is a sport visiting Americans well recognize: baseball (beisbol). The game became wildly popular after U.S. troops landed in 1916 to restore political stability. Dominicans have such an unusual aptitude for the game that today they account for about 40% of foreign-born players in U.S. major leagues.
Spanish remains the predominant language but English is increasingly spoken in resort areas; German is spoken widely along the north coast. Hand signals work well anywhere. Dominicans tend to be open and friendly, especially with Americans, since so many relatives or family friends live in the States. In addition, many are willing to discuss how successful their fellow citizens are in major league “beisbol.”
Tip: Official currency is the Dominican peso (RD$). Electrical current is 110, same as the U.S. Entry requirements are a valid passport and a $10 Tourist Card sold at the Punta Cana airport (payment in U.S. dollars only). You must complete it before passing through Immigration. The Tourist Card is also available in advance online. Once in the DR, drink only bottled water and use bottled water for brushing teeth. Legal drinking age is 18, although some resorts impose an age 21 policy for alcohol service on their property.
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