Most Beautiful Islands: Caribbean Islands

The Dominican Republic was explored by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492. He named it La Española. and his brother built the city of Santo Domingo, Europe's first permanent settlement in the "New World"and he was ruled by the C.Columbus son.
The Dominican Republic, a nation on the island of La Hispaniola is now a part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries. Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation. The capital city is Santo Domingo, located on the south coast of the island.

With the construction of projects like Cap Cana, San Souci Port in Santo Domingo, and Moon Palace Resort in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic expects increased tourism activity in the upcoming year. Lodging in the Dominican Republic is plentiful, with options ranging from huge, all-inclusive beach resorts to more personal options scattered along the coasts and in the cities, including Moon Palace Casino, Golf and Spa Resort. Hotels charge a 25% room tax, so inquire beforehand to determine if that tax is included in the listed room price.

Dominican cuisine is predominantly Spanish, Taíno, and African. The typical cuisine is quite similar to what can be found in other Latin American countries, but many of the names of dishes are different. One breakfast dish consists of eggs and mangú (mashed, boiled plantain), a dish that the Dominican Republic shares with Cuba and Puerto Rico. For heartier versions, mangú is accompanied by deep-fried meat (Dominican salami, typically) and/or cheese. Similarly to Spain, lunch is generally the largest and most important meal of the day. Lunch usually consists of rice, meat (such as chicken, beef, pork, or fish), beans, and a side portion of salad. "La Bandera" (literally "The Flag") is the most popular lunch dish; it consists of meat and red beans on white rice. Sancocho is a stew often made with seven varieties of meat.

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One of the most famous beaches in the world is in Punta Cana. he area is best known for its beaches and balnearios, which face both the Caribbean and Atlantic, and it has been a popular tourist destination since the 1970s.Many other tourist facilities and attractions have been established in the area, catering to the large international market. Watersports are well catered-for, with diving and boat trips available. One of the most popular tours is to Saona Island (real Taino name Adamanai) located about 100 Kilometers west, which is popular for scuba diving.

Caribbean Islands - Dominican Republic