Dominican Republic considered the first place that Columbus saw at his arrival to the New World, appears to the eyes of the visitors as a land of natural beauty that never stops being amazing.

Dominican Republic, considered the first place that Columbus saw at his arrival to the New World, appears to the eyes of the visitors as a land of natural beauty that never stops being amazing. Christopher Columbus discovered Dominican Republic, named Quisqueya (mother of all lands) in native language, on December 5, 1942.

Discovering the country Santo Domingo The tour can start at the capital, Santo Domingo, a perfect combination of tradition and history with the latest advances of any modern capital. One of the areas, worthy of mentioning in the first place is the Colonial City, declared Heritage of Mankind by UNESCO. Santo Domingo proudly owns the first cathedral of the New World, Santa María de la Encarnación, its first monastery, the first university and the first law court. The tour can start at Las Damas street. We get to the avenue of Los Nichos. In front of this avenue, we find the Torre del Homenaje, the oldest military construction. If we continue by the West sidewalk, across Conde street, one of the noisy commercial streets, we will see Hernán Cortés' house. We will see the National Pantheon and the House of the Jesuits very near. In the square visitors can admire Diego Colón's Palace (the Alcazar), the Museum of the Royal Houses, the Superior Court with jurisprudence in all the New World which was established by King Fernando in 1511 and the sundial from the 17th century. All the cafis welcome visitors at night and Dominicans who go to have a good time. From there we may see the impressive Light House built to pay homage to Columbus, a monument that keeps the mortal remains of the discoverer which at nights projects a big cross of light. The Amber Coast It was on this coast, bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, where Christopher Columbus landed. It keeps all the natural beauty of 500 years ago. The Northern Coast Puerto Plata is the most important area of the country. It has the highestnumber of hotel rooms (13,000). In the city, some sites stand out such as Loma Isabel de Torres, a beautiful National Park; the Botanic Garden; a statue of Jesus Christ like the statue in Rio de Janeiro at a lesser scale and the Fortress of San Felipe, a Spanish construction from the 16th century. You must visit the Amber Museum, Brugal Rum Factory and the Malecón. (Water Front). To the East, a few kilometers away, we find Playa Dorada with 14 hotels providing a wide range of sports and shopping. It also stands out the 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones. Following this direction we get to Sosúa, a small quiet town known for its beautiful beach and restaurants. Before getting to the town, it is worthy to stop at Columbus Aquapark to enjoy with the family one of the best water attractions in the Caribbean. Cabarete is located to the East of Sosúa between a bay and a lake. This is a must-stop for windsurfing lovers. By the same road, you may reach what it is currently known as the Green Coast. We will find Río San Juan y Cabrera. There, you may take a boat for visiting the marine caves of Gri Gri Lake. Golf amateurs have a date at Playa Grande, one of the best courses in the Caribbean and one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. To the West of Puerto Plata, there are places such as: Costambar, Cofresí, Luperón and Montecristi. In the latter, you may practice scuba diving searching for treasures possibly found in Spanish ships from the 16th-century shipwrecked in the area. The North Eastern Coast The most remarkable site is the Samana Peninsula and its incredible bay where thousands of humpback whales swim to every year in winter time. Samana City has an uncommon history. It was founded at the arrival of two ships of freed slaves from the United States in 1824. Nowadays, the descendants still have Anglo-Saxon last names and speak English. Sites of special interest: Cayo Levantado, the deserted beaches of Las Galeras and Playa Rincón, Las Terrenas, and the Haitises Park with underground rivers and caves full of petroglifics of the Taínos. The East Coast Boca Chica is the main town where you may enjoy water sports, scuba dive in La Caleta National Park and see the Hickory's shipwrecking. It is the biggest reef-protected lake in the Caribbean. Further to the East, Juan Dolio and Guayacanes towns are located. The first one offers the possibility for gambling at its casinos or golfing in its 18-hole course. Ten minutes from there we find the city of Pedro de Macorís. To the North, we reach a Tropical Plantation, a 20-hectare plantation of flowers with a garden of exotic plants. The Fun Fun cave is close, one of the biggest in the world and transport you to the Stone Age. Following this direction to the East, we get to la Romana. A Country House, which is an ideal place for sports lovers. Near the resort, there is Altos de Chavón,City of the Artists, an eclectic replica of an Italian city from the 14th century. The Eastern Coast Only 25 years ago, this area was almost virgin. At present, it is one of the most developed areas in the Caribbean with places from Macao to Punta Cana, including Bavaro and beaches such as Arena Gorda, Cabeza de Toro and Cortecito. One of the most popular attractions is Manati Park Bavaro with a show of all kind of animals. Punta Cana stands out for its marina. It is a port working 24 hours and there are also incredible paths for riding horses, golf courses and facilities to walk through. The South East To the West of Santo Domingo, we find Bani, with its desert dunes. However, further to the West, the landscape abruptly changes and we find forests, clear rivers and high mountains. This is an interesting place for butterflies and birds observers. Barahona is the center of the region. It is famous for its salt mines and beaches like Quemaito, San Rafael, and Paraíso. In the border with Haiti is Enriquillo Lake, the biggest lake of salty water in the Caribbean. In the Western end, we find Jaragua National Park.