Occupied by the two countries of
Haiti and the
Dominican Republic, this island offers a sensational
variety of landscapes and
microclimates: it is lapped by the
Caribbean Sea, on one side, and by the
Atlantic Ocean, on the other; it is awash with
sources of fresh water and
nature reserves; it is criss-crossed by mountain ranges with
peaks of over 3,000 metres; the towns of the hinterland are characterised by
brightly coloured shacks, whereas the centre of the capital city plays host to myriad
skyscrapers.
Discovered by
Christopher Columbus in 1492, Santo Domingo was the cradle of the
first colonial settlement in the New World; the traces of the colonial past can still be seen in the colonial
quarter near the city centre.
Deep-sea fishing and diving at La Caleta, the 60-metre waterfall at El Limón, whale-watching at Samaná, the famous kite-surfing schools at Cabarete – these are just some of the places to visit in what is a true natural paradise, the beauty of which is epitomised by Boca Chica, with its white, sandy beaches caressed by the warm water of the lagoon created by the coral reef.