Dominican Republic

Sharing the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, the Dominican Republic is one of the most famous vacation destinations in the Caribbean. Known the world over for its gorgeous picture perfect white sandy beaches, complete with tall palm trees and azure waters, this West Indian nation has so much more to offer tourists who visit here. Along the northern coast of the Dominican Republic you can find some of the best windsurfing and kite boarding in the world, while north of the capital Santo Domingo on the Samana Peninsula, you can enjoy some great whale watching. The Dominican Republic is also home to the highest mountain in the Caribbean Pico Duarte, which stands over 10,400 feet high.

Covering a total land area of 48, 717 sq km, the Dominican Republic offers tourists who visit here a plethora of activities to enjoy. From white water rafting to hiking and biking, you can enjoy an endless array of things to do out here. Well worth exploring properly, you will need at least two weeks here to see at that this exciting country has to offer.

Discovered by Christopher Columbus, the Dominican Republic declared its independence from Spain in 1821, however, soon after Haiti invaded the country in a bid to unify the island. This attempt remained unsuccessful and in 1844, Juan Pablo Duarte led a bloodless coup to make the Dominican Republic an independent nation once more.

Santo Domingo is the capital and is the political, economic and cultural hub of the country. Home to a majority of the population, this city is also the holder of many records. Santo Domingo is home to the first hospital in the Caribbean as well as the first paved road, the first university and the first double storey home. This city also contains the oldest church in use, the oldest European made fortress and the oldest monastery as well. Thus, making it full of tourist attractions and worth exploring.

You will find some of the best beaches in the Dominican Republic along the southeast coast. Bavaro and Punta Cana are two of the most stunning beaches in the area. If you are looking for some action head to the north of the island, which offers some great surfing, diving and mountain biking, all of which are centered in and around the city of Cabarete.

THINGS TO DO

Year-round sports, effervescent nightlife, distinctive souvenir shopping, magnificent national parks, and world class gambling make for a jam-packed vacation to do list. But when you see the spectacular beaches, you might just want to pull up a chair and relax.

Outdoor activities like golf, snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, and boating are a thrilling way to experience the natural beauty of land and sea. With over two-dozen national parks, other quieter options for communion with nature like hiking and bird watching are also available. Indoor activities offer you the chance to strike it rich, dance the night away, or shop for curious mementos like carnival masks, amber, and a strange, liquid cure-all called Mamajuana.

Arts and Culture

The spirit and charm of the Dominican Republic is captured in its music, food, and national pastimes. Known for its professional winter baseball, handcrafted cigars, and annual music festivals, the culture of the Dominican Republic is never stodgy, or boring. It's always an artful and colorful expression of life.

Even the museums and archeological sites are vibrant, bringing the daring history of the Dominican Republic alive with antique treasures, dazzling jewels, and the cavernous time capsules left to us by a long lost culture. In the Dominican Republic, culture really means adventure.

Food and Drink

Dominicans enjoy an array of foods as colorful as the landscape, but simple in taste. Women especially take pride in preparing enticing traditional dishes, layered with ingredients of the land. Inspiration for Dominican cuisine stems from native Antillean and hearty Creole recipes and is prepared similar to the dishes of Central and South America with rice, fish and other seafoods, meats or vegetables. Light spices or coconut add depth and warm the soul. Culinary specialties of the country vary from region to region, although residents of the Dominican Republic share a common hunger for its staple meals.

Traditional Fare

Breakfast typically calls for a serving of "Mangu," a mix of plantains, cheese and bacon, which can be found at most hotel and resort restaurants. Mangu has been dubbed the "mashed potatoes" of the Dominican Republic and is a must-try for all visitors. Locals are also known to prepare the dish for evening meals.

A foundation of the native diet, "La Bandera Dominicana," or the Dominican flag meal, is eaten by nearly everyone at lunch time. The most important meal of the day, La Bandera consists of rice, beans, meat, vegetables and fried plantains to ensure energy throughout the afternoon and evening.

Another popular dish is "Sancocho," a Spanish-style stew usually served with rice. Ingredients include various roots, green plantains, avocado and typically chicken or beef, although it sometimes includes a combination of seven meats (Sancocho prieto). Goat meat, a staple in many Dominican homes, may also be used in this recipe. It offers a unique addition to the character of any dish as these animals graze on wild oregano.

"Locrio," or Dominican rice, varies with its preparer. An adaptation of the Spanish paella, locrio is made with achiote (a colored dye produced from the seeds of the achiote plant), since saffron spice is unavailable.

Near Samana, coconut trees decorate the landscape and provide a delectable milk sauce for fish, known as "Pescado con Coco." Throughout the south central coast, "bulgur", or whole wheat, is a main ingredient in "Quipes" (ground beef wrapped in wheat) or "Tipili" (bulgur salad).

Other favorite Dominican dishes include:

• "chicharrones de pollo" (diced chunks of deep fried chicken)
  
• "yucca cassava" (type of bread)
  
• "monfogo" (plantain based dish)
  
• "ropo vieja" (seasoned and fried shredded beef served with rice and a side salad)
  
• "pastelitos" (meat-or -cheese filled pastry turnovers).

Desserts

A proper Dominican meal is not complete without dessert. In a land abundant with sugar cane, most desserts are exceptionally sweet. Cakes, puddings, caramel-dipped fruits and creams are common.

Additional specialties found at hotels and resorts include:

• "arroz con leche" (rice pudding)
  
• "mango cake"
  
• "flan"
  
• "dulce de leche" (milk cream flavored with coconut or fruit)
  
• "dulce de coco" (thick, sweet coconut paste)
  
• "helados bon" (ice cream shops with tropical sherberts, macadamia, coconut and rum flavored ice creams)
  
• "bizcochos" (cakes with white cream topping)
  
• "frio frios" (shaved ice with fruit syrups)
  
• "aqua de coco" (sliced coconuts mixed with sugar cane juice and native fruits of the island such as mangoes, pineapples, oranges, bananas and plantains)

Washing it Down: Beverages

Rum

Rum production in the Caribbean is attributed to the African colonists who brought sugar cane with them to make crystallized sugar and molasses. They noticed, however, that the molasses began to ferment when left in the hot Caribbean sun and could be mixed with water to create what became known as rum.

During the 1700s, sugar cane plantations and their by-products contributed to a booming social and economic climate which eventually drew the attention of the DR's three rum brand founders. In the mid-to-late 1800's Don Andres Brugal Montaner, Don Erasmo Bermudez and Julian Barcelo started experimenting with their own personal refining processes. Today, the Brugal, Bermúdez, and Barcelo brands of rum have become popular across the globe and are considered some of the world's best. Unlike that of Jamaica and Barbados, Dominican rum is produced through a more natural process of distillation. Aging is often done in special American white oak kegs, thus creating a sweet, hearty blend.

Bermudez, the eldest of the Dominican rum distilleries, was established in 1852. Its first formula, Bitter Panacea, remains famous. Distilling in Santo Domingo, Bermudez boasts the Dominican's oldest aging cellar.

Brugal, established in 1888, is located just east of Puerto Plata and produces more than one and a half million liters of white and dark rum each year. Considered the most popular distiller, Brugal offers affordable bottles of rum for sale at its bottling plant and gives guests a free rum drink. Tours are offered Monday through Friday and admission is free.

Barcelo, established in Santo Domingo in 1930, is said to be best-liked by locals. The plant manufactures 40 thousand liters of rum per day.

After a visit to a Dominican Republic rum distillery, guests enjoy making a Cuba Libre, or "rum and coke" for friends and family back home.

Beer

Brewed in Santo Domingo, Presidente is the DR's most popular beer and is served at just about every establishment in the country. As part of a marketing agreement designed by the company to maximize its consumption, Presidente is the only beer offered for sale at convenience and liquor stores in some areas.

It is nearly impossible to find the same Presidente brew back in the states. Best when served ice-cold (locals will only take it that way), it's a light-tasting pilsner with six percent alcohol, opposed to the United States' version which contains only five percent (never comparing in taste). Therefore, Presidente beer is a popular souvenir for tourists.

Mamajuana

A "miracle" potion developed in the DR, Mamajuana is a concoction of various herbs, roots, leaves and bark that is mixed with rum, gin, wine, honey and lemon to cure everything from impotency to the stomach flu. If the taste can be tolerated, Mamajuana is used to promote overall good health, sexuality and vitality. Only a handful of families still brew the mixture.

Coffee

Travelers to the Caribbean know that the region is among the best in the world for strong-bodied specialty coffees. The DR is no exception. Its position in the tropics, rainfall levels, and fertile soil make it an ideal location for growing organic coffee beans that provide great taste and a rich aroma. The coffee trade in the DR dates back over 250 years, giving its growers a deep-rooted tradition to continue.

The DR has more than 60,000 growers who together export nearly one million bags of coffee per year, although most of their crop is kept for domestic use. DR coffee, commonly referred to as "Santo Domingo," is grown in six different regions on the island: Azua, Bani, Cibao, Barahona, Juncalito and Ocoa. Beans from the higher altitudes are thought to be richer and have a higher acidity than low-grown coffees that tend to be the opposite. Dominican coffee is 100 percent Arabica and varieties include: nuevo mondo, catuai, caturra and bourbon. While in the DR, coffee is typically served black in an espresso cup with a large pour of sugar.

Music & Dance

Passing through the streets of the Dominican Republic visitors are sure to notice the handmade posters that hang from telephone poles promoting an upcoming merengue or bachata night at a nearby venue. Continue walking and it doesn't take long to realize that music acts as the soundtrack of the country and its people, often heard blaring from vehicles, stores, restaurants and houses. After sunset, the pulsing beats fill the air with life and draw locals and tourists alike toward the crowded dance floors of the world's hottest night clubs. A way of life on the island, Dominicans view dancing as an art and take pride in sharing their native movements with others. Salsa, Latin jazz and other types of dance music can be heard in the country, but are not as popular as their beloved merengue and bachata counterparts.

Merengue
Bachata
Music Festivals

Merengue
The country's national dance, traditional merengue groups are comprised of a three-piece band including a melodeon (accordion-like instrument), a guira (a scraped percussion piece) and a tambora (double-headed drum); however, it has expanded to incorporate other instruments such as the saxophone, trumpets, violin, flute and piano. Its tempo is characterized by an aggressive beat, requiring its dancers to swing their hips in rapid, fluid motions and make sure their feet follow suit. Early merengue's lyrics were based on sexual encounters and other socially taboo subjects, thus preventing it from becoming widely accepted. Today, merengue's lyrics cover more general topics including politics and current events. Its music has become so popular, in fact, that it is honored with two regional festivals each year.

Although its true origins remain disputed, merengue combines a mixture of African and European elements. Others claim that merengue is a purely Dominican form, developed by a soldier named Tomas Torres after the country's victory at the battle of Talanquera. Another shaping influence was the country's interaction with Germany, a major trading partner, who familiarized the DR with the accordion.

Merengue remained out of favor with lower class society during the early 1900's because of its nature. Artists including Juan Espínola, Julio Alberto Hernandez and Juan F. García were unsuccessful in their attempts to make merengue mainstream with the lyrics as they were. Following a reduction in tempo from its original form (to accommodate American soldiers who were in the country between 1916 and 1924 and couldn't keep up with the fast-pace of the dance), the merengue began to take-off. Major mainstream acceptance started with the rise of former President Rafeal Trujillo in 1930 thanks to his perpetual promotion of the merengue to his followers. Born into a relatively poor family, Trujillo identified with those who were also kept from attending upper-class clubs and events and thus made the music the social status symbol of his fellow citizens. In fact, several merengue songs written during his presidency used his dictatorship as a topic.

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Bachata
A much slower dance than the merengue, bachata emerged in the rural areas of the island during the 1960s. It was derived from bolero, a music genre native to Cuba, and is compared to country or R&B music of the United States. Originally popular with the poor or lower classes, bachata is characterized by guitar-based melodies rather than large bands. Its lyrics are mostly about relationships and hard times.

The word bachata developed after the wealthier classes used the word to describe rowdy lower-class parties and the people who attended them. Before bachata groups were able to take advantage of the Dominican music and recording industry, it was common to see small groups strumming guitars and singing at street-side bachatas.

During the '70s and '80s, the economic hardships experienced by the rural and poor could be heard in the beat and lyrics of bachata. Words reflected negative attitudes toward women and promoted drinking and other taboo forms of behavior. Like merengue, bachata was viewed as too inappropriate to be considered mainstream but was forbidden until fairly recently when the lyrical content became more appropriate. Now, it is experiencing a resurgence in tourist and rural areas and is liked by all classes. Bachata artists are even beginning to appear in the media and on hit music lists.

Well-known Dominican bachata artists include Aventura, Luis Vargas Aventura is a city in Florida, USA. Aventura is a Bachata-R&B music group from New York City. ..., Anthony Santos, Joe Veras, and Raulin Rodriguez.

Music Festivals

Travelers from across the globe journey to the Dominican Republic each year, joining local attendees, for annual music festivals after falling in love with the addictive rhythms.

Santo Domingo Merengue Festival
The week-long Santo Domingo Merengue Festival is held during the last week of July or the first week of August every year at the Malecon. The seaside Dominican musical showcase encourages drinking, eating and dancing.

Puerto Plata Merengue Festival
Puerto Plata hosts a week-long celebration of merengue acts during the third week in October every year. More than 100,000 tourists and locals gather at outdoor bars and in the streets to listen to performers and partake in the festivities.

Dominican Republic Jazz Festival
The festival is staged at three scenic north coast locations: Cabarete, Sosua and Puerto Plata each October. Renowned musical acts ranging from Enrique Iglesias to Ricky Martin have appeared in years past.

Museums & Archaeology

The Dominican Republic has a rich and storied history that traces back over 8,000 years to the arrival of the Taino Indians. Following the island's discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Republic had epic interaction with the Spanish, French, Haitians and Africans. It's no wonder, then, how the Dominican Republic came to boast such an impressive collection of personal and cultural relics from centuries past.

The country has done a magnificent job of maintaining and preserving these artifacts as well as the historical structures in which they're housed. Visiting the Dominican Republic's major cities, especially Santo Domingo, tourists can easily become engrossed in the historical legends that accompany some of the oldest museums and archeological sites in the New World.

The Dominican Republic also has a unique collection of natural rocks and gems that can only be found on the island. Near Barahona, a turquoise-blue pectolite stone known as larimar has been cultivated from the volcanic rock that once formed the island. The country's most popular gem, amber, is the result of tree sap that hardened millions of years ago, sometimes capturing small plants, animals and insects inside. These two geological imprints are used in jewelry, sometimes together and other times in single pieces.

The country's museums and archeological sites intrigue adults and provide a historical lesson for children. From jewelry to religious artifacts, castles to caves, each venue showcases a vastly different aspect of the island's colorful heritage.