Introducing Dominican Republic
When Christopher Columbus, the Dominican Republic's first tourist, stepped ashore over 500 year ago, he
marvelled at the spectacular natural beauty of its mountainous peaks, verdant valleys, spectacular waterfalls and
breathtaking palm-fringed beaches. With an average temperature of 28 degrees, more than 300 sun-filled days every
year and warm, clear, turquoise seas make this the perfect place to just lay back and relax on the beach or enjoy
the vast array of watersports available.
Las Canas Beach Resort is located on the stunning north coast of the Dominican Republic, 10 minutes from
Cabarete and just 20 minutes from the Gregorio Luperon International Airport at Puerto Plata.
Things to See & Do...
Explore the 83 protected areas of
natural beauty: 19 national parks, six scientific reserves, 32 natural monuments, 15 natural reserves, two
marine sanctuaries and nine protected parcels of islands also called
panoramic views.
- Browse galleries, antique shops and
artist colonies in Santo Domingo, the charming Colonial capital city of the Dominican Republic and the
oldest city in the New World, where Columbus’ remains are housed only blocks away from designer boutiques
and gourmet restaurants.
- Climb Pico Duarte which is the
highest mountain in the Caribbean and a hotspot for adventurous travellers.
- Take a guided tours through the
jungle, canyons and 18 waterfalls of this stunning country.
- Watch the thousands of humpback
whales near Cabarete which arrive between January and April every year to breed and care for their
calves.
- Go fishing - recognised by
fisherman as one of the best hideouts for dozens of species of prized fish the Dominican Republic hosts
several international billfish tournaments each year, and many world records for mammoth fish have been
broken in the waters surrounding the country. Off the coast of La Romana, the 50-pound tackle world record
for Atlantic blue marlin was set with an 850-pound catch. To fight a marlin or reel-in a toothy barracuda,
several charters are available throughout the country.
- Ride the waves and take advantage
of the strong surf and powerful winds at Cabarete, considered to be one of the best locations for surfing,
windsurfing and kiteboarding.
- Follow in the footsteps of former
US presidents Bill Clinton and George H. Bush and tee off on some of the 21 spectacular golf courses
designed by legends such as Pete Dye, P.B. Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones, Gary
Player, Tom Fazio and Nick Faldo with oceanfront fairways and dogleg lefts around swaying coconut
palms.
Dominican Republic Key
Facts
Population
9.2
million
Capital
Santo Domingo (second largest city is
Santiago de los Caballeros)
Area
48,730 sq km/30,279 sq miles; 380km/235 miles long, 265km/165 miles wide at the
extremes
Geography
The Dominican Republic is the second largest country in the Caribbean. It is divided
into 6 regions - North Coast, South Central, Central, East Coast, North East Coast, & South West Coast with 31
provinces and one National District. Its terrain is mostly rugged highlands with towering peaks plunging down into
lush valleys; the highest point is Pico Duarte - 3,175 metres. The country has 1,288 km of coastline of which 300
km is golden sandy beaches
Time
difference
GMT -4 Hours
Language
Official language is Spanish; 1
million people are also fluent in Haitian Creole
Monetary unit Dominican Peso
Airport
There are 10 international airports
in the Dominican Republic. Just 20 minutes from the Two Rivers Beach Resort is the Gregorio Luperon
International Airport at Puerto Plata
Flight times 9.25 hours from London via Miami; 2 hours from Miami; 3.5 hours from New
York. BA operates from London via Miami (American Airlines)
Climate
Tropical climate with little seasonal temperature variation averaging 28°c; average
daily sunshine is 9 hours; seasonal rainfall between May and November
Location
The Dominican Republic occupies the
eastern two-thirds of the Caribbean island called Hispaniola; the remaining third of the island to the west is
the Republic of Haiti. Hispaniola is the second largest of the Greater Antilles islands, and lies between the
Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Government
Presidential Republic – President
- Leonel Fernandez is both the chief of state and head of government
Economy
Economic reforms launched in late
1994 contributed to exchange rate stabilisation and reduced inflation. The president instituted austerity
measures to rescue the country from economic crisis, and in the first half of 2006 the economy grew
11.7%
Tourism
In 2004, the Dominican Republic
welcomed 3.5 million tourists (29% of the Caribbean total) who spent in excess of US$ 3.4 billion (5% more than
in 2003). Tourism accounted for 24% of GDP. High season – December to April
| 
