Dominican Republic is said to be a very
colorful and tasteful place to take a vacation for everyone.
Dominican Republic is also very diverse with colorful tapestry
of Spanish, French, Haitian, and African influences. All of
these come from a very rich history. It was Christopher Columbus
who said this was "a beautiful island paradise with high
forested mountains and large river valleys". That statement made
by Christopher Columbus is still true today. There is sun, sea,
and sand which offers a very exciting and relaxing experience
with culture added in to captivate the essence of the land.
People say this is a destination like no other with amazing
landscapes, exotic cuisine and a wide variety of arts and
entertainment. The Dominican Republic is known for the merengue,
premium cigars, rich history, and world class baseball.
The Dominican Republic was first founded on
December 5, 1492 by Christopher Columbus. He founded it on his very
first voyage to the New World. At that time the island was called "Quisqueya"
by the Taino Indians, these were the people who actually resided on
the land. Taino means "the good" and these Indians were very
peaceful and hospitable. In 1493 the Europeans made their settlement
on the island due to the discovery of gold deposits in the island's
rivers. At the same time the Taino Indians were put to slavery by
the Europeans and over the next 25 years they were eliminated. After
they were all gone the Europeans brought in African slaves to take
the Taino Indians place to make sure the settlers plantations were
taken care of.
In 1496 Bartholomew, Columbus' brother, was
made governor and founded Santo Domingo which is the capital city.
Santo Domingo became the seat of Spanish royal court which made it
very powerful and influential. The culture in Dominican republic is
mostly captured by its music, food, and national pastimes. There is
spirit and charm to the country which makes it a warming place to
visit. Dominican Republic is also known for its professional winter
sport baseball, handcrafted cigars, and annual music festivals.
There is never a dull and boring moment when visiting the country
and everyone loves to express their culture through art and color.
Even the museums and archeological sites are in tune with the
vibrant colors and daring history. They have antique treasures,
jewels, and time capsules that bring back the long lost culture.

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Attractions in Dominican Republic
The Cathedral of Santa
Maria La Menor is located in Santo Domingo and is known to be
the oldest existing settlement that was first founded by
Europeans in the western hemisphere. This cathedral was built in
the early 1500s and some people say there are remains of
Christopher Columbus that rest in the Cathedral. The style of
the church is a mixture of Spanish Renaissance and Gothic
architecture which makes it a very overwhelming experience for
visitors. The construction of the cathedral began in 1514 and
was finished in 1540. It was the very first Catholic cathedral
in the New World. It remains the reminder of the city's history
and culture and is still used until this day.
The Columbus Lighthouse Monument in Dominican
Republic was built on the eastern shore of the Ozama river some time
in the early 1990's. This attraction was built to honor Santo
Domingo's status as the oldest European city as well as the 500th
anniversary of Columbus' arrival into the New World. The structure
of the building is in the shape as a cross at 639 feet long and at a
45 degrees angle. Inside of the building structure are the remains
of Christopher Columbus in a tomb at the center of the building. At
night there is a light that is projected into the sky and is in the
image of a cross and can be seen as far away as Puerto Rico. The
building was designed by architect J.L. Gleave who also wont the
international competition for the designer. The building also holds
many documents and artifacts that are in reference to the early
Spanish colonial times.
The Amber Museum in Dominican Republic was
first thought of after the restoration of Villa Bentz in 1980. This
museum holds fossil collections that are way too important to be
kept hidden in a safe. This museum is known as a dream of many
years, it first opened in March of 1982. The collection that is held
in the museum is composed of thousands of pieces. These pieces are
rare but beautiful. The one exhibit that is most appreciated and
studied is the lizard which is 40 centimeters and in a perfect
condition for being 30 to 40 million years old. There is also
another exhibit that is formed with drops of a resin falling one
after another which form little tubes that are like needles of
coniferous.
The Brugal Rum Factory in Dominican Republic is
a great experience for anyone visiting. This includes a tour that
takes visitors to the Brugal Rum Plant and shows how the process of
rum first starts. The plant is owned and operated by the Brugal
family. First they harvest the sugarcane then press it to get the
juice. Then it is processed into molasses. The molasses is distilled
into 96 percent alcohol, the alcohol is cut with water to get the 80
proof rum we drink today. The tour then takes visitors to the
bottling plant so they can see how the rum is bottled and cased.
After the tour everyone is greeted with a small daiquiri and gets a
chance to buy some of the rum they made. It is a very interesting
experience for anyone who visits the rum factory.
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Things to do and see in Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic Monster Truck Safari is a
very unique way to see what the tour buses cannot show you. This
helps visitors explore the island in a way not many people do. This
is an 8x8 monster truck that takes visitors through breathtaking
scenery, along back country roads, crossing through rivers, streams
and sugar cane fields. This tour will also take visitors to small
colorful villages to see how those people live on a day to day
basis. It also stops at the coffee connoisseur so people cant taste
the locally brewed Dominican Coffee which is known to be one of the
country's most popular products. The tour also has lunch and drinks
waiting right alongside of a river so people can eat lunch and
relax. The people can also take a swim in the refreshing waters of
the river before heading back.
There are a few things for visitors to do to
get a good look under the waters of the Dominican Republic. One of
them is the Scubadoo Underwater Adventure which is a mixture of a
submarine and a motorbike. After being picked up from your hotel you
will be taken out into the ocean and given some lessons on how the
scubadoo's work then you and a small group will take a 15 minute
dive with a couple professional scuba divers. The scubadoo's are
tethered to the boat at all times so there are no problems. The
professional divers will be more than happy to snap some pictures
for you if you bring an underwater camera as well. Then there are
the Glass Bottom Boat Tours with a boat that has two windows on the
bottom of the boat for everyone to see great views of the ocean
floor without getting wet.
The Punta Cana Seaquarium Underwater Adventure
is known to be the easiest way to explore the ocean floor. Visitors
get to walk along the ocean floor while exploring the vast array of
colorful fish, sharks, sting rays, and much more. The tour also
takes visitors to a submarine wreck, reefs, and more. This adventure
is very easy to get ready for, all there is to it is to put on a
helmet that has an air tube connected to it. Even visitors with
eyeglasses can do this and keep their glasses on. There is a
professional diver that is there to help guide you as well
throughout the whole adventure to ensure your safety and comfort.
This underwater seaquarium adventure is ready for anyone starting at
age 8 and up.
The Dominican Republic also offers great
Dolphin Encounters and Sea Lion Encounters at Ocean World. At
the Dolphin Encounters visitors get to interact with dolphins.
This is a great opportunity for guests of all ages. Guests get
an up close and personal visit with one of the amazing
creatures. The guest and the dolphin can share kisses, give
hugs, dance, and just have fun. The guest can even feed the
dolphin some fish. Then there is the Sea Lion Encounter where
guests can watch the Patagonian sea lion swim, dive, leap, bark
and show off all while being up close and in person. Guests get
to play games with the sea lions as well as touch and feed them
too. After playing with the sea lions guests can get a hug and
kiss from them as well as a photo. These are most definitely
opportunities of a lifetime.