Dominican Republic Hotels

The Dominican Republic is a tropical paradise in Caribbeans and houses some of the best resorts and facilities in the Caribbean sea. The country serves a very good choice as a Caribbean vacation. The county occupies a relatively huge Caribbean island called Hispaniola together with its western neighbor Haiti. This island was discovered and explored by Columbus in his first voyage, and served as a base for his operations for some time. Back then, around 600 000 local Indians inhabited the island. The land was very rich with natural resources and perfect for settlements. A few European settlements were started as soon as possible and the usual story of Indians vs Colonials and African slavery began. In just a few years, Santo Domingo was founded and rose as a capital and is in fact, still the capital. The west of the Island, Haiti was later founded by the French and power struggles brought the end of the Spanish rule at the end of 17th century. Sugar plantations were very profitable and turned Santo Domingo into one of the richest cities of this region. Because of this richness, the land changed hands between the French and Spanish a few more times. These conflicts even carried out to these days. Though the relationships between Haiti and the Dominican Republic is improving today, still it might not be wise for a tourist to make reference to the past events much... There are very good examples of colonial architecture, especially in the capital city Santo Domingo. African heritage reveals itself in music and dances. The hot spot of this country is of course, the spectacular Caribbean Sea. Better yet, Dominican Republic is well known for the amazing holiday resorts along the coasts. All-inclusive service is very reasonably priced and enjoyable at the same time. And the weather just tops this nice cake with a sweet cherry. This island has an all year tropical climate. Summer and winter temperatures don't differ more than 5 degrees; so it would be wise to look for more quieter periods, instead of the high season. Unfortunately, there is a always risk of hurricanes and severe storms so you should do your research well. Being one of the biggest in this sea, Hispaniola island offers more than other islands. The highest peak of the Caribbeans is in the Dominican Republic, and is a very good hiking spot. Up the mountain, it gets chilly so warm clothing might be necessary. Cities offer good prices for shopping. Clothing especially, is of good quality and better prices. You'll come across other good shopping opportunities in El Conde street -an open top mall. Cuisine is typical Caribbean, seafood, tropical fruits, rice, beans cooked in Spanish, French and African influenced methods. The food is pretty enjoyable. You have to be careful with the water though, the tap water is not drinkable. Even uncooked food such as fruits and salads washed with tap water should be avoided. Drink culture is very global, some local beers are found all around and in cities, exported goods are plentiful. Violent crimes are not very common whereas petty crimes such as pickpocketing are. A little caution and common sense will keep you safe easily. For example, don't take valuables to the beach. You also have to watch out for winds and big waves on the beach too, these are reported problems on a limited number of beaches only. On the plus side, Dominican Republic is famous for some extreme wind sports opportunities for enthusiasts. All in all, the Dominican Republic offers more than most other Caribbean destinations offer without lacking any of the qualities, so it is more boxes ticked here.