Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For visitors, the two primary destinations in Dominican Repub-
lic are
Puerto Plata,
on the island's north shore, and the capi-
tal city,
Santo Domingo,
on the southern coast.
About 20 minutes from Puerto Plata's La Union international
airport lies the resort area of
Playa Dorada.
This horseshoe-
shaped complex contains over a dozen resorts, numerous res-
taurants, a casino, a two-story shopping mall, and a Robert
Trent Jones-designed 18-hole golf course, all tucked between
the backdrop of the lush mountains and the palm-lined Atlantic
beach. Although the sea here is choppier that its Caribbean
counterpart on the south shore, a gentle breeze makes it popu-
lar with windsurfers, boogie boarders, and families who enjoy
playing in the surf. Other guests are just content to lie on the
beaches lined with majestic palms.
Santo Domingo is located on the island's southern shore. Here
history buffs will find a wealth of Spanish Renaissance archi-
tecture to explore. The city was the first permanent European
settlement in the New World and has been honored for its cul-
tural landmarks by a United Nations proclamation.
Near Santo Domingo is the nation's most lavish resort:
Casa de
Campo,
as well as a host of other first-rate vacation destina-
tions.
Festivals
The vast majority of the population of the Dominican Republic
is Roman Catholic, and many of the national festivals are reli-
gious in nature.
Carnival
begins the week before Independ-
ence Day, February 27. The
Christmas festival
begins in early
December and ends on Epiphany Day, January 6. Of a more sec-
ular nature, the
Merengue Festival
celebrates the national
music of the DR with band performances during the third week
of July in Santo Domingo and the second week of October in
Puerto Plata.
The
Puerto Plata Cultural Festival
highlights the arts,
crafts, and music of the northern region. It is usually held in
late January and early February. In addition, many of the
towns of the Dominican Republic commemorate their patron
saint's day with a large celebration. The dates of these festivals
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