Welcome To The

1. Welcome To The Dominican Republic

2. Best Hotels

3. InterContinental V Centenario Santo Domingo • On the Malecon, Santo Domingo's main Boulevard, the V Centenario InterContinental Hotel Santo Domingo is only twenty minutes away from Las Americas International Airport and close to the city's main shopping centers. The InterContinental Hotel is also within walking distance of the colonial and cultural center. The hotel has been renovated in all rooms, public areas and meeting rooms including the elegant decoration made to the main ballroom "Las Carabelas". All rooms have a beautiful view to the Caribbean Sea. • Two Beds This room features views of the ocean from the comfort of a balcony. Complimentary wired and wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and the video-game console is offered for your entertainment. A coffee/tea maker and a refrigerator are supplied. The private bathroom has bathrobes, a hair dryer, and a bidet. Conveniences include air conditioning, a desk, and a multi-line phone. (Deluxe Room) Average rate per night for two adults is $123.71

4. Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana • Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana All Inclusive Resort's amenities include 24-hour front desk, currency exchange, conference room, Internet access, banquet facilities, restaurant, bar/lounge, fitness equipment, swimming pool, spa tub, sauna, and parking. The hotel rooms are equipped with amenities like air conditioning, ceiling fans, cable TV, telephones, Internet access, desks, clock radios, safes, irons/ironing boards, coffee/tea makers, hairdryers, bathrobes, and complimentary toiletries. 7 Nights with air • from $1491 per person • Average $213 per night

5. Best Restaurants and Local Foods

6. MesónD’Bari • A Zona Colonial institution popular with tourists and sophisticated capitalinos on weekends, MesónD’Bari occupies a charmingly decaying colonial home covered with bright, large paintings by local artists. The menu has Dominican and international standards, different versions of grilled meats and fish; the long attractive bar is equally appealing. Live music on some weekend nights.

7. Pat'e Palo European Brasserie • This cozy restaurant in the Colonial Zone specializing in European food is located where the first tavern in the Americas once existed. The environment is casual and includes three distinct spaces: the main room, the bar/brasserie and the patio, from where various of the most impressive colonial monuments are visible. The decoration of this restaurant-Café is allegoric to the life of the famous pirate Pat´e Palo.

8. Shopping & Entertainment

9. Mercado Modelo • Housed in an aging two-story building just north of the Zona Colonial near a neighborhood of Chinese restaurants and stores, bargain hard at this local market, which sells everything from love potions to woodcarvings and jewelry. The more you look like a tourist, the higher the asking price. It’s best not to dress too sharply or wear any fine jewelry yourself, in part to get a fair deal and in part because this isn’t the best neighborhood to wander around, especially after dark.

10. Museo del Tabaco • If you want to see tabacos being rolled, drop by the Museo del Tabaco. It is located on Parque Colón and is owned by Monte Cristi de Tabacos. You can watch as one or two workers roll cigars in the shop window. Montecristo, Cohiba and Caoba brand cigars are sold at the shop.

11. Cultural

12. CatedralPrimada de America • The Cathedral of Santa María la Menor in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo is dedicated to St. Mary of the Incarnation. It is the oldest cathedral in the Americas, begun in 1512 and completed in 1540. The Cathedral once held the title Primate of the Americas, it has since been the only Archiodese to have held this title. It is located between CalleArzobispo Merino and Isabel la Católica, next to Columbus Park in the city of Santo Domingo de Guzman. The Cathedral is fronted with a golden-tinted coral limestone façade, the church combines elements of both Gothic and Baroque with some lavish plateresque styles as exemplified by the high altar chiseled out of silver. There is also a treasury which has an excellent art collection of ancient woodcarvings, furnishings, funerary monuments, silver, and jewelry.

13. Mount Isabel de Torres • Located in Puerto Plata, a visit to Mount Isabel de Torres provides some spectacular sights. Have your camera ready as your trip begins with a cable car ride to the top. Once at the top, you can expect an incredible view of the Dominican Republic geography, stand in the shadow of the huge statue of Christ and enjoy a heavenly botanical garden full of blooming flowers. There's even a restaurant should hunger strike.

14. Historic Sites

15. Parque Colon • Parque Colon is the central square of the Ciudad Colonial historic district of Santo Domingo. In its Center stands a late-19th-century statue by French Sculptor Ernest Gilbert of Christopher Columbus, in whose honor the square was renamed in 1887. Previously the square was known as Plaza Mayor. Monuments bordering the square include the Catedral de Santa Maria la Menor, Santo Domingo's Municipal Palace, and the Palacio Borgella, which once hosted the Dominican Republic's Parliament. Calle del Conde, once the thriving commercial heart of Santo Domingo, starts from Parque Colon and runs to the Puerta del Conde. At the beginning of Calle del Conde is a late-20th-century bust of Bartholomew Columbus, Christopher's brother and the founder of Santo Domingo.

16. La Obelisca Trujillo, one of the more brutal dictators of the Dominican Republic, appears to have been quite fond of erecting Obelisks. A kilometre east of the Male Obelisk (see my tip on that sight), you'll find La Obelisca or El ObeliscoHembra (the Female Obelisk), which was erected by the dictator in 1941 to honour the DR's repayment of outstanding loans to the US, incurred by previous Dominican administrations. I'm not entirely certain what makes this Obelisk female while the other one is male, but you can probably find a well-informed Dominican who can give you a tip. In any case, this monument is close to the intersection of the Malecón and Piña, south of the Puerta de la Misericordia.

17. Water Activities

18. The National Park of La Caleta • The clear turquoise water and warm weather will beckon you to come out for a full day in the sun, sand, and sea. Just off the beach you’ll find the remains of several shipwrecks, including a Spanish Galleon called NuestraSeñora de Bergoña and a treasure hunting ship called The Hickory, which can be explored by our guests who are interested in some culture and history on top of all the tropical marine life that one can observe. Our boat drivers are experienced fisherman, “old sea lions” that can show you all the hidden places and secrets of the underwater world awaiting you. Our tour guides are highly trained in the history and ecology of the park, making your experience not only fun but educational as well.

19. Cabrera • Cabrera is a town in María Trinidad Sánchez province, Dominican Republic. It is located at the eastern end of the county's north coast, at the western extreme of the Bahía Escocesa, 130 kilometers north of Santo Domingo. It is a small town with little tourism infrastructure. Cabrera is one of the sections that along with Rio San Juan, Nagua, El Factor form the province. The town was originally named 'TresAmarras', the name it used to be called since its foundation day on July 1, 1891.. With a population of over 39,000, Cabrera unlike most towns located on the coasts does not depend so much on tourism. Cabrera’s main source of income is cattle, meat, and milk. In the agricultural aspect, production of coconuts and rice are noticeable sources as well. Cabrera is considered one of the most beautiful places in the Dominican Republic.

20. Rancho Lorilar • Rancho Lorilar is a well established Canadian owned ranch in the Dominican Republic offering half day, full day and private riding for riders of all experience. It does not matter whether you have never ridden a horse, if you are an experienced rider or somewhere in between - we will have a horse that will be suitable for you.