The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The Dominican Republic is now inhabited by people with a mixed European and African decent. The current population is around 10 million. Before 1844, the Dominican Republic was ruled by Haiti but after the Dominican War of Independence, they became self ruling.
The Dominican Republic is known for their fabulous beaches, especially in the Punta Cana area on the eastern coast. One of the great beaches is Bavaro Beach, the shore is lined with beautiful palm trees and many luxury hotels. Other tourist spots include Santo Domingo, La Romana, Samana, Jarabacoa and Puerto Plata. If you are interested in scuba diving, the Dominican Republic is famous for their vast coral reefs. Mountain biking is fabulous, there are many mountain trails, and, after that try kayaking and white water rafting.
Should you go to the Dominican Republic, be sure to visit Santo Domingo, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site… It is the oldest city in the New World. The oldest church in the America is located there, Christopher Columbus is buried there.