Dominican Rep.

The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola, shared with Haiti — a human-scale Caribbean land (48,670 km², 11.4 million inhabitants) concentrating some of the most spectacular landscapes of the Antilles. Pico Duarte (3,098 m, highest summit in the Caribbean) in the centre, lush Samaná peninsula in the north-east, white sand beaches lined with coconut palms along 1,600 km of coastline, turquoise lagoons of Saona and Catalina islands, fertile agricultural valleys of the Cibao — the country's geographical diversity surprises, well beyond the all-inclusive resort cliché.

History is equally rich. Santo Domingo, founded in 1496 by Bartolomé Colombus (Christopher's brother), is officially the first European city permanently established in the Americas. Its Zona Colonial, UNESCO-listed since 1990, preserves the first cathedral, the first hospital, the first university and the first viceroyal palace of the New World — an invaluable heritage. The Santo Domingo fortress (Fortaleza Ozama, 1502-1505) is the oldest European military structure in the Americas still standing. This unique historical density makes Santo Domingo a top-tier cultural stop, too often overlooked by travellers confined to Punta Cana.

The Dominican tourism proposition revolves around four complementary regions. Punta Cana and the East (Bávaro, Cap Cana, Bayahibe) concentrates the all-inclusive phenomenon — more than 250 4- and 5-star resorts on 30 kilometres of beaches among the Caribbean's finest, accessible by direct flight from Europe (PUJ, 9-10h). It's the family beach destination par excellence. Santo Domingo and the South (capital, San Cristóbal, Boca Chica) offers the cultural and historical dimension. Samaná (north-east peninsula) is the natural gem — humpback whales from January to March, Rincón beach ranked among the world's most beautiful by Condé Nast, El Limón waterfalls. Puerto Plata and the North (amber coast, Sosúa, Cabarete) combines more authentic beaches and the world capital of kitesurfing at Cabarete.

Dominican culture is eminently warm and musical. Merengue (national rhythm, UNESCO intangible heritage 2016) and bachata (originally from the Dominican countryside, globally spread by Romeo Santos, Aventura, Juan Luis Guerra) pace daily life. Creole cuisine (sancocho, mangú, la bandera) draws on Spanish-African-Taíno fusion. Dominican hospitality is legendary, Caribbean rhythm omnipresent, smiles easy. The country is statistically safer than its continental neighbours, provided basic precautions are respected in large cities.