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The Dominican Republic
Standing at the back door of the United States, the Dominican Republic,
heavily influenced by Spain and Latin America, lies 600 miles southeast
of Florida,
to the west is Cuba, southwest is Jamaica and east is Puerto Rico
and the chain of the Antilles.
The Dominican Republic covers about two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola,
totaling 48,734 sq. km ( 128,816 sq. miles) and has the highest peak
in the entire Caribbean, Pico Duarte, 3,087 meters (10,128ft.).
The Cordillera Central mountain range also has the longest river, Rio
Yaque del Norte,
and to the west the largest lake, Lago Enriquillo.
The tropical climate is as perfect as it gets. Daytime temperatures
vary
between 80F and 90 F. The island has a rich and colorful natural environment
that is home to more than 5,000 plant species, almost half of which
are endemic, from ferns
and bamboo to frangipani and hibiscus. Protected areas of the coast
contain tangles of thick mangroves, which play host to flocks of pelicans,
herons and other bird life that
feed from the shellfish, shrimp and small fish. There are almost
260 identifiable bird species.
The “Amber Coast” is the name given by Dominicans to their
north coast for the
precious resin that flowed out of the pine trees about 50 million years
ago.
The coast and coral reefs offer divers the chance to swim with a variety
of marine life including manatee and turtles. From about January 1st
until March 15th, thousands of Humpback whales migrate to the Silver
Banks and the
Samana Peninsula .
So lush is the expanse from Rio San Juan around the coast to Cabrera that
it is known
as the Costa Verde. Rio San Juan, Abreu, and Cabrera, are attracting
affluent investors
who are building luxurious seaside estates far from the madding crowd.
Located in this area is Playa Grande, the most exotic beach on the north
coast. The Playa Grande golf course, designed by Robert Trent Jones,
Sr. is considered one of the finest courses
in the Caribbean.
At the eastern extreme of the north coastal highway is the Samana Peninsula,
a region of rolling hills laden with coconut palms and colorful homes,
a new international airport, and a most picturesque harbor. Its seaside
communities
have been converted into quaint villages with restaurants and shops
offering
local and European products.
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