An introduction to the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic resides on Hispaniola, and, like the island itself, is divided in two. The beautiful Caribbean island has two neighbours, the Dominican Republic an Haiti. In the Dominican section lots of holiday hotels are strewn down the stunning coast, visitors can enjoy the superabundant facilities which do their best to ensure holidays offer optimum relaxation.

What holidays in the Dominican Republic are all about

Tourism is highly important in the economy. The 8.5 million residents of the Dominican Republic rely heavily on those with thick wallets holidaying on the island. The island is often said to be 'where America began' and the Spanish colonial architecture and heritage is revered by the locals. The largest Dominican cities and the National Parks are mostly found on the southern coast, one of which is Santo Domingo, which was the first Spanish settlement in the Americas.

Flight guide to the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic houses over a dozen different airports, most of which are accessible from the UK. The Republic's capital city Santo Domingo has two airports, Las Americas being the most common for arrivals. Direct Flights are rare, because of historical ties Air France and Iberia have direct flights from their nations, so a connection in Paris or Madrid can be made before flying straight to the Dominican Republic. The flight time (after 2.5 hours to Madrid) is around 9 hours directly from Spain, and about the same again from France.

The great historic moments in Dominican Republic's past.

Christopher Columbus' 'New World' contained the Dominican Republic, where he created the first European settlement. Santo Domingo is one of Columbus' legacies, the old district showing the history of when he formed it in 1496. The old town now acts as a 'colonial theme park' full of fascinating history and ancient venues to be enjoyed. Perfect tropical beaches skirt the eastern Amber Coast.