Dominican Republic
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The island of Hispaniola, contains two separate
countries; the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Columbus landed on Hispaniola in 1492, and it later became the major base for
the Spanish conquest of the Caribbean, as well as the American mainland.
In the 17th Century, with the Spanish in control, the French established a
colony on the island. The Spanish later ceded the western third of Hispaniola in
1697, which in 1804 became known as Haiti.
The remainder of the island, then known as Santo Domingo, declared its
independence in 1821, however, it was immediately occupied by Haiti. It finally
gained total independence in 1844, and became the Dominican Republic.
The modern culture of the Dominican Republic is varied. Dominicans may regard
themselves as being one big Dominican family, la familia Dominicana. However,
there are vast differences in class and education that separate different
groups. There are very rich people, and there are very humble, poor farmers and
marginal urban barrio dwellers. The metropolitan culture available to the upper
class and vanishing (due to economic turbulence as of late) middle class is
often comparable to the life of city dwellers in the rich countries of Western
Europe and the United States. But this metropolitan culture doesn't reach the
poorest people, who may not have the most basic amenities—light, running water,
sanitary facilities nor consumer electronics.
Any time is a good time to visit the Dominican
Republic because of its warm and generally sunny climate all year round. Some
call the weather here 'the endless summer'. There are months where it is more
likely you'll have rain. If you wish to avoid these periods, please visit our
Climate section to find out when these are, as these occur at different times
depending on the area of the country you may be visiting. The busiest tourism
season in the Dominican Republic runs from December through April, where many
North Americans and Europeans visit to get a warm, tropical break from the cold
temperatures in their home countries. The next busiest period is in the summer
months, June through September, when the majority of visitors are made up of
Europeans visiting for their long summer vacations. Generally, the busier the
season, the more in advance you should begin to plan your visit in order to
secure your flight and accommodations of choice. Accommodation rates fluctuate
slightly (are generally higher) during the busier tourism months, but almost all
other costs, such as food & beverages, excursions, sporting activities, etc.,
remain constant year-round.
The varied climate, geography, as well as plants and animals found in a country
can make that country extraordinarily interesting to visit - be it for the
beautiful backdrop they provide, or the interesting differences they offer from
natural elements found elsewhere in the world. This section describes Dominican
Republic's natural elements, which are definitely things that should not only
attract you to visit, but invite you to explore.
The white-sand beaches, impressive mountain ranges veined with spectacular
rivers and waterfalls, and saltwater lakes teeming with exotic wildlife are just
part of the Dominican Republic's appeal. Whether you're looking to party, relax
or explore, the Dominican Republic has a lot to offer.
Santo Domingo P.R. weather
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