Don't Miss Experiencing . . .
- Altos de Chavón, the most spectacular re-creation of a historical town in the Caribbean -- in this case a 16th-century Mediterranean village on a bluff overlooking Río Chavón in the south of the island. The cobblestone streets form a romantic setting with everything from fine restaurants to an ampitheater.
- Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo. Altos de Chavón is merely the mock, the old town of Santo Domingo the real thing. The buildings in the capital are crumbling but a walk through the colonial zone is like flipping through the pages of history as you make your way along narrow streets, old stone buildings, and the remnants of the original city wall.
- The Beaches of Punta Cana. On the eastern coast, the white-sandy beaches of this fast-rising resort -- some 32km (20 miles) of white sands -- have put it on the tourist map for North Americans and Europeans. Lavish beach and pool facilities, along with spectacular gardens, and those endless miles of swaying palm trees, have earned for Punta Cana the label of the "Coconut Coast."
