Picturesque beaches, coral reefs, verdant mountains and old Spanish towns characterize the Dominican Republic, a Caribbean country perched on the eastern side of Hispaniola Island. The small port of La Romana offers golf, tennis, horseback riding and sightseeing at a model 16th-century Mediterranean Village. In Puerto Plata, the main pastimes include relaxing on white-sand shores, ATV adventures in the Dominican countryside and waterfall treks. As the first permanent European establishment in the New World, the Colonial City of Santo Domingo (founded in 1498) packs in the history. Most tours to this capital city guide cruisers along cobblestone streets to view highlights like the 1508 Fortaleza Ozama Fortress as well as the oldest cathedral and university in the Americas.

Language: Spanish

Currency: Dominican peso (DOP), US dollar (US$)