Dominican Republic – Manorpark Properties

Paradise

Paradise is a much-vaunted word, but with regard to the Dominican Republic it is a word that cannot be over used. The Dominican Republic or DR as it’s known, forms part of Hispaniola, the most beautiful island in the Caribbean. Popularly referred to as “the land of dreams” and dubbed by Christopher Columbus "The most beautiful place that human eyes have ever seen”, many miles of pristine white sandy beach, contrast perfectly with the azure blue of the warm Caribbean Sea and often cloudless skies, making it an idyllic second home location.

The Dominican Republic together with Haiti, share the island of Hispaniola, located in the middle of the Caribbean. The country offers a diverse and interesting mix of terrain featuring mountainous central and western regions and extensive lowlands in the east. Large sections of rainforest and desert plain lie alongside the savannahs and Mangroves, which are havens for wildlife and nature.

The beauty

The countries national parks and protected or conservation areas are home to a fascinating variety of plants, trees, reptiles, birds and animals some of which, like the rhinoceros iguana are natives of Hispaniola. An endangered species that look quite fearsome, they are infact shy and timid herbivores. There are also four types of turtle and four different kinds of crocodile. The crocs are not generally regarded as a direct threat to Man, preferring their diet of fish and smaller animals but it is best, as with everything in nature to treat them with respect. Bird watchers will be in their element here with a wide variety of indigenous and migratory species, chief among which are the Hispaniolan Parrots, Woodpeckers, Trogons, Parakeets and Palmchats. Whale watchers can delight in the majesty of the Humpback, catching sight of its long white flippers and large tail as it jumps out of the water.

The Life

Along with is quite breathtaking natural scenery, wildlife and habitats the Dominican Republic provides for a wide range of sporting and leisure activities, among the most popular of which are golf, scuba diving, windsurfing, tennis and horse-riding. Multicultural cuisine is very popular here too with over 40 authentic local and international restaurants in the town of Las Terrenas alone. The previously agriculture based local economy which relied heavily on crops of coffee, sugar and famously tobacco, cigars from the Dominican Republic are widely regarded as being better than Cubans, is increasingly shifting to accommodate and welcome tourism.

The DR enjoys a tropical climate, with temperatures averaging in Celsius between 18 degrees in Winter, and 28 degrees in Summer. In the higher altitudes of the mountains, the temperatures can drop below freezing in the Winter.