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Top Things To See
Casa de Campo
This vast resort offers a smorgasbord of different activities, from horseback riding, shooting and tennis to scuba-diving, riverboat fishing and golf. Its "Teeth of the Dog" golf course has received numerous international accolades (www.casadecampo.com.do). Columbus Lighthouse A colossal cross-shaped monument to Christopher Columbus, the ‘lighthouse' (rarely used as such) doubles as a world museum. The explorer's remains are kept here under a grand sarcophagus. Lago Enriquillo Populated by countless thousands of tropical birds (and a healthy population of crocodiles), Lago Enriquillo is a spectacularly large salt-water lake near the Haitian border. Mount Isabela de Torres Close to Puerto Plata, Mount Isabela de Torres provides exceptional views of the ocean and surrounding landscape. Adventurous sorts can climb it under their own steam; others might prefer the cable-car. Museo del Hombre Dominicano Santo Domingo's best museum gives a fascinating look at the country's anthropology, with a focus on sculptures and artefacts relating to the Tainos, the island's original inhabitants (www.museodelhombredominicano.org.do). Puerto Plata The northern city has an absorbing Old Town, most notably in the form of the Fort San Felipe, first constructed by the Spaniards in 1540 as both a defensive outpost and a keep for captured smugglers. Zona Colonial Santo Domingo's Zona Colonial boasts some of the most important buildings in the Americas, including the grand building that Columbus' son called home and the cathedral built to proselytise the region. |
