DK Travel : Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a country of surprising contrasts and extraordinary variety. From the chilly peak of the Caribbean’s highest mountain to some of the region’s most delightful beaches, the country boasts lush valleys, spectacular waterfalls, and sun-baked deserts. The past and present also blend in a fascinating mix of colonial buildings and modern hotels, sleepy rural villages and lively tourist resorts. The people, too, reflect a kaleidoscope of influences — Spanish, African, indigenous — creating a culture that emphasizes both creativity and fun in the fields of music, sport, and art.

Pedro Martínez (b. 1971)

Widely considered to be simply the best pitcher in the US Major League.
Pelicans

The huge, heavy brown pelican, with long bill and pouch, can be seen either swimming in the sea or diving spectacularly at a steep angle in search of a fish.
Peñon Gordo, Bayahibe

Part of the Parque Nacional del Este, this cave system has some of the country’s best-preserved Taino images on rock panels. A guardian figure, with large head and raised arms, watches over the low entrance of the first cave.
Petroglyphs

The carvings of human faces, animals, and abstract forms scratched onto rock, often in caves.
Pez Dorado, Santiago

A well established bistro, popular with the upper-income residents, particularly for family Sunday lunches and business encounters. The menu is a combination of Chinese, Dominican, and international dishes. The food and wines are excellent, and portions are generous.
Pico Duarte

The biggest challenge of them all, the mountain can be reached from several trails, the most popular setting off from La Ciénega. The round trip takes at least three days, and an official guide must accompany walkers. You’ll pass through pine forests, meadows, and rocky terrain.
Pico Duarte

This peak offers excellent views, though only the toughest hikers can undertake the expedition to the top of the Caribbean’s highest mountain. On a clear day, the Caribbean Sea can be seen to the south and huge Lago Enriquillo to the west (see Pico Duarte).
Pico Isabel de Torres

If you don’t want to take the cable car to the top of the mountain, you can always choose the four-hour hike up a steep rainforest-clad slope. Guides are recommended, as it’s easy to stray off the paths and get lost. The lush vegetation is home to parakeets and many other birds (see Pico Isabel de Torres, Puerto Plata).
Pico Isabel de Torres, Puerto Plata

Watched over by a 54-ft (16-m) statue of Christ, the long Atlantic coastline stretches to the horizon. You can find hotel clusters and other modern developments lined along the white beaches. The town of Puerto Plata lies beneath, the cathedral clearly visible, and inland the mountains of the Cordillera Septentrional.
Pictographs

Drawings, usually made with charcoal against a pale rockface, showing everyday and spiritual imagery.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal and a beer for one including tax and service.
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