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Travel & Holidays in later life
Hotel and 'club' resorts are centred around an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones. Landscape gardeners have transformed the entire zone into a purpose-built holiday getaway. Only a few miles away is Sosua, which has more the atmosphere of a Mediterranean resort.
This northern region is named the Amber Coast, which includes 75 miles of white and golden
sands. There are coastal lagoons with clear fresh waters, set against a backdrop of lush
green mountains. Government tourist policy has aimed at developing selected areas of the
coastline, leaving the rest untouched. This may cause confusion with the former British colony of Dominica, which is no relation. But that confusion already exists, with the two islands regularly receiving each other's mail. The language and culture of the island date from the discovery of the country by
Columbus, with Santo Domingo established as the oldest Spanish city in the Western
Hemisphere. Spanish rule lasted for over 300 years. In this third world country, tourism is welcomed with a big smile. Typically, in a
land of frequent electric power failures, the tourist areas are 'spoilt' by having
absolute priority in keeping the current flowing. Nobody wants to irritate the nation's
biggest source of hard-currency earnings. 
Even drinks can be included, though usually limited to 'national' drinks - only beer,
house wine and any cocktail based on rum. Imported drinks are excluded, because of high
import duties.Most visitors come mainly for the beaches, water-sports and nightlife of the principal resorts. For the sport-minded, there's every available facility from tennis to volleyball, ping-pong and golf. The over-50s can find it's not too late to learn to scuba-dive. But much of Dominicana's special magic lies beyond the resorts. The terrain is rugged, with alternating bands of mountain ranges, valleys and plains. More than a third of the total area lies above 1,500 ft. There are mountain retreats that are sometimes called the Alps of the Caribbean, with the highest peak soaring to 10,562 ft. The country offers fantastic scenic diversity from cacti to rain forests, mangrove lagoons to cascading waterfalls in the mountains. Sheltered coves and river inlets were greatly favoured by pirate vessels that laid in wait for treasure-laden Spanish galleons. The tropical vegetation itself is fascinating to visitors from other climatic zones. It's deeply interesting to see the working of big plantations of sugar, bananas, pineapples, tobacco or coffee. Wayside plants and trees are a gardener's delight in a land of lush fertility. Whether your choice is northern coast or southern, there is potential to reach closer to the lifestyle of Dominicana. Everywhere there are friendly faces.  Music and dance have a big influence on
Dominican life. In streets, restaurants and bars there is a permanent flow of music,
recorded or live. The national dance is merengue, backed by every variation from Caribbean
and Latin America.In 1992, celebrations to mark the fifth centenary of the Columbus voyages awakened interest in Dominicana's share in that history. The story can best be followed in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo, where the Columbus family was deeply involved for at least seventy epoch-making years. Wandering through that Zone is like turning the clock back to the 1490s.
"Books to read - click on cover pictures" or click on the links below The Rough Guide to the Dominican Republic - This one will help you experience the island much better than if you just stay all the time in an all-inclusive resort. "AA Essential Dominican Republic" by Lee Karen Stow - A handy pocket guide in the standard AA format, giving the Top Ten sights to see, with a star rating for the rest. "Dominican Republic Handbook" by Sarah Cameron - If you want more background on the island's history, culture, wildlife and ecosystems, buy this one from the Footprint series. Merengue: Dominican Music and Dominican Identity - If you're fascinated by the traditional Merengue dance music of Dominicana, this book traces the growth of its popularity throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Dominican Republic (Frommer's Portable Guides) - for the short-term traveller who insists on value and doesn't want to pack a full-size guidebook.
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Visit our Pre-retirement Courses section here on laterlife or our dedicated Retirement Courses site
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When Columbus went cruising
in the Caribbean over 500 years ago, his favourite discovery was a very large island which he
called Hispaniola. He described it as "the most beautiful country which has ever been
seen by human eyes." 
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