Intrepid traveler & Dominican Republic expert Christopher J. Baker takes a fascinating tour of this up-&-coming eco-destination. Beginning in the bustling, historic capital city of Santo Domingo, Baker moves on to the southwest, land of the Taino people, the old sugar-processing town of Barahona, wildlife-rich Lago Enriquillo, & magnificent beaches. Then it's on to the southeast, known for the resort zones of Punta Cana & Bavaro, remote beaches, & sugar plantations; the spectacular, underdeveloped Semana Peninsula, famous for its whale-watching; & the north coast, with seemingly unending beaches & what a great life atmosphere. Christopher Columbus' first sight of the New World was upon these shores. The visit ends with explorations of the Valle el Cibao & the central cordillera in the Dominican Republic's mountainous interior, complete with nightlife-bustling Santiago, farmlands that produce some of the world's best cigars, & endless rain forest laced with hiking trails.