Travel Guides for the Dominican Republic

Photo: maessive

I CAME ACROSS a handy 60-second guide to the Dominican Republic over at The Guardian‘s travel section.

It’s got just enough info to introduce you to this small Caribbean island nation — a great destination to escape brutal winter temps. Here are some quick facts:

• “It’s the most diverse of Caribbean nations, with high alpine wilderness, tropical rainforest, savanna, desert and mangrove swamps, as well as the white-sand beaches.”
• “Not to be confused with the little-developed Caribbean island of Dominica, population 73,000.”
• If you decide you want something different, the nation of Haiti shares the island.

Lonely Planet offers a more in-depth look, with visa details, maps, and guides on where to work, study, or just relax.

Of course, once you’re done studying up on the cut-and-dry data, Matador can help you fill in the gaps. Our destination expert on the DR, smalldogonthego, was featured recently here at Trips and is your go-to resource if you have questions.

She’s already gotten us started on the culinary side of things with her Matador community blog post My 10 favorite things to eat in the Dominican Republic.

Photo: Mercedes.. Life as I picture it

From there, make sure to check out Matador member Ted Kerns‘ account of Swimming with Humpback Whales off the DR coast.

And then there’s Kindred Project, one of hundreds of Matador member organizations, which runs 3-4 week immersion programs,

in which participants live and volunteer internationally with the purpose of strengthening bonds to immigrant/ethnic communities closer to home in the U.S.

One of their 2009 programs took participants to the Dominican Republic.

Community Connection

In case all of the above isn’t enough, the DR also made our list of 16 Places to Stretch Your Honeymoon Dollar, and here is one place for all inclusive Dominican Republic holidays.