The Heart of the
Dominican Republic
All important of the Dominican Republic is already said and noted.
You will find it on different web pages and in all travel guides, and everywhere
you also can read the same: the size of the island, location, history,
objects of interest, etc. etc.
But the really most beautiful of the island, "El Corazon" (the heart) is almost
everywhere neglected. What a pity, because here you will find some surprises.
Here nature presents itself as variedly as on no other Caribbean island. There
is the most fruitful valley, the largest dry regions, the highest mountain
(Pico Duarte, 3,175 m), the deepest level (La Lloya in the
Enriquillo lake - 40 m under the sea level) and the largest lake (Lago
Enriquillo), the highest waterfall (Aguas Blancas with two cascades
and a height of 83 m), most national park (altogether 14) and not least
the longest and most beautiful palm beaches of the Caribbean.
The
most important shortly:
The national territory of the Dominican Republic takes, with a total area of
48.464 qkm, about two thirds of the island Hispaniola. The max. linear
extension amounts to 390 km, outgoing from the cape Engaño up to
the Haitian boundary, the largest width, between cape Isabela and cape
Beata measured, 286 km. 1,576 km coastal line and 390 km boundary with
Haití.
And now come on and accompany us into the heart of the island, by the Cibao
valley and into the "Cordillera Central". The valley of Cibao (Valle
del Cibao), the grain chamber of the republic, is situated between
two mountain ranges - the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera
Septentrional. Larger cities are Santiago de los Caballeros, La
Vega, Bonao and San Francisco de Macoris.
And it already goes highly into the mountains.
The Cordillera Central is a powerful mountain range of over 250
km, which extends between the San Nicolás peninsula in Haití
up to the cities Bonao and San Cristóbal. The highest
mountain of the island Hispaniola is the Pico Duarte (with 3.175
m), La Pelona (3,150 m) and La Rusilla (3,029 m). Important
rivers of the country such as Río Yaque del Norte (308 km),
Río Yaque del Sur (200 km) and Río Yuna (210 km) rise in
the Cordillera Central.
Valle de Constanza and Valle Nuevo (2,500 m) are popular targets of
hiker tourists. Also beginning in Jarabacoa (530 m) you will find
wonderful walking tours.
In the Cordillera Central are situated in direct neighbourhood two national
parks (Parque Nacional Armando Bermúdez and Parque Nacional
José del Carmen Ramírez) as well as a scientific protected
area (Reserva Científica Natural de Valle Nuevo).
In the Dominican Alps (Alpes Dominicanos) - in such a way the region
is officially called - you will find cows and horses graze on juicy meadows.
Pinetrees and palms are next to each other. The local forest stands are
singular for the Dominican Republic. The elevator climate with its warm
days and pleasantly cool nights lets the air conditioning systems forget.
Here you will be well at once . .
