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 . .