The Dominican Republic is the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas and became the first point of colonization in the Western Hemisphere by explorers from Europe. It gained independence from Haiti on 27 February 1844. The Dominican Republic even offered itself for sale to the United States.

Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland.
The island was first inhabited by the Taínos, an Arawakan-speaking people who had arrived around A.D. 600. Within a few short years, following the arrival of European explorers, the population of Tainos had significantly declined.

In 1496 Bartholomew Columbus, Christopher's brother, built the city of Santo Domingo, Europe's first permanent settlement in the "New World". The Spaniards created a plantation economy and the colony was the springboard for the further Spanish conquest of America and for decades the headquarters of Spanish power in the hemisphere. Christopher was buried in Santo Domingo upon his death in 1506.

In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. After three centuries of Spanish rule, with French and Haitian interludes, the country became independent in 1821 , but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years, it finally attained independence, victorious in the Dominican War of Independence, as the Dominican Republic in 1844. Spain abandoned the island in 1865. Political strife again prevailed in the following years; warlords ruled, military revolts were extremely common, and the nation amassed debt. From 1902, the national government was bankrupt and, unable to pay debts, faced the threat of military intervention by France and other European creditor powers.

The United States sought to prevent European intervention, largely to protect the routes to the future Panama Canal, as the canal was already under construction, obtained agreement for U.S. administration of Dominican customs in 1905, then the chief source of income for the Dominican government, to last 50 years. The United States agreed to use part of the customs proceeds to reduce the foreign debt of the Dominican Republic, and assumed responsibility for said debt. The United States occupation of 1916–1924, and a subsequent, calm and prosperous six-year period were followed by the military dictatorship.

There was considerable economic growth during Trujillo's long and iron-fisted regime, although a great deal of the wealth was taken by the dictator and other regime elements. He finally negotiated an undisputed border with Haiti in 1935, and achieved the end of the 50-year customs agreement in 1941, instead of 1956. He made the country debt-free in 1947, a proud achievement for Dominicans for decades to come.This was accompanied by absolute repression and the use of murder, torture, and terrorist methods against the opposition. Moreover, Trujillo's megalomania was on display in his renaming after himself the capital city Santo Domingo to "Ciudad Trujillo", the nation's highest mountain Pico Duarte to "Pico Trujillo", and many towns and a province he renamed after members of his family. In 1937 Trujillo, in an event known as the Parsley Massacre, ordered the Army to kill Haitians living on the Dominican side of the border. The Army killed an estimated 17,000 to 35,000 Haitians over six days, from the night of October 2, 1937 through October 8, 1937. To avoid leaving evidence of the Army's involvement, the soldiers used machetes rather than bullets. For a long time, the U.S. supported the Trujillo government, despite the assassinations of political opposition, the massacre of Haitians, and Trujillo's plots against other countries. The U.S. finally broke with Trujillo in 1960, after Trujillo's agents attempted to assassinate the Venezuelan president. Trujillo was assassinated on May 30, 1961, ending the dictatorship.

A democratically elected government took office in February, 1963, but was overthrown. After nineteen months of military rule, the U.S., concerned over the possible takeover by communists who might create a "second Cuba", sent Marines followed by the Army's 82d Airborne Division. These remained in the country for over a year and left after supervising elections in 1966. A period of repression of human rights and civil liberties, to keep pro-Castro or pro-communist parties out of power. The last civil war was ended by the 1965 United States occupation of the Dominican Republic, and was followed by the authoritarian rule. Since then, the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy.

The Dominican Republic has become the Caribbean's largest tourist destination, the country's year-round golf courses are among the top attractions. In this mountainous land is located the Caribbean's highest mountain, Pico Duarte, as is Lake Enriquillo, the Caribbean's largest lake and lowest elevation. Music and sport are of the highest importance in Dominican culture, with merengue as the national dance and song and baseball the favorite sport.

Its exportation of merengue music is well known, a type of lively, joyful music and dance music consisting of a tempo of about 120 to 160 beats per minute, based on African rhythm that is similar to the Haitian Méringue but is played and danced faster, beats use Latin percussion, brass instruments, bass, and piano or keyboard.

Frankly, I've been here twice, and on both occasions I found myself in a world lost, than a country who was pulling itself together (though my visit here was in 1988 and 1991). Crimes against tourists, a transportation hub for cocaine smuggled into the United States, even UNICEF reports at least 25,000 children involved in the sex trade.

Lets be honest, Dominican Republic is not one of the best places to visit, its corruption is visible, we were advised if we rented a car or bike to not stop when the police on the side of road motioned to pull over, and instead, continue on our way, being the lowest paid professions in the country, they were not about to pursue. National government corruption, foreign economic interference in the country, unemployment, and the rift between the rich and poor. There are better places on earth worth visiting...

Santo Domingo

The first capital in the Americas and the present capital of the Dominican Republic. The beaches are much than those in the north, I found the city of Santo Domingo to be just shameful for a capital.

Santo Domingo is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1496, it is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas, and was the first seat of Spanish colonial rule in the New World.

Puerto Plata

Compared to the southern neighbor of Santo Domingo, this is the place to be, far more tranquil and picturesque and more eco friendly than its southern half of the island.

Sósua

A small town in the Puerto Plata province offering idealic and perfect beaches to enjoy, probably the closest to paradise you'll find in the region.