“Punta Cana has something for every family member to explore, from luxurious spas, to a swim with dolphins, to challenging golf or relaxing beach-time,” said Magaly Toribio, the DR Ministry of Tourism’s Vice Minister of International Promotion. “The captivating destination boasts sumptuous all-inclusive resorts with family-friendly activities, warm hospitality and delicious cuisine that will suit every taste and budget.”

Travel is hassle-free with many direct flights from major U.S. cities to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), the region’s most modern and popular airport.  Here are five reasons why you should whisk your family off to Punta Cana this summer to explore the breathtaking island and create memories that will last a lifetime:

Gorgeous Beaches: Grab your beach towels and flip-flops and see why Punta Cana was ranked as the 8th best beach destination in the world by TripAdvisor Travelers.(1) The area features numerous public and private beaches, including “Blue Flag” European certified beach Cabeza de Toro; surfing beach Uvero Alto; parasailing-friendly beach Bavaro; and less populated beaches in the area’s smaller villages like Boca de Yuma and El Cortecito-Los Corales.

Unique culture: The DR amazes with sizzling culture and rich history culminating from Spanish, African and Taino Indian influence over six centuries. Learn about history while you enjoy warm Dominican people and rhythmic music. Visit caves where drawings by ancient Taino Indians can be seen or learn to dance merengue and bachata at your resort or local nightclubs. Families of all ages can spend quality time together and experience the authentic Dominican way of life.

Enchanting ecotourism: In addition to relaxing , today families look for memorable vacation adventures they can do together.Punta Cana’s eco adventures will satisfy any traveler. Kids can get up-close-and-personal with non-poisonous snakes or swim with the graceful dolphins at Dolphin Island Park; take a walk in the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park and see an exotic fruit-tree garden; watch an animal entertainment show at Manati Park; or ride a 4-wheel beach buggy to one of many secluded beaches.

Top-notch golf: As the unchallenged “It” destination for golf in the Caribbean, Punta Cana boasts nearly a dozen magnificent designer golf courses designed by some of golf’s most acclaimed course architects, including Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye and Nick Faldo. Courses are set on dramatic coastlines and graced with year-round warm weather. These elite, full-service clubs provide golfers with exquisite scenery and challenging plays, and with abundant golf professionals and kid’s clinics available, everyone will be sure to enjoy hitting the links.

Pocket Friendly: TripAdvisor says 26 percent of parents with children plan to take their family vacation during the school year in order to save money and 39 percent expect to spend more on family travel in 2011.(1) No need to do either if you jet off to Punta Cana, one of the most budget friendly destinations in 2011 according to ShermansTravel.com.(2) With a vast amount of all-inclusive resorts and numerous daily nonstop flights, Punta Cana is more pocket-friendly and accessible than ever. And just a two-hour flight from Miami, it is one of the closest international destinations for Americans.

The Dominican Republic facts can be quite interesting. The Dominican Republic is a country very rich in history and culture. The whole island was called “La Española” after being discovered by Christopher Columbus at the year 1492. The country was the first settlement of the Spaniard empire in the new world and was used to conquer the rest of the territories in the new continent.

Originally the island was inhabited by the Tainos but as the Spaniards continued conquering the island most of them disappeared. Diseases from the Spaniards as well as slavery were causes for their gradual demise. However, before that; many Spaniards manage to marry taino women leading to interracial marriage. Later when African slaves were brought to the island they also joined with some of the tainos further increasing the racial diversity.

One of the Dominican Republic facts that cannot be ignored is that the French were also present on the island as the Spaniards were establishing their territory. They manage to create a settlement in the western part of the island that later became Haiti. Around the year 1795 the whole Hispaniola Island was ceded to France by Spain but a revolt by the slaves complicated the situation for the French losing the western settlement. Later after that; Spain managed to regain control of the remaining part of the island.

Dominican Republic Independence

At some point around the year 1821 Jose Nuñez de Caceres declared the independence of the country but his efforts were frustrated by the Haitian invasion a few weeks later. Haitians ruled the Hispaniola for approximately 2 decades but then the inhabitants got tired of the continuous abuse of the new government. Around the year 1844: new revolts formed against the Haitian army leading to the independence of the Dominican Republic from the Haiti government. There was a lot of political turmoil in the following decades including the return of the country to Spaniard domain but at the year 1865 Spain finally gave up the island.

Dominican Republic Facts – Today

Today 2/3 parts of the Hispaniola belong to the Dominican Republic while 1/3 of the island is occupied by Haiti. The Dominican Republic is the second largest country in the Caribbean and it contains the tallest mountain in the Caribbean (Pico Duarte) and the biggest lake (Lake enriquillo). The population is approximately 9.5 million people. The most populated city is Santo Domingo (the capital) with approximately 3,000,000 people. The second is Santiago de los Caballeros with close to 1,400,000 people. The rest of the cities are more evenly populated. The main religion of the country is Roman Catholic as approximately 70% of the population practices it. Protestants cover around the 19% to 20% of the population and the rest are not associated with any particular religion. The main language of the country is Spanish but some English is also taught at the schools as a secondary language.

The currency at the Dominican Republic is the Dominican peso; on the other hand,the USD (United States dollar) and the euro (EUR) are commonly accepted at tourist destinations like Punta Cana and Santo Domingo. Other Dominican Republic Facts that you must be aware of is that the country is the birthplace of the popular rhythm called merengue (a very fast dance music) and the bachata (a romantic type of music) which originated in the rural areas of the country.

Description:
Just like a scene from the TV show Flipper! Swim up close and personal with dolphins in their natural habitat off the tropical shores of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Experience the twirls, the up-close contact, and the playful interaction with these gentle and intelligent creatures. Afterwards, enjoy the comfortable facilities of the base with lazy hammocks and plenty of rum and sun.

You will leave with a greater appreciation and understanding of these wonderful mammals.

Included:
• Round trip transport
• Boat ride to Dolphin Island
• Refreshments

What to bring:
• Beach clothing
• Bathing suit
• Camera or underwater camera
• Sunscreen
• Cash to purchase souvenirs

Duration of Tour:
Approx 3 hours

Time of tour:
9:00am, 12:00pm & 3:00pm (Pick up times vary depending on hotel)

Days tour runs:
Daily

Meeting Point:
Hotel Lobby or specified meeting point

Notes:
Children under eight years of age and pregnant woman are not permitted on this excursion.

*Caribbean Dream T.O. is dedicated to the quality of our tours and we can confirm the good treatment of the dolphins.

Rates:
$120.00

Hispaniola became a convenient launch pad for further excursions in to the new world for Spain. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the island nation went through several occupations and much political turmoil. Recently the local government has made great strides in moving towards a representative democracy.

Situated in the eastern most province of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana is part of the newly created Punta Cana-Bavaro-Veron-Macao municipal district in La Altagracia. Punta Cana consists of the areas of Cap Cana (Juanillo), Punta Cana, Cabeza de Toro, Bavaro, El Cortecito, Arena Gorda, Macao and Uvero Alto.

Punta Cana has been a popular tourist destination since the 1970s. It is perhaps best known for its world famous beaches, the Cabeza de Toro, the Bavaro and the El Cortecito that straddle the Caribbean and the Atlantic oceans. The area is known for its mega-resorts and balnearios that are in abundance in the area.

Some of the most popular tourist attractions are the incredible fishing charters, jeep safaris where you can learn about the traditional Dominican people and lifestyles. There are some amazing caving adventures like the Cueva Cave Tour and the Boca de Diablo, a large cave system south of Los Haitises.

Punta Cana has twelve professional golf courses and fifty others that are rated as some of the best in the world. Water sports are available in most places with scuba, snorkeling and boat tours available. One of the more popular boat tours goes to Sanoa Island (in Taino called “Adamanai”).

Safari-type excursions on atvs, dune buggy, jeep and monster trucks are all popular excursions. Helicopter tours give an unparallel view of the landscape. Horseback riding is also popular in Punta Cana with the option of riding on deserted white-sand beaches.

Some of the other popular attractions are the Marinarium. This marine park on the sea offers snorkeling with sharks and manta rays. Just a short boat ride takes you to Dolphin Island. This artificial island was created as a place where tourists can swim with trained dolphins in the sea.

The Manati Park Bavaro is a 130 000 square meter nature preserve with permanent exhibits of birds, reptiles, and fish. The park even showcases entertainment in a show featuring parrots, dolphins and dancing horses.

The Punta Cana Ecological Reserve is located just fifteen minutes from the Punta Cana International Airport. The Reserve offers a short guided tour through the jungle where tropical flora and fauna abound. It also features a cool natural spring at the end of the walk to bath in.

Punta Cana has seen a lot of changes to its political and economic landscape since it was first settled. It has emerged as a vibrant community that caters to the tourist and visitors from all over the world and helps sustain the economy of this tropical paradise.

Scuba Divers Explore Magical Sea Life Surrounding the DR

Discover the endless underwater world of the Dominican Republic, a diver’s paradise with nearly 1,000 miles of breathtaking coastline that features colorful marine life and intriguing shipwrecks from when pirates sailed the Caribbean. Located roughly 800 miles south of Miami, the DR boasts numerous sea grass beds, vibrant coral reefs, mysterious underwater caves and some of the region’s most unique sea creatures. Simply put, divers should expect the unexpected.

“We are a top-notch diving destination amid turquoise waters so clear and blue one has to see to believe. The DR offers diverse marine life, excellent certified diving schools and accessible dive sites along our amazing coasts,” said Magaly Toribio, DR Ministry of Tourism Vice Minister of International Promotion. “The DR has it all with developed tourist areas boasting world-class hotels and more off-the-beaten-path options for adventurous, independent divers.”

With the Atlantic Ocean on the north and the Caribbean Sea on the south, the following underwater treasures await you in the DR:

Sheer Exhilaration in the South

The DR’s Southcentral Coast is home to illuminating coral, technicolor fish, an underwater national park, mysterious caverns and is well-suited for both beginner and experienced divers.

East of capital city Santo Domingo near Boca Chica, La Caleta Underwater National Park delights beginners and experienced divers alike at 600 square miles and 600 feet deep. With fascinating reef and wreck diving, La Caleta is known for attracting multicolor fish and the park will soon introduce the first underwater museum of submerged Dominican themed sculptures.

Nearby, divers can explore the 69 foot wreck of tugboat El Limon embedded with coral reefs and 144 foot wreck of Hickory, surrounded by hundreds of yellow tube sponge clusters that swim among this treasure salvage vessel.

Also hidden in the DR’s southern waters is El Catuan, a sunken ship buried 60 feet underwater, and Barracuda Reef, a natural underwater mountain thriving with barracudas. Here you will discover mysterious underwater caves like Cueva Taina, El Hipodromo and El Tildo.

More adventurous divers can explore the DR’s extreme southern coastal area near Barahona-Pedernales. This less-traveled coast features warmer waters and well-protected dives due to the reef structures and coastal curve.

Adventure along the Southeast Coast

With a wealth of marine life, the DR’s Southeast Coast has one of the Caribbean’s largest sunken ships, the 266 foot long St. George, where you may come face to face with grouper, barracudas, dolphins, morays, and mackerel, to name a few.

Southwest of La Romana, the idyllic Catalina Island offers 15 to 140 feet deep dives in reefs like La Pared (The Wall), or caves like Hoyo Azul (Blue Hole) and Padre Nuestro Cave (Our Father’s Cave). Catalina Island is also home to the aquarium, a large coral formation inhabited by toad fish, sea horses and the lion fish. Just off Catalina Island is a spectacular wall dive of a coral slope running 130 feet deep to a sandy bottom, with an abundance of fish, corals and sponges along the way.

Adrenaline Rush on the North Coast

Offering 225 miles of amazing coastline from the Samana Peninsula to Montecristi, the North Coast is filled with colorful coral, rich marine fauna, unrivaled caves, tunnels and reef abysses.

Waters surrounding Samana are known for more challenging dives, especially around Las Galeras. A quick boat ride away, divers can journey 120 feet down and swim around the coral tower Cabo Cabron and other coral landscapes like Las Tres Puertas (The Three Doors) and La Piedra (The Stone).

For exploration on land, be sure to visit the Deep Blue Marine’s Shipwreck Museum in Samana with cool exhibits of artifacts recovered from ancient shipwrecks. Exhibitions have included artifacts from Le Scipion, a French warship that fought in the American War of Independence, as well as several other major historical wrecks.

Hidden in the protected waters of Sosua Bay, northwest of Samana, are underwater gardens, wall and reef diving, and shipwrecks, all swimming with an array of marine life. Divers can travel west of Sosua to Montecristi and observe a variety of coral reefs, such as Cayo Arena, as well as the remains of nearly 230 shipwrecks, including one from the Spanish fleet that sunk in 1563.

The Dominican Republic’s first tourist was Christopher Columbus in 1492. Rich in history, the DR has developed into a diverse destination offering both Dominican and European flavors to more than one million U.S. visitors each year. Named #1 Golf Destination in Caribbean & Latin America by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, the DR boasts 25+ designer golf courses, upscale resorts, pristine nature, and sophisticated cities and quaint villages filled with warm Dominican people.  The DR features the best beaches, fascinating history and culture, and is a chosen escape for celebrities, couples and families alike.

SOURCE Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism

The dedication as an official underwater museum will take place off the shore of Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic on May 23, the 310th anniversary of Kidd’s hanging in London for his ‘crimes of piracy.’

The dedication will note both underwater and above-ground interpretive plaques. The underwater plaques will help guide divers around the Kidd site as well as relics and rare corals at two other shipwreck sites.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded IU $200,000 to turn the Captain Kidd shipwreck site and two nearby existing underwater preserves into no-take, no-anchor “Living Museums of the Sea,” where cultural discoveries will protect precious corals and other threatened biodiversity in the surrounding reef systems, under the supervision and support of the Dominican Republic’s Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Subacuático (ONPCS). USAID has since extended its support by a year, increasing the funding award to $300,000.

The Underwater Science team from the IU School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER), led by Beeker, has been working to preserve, analyze and document the Kidd shipwreck since its surprising discovery, which made headlines around the world. This unique museum, resting in less than 10 feet of water just 70 feet from shore, will give divers the opportunity to see the 17th century ship remains, including several anchors, along with dozens of cannons, which rest on the ocean’s floor and serve as home to coral and sea creatures. Above water, several more traditional museums will benefit from artifacts that are on loan to IU by the Dominican Republic government for the purpose of study and research.

“As this ongoing multidisciplinary research continues,” Beeker said, “interest in the project has grown and new partnerships are developing, including the Peace Corps assigning their volunteers to the project, and the Consorcio Dominicano de Competitividad Turistica promoting the project as a sustainable tourism destination.”

As the interest in eco-tourism and unique vacation destinations continues to grow, this Living Museum of the Sea is predicted to be a sought-after destination for those seeking underwater adventures combined with significant 17th century maritime history representative of the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean.

Beeker said it was remarkable that the wreck had remained undiscovered all these years given its location, just 70 feet off the coast of Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic, and because it has been actively sought by treasure hunters.

“Since the site’s discovery, we have worked with government officials, Indiana University partners and museums to preserve this site, the artifacts contained there and to use it all for research and scientific study,” said Beeker, a pioneer in underwater museums and preserves. “We have diligently protected this site, and now we are able to share the importance of the Armenian-owned 1699 Quedagh Merchant (which was captured by Kidd off the west coast of India) with students at Indiana University as well as with the public at exhibits at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the British Museum of Docklands London.”

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis helped bring one of the most fascinating underwater mysteries in years to visitors in its new permanent exhibit, National Geographic Treasures of the Earth. Charles Beeker was authorized by Dominican Republic authorities to bring the only cannon recovered from the shipwreck to The Children’s Museum for five years of study and conservation. The Children’s Museum and Beeker received a $1 million grant from Eli Lilly & Company Foundation to support this project and to search for and recover artifacts from other historically significant ships that are believed to be in the Caribbean, with this including the ongoing search for the Lost Fleet of Christopher Columbus.

Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, said the popular museum and IU have similar interests, to bring fascinating discoveries to the public.

“Our intent was to develop the most authentic experience possible — to bring real archaeological sites, real science, real artifacts and real experts to our visitors. These extraordinary experiences truly have the power to inspire and transform the lives of children through family learning,” he said. “We’re eager to explore future opportunities with IU’s team of experts in the search for other historically significant ships in the Caribbean.”

Other significant artifacts to be displayed at The Children’s Museum include Ming dynasty plates and statues, diamond and gold jewelry, gold & silver coins, cannonballs and other antiquities, which have been preserved for centuries in the Caribbean waters.

The British Museum of Docklands London has an exhibit featuring the story of Captain Kidd, and a live show depicting Kidd and his travels as one of history’s most notorious pirates. The museum will have a special event in coordination with the underwater museum dedication, honoring the 310th anniversary of Kidd’s execution.

Historians differ on whether Kidd was actually a pirate or a privateer — someone who captured pirates. After his conviction of piracy and murder charges in a sensational London trial, he was left to hang over the River Thames for two years as a warning to other pirates.

Historians write that Kidd captured the Quedagh Merchant, loaded with valuable satins and silks, gold, silver and other East Indian merchandise, but left the ship in the Caribbean as he sailed to New York on a less conspicuous sloop to clear his name of the criminal charges.

Anthropologist Geoffrey Conrad, director of IU Bloomington’s Mathers Museum of World Cultures, said the men Kidd entrusted with his ship reportedly looted it, and then set it ablaze and adrift down the Rio Dulce. Conrad said the location of the wreckage and the formation and size of the canons, which had been used as ballast, are consistent with historical records of the ship. They also found pieces of several anchors under the cannons.

“All the evidence that we find underwater is consistent with what we know from historical documentation, which is extensive,” Conrad said. “Through rigorous archeological investigations, we have conclusively proven that this is the Captain Kidd shipwreck.”

The IU research in the Dominican Republic typically involves professors and graduate students from various IU Bloomington schools and departments, including the School of HPER, the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and the departments of anthropology, biology, geological sciences and mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences.

“The archeological work being done by IU in the Dominican Republic affords us tremendous entrée for wider areas of collaboration,” said School of HPER Interim Dean Mo R. Torabi.

Since the discovery, Beeker has met with and given presentations to research experts in London, Armenia and Washington, D.C., and the interest continues to spread because of the complex trading and exploration channels that existed in the 17th century.

For more than 20 years, Beeker and his students have conducted underwater research projects on submerged ships, cargo and other cultural and biological resources throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Many of his research projects have resulted in the establishment of state or federal underwater parks and preserves, and have led to a number of site nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.

Beeker, who has been conducting research in the Dominican Republic for nearly 20 years, was asked to examine the shipwreck in 2007 while on another research mission involving the search for Christopher Columbus’ lost ships. Beeker and Conrad have been exploring the era when the New and Old Worlds first met, focusing on the area of La Isabela Bay, the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement established by Columbus in 1494.