Dominican Republic Nature
With such a vast and varied climate and landscape it is not surprising that nature plays a huge page of daily Dominican Republic life. From beautiful white sandy beaches to high, jungle filled mountains, from inland lakes to deserted offshore islands, the Dominican Republic truely does offer its visitors, and residents, a magnificent backdrop.
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While you are over here in this wonderful land of paradise, you should let your taste buds go wild and have a Caribbean adventure all of their own. There are so many delicious and also strange looking fruits that are readily available to try so why not go for it….? Get totally tropical in the tropics and have a fantastic fruit frolicking frenzy ! English Spelling First then Dominican Spanish Second Avacado or AguacateStarter for ten points “Is avocado a…
The name tarantula is believed to have originated in the town of Taranto, Italy where as early as the 14th century a frenzied dance called the tarantella was believed to cure the dancers of the “deadly” bite of the spider. In fact the venom of these creatures does not have a high toxicity rate to humans and though there are dangerous venomous spiders that resemble tarantulas they are actually not one of the family Theraphosidae. The Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria…
The American Crocodile has colonized most of Central America but it can also be found with a firm presence in the New World! On its wandering travels this pre historic looking creature has made its home also in South America, Peru and much of the Caribbean including the Dominican Republic. Some Other Common Names for the American Crocodile: Crocodrilo Ameriaco, Crocodile d’Amerique, Caiman de Aguja, Central American Alligator, Crocodrilo de Rio, Crocodile a Museau Pointu, Lagarto Amarillo, Lagarto Real,…
© 2006 - Lynne Osterman As we all know, Cuba was king in the cigar world since the late 16th century. This all changed however when Fidel Castro took control of the country which eventually led to the U.S. embargo. Many cigar makers then immigrated to the Dominican Republic and began production of their finest cigars. The Dominican Republic has now become known as the largest cigar producer worldwide and supplies close to half of the U.S. market with hand-made…
The diverse regions of the Dominican Republic provide habitat to a large population of birds with over 300 recorded species and 30 endemics. The many National Parks in the country offer some of the best locations to encounter these colorful winged friends, with the Sierra de Bahoruco being the number one site in the country. Over 50 species reside in this region including 26 of the endemics. Not only is this area number one for birding in the DR, it…
What are Hurricanes? Do not Panic, Hurricanes are trackable and predicted paths are now very accurate A hurricane is a massive storm with super heavy winds. By definition, they contain winds in excess of 74 miles per hour up to 186 miles per hour and can be up to 600 miles across with the strong winds spiraling inward and upward.Not just bringing forth heavy winds, large and excessive areas of rainfall are present too. Hurricanes also have the potential to…
In the province of Barahona, in the southwestern region of the Dominican Republic, lies a true jewel of the Caribbean. Home to a rare, semi-precious stone known as Larimar, this area has the distinction of being the only place in the world to have this unique resource. Though first discovered in the early 19th century, it wasn't until 1974 that the stone became known through the findings of Norman Rilling, a member of the US Peace Corps, along with a…
A lot of good stuff comes from the Dominican Republic, including bananas, coconuts, cigars, rum and even chocolate! The chocolate industry in the Dominican Republic has far reaching effects around the globe, From the USA to across the Atlantic to the UK and Italy in Europe, the rich, irresistible cocoa home grown in the Dom Rep is a favourite among chocoholics around the world! Dominican Republic chocolate is great for drinking, eating, (wearing!!)and baking with, read our Dominican Republic Chocoholic…
Everyone likes bananas in fact some people just can’t get enough of this fabulous fun fruit and they just love'em !Here are some fun banana facts............. The Dominican Republic grows many different types of bananas and here they are called “Guineo’s” Bananas are grown all year round Bananas contain potassium which is good for brain power Bananas are not really a fruit they are in fact a giant herb Not all bananas are yellow some are pink and even blue!…
The Dominican Republic has the destinction of having one of the two most extensive deposits of amber in the world, the other being the Baltic Sea area. Classified as a gem, amber is actually the fossilized resin of extinct species of trees. The source of Dominican amber was the leguminous tree Hymenaea or Algarrobo. Millions of years ago as these trees toppled and were carried by river systems to the coastal areas, their resins became covered with silt. Eventually this…
Coffee, java, café, koffee even coffea has to be the most popular drink around the whole world for many people first thing in the morning and if you are lucky enough to be vacationing in the Dominican Republic then your morning taste buds are in for a real treat. Take a Dominican coffee out for a test drive and find out why it has become such an important commodity here in the Dominican Republic. Dominican coffees are fine examples of…
Scientifically known as Morinda Citrifolia, Noni has been used for centuries as a healing plant by the ancient cultures in the South Pacific islands. The Carib Indians, who were one of the first inhabitants of Hispaniola, used the leaves as a poultice to treat cuts and various skin infections, but it is only in recent years that the juice of the Noni fruit has been widely marketed in the Dominican Republic. Growing in the low coastal plains and along the…
Using an image from The National Hurricane Center or Noaa as an example: The Cone of Probability is BOTH the White and the White Speckled Area in the image/picture. This is how Noaa indicates where they think a storm is going to go. Do remember it is a probability based on guidance from models – it is not yet a fact as it has not yet occurred. The White Area is the potential area that the storm may influence for…
From late December until mid April the Dominican Republic becomes a breeding and calving zone of the humpback whales. Every year these magnificent air breathing, warm blooded marine mammals migrate from the North Atlantic feeding areas of Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland, the Gulf of Maine and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Decreed a sanctuary in 1986 the Silver Bank, which is located approximately 100 km north of the Dominican Republic, hosts one of the largest population of humpbacks in the Atlantic…
