9-Night E. Caribbean Cruise from Norfolk Port Highlights - Samana, Dominican Republic

Columbus sighted its coral-edged Caribbean coastline on his first voyage to the New World and pronounced: "There is no more beautiful island in the world." The first permanent European settlement in the New World was on November 7, 1493, and its ruins still remain near Montecristi in the northeast part of the island.

Much of what Columbus first sighted still remains in a natural, unspoiled condition. One-third of the Dominican Republic's 869 mile coastline is devoted to beaches. The best are in Puerto Plata and La Romana, although Puerto Plata and other beaches on the Atlantic side of the island
have dangerously strong currents at times.

The people of the Dominican Republic are among the friendliest in the Caribbean, and the hospitality here seems more genuine than in more commercialized Puerto Rico. The weather is nearly perfect year-round. And the Dominican Republic's white-sand beaches are among the finest in the Caribbean. Punta Cana/Bávaro, for example, is the longest strip of white sand in the entire region.

The Dominican Republic has its own distinct cuisine and cultural heritage. Its Latin flavor is a sharp contrast to the character of many nearby islands, especially the British- and French-influenced ones.

The verdant peninsula of Samana is paradise found for nature enthusiasts. Somewhat remote and removed from the tourist trail, this patch of paradise is home to one of the most important rain forests and mangrove reserves in the Caribbean. And its crystal-clear coast features some of the best diving on the northern side of the Dominican Republic. So pop on your flippers. In some spots you can see up to 150 feet!