See the Magnificence
Five centuries later, the natural beauty that attracted Christopher Columbus is still evident in the Dominican Republic's magnificent mountains (including the Caribbean's loftiest, 10,414-foot-high Pico Duarte), rivers, waterfalls, and flawless white-sand beaches. A boom in adventure sports has made the Dominican Republic a major center for windsurfing, hiking, and mountain biking (fat-tire hot spots include Jarabacoa and San Jose de las Matas).

View Larger Map

ISLANDS contributing editor Ann Vanderhoof recently visited the Dominican Republic, where she had an adventure that we titled "The Back Road That Ate My SUV." Climbing into a rental vehicle to explore the interior of the island, she found "painfully beautiful" scenery, an authentic bakery and local villagers more than willing to help a traveler in need. Read the full story.

Fly direct to Puerto Plata (POP) from Miami (MIA) on American Eagle. aa.com

Stay oceanfront in one of El Magnifico's varied condos, the perfect jumping-off point for exploring the Dominican Republic. hotelmagnifico.com

Eat tandoori and goat curry at the Blue Moon Retreat Cabarete. bluemoonretreat.net

Find adventure with Get Wet tours. From Cabarete, Get Wet tours accesses the island interior for canyoneering and more, half-day to full-day. getwetadventure.com

Golf at one of the famed courses in La Romana. At the new course Punta Cana Resort and Club, the most memorable hole is No. 7, where an astonishing 21 pot bunkers guard a small elevated green.

Explore Lago Enriquillo, about 150 miles west of Santo Domingo, home to Isla Cabritos National Park and its healthy population of American crocodiles. You can see them from the lakeshore, but a better option is to reserve a boat at the park headquarters for the 30-minute ride to the island, where you'll find more crocs, plus iguanas and a visitors center. Afterward, cruise the western end of the lake, where pink flamingos flock in the shallow waters.

Windsurf in Cabarete. It's famous for windsurfing and also is a good place to try kiteboarding, in which a parasail-style kite provides the wind power -- and the lift, enabling good riders to cover 50 feet or more in a single wave-jump. Protected by a barrier reef, Cabarete's large bay is a perfect place for beginners; experienced board-sailors can head farther offshore to be pushed across deep water by the steady trade winds.

Learn more at godominicanrepublic.com.