The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and occupies its eastern two-thirds, offering a geographical variety that surprises many first-time visitors. The landscape ranges from the beaches of the north and east coast to the fertile valleys of the Cibao, the tropical forests of Los Haitises National Park and the highest peak in the Caribbean — Pico Duarte, at 3,098 metres above sea level. Punta Cana on the eastern tip is the country’s most popular resort area — a 50-kilometre stretch of unbroken white sandy beach lined with large all-inclusive resorts, excellent water parks and a wide range of water sports. The beach here is genuinely outstanding, and the Atlantic waters are warm, clear and calm for most of the year. Las Terrenas and the Samaná Peninsula in the north-east offer a more boutique, European-influenced resort experience alongside spectacular beach scenery and winter whale watching. Santo Domingo, the capital on the south coast, is home to the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the Americas — the Zona Colonial, a UNESCO World Heritage site of 16th-century cobbled streets, the first cathedral, the first hospital and the first university built in the New World. The city has a vibrant cultural life, excellent merengue and bachata music scene and some of the country’s finest restaurants. Dominican food reflects its Spanish, African and Taino indigenous heritage — la bandera (the national dish of rice, beans and meat), sancocho stew and chicharrón are staples, washed down with Presidente beer or Mama Juana herbal rum. The Dominican Republic is warm year-round and excellent value, particularly in the all-inclusive resort sector.