Altos De Chavon This replicated, 16th-century Mediterranean village is constructed of local coral stone and terra cotta. Located within the grounds of the massive, 7,000-acre Casa de Campo luxury resort on the island’s southeastern coast, Altos De Chavon is a premier tourist attraction. The village opened in 1982 and since then, people have enjoyed exploring its network of cobblestone streets, its period architecture and a huge Grecianstyle amphitheatre in which such worldfamous artists as Frank Sinatra and Placido Domingo have performed. In addition, various shops, fine dining and bars line the streets made for strolling. Another village feature is an archaeological museum housing one of the DR’s most comprehensive collections of indigenous culture. Although the village was built as a replica, it genuinely bears the authenticity of a true centuries-old settlement. Water, Water Everywhere Globally famous for wind, waves and a plethora of colourful marine life, the DR is a prime Caribbean hub for water sports: windsurfing, kiteboarding, jet skiing, parasailing and snorkelling. It’s also an ideal destination for scuba diving; the waters are warm year-round and the diversity of marine life includes 800 varieties of fish species. Divers can spot sea turtles, seahorses, stingrays, moray eels, nurse sharks and parrotfish ‒ not all in the same dive, of course ‒ but they all exist in the island’s underwater environment. The diving experience can also include coral beds and shipwrecks. The DR’s off-island waters contain centuries of maritime history including sunken pirate vessels, Spanish galleons and modern ships intentionally sunk to encourage marine life. Among the many vessels that litter the seabed off of the country’s coast is the remains of Captain William Kidd’s 1699 pirate ship. There is also the San Miguel, a 16th-century Spanish treasure ship that went to the bottom in 1551. Over the years, there have been various accounts of divers fortuitously discovering such sunken treasures as gold, silver and pewter. However, all artifacts found in Dominican waters belong to the state. Beyond shipwrecks and marine life below the sea, the country has a spectacular, world-class, land-based network of submerged freshwater caves that are popular dive sites. 22 | www.snowbirds.org Travel
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