I’d say Dominican Republic — it’s
a large country by Caribbean
standards and is steeped in
culture, tradition and history. It
has a great food scene and with
such diverse landscapes, it’s an
adventurer’s paradise.
You can go hiking in the
mountains (the island has some
of the tallest mountains in the
Caribbean), be completely
immersed in nature on an
adventure trail, or take in canyons
and coastlines in the north,
which cater for mountain bikers,
windsurfers and climbers.
Watersports are also popular on
the island. You can try kitesuring
at Cabarete Bay, one of the world’s
most celebrated kitesuring spots,
through luxury hotel partner,
Amanera. Tailor-made travel
specialists Carrier can even
arrange private lessons with a
professional if you’re really keen to
try it out.Q // I’d like to visit the
Caribbean. Where
would you recommend
for more than a
ly-and-lop holiday
— something that
combines cultural and
natural attractions?
The capital Santo Domingo,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
is a great place to step out and
explore; it’s beautiful, historic
and bursting with character and
culture. It has a great buzz and you
can enjoy local rum and merengue
music playing in the bars and
sample food from traditional
Dominican street vendors.
For a luxurious cultural stay on
the island, you can’t get better
than Casas del XVI, a unique hotel
in the city where some of the
individual houses date back to the
16th century and retain authentic
elements of their past.
Some of my favourite places
to explore and take in dramatic
scenery are the isolated Bahia
dl las Aguilas (Eagle’s Bay), the
tropical rainforests inland and
heading out to Samana Bay or
Silver Bank to spot humpback
whales. carrier.co.uk
JENNY BASHAM IMAGES: GETTYNEED ADVICE FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP? ARE YOU
AFTER RECOMMENDATIONS, TIPS AND GUIDANCE?
THE TRAVEL GEEKS HAVE THE ANSWERS...ASK THE EXPERTS
TRAVEL GEEKS
FROM LEFT: Tropical
beach in Punta Cana,
Dominican Republic;
Gornergrat Railway
with the Matterhorn
in the background,
Zermatt, Switzerland156 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel