The Dominican Republic covers two thirds of the Hispaniola Island, it shares the beauty of the island with Haiti. "The most beautiful place that human eyes have ever seen" is what Columbus said when he landed here in 1492. He was of course prejudiced, in desperate need of a small success and hadn't seen any land for some time then, but there is still quite a bit of truth in his observation. One of the first things the Spaniards did in this charming new discovery of theirs is massacre all the inhabitants. Within 13 years 600,000 Taino indians were killed. Santo Domingo is the chief city of the Dominican Republic. The colonial zone is absolutely worth a visit - it features the Calle de las Damas, the oldest street in the new world. Unfortunately, many tourists don't come farther than Puerto Plata City with its fabulous beaches....this makes the North Coast (Amber Coast) an unspoilt paradise for a wonderful tropical holiday.