ECO ESCAPE
The Dominican Republic might be known for its sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, but look beyond its coast, and you’ll find one of the most geographically diverse countries in the Caribbean, where tropical rainforests and mangrove-filled wetlands sit side by side with desert dunes and alpine-style woodlands. Los Haitises National Park () – which means ‘hilly land’ in the local Taino language – is a captivating combination of towering rock formations jutting out of the water and mangrove forests lining its shores, where pelicans, frigate birds, herons, Antillean piculets, the Hispaniolan woodpecker and the critically endangered Ridgway’s hawk can be spotted. It’s one of the eco hot spots that can be explored with new luxury cruise line Explora Journeys on its maiden season in the Caribbean, following the debut of in July. Guests stopping off in the Dominican Republic can choose from cigar-making and culinary adventures in the port city of Samaná or exploring the petroglyph-filled caves and wildlife-rich mangroves of the national park.
