After overcoming the high seas’ obstacles the winners of the Atlantic Grand Prix 2010 regatta yesterday finally saw the land which the other boats are expected to reach in the next few days.

Enrique Curt, president of the Nautical Club from Spain, said the regatta competitors had set sail from the Port of Jerez in Cadiz Bay, Spain on January 14, as part of the event which also features the solo category, with catamarans and yachts in addition to monohulls.

The boats Macaco and the Nov Sixth Cheyenne were the first to arrive at the Bartolome Colon Docks, in Sans Soucí Port, site of the welcome ceremony for the navigators.

The promoters who staged the event, sponsored by the Tourism Ministry, Sans Soucí Port, Brugal, Presidente Beer, Pellerano Productions and El Catador, said it aims to unite Spain and the Dominican Republic with a 3,800 nautical mile sport competition, in which Pillar Pasanu was the only woman among the sailors, and who crossed the Atlantic alone.

“If the situation could change in the medium term it would become the second most important tourism region second only to Punta Cana-Bavaro,” says a report on diariolibre.com by the consultant Juan Llado.

The idea of an artificial beach for the capital coast is not new as the project was in the offing during the city’s Mayoral tenure of 1982-1986, to give the city an attractive recreational option for the population and tourists.

It was perhaps that interest which led the French company Sogreah to draft in 1987the first tentative project for Sans Soucí beach, built before the 1960s as the wave breaker for the Ozama River’s estuary and port.

Sogreah’s plan included hotels, a marina, convention center and four beach alternatives to protect the swimming area from the waves’ constant onslaught. A group of experts selected what they thought best and led to the current location.

But its study confirmed that Sans Soucí beach’s expansion is quite feasible, at the cost of US$17 million then.

The most recent proposal for new beaches is from the Spanish Group Acciona, as  part of the discarded project Artificial Island, which included the creation of a lake between the coast and the new soil.

President Leonel Fernandez abandoned the project, despite being approved by Congress, to calm an irate public opinion. It visualized three beaches; in front of the Meliá Hotel, in the small beach at Güibia and in front of the Vesubio restaurant.

“Though praiseworthy, these pretensions aren’t financially viable in the medium term. The necessary resources will have to come from the central Government and the fiscal perspective isn’t good in the short term,” Llado says.

He said the current beach at Sans Soucí has been leased to a group of companies led by Vicini, which is now creating a mother port for cruise ships, although there has no announcement of any beach project. “Needless to say it would convenient for the city to have beaches. The arrival of cruise ship passengers and tourists from Bavaro-Punta Cana will be enormous with the development of the mother port and the Coral highway.”

The tourism expert suggests an agreement between the Santo Domingo Hotels Association and Vicini to develop Sans Soucí beach. “The first could convince the second of the great mutual benefit. And although the capital’s inhabitants wouldn’t like a steep incline, they could also access even if they have to pay.”

1) The Caribbean’s most established and complete resort
2) Four world-class Pete Dye golf courses
3) World-class polo, shooting and tennis
4) 16th century replica mediterranean village and cultural center Altos de Chavon
5) The Caribbean’s most complete marina facility
6) White sandy beach
7) Great shopping and restaurants
Eight-minute drive to international airport
9) Friendliest culture in the Caribbean
10)History of increasing property values
11)Warm wheather year round
12)Global presence in major world markets
13)True sense of community and social life
14)Tax exemptions for qualifed persons
15)Perfect for weddings and corporate meetings

Groups of 10 will have the opportunity to don binoculars and field guides and head into the resort’s nature preserve to help conduct the yearly census, focused on 27 indigenous bird species native only to the Dominican Republic.

Since it’s inception in 1969, Puntacana has focused on sustainable expansion and protecting the natural environment that its guests come to enjoy. The launch of this “voluntourism” component, though, is a new way to get guests involved directly with the enjoyment of that sustainability.

There are so many ways to relax in the Caribbean’s second largest country.

Whether you are looking for a romantic trip for two with lazy days spent on the golden sandy shores or budget-friendly accommodations with adventure for the whole family, the Dominican Republic has it all.

10. Sun, surf and sand. Relax on one of hundreds of unspoiled DR beaches. The country is surrounded by 800 miles of stunning sandy coastlines with the azure Caribbean Sea on the South Coast and the rich blue Atlantic Ocean on the North Coast.

9. Explore the America’s first city. America’s cultural capital of 2010, Santo Domingo is where Christopher Columbus established the first church, hospital and city, known as the Colonial Zone. Explore the museums and walk the streets that conquistadors strolled in the 15th century.

8. Get your golf game on. Play any of 25 designer golf courses…and growing, in the DR. Punta Espada Golf Club at Cap Cana, Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo, Nick Faldo’s Legacy Course at Roco Ki and Playa Grande are a few of the DR courses that have received honors for their beauty and design.

7. Reconnect with nature. A leader in sustainable tourism, eco-adventures and nature explorations abound. Explore national parks, coastal whale sanctuaries, and reserves. From cascading and canyoning down waterfalls and mountains, to kayaking and fishing in rivers, lakes and bays, the DR is a natural.

6. DR spa renewal. Enjoy world class spas at upscale resorts throughout the country. Well-suited spa hotels in the DR cater to visitors every desire for rebirth and renewal. Many spas use local customs, herbs and traditions in their treatments to restore wholeness and wellness.

5. Dance the merenque. Merengue is a national passion in the DR. Visitors can dance away their cares in clubs, street parades, festivals or just about anywhere the rapid merengue beats play. Most cities in the DR have merengue festivals with professional orchestras and activities planned throughout the year including the annual festival held in late July or early August in Santo Domingo and a week-long celebration held in Puerto Plata in October each year.

4. Celebrate at carnaval. During the month of February in the DR, the Dominican Carnaval is an explosion of joy and a show of cultural identity and spontaneity. Carnaval parades held in cities like La Vega, Santo Domingo and more allow everyone to participate and enjoy the dancing masked devils, floats and costumed characters.

3. Strengthen bonds. The DR is a perfect place to get closer. Spend quality time exploring attractions like Ocean World in Puerto Plata or the National Aquarium in Santo Domingo. Kids of all ages will love the Fun-Fun Cave in Los Haitises National Park while Punta Cana beaches are great relaxing together.

2. Get active on vacation. The DR’s North Coast boasts the Kiteboarding Capital of the world. In and around Puerto Plata, waves and wind are just right for watersport activities. Also throughout the country you’ll find caving, kayaking, zip lining, hiking, horseback riding and more.

1. Experience DR culture. The best part of a DR vacation is the deep sense of the friendly Dominican culture, savvy sense of design, love of the arts and optimistic zest for life found throughout the country. History, art, music and culture are expressed in the lives and works of the Dominican people.

- Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism

More in

www.dominicantourism.net

More in

www.dominicantourism.net

www.dominicantourism.net

He said the funds were spent to build the Santo Domingo – Samaná highway, as part of the project North Atlantic Boulevard, and in the construction of the aqueduct,  with the completion of its second stage is still pending.

The chief executive said the investments represent almost half of what it cost to build the Santo Domingo Metro, and chided that, “in Samaná we have a metro of development.”

After hearing the requests and demands by the province’s community representatives, ranging from ambulances to the reconstruction of churches, Fernandez said Samaná has only “small details” pending which are “insignificant” in comparison with this investment.

Among those “small details” the chief executive noted is the embellishment of the entrance to Samaná and the transfer of the garbage dump to the outskirts of the urban area.

Source: DominicanToday.com

www.dominicantourism.net