Dancing Across The Dominican Republic: Carnival to Merengue Festivals Nov 5 2005 Let your feet go to the Latin beat of this Caribbean island Ever since Christopher Columbus stumbled upon the Dominican Republic in 1492, becoming the first official tourist to the island, DR natives have incorporated Latin rhythms into a fast-paced Afro-Caribbean beat to give birth to modern day merengue, the official music and dance of this prime destination. And regardless what time of year you choose to visit, chances are good your feet will be called upon to participate in the Dominican Republic's favorite past time: dancing. November heats up each year in DR when the Puerto Plata Merengue Festival kicks off in celebration of this spirited form of national expression and musical art. And travelers looking for culture and a festive tropical environment will no doubt find plenty of both on Puerto Plata's seaside Malecon. While the festival is 'officially' in its seventh year, merengue has been celebrated in the Dominican Republic for generations. Sponsored Links Dominican Republic HotelsFind your perfect hotel in the Dominican Republic. Book nowwww.medhotels.com All Inclusive PackagesAll Inclusive resort vacations including roundtrip airfare.www.bahiaprincipeusa.com Dominican Republic SaleCheapCaribbean.com All Inclusive vacations and resorts up to 70% offcheapcaribbean.com Beloved by Dominicans, merengue is considered a way of life in the DR. Characterized by an aggressive beat with lyrics generally related to love, politics and current events, merengue is the soul to the DR beat. The four day festival runs Nov 24-27 this year on the Malecon. There are two popular versions about the origin of the Dominican national dance. One story alleges the dance originated with slaves who were chained together and, of necessity, were forced to drag one leg as they cut sugar to the beat of drums. The second story alleges that a great hero was wounded in the leg during one of the many revolutions in the Dominican Republic. A party of villagers welcomed him home with a victory celebration and, out of sympathy, everyone dancing felt obliged to limp and drag one foot. Other DR Cultural Events The DR throws another wild party during the last week of July and first week of August, a merengue festival in Santa Domingo that is the epicenter of the art form, attracting the world's top talent for a festival that engulfs the city and surrounding suburbs in music and dance. In addition to Puerto Plata's Merengue Festival, other can't-miss festivities worth crossing the Caribbean for include Puerto Plata's week-long Cultural Festival in June, with jazz, blues, merengue and folk concerts throughout town. If you're traveling to the DR in February, Dominican's "Carnival" is the lively and largest event of the year, but only the first of two Carnivals. The second is staged in August. More DR Attractions One hour 45 minutes east of Santo Domingo is the city of La Romana, home to the understated elegance and graceful charm of the 7000-acre Casa de Campo resort, designed by Oscar de la Renta. Nestled within the resort is Altos de Chavón, a reconstructed 15th-century Mediterranean-style village of culture and art which is perched high on a cliff overlooking the tropical Chavón River and the Caribbean Sea. Near Punta Cana, is Manatí Park, a new theme park which includes a zoo, gardens, a recreated Taino village and a variety of exotic animals. The popular destination of Barahona is a humid area with beautiful beaches of white sand. Cabritos Island, a national park in the center of Lake Enriquillo, is the greatest preserve of the wild American Crocodile, and large populations of pink flamingos. Puerto Plata's Mount Isabel de Torres features a cable car which climbs over 760m (2500ft) above sea level. The breathtaking view of the Atlantic and the port of Puerto Plata is well worth the seven-minute ride up to the top of the mountain. 10 sq km (4 sq miles) of botanical gardens can be explored here. The Samaná Peninsula is located on the northern portion of the island, approximately two hours from Puerto Plata’s international airport. Samaná, with its transparent blue waters, miles of unspoilt beaches, and dozens of caves, is a romantic paradise.