Amber Dune Resort + Spa

Amber Dune will be a first-of-its-kind resort + spa on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic, a vibrant location that draws ever increasing numbers of adventure travelers every year.

The Amber Coast, another name for the North Coast of the Dominican Republic, comes from the rich deposits of semi-precious amber (the second most valuable deposit in the world) buried below its surface. It's also the inspiration for our name, Amber Dune Resort + Spa.

Spirited enthusiasts from around the globe are drawn like a magnet to the Amber Coast's equally rare natural wonders. This is the real Dominican, as real as it gets, and is the birthplace of the modern Caribbean.

Although many people visit the Dominican Republic for a relaxing, tropical beach vacation, the country offers an incredible variety of sports and adventure opportunities - mountain biking, diving, windsurfing, kiteboarding, surfing, canyoning, golfing, and fishing - to name a few. If you are interested in participating in a particular sport or adventure, you may wish to choose the destination you visit based on what it can offer you in this regard. Some destinations are more suited for certain activities than others. Where this may be the case, we will indicate so within the description of the sports or adventure activity.

Islabon Jungle River Tour

(Cabarete)

You can explore the Islabon and Yasica rivers by boat to its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean. You can also walk through jungle trails to a mini zoo that includes iguanas, snakes, turtles, ravens and a monkey (which are a little unorganized or can be wrongly labeled). Guides explain the origin and uses of different flora and talk about some of the popular types of fishing that is done in this area.

Scenic Drive: Cordillera Septentrional Route

(Cabarete)

About 15 minutes east of Cabarete you can turn south onto the Moca Mountain Route that runs into the Cordillera Septentrional Mountain area. The drive passes through small Dominican villages and farm areas and you'll have panoramic views of the countryside along the way. If you keep driving you'll eventually end up in the city of Moca, the cigar-making capital of the Dominican Republic. This mountain road allows you views of the beautiful Cibao Valley and is an absolute favorite of motor bikers looking for a winding scenic bike tour.

El Choco National Park

(Cabarete)

This lush and diverse 77 square kilometers of protected area was named a national monument. The park has unique geological formations to the DR, called the 'Caribbean Karst', as well as 862 species of flora, 12 species of bats, and 36 species of birds . The park is comprised of pasture land, a lagoon, and a jungle area that contains the many lush tropical plants, exotic birds, caves and fresh water springs.

For more information, visit:
http://www.hispaniola.com/dominican_republic/things_to_do/places_north.php

Dominican amber can be found in many colors, besides the obvious amber. Yellow and honey colored are fairly common. There is also red and green in smaller quantities and the rare blue amber (fluorescent). For more information, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_amber.

The Museo del Ambar Dominicano, in Puerto Plata, as well as the Amber World Museum in Santo Domingo have excellent collections of amber specimens.

The Dominican Republic is the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas: Santo Domingo, the country's capital. For most of its independent history, the nation experienced political turmoil and unrest,. Since 1961, the Dominican Republic has moved toward a liberal economic model, which has made it the largest economy in the region, and towards representative democracy.

For more information, visit http://www.amazoncaribbean.com/dominicanrepublic.htm