The Dominican Republic is a very popular holiday destination. The island is lush in vegetation and also boasts some long sandy beaches. The island is divided into north and south - the north offers long beaches, which are often more Mediterranean-feeling as they are surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. The south part of the island however, is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea so the sea is much warmer and clearer, and fringed with palm trees. There are many opportunities to go on excursions - why not try horse riding along the beach? Or whale watching? In some of the hotels it is worth checking what night-time entertainment they have because many offer live shows, several bars and some even have casinos. The food in the Dominican Republic is varied; choose from Caribbean, Spanish, Mexican and African, and many hotels hold barbeques on the beach at night.