Hispaniola is an island in the Caribbean that is located between Cuba and Puerto Rico. Hispaniola, together with Jamaica, Cuba, and Puerto Rico makes up the Large Antilles in the Caribbean and is the 2nd largest island in the Antilles and also the most populous. It is actually split up into 2 areas – the largest region is the Dominican Republic, and the smaller part is the Republic of Haiti, although Hispaniola once belonged in Haiti entirely.
The name Hispaniola came from “La Isla Espanola”, which was coined by Christopher Columbus. Eventually, the island was named “Hispaniola” by the English to mean “little Spain”.
Climate
Just like the other islands of the Caribbean, Hispaniola has a humid and tropical climate. All-year-round, the island generally has a tropical climate. But since it is directly located within the hurricane belt, it has some hurricanes from June to November.
Once you get on a vacation to Hispaniola, you’ll be amazed by its diverse landscape as it showcases valleys, dry forests, mountains and rainforests. The beaches of Hispaniola are beautiful especially in Dominican Republic, which is around the Caribbean seas and located on the island of Hispaniola. Dominican Republic may be familiar to anyone since it has beome a famous travel destination for tourists all over the world. Not only will travelers enjoy the pristine beaches of this region, but also take pleasure in the travel activities the island has to offer such as rafting, fishing, mountain biking, whale watching, excursions and exploration of a few other tourist attractions in the northern coast and the Samana Peninsula.
Hispaniola has 5 main mountain ranges including the Cordillera Central or the Central Range that extends across the center of the Hispaniola island, which has the highest peak in the Antilles; the Cordillera Septentrional, which is parallel to the Cordillera Central to the northern end of the Dominican republic; and the Sierra de Neiba, which is also parallel to the Cordillera Central from the Southwest Dominican Republic to the northwest Haiti.
If you want to travel to Hispaniola, especially to the Dominican Republic, the best time to travel is from December to April when it is warm and comfortable. These months are actually the peak season for travelers. Most European and American tourists go to the Dominican Republic in the Hispaniola during their own winter months so as to escape cold temperatures. Because the island is home to about 27 climate zones ranging from humid rainforest conditions to desert-like temperatures, Dominican Republic in the Hispaniola is the ideal place for vacationers. The island is actually very famous for its beaches in Bacardi Island and Samana that almost run endlessly. It is also popular for its scenic waterfalls, authentic dishes, fresh seafood and area restaurants.
To explore the island easier, it would be better to rent a scooter or a car. And since it is also typical to find animals and farmers crossing the main streets at any time of the day, foreign drivers need to be more cautious when driving around in any place at any time.
