Christopher Columbus proclaimed about the island Hispaniola in 1492 that "there is no island that is more beautiful in the world". Hispaniola is the second largest island in the Caribbean Sea. It's divided into two nations: Haiti to the West and the Dominican Republic to the East. Haiti is a former French colony which, in 1804, became the second nation in the Americas to gain its independence; the Dominican Republic once belonged to Spain, and Spanish is the national language. For many visitors today, the Dominican Republic still represents just that. It is a paradise to discover - its golden sandy beaches, its crystal clear turquoise waters, its mysterious valleys, its majestic mountains and its wonderfully friendly inhabitants.