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School of fish swimming on a coral reef near the Dominican Republic. -- Photographer: Stephen Frink, Getty Images

Fifteen beaches, seven hotels and 18 restaurants. My recent visit to the Dominican Republic was not a typical Caribbean vacation, but a whirlwind road trip covering hundreds of kilometres in a van with nine zany colleagues!

Having visited the country on three previous occasions, I thought I'd seen most of the highlights -- but this journey proved there was still more to discover.

WHALE WATCHING

The D.R. has the most popular and well established whale watching in the Caribbean, according to the Footprint Caribbean Islands Handbook. The guide describes it as one of the 10 best places in the world to see whales. Half-day tours are offered in Samana Bay where Humpback whales arrive every year between December and March to mate and calve.

NEW BEACH

If you haven't been to the D.R. in a few years, you may be surprised to learn there's a new beach.

No, it's not the man-made variety with sand trucked in from another island. This one, located at Casa Marina Beach and Reef Resort in Sosua was created by nature when a hurricane whipped through the area a few years ago, carving out a wide sandy area backed by steep cliffs. Now the resort has two beaches instead of just one. Air Canada Vacations offers all-inclusive trips to all of the mentioned resorts. See aircanadavac ations.com.

RARE IGUANA

Only in Hispaniola can you find the Rhinoceros Iguana, which grows up to 1.2 metres and weighs up to 9.9 kilos. Though it's endangered, you can see one at the Casa Marina Bay resort in Samana.

Every time I checked in at the enclosure here, the iguana was either standing motionless sunning itself or digging holes in the cool earth. The iguanas are predominantly vegetarian and live mainly near the coast.

BEST POOL

If you'd rather swim than sidle up to a bar, check out the pool at the five-star Occidental El Embajador in Santo Domingo. No one was able to provide the exact measurements, but the rectangular pool is the longest I've seen in the Caribbean -- perfect for swimming laps!

BEST RESTAURANT

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter ate here so you know it's good. For regional food and entertainment, El Conuco in Santo Domingo is the place to go. Our lunch (buffet menu changes daily) included local style cod, plantains, chicken and a tasty eggplant dish served in a festive atmosphere enhanced by the colourful decor.

During a floor show we watched in amazement as a dancer was spun around in circles while her foot was perched on the top of a bottle.

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

The beaches are postcard perfect and often deserted, some of the roads are unpaved, and the language spoken is rich with idioms of the American South. Samana, settled in the 1800s in part by freed men and black slaves from the United States, is a world away from the tourist magnets of Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo. That's because it's located on a remote eastern peninsula, more than three hours away from the closest major airport. Typical accommodation is in small European-run guest houses. Things may change when a new airport is built, but for now, Samana is still off the beaten track.

FREE ENTERTAINMENT

On a recent Friday night, a top-notch merengue band joined by dancers in brightly coloured costumes performed on stage in Santo Domingo's Plaza Espana. It's just one in a series of free cultural shows in the plaza (in front of the Alcazar) that take place every Friday and Saturday night through December. Choirs and orchestras are part of the lineup.

BEST EXCURSION

"What was the most memorable part of the trip?" I asked my travelling pals at the end of the week. The answer was nearly unanimous: Cayo Levantado. We had arrived on a weekday in September and had the entire public side of the palm-fringed island and pristine beach to ourselves. (If you prefer a livelier scene, try arriving on a weekend or during the high season).

The seven-minute boat ride to the island from a village near the town of Samana cost $5 US per person (about $6). A highlight was the sight of fishermen, their figures silhouetted by the setting sun, pulling in their net with the day's catch, while pelicans surveyed the scene overhead.

MORE INFORMATION: Call the Dominican Republic Tourism Board at 416-361-2126.