The Dominican Republic has its own musical genre, called merengue, but music in general is a vital part of the cultural fabric of the island. From merengue to salsa to pop, hip-hop, and rock, you’ll find it all here, and the nation celebrates its love of music through a number of annual festivals and concerts. Dance is a core component of most music genres, including merengue, bachata, and palo.

The DR is also home to one of the world’s 10 most prestigious fashion design schools, La Escuela de Diseño de Altos de Chavón, and is the birthplace of renowned designer Oscar de la Renta.

Many different sports are important to citizens of the Dominican Republic, although baseball certainly takes center stage. The nation’s official baseball league consists of six different teams, and the DR is consistently contributes the largest number of international players to the MLB. In fact, baseball fans, particularly from the United States, travel to the Dominican Republic to watch minor league games in hopes they’ll witness firsthand the ‘next great MLB star’ in his early days.