Viva Wyndham Resorts Sponsors Living Museum in the Sea in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, June 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Viva Wyndham Resorts is sponsoring the Living Museum in the Sea, a one-of-a-kind, underwater historic site featuring the shipwreck, Quedagh Merchant, abandoned by the scandalous 17th century pirate Captain William Kidd, located in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic. The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach and the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace located in La Romana near Bayahibe, offer affordable all-inclusive rates to dive enthusiasts and those fascinated by shipwrecks and the history of the sea.

The Quedagh Merchant shipwreck was discovered nearly three and a half years ago. To dedicate the Living Museum in the Sea site, an inauguration event took place on May 23 in Bayahibe and featured unveilings from the 1699 shipwreck of Captain William Kidd. Additional sponsors include the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Indiana University, and the Dominican Republic's Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Subacuatico (ONPCS). The inauguration date also marked the 310th anniversary of Kidd's hanging in London for his crimes of piracy. The dedication noted both underwater and above ground interpretive plaques. The underwater plaques will help guide divers around the Kidd site as well as relics and rare corals at two other shipwreck sites. The Living Museum in the Sea exhibit is open year-round.

As an additional attraction to the "Cara Merchant" shipwreck site on the coast of Bayahibe is the "Guadalupe Living Museum under the Sea," dating to 1724. This site is located in front of Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach, and the artificial reef of St. George and the canon reef of Guaraguao from the 18th century, both of which are located in front of the hotel zone's coast.

The Living in the Sea Inauguration was led by Charles Beeker, director of the Office of Underwater Science in Indiana University's Bloomington School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded Indiana University $300,000 to turn the Captain Kidd shipwreck site and three other underwater preserves in the Dominican Republic into no-take, no-anchor "Living Museums," where cultural discoveries protect precious corals and other threatened biology in the surrounding reef systems under the supervision and support of the Dominican Republic's Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Subacuatico (ONPCS).

The Captain Kidd site is the only pirate ship to be discovered in the Caribbean and one of only three discovered in the Americas. In addition to recreational uses, the preserves are used as a scientific field resource for students and professionals in the fields of underwater archaeology, marine biology, ecology and geology.

The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach and Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace are both nestled on the extensive white sand beach overlooking the breathtaking turquoise water. For those looking for additional adventure, guests can explore the underwater reefs. The resorts also offer excursions to the uninhabited Isla Catalina featuring untouched Caribbean nature and some of the finest snorkeling and scuba diving in the region, as well as to the nearby Altos de Chavon, a unique recreation of a 16th century Italian village, complete with artisan workshops, an archaeological museum, cobblestone streets and quaint architecture.

For more information about the Living Museum in the Sea, visit Indiana University http://newsinfo.iu.edu.

About Viva Wyndham Resorts:

Viva Wyndham Resorts features all-inclusive properties throughout the Bahamas, Dominican Republic and Mexico. Viva Wyndham Resorts' multilingual staff, tropical settings, extensive amenities and thorough entertainment line-up ensures guests a truly customized vivid all-inclusive experience. As part of the brand's passion for life, it strives to protect all the resort's surrounding environments and cultures by implementing green programs throughout its resorts.  For reservations or more information, call 800-WYNDHAM or visit www.vivawyndhamresorts.com.

SOURCE Viva Wyndham Resorts