Practical information Dominican Republic

Area : 18815 sq.mi - Population 9872000 hab.

Our expert Dominican Republic

map

Weather

Santiago 33°C 33°C 32°C 32°C
Santo Domingo 30°C 31°C 31°C 30°C
La Romana 30°C 31°C 31°C 30°C

Practical information Dominican Republic

Area

18815 sq.mi

Flights

14 hrs with a connecting flight. Santo Domingo is 4,364 miles from London.
The opening, on 1st September 2006, of the El Catey international airport on the Samana peninsula is an opportunity for tourist development on the country's north coast. If making a connection in Paris, Corsairfly offer direct flights from Paris to Punta Cana, Puerto Plata and Samana. British Airways and XL Airways operate direct flights. It is also possible to connect in Madrid with Air Europa and Iberia, or in New York or Miami with American Airlines.

Jet Lag

Population

9872000 hab.

Airports

The country has nine airports linked by Air Santo Domingo. Las Americas airport is roughly 15 miles away from Santo Domingo. Allow 30 minutes to get to town by taxi (from £12-16). There is no direct bus service to Santo Domingo. Beware, if your holiday is in Punta Cana and you land in Santo Domingo, it will take you an extra 4 hours by coach. On top of the high fare (almost £50), it is a long journey after a long flight. Choose to land in La Romana, an hour away. On the east coast, Punta Cana airport is the country's largest airport and has a shuttle service to the 40 miles of beaches of the region. The others are located in Puerto Plata (La Union), Samana (El Catey), El Portillo, La Romana, Santiago and Barahona.

Security

Be very careful when driving! From the pot holes and the mad drivers without no indicators or mirrors to the animals (chickens and dogs), uneven road humps, insufficient road signing and the lack of lighting at night, accidents are very frequent are often serious.
The locals have understood that tourism is an opportunity and so crime is hardly ever directed at holiday makers. Be careful however, at night in cities.
Buying and using narcotics is definitely ill-advised if you do not want to spend your holiday and the rest of the year in jail. The authorities are very strict on the subject.

Languages

Spanish is the official language. In tourist zones, Italian, French, English and German are spoken too.

Requirements

European citizens need a national identity card or a passport valid for at least three months after the return date and a tourism card for stays of less than 90 days are requested. This tourism card (given out by airline companies, by the Dominican consulate or more generally at the airport upon arrival) costs around £5. At the airport, it can only be bought in US dollars ($10), before going through customs. Plan to bring small notes in US dollars to avoid wasting time upon arrival. Keep the card's stub because it will be requested on your way out of the country, this way you won't have to pay the $10 again. Departure tax costs $20, to be paid in American currency but if you insist, you can also pay in Dominican peso.

Religion

90 % of the population are Roman Catholics. The other religions represented in the country are Evangelists, Seventh Day Adventists, Baptists and Mormons.

Currency

The currency is the Dominican Republic Peso (DOP), which is split into 100 centavos. Many cash machines can be found near banks and in the reception areas of large hotels. Banks are open during the week from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, including on Saturday. Traveller's cheques and most international credit cards are accepted (American Express, Visa, Eurocard, etc.) in the main hotels as well as in medium-sized and major cities. It is better to have cash on you in remote areas. The US Dollar and the strong Euro are accepted everywhere.

Local transportation

On short distances, it is best to catch a bus called guagua (pronounced "wah wah") linking towns that are close by. The Santo Domingo-La Romana trip costs under 20 pesos. In town, opt for the motoconchos (motorcycle-taxis) to traditional taxis, which are much more expensive. Don't hesitate to haggle! For long distances, the island has nine airports, but driving gives the opportunity to get a better insight into the country, but at your own risk, considering the disastrous condition of the roads and the lack of signs. Major car rental companies can be found at the airports and in the cities. Renting a car is very expensive (between £45 and £60 a day) because vehicle imports are subject to high taxes. If a few of you are travelling, this means of transport can turn out to be economical as the price of petrol is very low compared to in Europe. You must be over 25 years of age, have a national driver's licence and an international credit card. The speed is limited to 50 mph on motorways, 35 mph in built up areas around cities and 25 mph in city centres. As for petrol stations, there are many of them and they remain open until late, not all of them however take credit cards. Finally, remember to plan your itinerary properly because distances can be deceptive, and favour a 4x4 to be able to drive everywhere.

Health

No particular vaccine is required. Always drink bottled water and when you buy one, check that the bottles have not been previously opened. Avoid raw vegetables and milk.

Electricity

110 V US standard, electric plugs are flat. Bring an adapter and a voltage converter. Power cuts are very frequent, but more and more hotels and restaurants have power generators called plantas.

Flood of tourists

The number of foreign visitors reached 4.4 million in 2006.

Taxes and tips

In restaurants and in hotels, service is included, but it is custom to leave a tip of 10% if you are happy with the service.

Telephone

To call the Dominican Republic from the UK: 00 (international) + 1809 (Dominican Republic code) + phone number.
To call the UK from the Dominican Republic:
011 (international) + 44 (UK code) + phone number excluding the initial 0.

Customer Service:
00 33 (0)8 99 700 207 (£1.35 the call and £0.34 per minute thereafter)

give your opinion,
share, win prizes...

Easyvoyage group: