Dominican Republic travel guide

Festivals and events

Each town’s saint’s day is celebrated with several days of festivities known as patronales.

1 Jan New Year is celebrated in the capital on Av Francisco Alberto Caamaño Deñó (formerly Av del Puerto) beside the river. The major bands and orchestras of the country give a free concert, which attracts thousands of people. The celebration ends with fireworks and the whole area becomes a huge disco.

6 Jan Epiphany.

21 Jan Day of the Virgen de la Altagracia, spiritual mother of the Dominicans, is celebrated with velaciones, or night-long vigils, and African-influenced singing and music, found in many towns. Higüey is the site of a mass pilgrimage and huge all-night party.

26 Jan Duarte Day.

27 Feb Independence Day.

End Feb Carnival (http://www.carnaval.com.do) is notable in Santo Domingo for the parade along the Malecón. Carnival in Santiago de los Caballeros is very colourful; its central character is the piglet, which represents the devil.

On Sun in Feb at Monte Cristi there are the festivals of the Toros versus the Civiles. La Vega also celebrates for several Sun prior to Lent.

Mar/Apr Holy Week is the most important holiday time for Dominicans, when there are processions and festivities such as the guloyas in San Pedro de Macorís, the mystical-religious ga-ga in sugar cane villages and the cachúas in Cabral in the southwest.

Apr/May Santo Domingo International Book Fair held in the Plaza de la Cultura, with free concerts and other cultural events. 2.5 million people visited in 2007.

1 May Labour Day.

May/Jun Corpus Christi.

Jul Merengue Festival , includes festivals of gastronomy, cocktails, and exhibitions of handicrafts and fruit.

16 Aug Restoration Day parades.

24 Sep Our Lady of Las Mercedes.

Last week Sep Sosúa’s annual Merengue Festival.

Nov Puerto Plata has an annual Merengue Festival on the Malecón La Puntilla.

25 Dec Christmas Day.

Getting around

Air

Several companies offer internal air taxi or charter services, all based at Dr Joaquín Balaguer International Airport at Higuero/La Isabela, Santo Domingo.

Air Santo Domingo, Av 27 de Febrero 272, esq Seminario, T8096838006, has regular flights between Santo Domingo (Dr Joaquín Balaguer, T8096834535, and Las Américas, T8095491110) and Puerto Plata (US$56, daily, T8095860385), Punta Cana (US$56, daily, T8092211170), Arroyo Barril and El Portillo, Samaná (US$55, Mon-Sat, T8092406571); also flights from Puerto Plata to Punta Cana (US$66, daily). Fly drive available from US$100.

Caribair, T8095426688, http://www.caribair.com.do, has offices in all national airports and a fleet including air ambulance and helicopters. They fly to Barahona, Constanza, Dajabón, Higuey, La Romana, Monte Cristi, Pedernales, Puerto Plata, Samaná (El Portillo), Samaná (Arroyo Barril), San Isidro, Santiago, Santo Domingo (Joaquín Balaguer), Santo Domingo (Las Américas). If there isn’t a proper airport they will get you there by helicopter. They also fly to Port-au-Prince twice a day and to Aruba twice a week.

Air Century, T8095676778, http://www.aircentury.com.

AERODOMCA, T8095671195, http://www.aerodomca.com. Charter flights by plane or helicopter all over the country and 3 daily flights from Santo Domingo to El Portillo, US$75.

Vol Air, T8095488686, http://www.volair-dr.com, flies between Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, El Portillo and Cap Haitien.

Coturisca, T8095677211. Operates a fleet of helicopters and planes.

Road

Bus

Services between most towns are efficient and inexpensive. In rural areas it can be easy to find a guagua (minibus or pick-up) but they are usually filled to the point where you cannot move your legs and luggage is an uncomfortable inconvenience. There are also cars (carros/públicos) on some of these routes, which are equally dilapidated and crowded. It is possible to buy an extra seat in a carro or guagua to make yourself more comfortable. Long-distance bus services are very good, with a wide network and several different companies. The three most comfortable and reliable are Metro, Caribe Tours and Terrabús.

Car

A valid driving licence from your country of origin or an international licence is accepted for three months. Dominicans drive on the right. Many of them do not have licences. The Autopista Duarte is a good, four-lane highway between Santo Domingo and Santiago, but dangerous. It is used by bicycles and horse-drawn carts as well as motorized vehicles, while drivers switch from one lane to the other without warning. Lots of shopping opportunities by the roadside contribute to the hazards, with vehicles swerving on and off the road. The Autovía del Este is an excellent road from Santo Domingo out to the east, with good access roads to Higüey, Punta Cana Airport, Hato Mayor and Sabana de la Mar. A new road is being built from Santo Domingo to Samaná, which should be completed by end-2007 and cut driving times dramatically. Minor roads and many city streets are in poor condition with lots of potholes. The speed limit for city driving is 40 kmph, for suburban areas 60 kmph and on main roads 80 kmph. Service stations generally close at 1800, although there are now some offering 24-hour service. Gasoline prices are around US$4.30 for super unleaded, US$3.15 for diesel. Most police or military posts have ‘sleeping policemen’, speed humps, usually unmarked, outside them. In towns there are often ‘ditches’ at road junctions, which need as much care as humps. At night look out for poorly lighted, or lightless vehicles. Many motoconchos have no lights. There are tolls on all principal roads out of the capital: RD$30 (US$0.90), exact change needed. The toll (peaje) is paid once for a round trip. Road signs are very poor: a detailed map is essential, plus a knowledge of Spanish for asking directions. Expect to be stopped by the police at the entrance to and exit from towns (normally brief and courteous), at junctions in towns, or any speed-restricted area.

Car hire

Avoid the cheapest companies because their vehicles are not usually trustworthy. Prices for small vehicles start at US$40 per day but can be as much as US$90. Weekly rates are better value. Credit cards are widely accepted; the cash deposit is normally twice the sum of the contract. The minimum age for hiring a car is usually 25, although some companies will rent to 20 year olds; maximum period for driving is 90 days. Mopeds and motorcycles are everywhere and are very noisy. Most beach resorts hire motorcycles for US$15-35 a day. By law, the driver of a motorcycle must wear a crash helmet; passengers are not required to wear one.

Taxi

If travelling by private taxi, bargaining is very important. In Santo Domingo, Apolo Taxi, T8095370000, is recommended, cheap, friendly and efficient. Motorcyclists (motoconchos) also offer a taxi service and take several passengers on pillion. In some towns, eg Samaná, motoconchos and cyclists pull four-seater covered rickshaws. During the day a short distance costs US$0.45 for one passenger. For longer journeys negotiate fare first. During the night fares double. There are usually fixed público rates between cities, so inquire first. They can take two passengers in front and four on the back seat, regardless of the size of the car, so the ride is often uncomfortable, but friendly.

Maps

Berndtson & Berndtson publish a good road map, 1:600,000, with detail on Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata and Santiago, available locally for US$5. Scheidig publishes the Mapa Geográfica de la República Dominicana, which is approved by the Instituto Geográfico Universitario and available for US$7 at Gaar Arzobispo Nouel esq Espaillat, Santo Domingo, Mon-Fri 0830-1900, Sat 0930-1500.

Immigration

All visitors (except Canadian) require a passport and most need a tourist card, US$10, valid for 15 days, purchased from consulates, tourist offices, airlines on departure, or at the airport on arrival before lining up in the (long) queue for immigration. Additional charges for longer stays are US$9.30 for up to 90 days, US$15 for up to nine months, US$62 for up to a year. Canadian citizens may enter with a birth certificate or voter registration card and photo ID, but will need a passport to cash traveller’s cheques, hire a car or make large credit card purchases. Citizens of Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Peru, South Korea, Uruguay do not need a tourist card to enter. The time limit on tourist cards is 90 days, but if necessary extensions are obtainable from Immigration (Av George Washington, Centro de Los Héroes, Santo Domingo, T8095082555, http://www.migracion.gov.do) . The easiest method of extending a tourist card is simply to pay the fine (variable) at the airport when leaving. You should have an outward ticket, although not always asked for.

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Ports of entry

Santo Domingo, Luperón, Puerto Plata, Samaná, La Romana, Punta Cana (with 24 hours’ notice). Boat documents You must show your boat registration and documents received from the captain’s port of origin, a list of passengers aboard and their passport numbers, immigration fees of US$60 for the yacht and tourist cards of US$10 per passenger. Thirty days’ immigration clearance. Declare weapons and check in with Customs officials ashore at each port of entry. Do not depart from anchorage before sunrise after picking up weapons. You have to clear Customs, Agriculture and Immigration at each port. The port captain will come on board with a group of officials, each of whom have been reported by yachties to ask for ‘tips’ of US$20-25 to expedite the paperwork.

Vaccinations are not officially for the Dominican Republic is required. Tropical doctors recommend protection against hepatitis A and typhoid fever, also - if necessary - a refresh of the usual in Germany vaccinations (polio, tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B, even during long missions). The malaria risk has been considered contained, but in 2004 occurred in the southeast to isolated cases. The Foreign Office therefore recommends that all those wishing to travel to wetlands such as the National Park Los Haïtises, an appropriate prophylaxis according to medical advice. Increased risks exist with the proliferation of AIDS and by), especially after rainfall occurring nationwide, short of mosquito-borne dengue fever (febrile illness with severe muscle and joint pain. Ciguatera fish poisoning and the unpleasant can be. It is caused by a toxin that is produced by the algae living flagellates. In a dangerous concentration for humans it occurs only in larger predatory fish such as barracuda, snapper and mackerel. Symptoms occur three to six hours after eating a poisonous fish: crampy abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, tingling in the feet and / or hands and feeling cold in the heat or vice versa. Then, a doctor should immediately be sought. Better eating from the outset, only small fish! Intestinal infections, you bow before by drinking only bottled water and all water-washed or prepared foods (salads), ice, and avoid them with cheap restaurants and street markets. In any case, it is advisable to a foreign health insurance with repatriation.

Vaccinations

You should be up to date with your typhoid, tetanus and polio inoculations. The vaccine against infectious hepatitis is a good idea. Malaria prevention is recommended, as it is present in the southwest and the west of the country and unusually there was an outbreak in Punta Cana in 2004. There is also dengue fever: the Aedes mosquito breeds in urban areas and is more prevalent when there has been lots of rain. There is no cure, so prevention against bites is essential. There is rabies, so if you are at high risk get yourself vaccinated before you travel. In any case, if you are bitten seek medical help immediately.

Shopping

The native amber is sold throughout the country. Do not buy amber on the street, it will as likely as not be plastic. Real amber fluoresces under ultra violet light (most reputable shops have a UV light); it floats in saltwater; if rubbed it produces static electricity; except for the very best pieces it is not absolutely pure, streaks, bits of dirt, etc, are common. Larimar, a sea-blue stone found only in the Dominican Republic, and red and black coral are also available (remember that coral is protected). Other souvenirs are leather goods, basketware, weavings and onyx jewellery. The ceramic muñeca sin rostro (faceless doll) has become a sort of symbol of the Dominican Republic. Paintings and other art work are on sale everywhere, but beware of the mass-produced Haitian-style naive art. Thousands of these brightly coloured, low-quality paintings are churned out for sale to tourists. Good Dominican art is for sale in the Santo Domingo galleries or you can buy direct from artists in Jarabacoa. There are excellent cigars, rum and coffee at very reasonable prices. Bargaining is acceptable in markets but rarely in shops. You will not get much of a discount but it is worth a try, particularly if you are buying in bulk.

Media Newspapers There are six daily papers in all, four in the morning, two in the afternoon. Listín Diario (http://www.listin.com.do) has the widest circulation; among the other morning papers are El Caribe (http://www.elcaribe.com.do), Hoy (http://www.hoy.com.do), Diario Libre (http://www.diariolibre.com.do). In the afternoon, Ultima Hora (http://www.ultimahora.com.do) and El Nacional (http://www.elnacional.com.do) are published. Primicias is a Sunday paper. Touring is a multilingual tourist newspaper with articles and adverts in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian. La Información, published in Santiago on weekdays, is a good regional paper carrying both national and international stories. Radio and television There are over 170 local radio stations and seven television stations. Cable television is available. Cadena de Noticias and RNN transmit news programmes 24 hours a day. Caribbean Travelling Network (CTN) has news of tourist sites, good for visitors.

Don’t use post boxes, they are unreliable. The postal system as a whole is very slow. A letter to Europe is RD$15; to North America and the Caribbean, RD$10; to South and Central America, Australia and Asia, RD$28. It is recommended to use entrega especial (special delivery, with separate window at post offices), for RD$2 extra, on overseas mail, or better still a courier service .

Statistics reveal that Dominicans account for one of the world’s highest per capita consumptions of alcohol, and a look around any colmado (corner store) will confirm this fact. The Presidente brand of lager beer comes in two sizes (pequeño or grande) and seems to enjoy a near monopoly. Other beers such as Quisqueya and Bohemia are much less visible. Mamajuana is a home-made spiced rum mixed with honey and sweet wine, sold in markets and on street corners, frequently called the Dominican viagra. There are many rums (the most popular brands are Barceló, Brugal and Bermúdez). Light rum (blanco) is the driest and has the highest proof, usually mixed with fruit juice or other soft drink (refresco). Watch out for cocktails mixed with 151° proof rum. Amber (amarillo) or gold (dorado) is aged at least a year in an oak barrel and has a lower proof and more flavour, while dark rum (añejo) is aged for several years and is smooth enough, like a brandy, to be drunk neat or with ice and lime. Brugal allows visitors to tour its bottling plant in Puerto Plata, on Av Luis Genebra, just before the entrance to the town, and offers free daiquiris. In a discothèque, un servicio is a ½ litre bottle of rum with a bucket of ice and refrescos. In rural areas this costs US$3-4, but in cities rises to US$15. Despite being a major coffee-producer, the country does not always offer visitors good coffee, and much of what is served in hotels is either American-style watery instant or over-stewed and over-strong. Good coffee is available in small comedores, cafeterías and even from street vendors, who sell a small, dark shot for a few pesos.