Dominican Republic Tourist Information
Dominican Republic Interesting Facts
* The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti; it covers 2/3 of the island, making the D.R the second largest country in the Caribbean at nearly 19,000 square miles. The Dominican coastline stretches for over 1,000 miles, and is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the north.
* 21% of the Country's land is protected in the 16 National Parks and Scientific Reserves.
Santo Domingo, the oldest city in the Americas, is a city of "firsts"; the first cathedral, university, court house, fortress and paved street of the New World are found there.
* Christopher Columbus chose the city for his home and his remains are in a lighthouse dedicated to him in Santo Domingo.
* The D.R. is one of the worlds most geographically diverse nations for its size; climatic zones range from desert-like plains to lush tropical valleys,to pine forests found on the high mountain peaks.
* The D.R. boasts the world's greatest drop in altitude. Between the top of Pico Duarte and the Milwaukee depth, just north of Samana the altitude changes 12,000 meters (36,,000ft) over a 300km distance.
* 80% of the worlds humpback whale population returns to the D.R to mate and give birth every year.
* The National language is Spanish.
* The Dominican Republic hosts the highest mountain in the Caribbean - Pico Duarte 3087 meters (10,128 feet) and the lowest point in the Caribbean - Lake Enriquillo 40 meters (144 ft) below sea level.
* Lake Enriquillo has salt water 3 times denser than the ocean..
* Population is 9 million.
* Capital is Santo Domingo with a population of 4 million.
* It is a Republic with a democratic government.
* 93% of the population is Catholic.
* National music is Merengue with the dance of the same name.
* The national tree is the Mahogany or Kaoba in Spanish
Getting here
-Flights:
Many countries have direct flights to Puerto Plata (POP)or Santiago (STI). Below is a guide to flight times:
* Toronto and Montreal: 4 hours
* New York: 3 hours
* Miami: 1.5 hours
* Puerto Rico: 1 hour
* Europe: 8 - 11 hours
There are 5 international airports in the Dominican Republic. You want to fly to Puerto Plata which is the 2nd biggest airport in the country, and only 25 minutes from Cabarete. Next closest is Santiago which is around an hours transfer to Cabarete but often cheaper to fly to.
Entry regulations
A visa is not required to enter the Dominican Republic for citizens of:
* Argentina
* France
* Spain
* Bermuda
* Japan
* Switzerland
* Brazil
* Jamaica
* United States
* Canada
* Martinique
* Venezuela
* Costa Rica
* Mexico
* Trinidad & Tobago
* UK
* Uruguay
* Scandinavia
* Germany
* Italy
* Netherlands
Visitors from all other countries need a visa for entry.
You will be required to purchase a Dominican Tourist Card in order to enter the country. The cost is US$10.00 (US$ cash only) and is purchased on arrival. You will receive a copy of your Tourist Card from the Immigration officer. You must keep this copy and present it to Immigration when you leave the country. The Tourist Card is valid for three months.
When you leave the Dominican Republic, you will have to pay a departure tax of US$20.00 per person at the airport. They only accept US$ cash. They will not accept credit cards, pesos or any other currency.
What to do when you arrive at the Puerto Plata Airport
Make sure you have the US$10.00 per person arrival tax ready - no other currencies are accepted - After disembarking your plane,you will come to the Immigration hall. Before getting in line, be sure to fill in a Tourist Card at the booth on the left-hand side of the room if you do not already have one.
More than likely a porter will try to help you with your luggage. If you would like assistance, RD$50 per bag is a reasonable payment. Sometimes two different porters will pick up your bags. This is fine as long as you want to pay each of them. More porters are outside the terminal. If you are not interested in assistance, a firm and direct "No Gracias" should do the trick.
Outside of the terminal there are generally a few men with "Taxi" signs that will direct you to a cab. The taxi may not be the most modern vehicle you have ever been in, but don't worry. The one-way taxi fare to Cabarete is US$35 (as of May 2015) and it takes about 25 minutes. All taxis are privately owned here and you do not have to tip the driver unless you want to. The driver should have a Taxi I.D. on him or hanging from his rearview mirror.
Travel Insurance
Our trips are sold as packages, and there will be no refunds to individuals who leave a trip early or arrive late. We strongly recommend that you purchase a travel insurance policy that includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
Language
Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic. However, other languages are spoken across the country. Throughout the tourist regions English is spoken and, to a lesser extent, German, French and Italian.
Currency and Credit Cards
The currency in the Dominican Republic is pesos. In May 2015, the official exchange rate was around 44..50 Dominican Pesos (RD$) for US$1.00. We say around because the rate you get depends upon where you change your money; change house, bank, hotel, etc. We will recommend places to you when you arrive.
All major currencies can be changed here including US$, Euro, Canadian$ and British Pound.
Traveler's checks are not easy to cash and not recommended.
Visa, Mastercard and American Express can be used here but not all hotels and restaurants accept them. Iguana Mama accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express credit cards US$ and Euros but not Traveler's checks, you will need to change them at a bank. You can get a cash advance from your credit card at a bank but a commission is generally charged on the transaction. There are a number of ATM machines including one right opposite our shop. There is also a Western Union office in Cabarete. Most hotels have safes in the rooms. For our guests on Overnight Adventures, we can store valuables in our office safe while on the trip. We are happy to photocopy passports and plane tickets for all of our guests' security and peace of mind.
Taxes
Most goods and services are subject to the 18% ITBIS tax. Hotels and restaurants charge an additional 10% for service. Taxes are not normally included in menu's prices but added afterwards.
Tipping
All hotels and many restaurants include a 10% service charge on the bill. This service charge should be distributed to all employees of the establishment. You may tip extra to the person who is serving you if you wish. We suggest an additional 5%.
Electricity
Electricity is 110 volts/60 cycles - the same as the US and Canada. Some hotels have a 220 volt receptacle for European appliances. Power outages are common and frequent throughout the country. Most hotels in Cabarete have a generator. This is not the case in the backcountry and non-tourist towns.
Weather
The Dominican Republic has a variety of climatic zones or micro climates; humid, dry, tropical jungle, Savannah and forest. The coastal zone is blessed with warm tropical climate, while temperatures are cooler and more temperate in the central region.
The year round average is 25 degrees C (79 degrees F). Throughout the mountain region, and especially in the winter months from December to April, temperatures drop dramatically, sometimes falling below 0 degrees C (32 degrees F) in Constanza, Valle Nuevo and on Pico Duarte.
Rainy times are May, November, & December but also depends largely on the part of the country you are in.
For our trips we suggest that you plan for hot sun, rain, and some cool temperatures at night if you are going to be at altitude.
Health
You must have good medical insurance. You're not required to have any vaccination shots to enter the Dominican Republic. You should always consult your doctor for recommendations before extended travel or travel to developing nations. We strongly recommend that all visitors familiarize themselves with the travel information available from the Department of Health of your country (in USA, the US Department of Health).
Note: There are areas of the Dominican Republic close to the Haitian border where cases of Malaria have been confirmed. Our trips do not go near these areas.
Drinking water: Do not drink the tap water. Bottled water is available everywhere. The water we use on our trips is either bottled, filtered or mountain spring water.
Medical facilities: You must have your own medical insurance. Please be sure to let us know if you have any allergies to things like bee stings, medicines or food. There are several pharmacies in Cabarete with an average selection of products. However, if you take medication we recommend you bring enough with you to last the length of your vacation. Cabarete has a very good 24 hour medical clinic (Servi-Med, 809 571 0964) with multi-lingual staff. The closest hospital is in Sosua, about 20 minutes away.
Dominican Republic Interesting Facts
* The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti; it covers 2/3 of the island, making the D.R the second largest country in the Caribbean at nearly 19,000 square miles. The Dominican coastline stretches for over 1,000 miles, and is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the north.
* 21% of the Country's land is protected in the 16 National Parks and Scientific Reserves.
Santo Domingo, the oldest city in the Americas, is a city of "firsts"; the first cathedral, university, court house, fortress and paved street of the New World are found there.
* Christopher Columbus chose the city for his home and his remains are in a lighthouse dedicated to him in Santo Domingo.
* The D.R. is one of the worlds most geographically diverse nations for its size; climatic zones range from desert-like plains to lush tropical valleys,to pine forests found on the high mountain peaks.
* The D.R. boasts the world's greatest drop in altitude. Between the top of Pico Duarte and the Milwaukee depth, just north of Samana the altitude changes 12,000 meters (36,,000ft) over a 300km distance.
* 80% of the worlds humpback whale population returns to the D.R to mate and give birth every year.
* The National language is Spanish.
* The Dominican Republic hosts the highest mountain in the Caribbean - Pico Duarte 3087 meters (10,128 feet) and the lowest point in the Caribbean - Lake Enriquillo 40 meters (144 ft) below sea level.
* Lake Enriquillo has salt water 3 times denser than the ocean..
* Population is 9 million.
* Capital is Santo Domingo with a population of 4 million.
* It is a Republic with a democratic government.
* 93% of the population is Catholic.
* National music is Merengue with the dance of the same name.
* The national tree is the Mahogany or Kaoba in Spanish
Getting here
-Flights:
Many countries have direct flights to Puerto Plata (POP)or Santiago (STI). Below is a guide to flight times:
* Toronto and Montreal: 4 hours
* New York: 3 hours
* Miami: 1.5 hours
* Puerto Rico: 1 hour
* Europe: 8 - 11 hours
There are 5 international airports in the Dominican Republic. You want to fly to Puerto Plata which is the 2nd biggest airport in the country, and only 25 minutes from Cabarete. Next closest is Santiago which is around an hours transfer to Cabarete but often cheaper to fly to.
Entry regulations
A visa is not required to enter the Dominican Republic for citizens of:
* Argentina
* France
* Spain
* Bermuda
* Japan
* Switzerland
* Brazil
* Jamaica
* United States
* Canada
* Martinique
* Venezuela
* Costa Rica
* Mexico
* Trinidad & Tobago
* UK
* Uruguay
* Scandinavia
* Germany
* Italy
* Netherlands
Visitors from all other countries need a visa for entry.
You will be required to purchase a Dominican Tourist Card in order to enter the country. The cost is US$10.00 (US$ cash only) and is purchased on arrival. You will receive a copy of your Tourist Card from the Immigration officer. You must keep this copy and present it to Immigration when you leave the country. The Tourist Card is valid for three months.
When you leave the Dominican Republic, you will have to pay a departure tax of US$20.00 per person at the airport. They only accept US$ cash. They will not accept credit cards, pesos or any other currency.
What to do when you arrive at the Puerto Plata Airport
Make sure you have the US$10.00 per person arrival tax ready - no other currencies are accepted - After disembarking your plane,you will come to the Immigration hall. Before getting in line, be sure to fill in a Tourist Card at the booth on the left-hand side of the room if you do not already have one.
More than likely a porter will try to help you with your luggage. If you would like assistance, RD$50 per bag is a reasonable payment. Sometimes two different porters will pick up your bags. This is fine as long as you want to pay each of them. More porters are outside the terminal. If you are not interested in assistance, a firm and direct "No Gracias" should do the trick.
Outside of the terminal there are generally a few men with "Taxi" signs that will direct you to a cab. The taxi may not be the most modern vehicle you have ever been in, but don't worry. The one-way taxi fare to Cabarete is US$35 (as of May 2015) and it takes about 25 minutes. All taxis are privately owned here and you do not have to tip the driver unless you want to. The driver should have a Taxi I.D. on him or hanging from his rearview mirror.
Travel Insurance
Our trips are sold as packages, and there will be no refunds to individuals who leave a trip early or arrive late. We strongly recommend that you purchase a travel insurance policy that includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
Language
Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic. However, other languages are spoken across the country. Throughout the tourist regions English is spoken and, to a lesser extent, German, French and Italian.
Currency and Credit Cards
The currency in the Dominican Republic is pesos. In May 2015, the official exchange rate was around 44..50 Dominican Pesos (RD$) for US$1.00. We say around because the rate you get depends upon where you change your money; change house, bank, hotel, etc. We will recommend places to you when you arrive.
All major currencies can be changed here including US$, Euro, Canadian$ and British Pound.
Traveler's checks are not easy to cash and not recommended.
Visa, Mastercard and American Express can be used here but not all hotels and restaurants accept them. Iguana Mama accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express credit cards US$ and Euros but not Traveler's checks, you will need to change them at a bank. You can get a cash advance from your credit card at a bank but a commission is generally charged on the transaction. There are a number of ATM machines including one right opposite our shop. There is also a Western Union office in Cabarete. Most hotels have safes in the rooms. For our guests on Overnight Adventures, we can store valuables in our office safe while on the trip. We are happy to photocopy passports and plane tickets for all of our guests' security and peace of mind.
Taxes
Most goods and services are subject to the 18% ITBIS tax. Hotels and restaurants charge an additional 10% for service. Taxes are not normally included in menu's prices but added afterwards.
Tipping
All hotels and many restaurants include a 10% service charge on the bill. This service charge should be distributed to all employees of the establishment. You may tip extra to the person who is serving you if you wish. We suggest an additional 5%.
Electricity
Electricity is 110 volts/60 cycles - the same as the US and Canada. Some hotels have a 220 volt receptacle for European appliances. Power outages are common and frequent throughout the country. Most hotels in Cabarete have a generator. This is not the case in the backcountry and non-tourist towns.
Weather
The Dominican Republic has a variety of climatic zones or micro climates; humid, dry, tropical jungle, Savannah and forest. The coastal zone is blessed with warm tropical climate, while temperatures are cooler and more temperate in the central region.
The year round average is 25 degrees C (79 degrees F). Throughout the mountain region, and especially in the winter months from December to April, temperatures drop dramatically, sometimes falling below 0 degrees C (32 degrees F) in Constanza, Valle Nuevo and on Pico Duarte.
Rainy times are May, November, & December but also depends largely on the part of the country you are in.
For our trips we suggest that you plan for hot sun, rain, and some cool temperatures at night if you are going to be at altitude.
Health
You must have good medical insurance. You're not required to have any vaccination shots to enter the Dominican Republic. You should always consult your doctor for recommendations before extended travel or travel to developing nations. We strongly recommend that all visitors familiarize themselves with the travel information available from the Department of Health of your country (in USA, the US Department of Health).
Note: There are areas of the Dominican Republic close to the Haitian border where cases of Malaria have been confirmed. Our trips do not go near these areas.
Drinking water: Do not drink the tap water. Bottled water is available everywhere. The water we use on our trips is either bottled, filtered or mountain spring water.
Medical facilities: You must have your own medical insurance. Please be sure to let us know if you have any allergies to things like bee stings, medicines or food. There are several pharmacies in Cabarete with an average selection of products. However, if you take medication we recommend you bring enough with you to last the length of your vacation. Cabarete has a very good 24 hour medical clinic (Servi-Med, 809 571 0964) with multi-lingual staff. The closest hospital is in Sosua, about 20 minutes away.