Miscellaneous information - Dominican Republic

This section contains information on:

Travel to Dominican Republic and getting around once you're there
Passport and visa requirements
Geography and time zone
Weather
Electricity

Getting there and around

Getting there

Many clients decide to come for a week and take a few days holiday as well in order to get to know the place.

A very good option is to book a package which takes care of accommodation and flight all in one, at very competitive rates. (Be sure to check our current promotions, too - there may be some money back for property purchasers.)

If you’d like to check out what's on offer here's a really useful web site offering some wonderful resorts with all - inclusive packages

The Dominican Republic has four main international airports and three regional airports. You can fly there from many of the world’s major cities and below you’ll find the principal airlines flying to and from the Dominican Republic from Europe. The majority have daily flights and many of them offer non-stop flights depending on your destination within the country.

NB. Non-stop Flights should not be confused with Direct Flights, which may or may not have a stop en route. A Direct Flight signifies that you don’t need to change to another aircraft (or even another airline) to complete your journey.

Flight costs vary according to airline, time of year and whether the flight is scheduled or chartered. At the moment you can fly directly from Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle with more airports planned for the future.

Two useful sites for checking availability and cost are www.justtheflight.com and www.charterflights.co.uk

Here’s a list of many of the airlines that fly to Dominican Republic from around the world, although it’s not an exhaustive list it’s a good starting point.

From UK

Virgin Atlantic www.virginatlantic.com
Monarch Airlines www.flymonarch.com
Thomson www.thomsonfly.com
First Choice www.firstchoice.co.uk
Thomas Cook www.flythomascook.com

From Europe

Air Europa www.aireuropa.com
Iberia www.iberia.com
Air France www.airfrance.com
Martinair Holland www.martinair.com
LTU www.ltu.com
Lauda Air www.laudaair.com
TAP www.flytap.com

If you’re planning your own travel arrangements, you’ll find it quite easy and to help you, here are the names and codes of all Dom Rep’s airports:

SDQ - Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas (AILA), Santo Domingo
PUJ - Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta Cana
POP - Aeropuerto Internacional Gregorio Luperón, Puerto Plata
LRM - Aeropuerto Internacional Punta Águila, La Romana
BRX - Aeropuerto María Montes, Barahona
STI - Aeropuerto Cibao, Santiago
EPS - Aeropuerto El Portillo, Samaná

Getting around

Most of the Dominican Republic's international airports have a variety of transport options. If you want to hire a car you can do this easily at the airport and it goes without saying that you’ll need to have your driving licence with you. You’ll find more information on hiring cars below. If you don’t plan on hiring a car the popular option is to take a taxi.

Taxis out of the airport

Taxis have fixed fares according to destination rather than metered fares and they’re considerably more expensive than public transport. Fares to the most popular destinations are normally displayed just outside the Arrivals Terminal at every airport, but if you can’t find this information, check with a few taxi drivers to find the going rate.

Make sure you ask if they’re quoting Pesos, US dollars or Euros. As you can imagine this will make quite a difference to the cost!

If you have the correct amount, so much the better, as you’ll find that very few drivers will carry change, in particular foreign currency change.

Taxis will certainly offer a more comfortable and convenient way of travelling and the newer taxis will have air-conditioning. After a long flight you may prefer to take the taxi option but if you fancy experiencing the buses, have a read of the Public Transport section below.

Taxis generally

Taxis are definitely one of the most comfortable ways to travel in the Dominican Republic. Taxi fares are fixed rates depending on the distance (as opposed to metered rates) and are considerably higher than the rates for public transport.

Taxis are usually newer, more spacious, more comfortable and with air-conditioning. Taxi drivers tend to treat their passengers and their vehicles with more care than the public transport drivers, so you’ll get a more comfortable and a safer ride.

Many taxi drivers also speak a little English and will often give you recommendations on places you can visit. They also perform a travel guide service to many destination and the surrounding areas.

And we said this above but it’s worth mentioning again: Make sure you ask if they’re quoting Pesos, US dollars or Euros. As you can imagine this will make quite a difference to the cost!

Fares are normally posted at taxi stands, at hotels and at resorts but if you can’t find it ask a few drivers before choosing a driver and agreeing the rate.

If you have the correct amount, so much the better, as you’ll find that very few drivers will carry or offer change, in particular foreign currency change.

Public Transport

Public transport won’t necessarily be as widespread as you may be used to and you may have to walk a little way or even take a taxi into town, to pick it up. There are four types of public transport in most areas of Dominican Republic:

Caro Publicos,
Buses,
Guaguas,
and Motoconchos.

All are reasonably priced but generally that’s where the similarity ends… it depends on your needs which type of transport will suit you best - comfort, distance, travel time, and destination.

It helps to know the fares in advance (they should be able to tell in your resort/hotel/club house) and to have the right money as giving change is a bit of an alien concept to many drivers/conductors!

Apart from the buses, there’s no set timetable for public transport so your wait could be anywhere from 5 – 25 minutes.

Guaguas

Guaguas are privately owned mini-vans which travel in and around and also between between towns and cities. There are no official stops, you just wait at the roadside and as they approach they will hoot at you. They’ll stop anywhere to pick up and put down passengers. The Cobrador (conductor) often leans out of the window or door to attract your attention and ask if they should stop for you.

Guaguas are cheap but hardly luxurious and you may well find that instead of the max 12 people, they will often carry 20 people, a few chickens and maybe some produce to sell at the markets! It's certainly worth taking a trip by guaguas – just for the experience.

Fares are around RD$25 (90 cents US) and will cover journeys from 0.25 mile to 10 miles and they don’t generally run after early evening.

Caros Publicos (Public Taxis)

Caros Publicos are smallish cars that usually have taxi-like signs on their roof. The sign will indicate their particular route. Unlike guaguas, caros publicos have fixed routes so you’ll need to check before getting in.

They drive the main roads between cities, towns and villages and like guaguas, stop wherever you want to get in or out. You just wait at the roadside for them and they’ll hoot as they come towards you. They’ll know you want a ride if you wave at them.

A standard fare again for any journey between 0.25 mile and 10 miles - costing around RD$30 (1$ US).

Motoconchos

If you think a ride in a Guagua is a little on the tame side, then you might like to take a motoconcho. It’s a privately owned motorbike whose drivers will give you a ride on the back. They’re quite popular for short trips in towns, villages and resort areas and like other forms of public transport, they’ll just hoot or pull over and ask if you’re standing waiting. Don’t expect a helmet as they don’t carry spares but do expect a bit of a bumpy ride.

Any local journey of up to a couple of miles will cost around RD $20-30 (0.80-1.00$ US) per passenger on the bike (yes sometimes, they’ll manage to get more than one passenger). The fare doubles at dusk – as soon as they’ve got their lights on.

Buses

There are three major bus companies who all have comfortable, air-conditioned 52-seat buses. Their rates for travel are quite reasonable, even for long distances. Most will just travel to, from and in the larger towns or cities so once you arrive you’ll need to take another form of transport to/from the bus station if you have to travel on.

Hiring a Car (or Motorcycle or Scooter)

All Dominican Republic Airports and most tourist destinations have car rental offices. Some tourist destinations also offer motorcycle, scooter or jeep rental… often by the hour, half-day, full day, and of course for longer rental periods.

The major rental companies ask for a minimum age of 25 although the smaller companies will often accept 21. They’ll all want to see your passport, driving license and credit card and they normally expect to take an open credit card voucher or your passport, which they'll give back when you return the vehicle in the good order.

A few pointers to make sure you have a hassle free time whilst renting your vehicle:

Check the details of the insurance cover to ensure there is adequate cover.
It’s a good idea to take the collision damage waiver to avoid paying the full repair costs if you should have an accident.
Check over the vehicle before leaving the rental agency, to ensure your rental contract indicates any existing damage to the vehicle.
Make sure there’s a spare tyre (and jack) in the car, just in case you get a flat tyre.
And make sure you have the contact number of the rental agency, so that you can contact them if you encounter problems.

The Dominicans take a fairly relaxed view of the rules and laws governing driving. Many of their cars will be in less than tip-top condition and you know they would never get through a vehicle safety inspection.

Speeding and tailgating are the order of the day, and overtaking takes place almost anywhere but the Dominican driver is very thoughtful – he will hoot you to let you know he’s about to overtake!

The main roads are in good condition, but many of the secondary roads can have stretches of potholes and ruts.

The petrol stations measure fuel by the American gallon which is less than the UK gallon (3.8 litres versus 4.5 litres per gallon), so if you ask for 10 gallons, you’ll get less then you are used to.

Passports and Visas

If you are a national of a country listed in the embassy information, you'll need a Tourist Card as well as a valid passport to enter the Dominican Republic.

You can buy the Tourist Card from the Dominican Republic Embassy or you can leave it until you arrive. If you purchase it in advance from the embassy, allow a few weeks as it can be a slow process. If you leave it until you arrive in the country, just accept that you're on Caribbean time now and it won't happen quickly!

Nationals of the following countries do not need either a Tourist Card or a Tourist Visa to enter the country: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Israel, Japan, Perú, South Korea and Uruguay.

If your country is not listed in the embassy information, but you are a resident of the United Kingdom or currently hold a valid visa to enter the United States, Canada or any European Union country, you may also enter the Dominican Republic with a Tourist Card and a valid passport. (When you purchase your Tourist Card at the Consular Section of the embassy, you will be given a letter certifying that you meet the conditions to travel with a Tourist Card.)

If your country is not listed in the embassy information, and if you do not hold a valid visa for the United Kingdom, United States, Canada or Schengen countries, you will need to obtain a Tourist Visa. Please contact the embassy for more information about how to apply.

Tourist Cards are available at the Consular Section of the Embassy of the Dominican Republic at a cost of £10.00.

You must also post the following documents:

Photocopy of passport (pages containing personal details and photo).
Postal Order or Banker’s Draft for £10.00, made payable to the Embassy of the Dominican Republic. THEY DO NOT ACCEPT PERSONAL CHEQUES.
Self addressed stamped envelope (size A5). The Embassy will not send Tourist Cards if a pre-paid envelope is not included.

The Embassy of the Dominican Republic states that they won't be held liable for the loss or damage of any document entrusted to the postal service.

Notes from the Embassy

Passports must be valid for twice the length of the stay (e.g. four weeks from the date of entry if the person remains in the country for two weeks).
Children may travel on a parent’s passport until the age of 15.
The process will take approximately 7 working days.
Tourist Cards are absolutely non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tourist Cards may be purchased well in advance of the date of travel as their validity starts from the date of entry.
Tourist Cards are valid for 30 days from the day of entry to the Dominican Republic.
Multiple applications may be made together by sending one pre-paid return envelope and one postal order or banker´s draft.

For a limited period, and until further notice, nationals of the Russian Federation and Ukraine will be able to travel to the Dominican Republic with a Tourist Card.

All of the above information can be found on the embassy web site or by contacting the embassy directly:

Consular Section
Embassy of the Dominican Republic
139, Inverness Terrace
Bayswater
London
W2 6JF

Tel: 09065 508 945 Fax 0207 727 3693
Email: info@dominicanembassy.org.uk
For info on Tourist Cards
For frequently asked visa questions

Exiting the Dominican Republic - Important Info

When you pass though immigration on arrival you will be handed back one part of your Tourist Card. You must keep this part safely during your visit, as you’ll need to present it at Immigration when you depart the Dominican Republic.

If you lose this portion of your Tourist Card during your visit, you will have to buy a new Tourist Card for US $10 before passing through Immigration.

You must also pay the Departure Tax of US $20 when leaving Dom Rep. Some Tour Operators may include this as part of your flight or holiday package, but it’s best not to assume that they have and we recommend you check with them before you fly.

If you can pay with the exact amount in US dollars it will certainly save you time and probably money. The airport authorities will generally take Dominican Pesos as payment, but you’ll find the exchange rate they use (back to US dollars) will probably be very unfavourable.

You’ll be given a receipt for your payment which you must keep, as you need to present it (usually at the gate) before getting on your departing flight.

Geography

The geography of Dominican Republic is incredibly diverse, so much so, that you might think you’ve switched continents rather than just travelled to a different region.

It ranges from arid semi-desert plains to lush valleys, from tropical rain forests, to palm fringed beaches. You’ll be amazed at the variety of vegetation and the wonderful selection of fruit and vegetables that grow with ease.

Although many tourists are initially attracted by the paradise-like beaches they can’t help but fall in love with the amazing countryside. Many think that the true charm and beauty of Dominican Republic is found in the very centre of the country and you shouldn’t go home without taking at least one journey to the land that lies beyond the beach.

Dom Rep has four rugged mountain ranges which bisect its terrain from northwest to southeast. The Cordillera Central is the highest mountain range on the island, running from Haiti all the way to San Cristobal in the south, close to the capital of Santo Domingo. In winter you can occasionally see snow on Pico Duarte, the highest mountain in the Caribbean (3,175 meters or 10,000 feet).

A little way inland, stretching along the Atlantic coast, is the Cordillera Septentrional. This tongue-twister mountain range separates the Atlantic coast from the fertile Cibao valley, home to the gold mines that brought Christopher Columbus and the Spaniards hurrying back to the island after their initial discovery of America. If you have the time, take an exploratory trip into the valleys of Cordillera Septentrional, and don’t miss the region known as the "Dominican Alps”, around Jarabacoa.

The Cordillera Oriental is the smallest of the three main mountain ranges and is in the east, running along the Samaná Bay region towards Higuey. A smaller range in the southwest region surrounds one of the main fertile valleys and the famous Lake Enriquillo. Its claim to fame being that it is 40 metres below sea level and is the only salt water lake in the world inhabited by crocodiles.

The fertile Cibao valley is the major agricultural region, although there are pockets of agriculture throughout the country and the economy has traditionally been built on this agriculture. Sugar has been the main export crop, followed by coffee, tobacco and cacao. Over the past decade they’ve branched out and have added other products, such as citrus fruits, green vegetables, pineapples and flowers.

The island's northern Atlantic side is where you’ll find the majority of tourist areas, hotels and resorts, in particular between Puerto Plata and Cabarete. The beautiful beaches of the north give way to lush tropical forests against a backdrop of rolling mountains.

Dominican Republic’s south eastern region, is mostly covered with rolling plains and this includes the area surrounding the capital city of Santo Domingo.

The southwest is pretty much an undiscovered natural park with incredibly varied scenery. You’ll find rainforests, mountains and pastureland as well as beaches, desert and even pine forests.

To the west, along the northern two-thirds of the border with Haiti, the land is quite arid and sparsely populated, with typical thorn shrubs and some varieties of cacti.

Dom Rep has no large wild animals, and no poisonous snakes, spiders or insects whose bite or sting would be life-threatening to humans.

Time in Dom Rep - GMT minus 4 hours

The Dominican Republic is on Atlantic standard time, all year round. . The Dominican Republic does not operate Daylight-Saving Time.

Weather

Dominican Republic’s year round tropical climate is often known as “the endless summer” with an average annual temperature of around 25°C (77°F). This is pretty much constant over the whole country with some variation from summer to winter.

Summer runs from May to October with daytime highs in the coastal regions averaging 31°C (87°F), dropping to around 22°C (72°F) at night. The humidity is higher in the summer season and this can make it feel hotter. The gentle easterly breeze throughout the summer months ensures that you don’t get too hot.

Winter is between November and April with daytime highs of 28°C (83°F) in the coastal regions – hardly chilly! The evenings are cooler with lows plummeting to around 20°C (68°F)! The humidity is relatively low during the winter months. The mountainous interior will be quite a bit cooler in winter, especially at night when, on rare occasions the temperature can drop to below freezing point.

The coolest area in Dominican Republic is definitely the Cordillera Central mountain region, and in particular around Jarabacoa and Constanza, regardless of the season. The average annual high is a very spring-like 16°C (61°F) a very comfortable temperature for the many hikers and eco-tourists that come to the region.

Temperature of over 40°C (104°F) are often experienced in the south western region and certainly explains the desert like appearance of this area.

The greatest amount of rain falls between October and April and it’s the northern areas which get the lion share, ensuring that it remains lush and tropical throughout the year.

That’s not to say that the southern areas get off Scott free – they get the majority of their rain between May and November.

Like all Caribbean and tropical countries, when it rains, it rains… but it usually comes in short, sharp bursts and before you know it, the sun is out again and it’s business as usual within an hour.

Electricity

Current is 110 volts AC, 60 Hz and two-pin plugs are standard. If you want to use your electronic items from home, you will need to bring an adaptor and a transformer.

You can buy these in luggage shops or electrical retailers, and normally at the airport. Any electrical items you buy in Dominican Republic, will of course work without any problem.