Tips for traveling to Dominican Republic

These are some of the facts you should know when traveling to the Dominican Republic:

Here are our recommendations and tips for traveling to the Dominican Republic:

🏥 Health insurance

The first advice we give you is to get medical insurance for travel to the Dominican Republic. The airlines have insurance, as do some cards, but check the insurance coverage they have.

This is very important, medicine in Dominican Republic is not universal and most of it is private. So, any mishap you have you will have to make the payment at the hospital or clinic.

Any hospital expenses are very expensive and the insurance offered by the travel companies have very little coverage.

We strongly recommend you to take out a good medical insurance if you do not want to regret it later and have a ruined trip.

Comprehensive medical insurance is a very small expense in the overall trip.

📱 Telephony in Dominican Republic

Because we start with telephony, because having mobile data we will be able to solve all the setbacks and it will also facilitate any management that we have to do.

There are 2 main cell phone companies: Altice and Claro. Both work very well.

You simply have to buy a SIM card and add a data package whose price depends on the number of days you choose. You will be able to renew these data packages by giving your purchased phone number.

The purchase and recharge of the card and data packages can be done in specialized stores or in any of Loteca’s many small lottery stores.

You can do it in any place that sells it with total security and it is quite economical.

🚖 Transportation in the Dominican Republic

Here it will depend on the number of days you stay and the type of trip you make. We give you the best tips to move around the DR according to the three main airports of entry.

If you enter through the Punta Cana airport:

• You can rent a car without any problem and move around the area and the country.
• Bus transportation is only recommended between cities and not for short trips.
• To move in short distances you can do it in motoconcho, they are motorcycles that take you in the back for a very economic price.

If you enter through the Santo Domingo airport:

• You can take one of the official cabs to take you to your accommodation.
• The best way to get around Santo Domingo is with UBER. It is very economical and safe.
• If you want to move around the country these are the best options to rent a car in Santo Domingo.
• Bus transportation is only recommended between cities and not for short trips.

If you enter through the Puerto Plata airport:

• You can take one of the official cabs to take you to your accommodation.
• If you want to move around the area or the country it is best to rent a car.
• Bus transportation is only recommended between cities and not for short trips.
• To move around Puerto Plata in short trips, you can do it in motoconcho, motorcycles that take you in the back for a very cheap price.

🚗 Driving in the Dominican Republic

If you decide to rent a vehicle and move freely around the country, you must take into account these aspects.

• The best roads are the highways from Santo Domingo to Bávaro and from Santo Domingo to Las Terrenas.
• The highway from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata passing through Santiago has several potholes and a lot of traffic.
• Driving in the country is very anarchic and they can circulate and overtake on any side of the road.
• There are an infinite number of motorcycles that get in everywhere.
• Roads lack shoulders.
• We do not recommend driving at night because of the lack of lighting and because there is no roadside assistance.
• Try to avoid riding on Sunday as it is a public holiday in the Dominican Republic and there are many young people on motorcycles riding around.
• The most peculiar and striking are the speed bumps that exist on the roads and that are not marked. They are very bulky and if you see them you will get a good scare he, he, he.

Even so, we recommend renting a car and having the freedom to move around the country. However, you must be very attentive to the road and do not drink alcohol.

✅ Security in the Dominican Republic

As always when traveling to a country and if it is for the first time, the most important thing to feel safe is common sense:

• Avoid conflictive areas of the cities.
• Avoid walking tours at night.
• Do not flaunt valuables.
• If possible, do not use your cell phone in the street.

🪙 Money

The currency is the Dominican peso, you must change your currency in the multiple exchange houses that you will find in the country.

One of the best known exchange houses is Caribe Express. The price in almost all exchange houses is very similar.

On Sundays most exchange offices are closed.

💳 Credit cards

In many restaurants and in almost all hotels you can pay by credit card. In supermarkets you can also pay by credit card.

But in many places such as cafes or disco bars you will find it difficult to pay by card.

For ATM withdrawals, commissions are usually high.

Frequently Asked Questions about Tourism in Dominican Republic

These are some of the questions you ask us about traveling to Dominican Republic:

What is the best time of the year to visit the Dominican Republic?

The best time of the year to visit the Dominican Republic is from December to April, when the weather is drier and temperatures are more pleasant.

However, keep in mind that during this high season, prices tend to be higher and beaches and other tourist sites may be more crowded.

What activities can I do in the Dominican Republic besides going to the beach?

In addition to the beaches, the Dominican Republic offers a wide variety of tourist activities, such as hiking in the mountains, visiting national parks, jeep tours, kite surfing, exploring the history and culture of colonial cities and much more.

Is it safe to travel to the Dominican Republic?

In general, the Dominican Republic is a safe country for tourists. However, as in any other place in the world, it is important to take certain precautions, such as avoiding unsafe areas, not carrying valuables in sight and taking authorized cabs.

Summary

The Dominican Republic is a safe and peaceful country where you can move freely without any problems.

The language and culture common to all Latin American countries makes you always feel welcome and it is very easy to integrate as a Dominican.

The joy and the desire to have fun of the Dominican people will make your stay in the country a wonderful experience that you will always want to repeat.

For all this the first advice we can give you is to get to know the authentic Dominican Republic, connecting with its people and their customs. Of course enjoying one of its treasures which are its beaches.