Dominican Republic Travel

Why is the Dominican Republic a Good Destination for Couples?

With 1,000 miles of beaches, the Dominican Republic is about as close as you can get to a tropical paradise. It has plenty of hotels and all-inclusive resorts to choose from. But the DR also has some great colonial architecture and cultural assets that are somewhat unexpected if all you were expecting was an unlimited supply of rum drinks and suntan lotion.

What is Unique or Unusual about the Dominican Republic?

Primarily Spanish-speaking, it is located on the island of Hispaniola. It shares the island with its French/Creole-speaking neighbor to the west, Haiti. The only other island in the Caribbean that is shared in this fashion is Saint Martin (French) and Sint Maarten (Dutch).

Its capital, Santo Domingo was established by Christopher Columbus when he sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a shorter route to India. While not his first stop in the region, it was the first settlement that remained viable after the Spanish arrival.

Dominican Republic Travel: Where is It/How do we Get There?

The Dominican Republic is located southeast of Cuba. Part of the Archipelago known as the Greater Antilles, it is the second largest island nation in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea is to the south and the Atlantic Ocean is to the North.

The DR is in the Atlantic Time Zone. That puts it one hour ahead of the East Coast of the United States and does not observe Daylight Savings Time.

Airlines from the United States and Canada service four primary airports – Punta Cana (PUJ), on the east coast, Santo Domingo (SDQ), the capital city to the south, and Puerto Plata (POP) and Santiago (STI) to the north.

Dominican Republic Travel: Best Activities for Couples

Sunset Horseback Riding Near Punta Cana – whether you have experience or not, there are several companies that will match you with a horse based on your experience level. Check for current details and pricing, but this generally ranges from $60 – $80 per person.

Zipline Adventure for Two – Fly through the rain forest canopy on zip lines – set side by side so that you can zip with a partner. Expert adventure guides give a safety briefing and perform a full safety check before you fly. Along the way, look out for native flora and fauna in the tropical forest. From about $100 per person.

Mountain E-Bike Tour – Escape to the countryside on a thrilling 2-hour mountain bike adventure. Explore the scenic back roads, and experience local life as you pedal past farms, rural villages, and coffee plantations. These tours are organized with about ten participants to keep things comfortably organized and fun. About $80 per person.

Dominican Republic Travel: Budgeting & Ways to Save

• Be flexible with where you are traveling to. There is a lot of competition among resorts but if you just **have** to stay at the place with the full page ad in the travel magazine you’re reading, you may miss out on some great alternative options.
• Avoid Caribbean travel during the peak season between late December and February. Basically, it comes down to supply and demand. If you’re traveling when everyone else is, you’re less likely to get discounted pricing on your trip. If you’re flexible with your travel dates you may save 35 – 50% off peak season rates for the same vacation.
• All-inclusive vacations typically will not save you money if you want to spend most of your time exploring the island, eating in local restaurants, and otherwise spending time off-resort. Travelers interested in this type of vacation experience should consider staying in a hotel or rental property instead, as most all-inclusives don’t allow you to experience much outside the confines of the resort unless you pay extra.
• Assess what you’ll actually use. Some resorts offer horseback riding, parasailing, scuba diving, casinos or other amenities. If you just plan to hang by the pool with a good book, you may be overpaying for things you won’t use. On the other hand, if you’d like to try your hand at these types of activities, the premium may be worth it.
• If you do go the all-inclusive route, be aware of what ‘all inclusive’ means at your resort. Common exclusions include spa treatments, purchases at the resort shop, off-site excursions, and some premium activities.
• Save money, but beware of deals that appear too good. An amazing rate may even mean that construction is being done at your resort or hotel, and you won’t be able to access some of the resort features or the room you prefer. Check the resort website or call to inquire about such activity before pulling the trigger on your booking.
• Bundled vs. unbundled airfare. Resorts and travel companies assemble packages that include airfare or you can just buy the stay. Check prices and itineraries both ways, as you may find that you can travel on a lower cost ticket or assemble a better travel itinerary if you do it yourself. On the other hand, the resort or travel provider may have better leverage or the ability to include free perks if you bundle. It pays to check but don’t automatically assume you’re getting a better deal by bundling.
• Read the fine print about room occupancy. This blog is primarily about couples travel, but if you’re bringing kids along, you may find a hefty surcharge for each child, depending on age. If this is the case, focus on family-friendly resorts like Beaches which are geared toward family travel.
• Think about last minute deals. If you are flexible and really don’t care where you go (i.e. just somewhere warm). You can often find nice savings on unsold inventory at the last minute. This doesn’t really work if you have to plan your vacation time well in advance (or are a planner by nature).
• Consider travel insurance. This doesn’t, strictly speaking, lower your cost but does reduce your downside risk if weather, illness or emergencies crop up.

Dominican Republic Travel: Places to Go

• Punta Cana
• Santo Domingo
• Santiago
• Puerto Plata

Dominican Republic Travel: Where to Stay

Are you leaning toward an all-inclusive resort? Maybe an private residence with room to spread out? We’re fans of Booking.com as a way to do a baseline search, get a sense of the available properties and price ranges, and spread out from there.

Dominican Republic Travel: How to Get Around

For Santo Domingo, Santiago, and Puerto Plata, it is best to rely on taxis or Uber. You can get a taxi by calling a 24-hr dispatch taxi company. Or have your resort or hotel take care of it for you. Most offer a fixed rate of approximately US$5 one-way for most in-city destinations.

Driving in the DR is known to be nerve-wracking; you must drive defensively and keep an eye out constantly for other drivers, motorbikes, pedestrians, livestock, and other potential road hazards. The countryside is less stressful than big cities, though once you are in the villages, you should look out for potential road obstacles.

Avoid speeding, and don’t drive at night – lighting is often nonexistent, which brings opportunities for car accidents and crime.

There are tourist destinations where having your own car is easier because there is so much to see. For example, if you are traveling the north coast from Montecristi to Puerto Plata or to Cabrera, or to the beaches of Samaná, renting a car will allow you to stop and see the sights along the way. On the east coast, having a car allows for more affordable exploration of the popular tourist areas of La Romana, Bávaro, Punta Cana, and Cap Cana. The southwest of the Dominican Republic–from Barahona to Pedernales–is one of the most beautiful and untouched regions in the country, where public transportation is limited. Having a car will help you save time and money, particularly to well-known, distant sights such as Bahía de Las Águilas. The beaches and attractions surrounding the major destinations will be more accessible and affordable to you with a rental car.

Dominican Republic Travel: Special Considerations

Mobile phone coverage is quite good in the Dominican Republic. Check with your wireless carrier to be sure of how your plan treats mobile voice, text, and data usage to avoid a big billing surprise when you get back.

We’ve had good luck personally with international service with T-Mobile. Their Magenta Plan offers free international data and texting as part of the package. The data is throttled but not terrible – it’s fine as long as you’re not trying to catch up on the latest season of whatever show you’re binge-watching. Voice calls are $0.25/minute at the time of this writing. They have an international upgrade that allows for faster data speeds and unlimited calling, but unless you’re planning to be on the phone constantly, their basic international service should be just fine for most.

Limit your water consumption to bottled water only. Tap water is generally not purified and can cause problems for tourists. You may be fine, but why take the risk of being miserable? Bottled water is abundantly available at resorts, restaurants and neighborhood convenience stores. In the same category, avoid fountain drinks, ice and fruit juices not coming from a factory-sealed can.

Spanish is the native language of the Dominican Republic. That said, as an English speaker, you shouldn’t have any problems communicating in tourist areas of the DR. Dominicans are very friendly and even if they do not speak your language, they will help you find someone who can or find a way to communicate.

In the big cities, as well as in most tourist destinations, staff in hotels, restaurants, and tourist areas, as well as tour guides understand and speak English, in addition to other languages. Fluency is less common in the villages and countryside, but they will still make out the basics and help you find your way.

When to Go

The weather is warm year-round, with average temperatures clocking in between the high 70’s and low 80’s Fahrenheit depending on what part of the island you’re traveling to. The best weather months to visit are generally December through May.

The hurricane season starts around June 1st and runs through the end of November. Each season averages about ten hurricanes in the Atlantic. While you may have good luck, the possibility of bad weather throwing you a curveball is certainly a possibility. For those playing the odds, September is usually the number one month for hurricanes. That’s definitely one to avoid if possible. The flip side to this weather-related risk is lower pricing. If you are looking to keep your costs a little lower and are okay with the idea of keeping a close eye on The Weather Channel, this might be for you.

You’ll find the biggest crowds from December to February. If you have flexibility in your schedule, the months of March through May get our vote since they are a bit less crowded.

Currency

The Dominican Republic uses the Dominican Peso as its unit of currency. Here’s a current snapshot of the conversion rate. It defaults to the dollar. But you can also use the drop-down to convert from Canadian Dollars, Euros, or Pounds.

A Little History about the Dominican Republic

The colonial-era has a complex heritage throughout the world. In 1492 Christopher Columbus traveled across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain. After a brief stop in the Bahamas, he landed on the island of Hispaniola (in present-day Haiti).

Four years later, Santo Domingo became the capital of all Spanish colonial holdings in the Americas. The present-day Dominican Republic has a rich heritage of colonial architecture as a result of this history.

Safety and Security While Traveling

Safety and security are important issues and have surfaced in connection with travel to the Dominican Republic. There have been a number of well-publicized incidents with travelers dying while on their stay. We don’t wish to minimize the issue or impact to those specific travelers or their families but taken as a whole, we believe a trip to the DR can be conducted safely. The U. S. State Department suggests you exercise increased caution when traveling to the area. Here are some thoughts about how to keep safe while traveling:

• Avoid any contact with drugs or dealers while you’re there. We’re not your parents and don’t really care what you do on your personal time. We also know that legalization (or decriminalization) has happened in many areas of the U.S. and Canada. The Dominican Republic’s legal system is not at all friendly to possession. You may be detained for up to a year before a trial. Aside from the legal ramifications, you open yourself up to violence, fraud and a host of unsavory characters that are best left to their entrepreneurial ambitions on their own.
• Tourist zones in Punta Cana are relatively safe. Some travelers seek to see the ‘real’ country and find themselves in less traveled places with elevated risk levels. If you are mugged, hand over your valuables without resisting to reduce your chances for more serious violent crime.
• Avoid bringing flashy jewelry or visibly expensive items to avoid drawing attention to yourself. Beaches and pools are areas are prime locations to lose track of valuables. Leave them locked in the hotel safe.

Planning a Trip to the Dominican Republic

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Books and Other Resources