Guide: Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is great for those that want a Caribbean experience away from tourist traps, cruise ships, and resorts. The small island can easily be traversed with different experiences awaiting you on each side and everywhere in between.
Arriving
The Dominican Republic has a few different airports — the most popular is Punta Cana (cheaper) but I ended up flying into Santo Domingo because I wanted to avoid the resort towns. I flew Copa Airlines business class which is the equivalent of an economy experience on a US airline, but it got me from Point A to Point B for only 47,5000 reward miles (round trip) on United. Copa Airlines is based out of Panama so I had a layover there going both ways.
If you are a US Citizen, you’ll need a tourist card ($10 USD) but it’s often included in the cost of your airfare so double check before you get on your flight. When I arrived, I asked if I was covered since I had no tourist card in-hand, but the man at the desk said the cost is always included in the airfare so I had no trouble getting in. This is not a visa, but you don’t need a visa if your visit is less than 30 days. Make sure that your passport is valid at the time of entry, but unlike other countries, there is no requirement that your passport be valid for six more months. More details for US Citizens can be found here.
Getting through customs and immigration took forever and was very confusing. There was a long line to exit the airport full of people who had carts full of suitcases. I only had a backpack but I had to wait in line with everyone else and they ended up scanning my bag before I left the airport. Everything was in Spanish which made it extra confusing.
After I made it through customs, I called an Uber to take me to my hotel. It costs about $13 USD to go from the Santo Domingo Airport to the main city.
Money
Ideally you have a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred — most establishments take credit cards but not all, especially if you wander into more rural areas, so carry some cash. The local currency is the Dominican Peso.
$1 DOP = $.02 USD
You will either need to use your credit card or the local currency as foreign currency is not widely accepted, though in some resorts in Punta Cana, you can get away with Euros and US Dollars.
Language
I was surprised to find that most people in Santo Domingo only speak Spanish. I ran into very few vendors and locals that spoke English. However, when I went to a retreat in a rural area, many people spoke English, so if you’re in a tourist area, you should be fine. If you’re wandering out and about and ditching the tourist books, you might want to brush up on your Spanish as Dominican Spanish is very sharp and quick'.
Transport
To get around DR, you’ll have to use a variety of transport options.
Santo Domingo does have Uber but it’s not an easy experience. If you want to leave Santo Domingo and go into a neighboring town, drivers will not take you unless you pay in cash. Drivers will also drop you off and keep driving to make more money even if your trip has ended. This happened to me multiple times. Still, no Uber ride broke $5 and most rides were about $2-3 one-way.
To go to neighboring towns, I made friends with a driver who took me to and from the town for cash but this involved a lot of trust and I wouldn’t recommend for a solo traveler. Safety is a concern in DR and hotels capitalize on that by offering safe taxis for $70USD one-way, which is absurd.
I also ventured to the other side of the island and used Caribe Tours which has a huge bus terminal in Santo Domingo but can take you almost anywhere you want to go for just a few bucks. The terminal is all in Spanish (signage and announcements) and there are multiple unlabeled busses leaving at once, so it was probably one of the more confusing experiences I’ve ever had in my life, but for the price and if you get on the right bus, it does make the entire island accessible.
If you do go to a more rural area, you’ll need to use a moto or ATV to get to some hard-to-reach destinations.
Power and Internet
You should always bring a universal adapter whenever you travel. In DR the power plugs and sockets are of type A and B, so if you’re from the U.S., you don’t need an adapter. The standard voltage is 110 V and the standard frequency is 60 Hz.
You won’t need VPN in DR but if you want to stream your favorite shows, you will need VPN as some sites are blocked.
Dynamics
The two groups I most interacted with were the Dominican locals and the Ethnic Chinese. There’s a smattering of expats but not as many as I’ve experienced in other countries.
There is also a Haitian population but Haitians tended to be looked down upon as if they were in a lower class. The Ethnic Chinese have been around for generations which means many have never been to Asia and do consider themselves to be Dominican.
Where to stay
This is a tricky question because you can stay many places in DR. Some choose to stay in Zona Colonial which is beautiful tourist trap in Santo Domingo, however, I chose to stay in the Courtyard Marriott more inland. It was cheap and only 7000 hotel points a night or $62 USD a night. Considering an Uber into town was $2, it was overall cheaper to stay more inland.
I stayed in Villa Serena in Samana Province which I highly recommend. It was extremely expensive at $125 a night, and I have heard there are much cheaper options but I actually had a great time and thought the retreat was pretty much perfect.
Places to go
If you’re in Santo Domingo, walking the streets of Zona Colonial is a must. It is considered the Oldest Settlement in the New World so it’s dripping with history and there are gorgeous ruins casually sprinkled about the area. Grab an El Presidente in the Plaza or enjoy the Passion Salmon at Pate Palo, dubbed the oldest bar in the western world. Every turn has a photo-op as well as some interesting story — most likely involving Columbus.
Zona Colonial
If you’re lucky enough to go to DR during the winter months, catch a baseball game at Estadio Quisqueya. Some of the MLBs best players come from the Dominican Republic and many play in the winter league to (ironically) keep warm during the offseason. The best seats in the house are about $20 USD and you can buy the tickets right at the stadium, though I recommend getting there about 15 minutes early to avoid the crowds. If you can make it out all the way out to the stadium, you’re in for a true Dominican experience!
Get out of town and take a bus to Samana Province ($7 USD). The area is less busy than the popular Punta Cana beaches but that’s part of the charm. Hidden coves and remote areas will leave you struggling to find WiFi but once you get used to it, you’ll start to love the peace and quiet. The waters and views are incredible and it’s also the area that has the best whale watching!
A beach in Samana Province
While there is much amazing food in the DR, hitting up one of the Adrian Tropicals is a must. Locals consider this to be a nicer restaurant so a bowl of Sancocho will run you about $6 USD. I didn’t review this because it’s a chain but if I return to the Dominican, there is no way I am leaving without going to Adrian Tropical.
Food and Drink Reviews
