Plan your visit
The beautiful Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic offers an exiting blend of history, culture and nature. Its wide beaches neighboring rainforests and the colourful cities attract millions of visitors every year. Curious to visit the Dominican Republic? Here is all you need to know for a spotless stay in the island.
Table of Contents
In Brief
The currency: Dominican peso (DOP).
The Spoken Languages: Spanish is the official language with English mainly spoken in the tourist zones and in some major cities.
The Religion: Mostly Catholics with Protestant minority.
Type of Electricity Socket: The local type of electricity socket is A and B. The standard voltage is of 110 V with a frequency of 60 Hz. The type A sockets are with 2 flat parallel pins. The Type B sockets are with 2 flat parallel and 1 grounding pins.
Food and Drink
The Dominican Republic cuisine is influenced by Caribbean, Spanish, African, and indigenous Taino kitchen. Some of the popular dishes you will be able to taste include beans and rice also known as la Bandera, Sancocho which is a hearty stew, and Mofongo representing a mashed plantain dish.
Rum is, of course, the national drink. The soft drinks contain various types of tropical fruits.
The tap water in the Dominican Republic is not safe to drink. You will need to drink either purified or bottled water.
Exchange Your Currency
1
At the bank: Bank offices offer exchange of currency and are considered to be the most reliable and safest option. Some of the local banks are the Banco BHD, the Banco Popular, and the Banco de Reservas.
2
At the currency exchange offices: No problems in finding exchange offices in the tourist areas. One thing to bear in mind: always compare the exchange rate and service fees before using the exchange offices services.
3
The hotels: Some of the hotels too offer currency exchange. However, usually, their rates are not as good as those of the banks or the designated offices.
4
The ATMs: The Dominican Republic ATM network is well developed. They are, however more risky to use due to the possible card skimming scams.
Do not forget to verify the exchange rate and the service fees if any. Always carry cash in local currency just in case of debit or credit cards problems.
Best Time to Travel to the Dominican Republic?
The tropical Caribbean island is sunny and warm all year long. The weather though vary during the seasons change.
The tourist season is from early December to late April, when the temperatures are usually between 24°C -28°C with no showers. The off-season is from early May to late November. This is when the tourists can take advantage from the hotel and the airliners offering lower prices.
| Month | t° average hight (°F/°C) | t° average/low (°F/°C) | Rain season | Beaches | Surfing and other sea activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MAY | 85/28 | 73/20.5 |  | YES | YES |
JUN | 88/31 | 75/21 | | Not ideal | YES |
APR | 84/29 | 71/20.4 | | YES | YES |
MAR | 84/29 | 70/19 | | YES | YES |
FEB | 83/28 | 69/19 | | YES | YES |
AUG | 88/31 | 75/21 |  | Not ideal | YES |
SEP | 88/31 | 75/21 | | Not ideal | YES |
OCT | 87/30 | 74/20 | | Not ideal | YES |
JUL | 88/31 | 75/21 | | Not ideal | YES |
NOV | 85/29.5 | 72/20 | | YES | Not ideal |
DEC | 84/29 | 70/19 |  | YES | YES |
JAN | 83/28 | 69/19 | | YES | YES |
Choose Your Destination
The Dominican Republic is a large country with many different regions to explore. Some of the most famous include Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, and Samaná. Each area offers its own unique attractions and activities, so it’s important to research each one to determine which best suits your interests and budget.
Accommodation
The Dominican Republic offers a wide range of accommodation possibilities – from budget-friendly guesthouses to all-inclusive resorts. Make your reservations vis some of the well-known accommodation booking websites like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia.
Plan Your Stay
The Dominican Republic is perfect for those looking to relax but also for adventure as well as cultural events and experiences.
Culture: The island’s rich culture and history can be seen in the historical sites, museums, and local events like the Altos de Chavon cultural village, the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, and the National Museum of Anthropology.
Adventure: The Dominican Republic’s rainforest and specific relief are perfect for hiking to the local waterfalls, for trying the zipline passing on top of the jungle trees, or sailing with a catamaran.
Beaches: The sand on the Dominican Republic beaches is soft and white. The sea is light-blue, home of many tropical fish and turtles. Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana, Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata. and Playa Rincon in Samaná are among the most visited.
Prepare Your Trip
Before heading to the Dominican Republic, be sure to have taken care of the following:
Passport and Health Requirements
The passport must be valid for the whole period of stay in the Dominican Republic. Regarding Covid-19, there is no need of presenting a negative PDR tests or vaccine certificate. Those visitors travelling from countries with recorded cases of yellow fever will have to present a vaccination certificate.
Dominican Republic e-Ticket
The Dominican Republic eTicket is mandatory from every visitor of the island arriving by air. Apart from the application form on the Dominican Republic government-led website, you can complete the eTicket application at www.dominicanrepubliceticket.eu.
The application form combines 3 documents in one Arrival to the Dominican Republic e-Ticket; Departing from the Dominican Republic eTicket, and Customs declaration. You can fill in the Application form well before the start of the trip. The best time to submit the application is right after you have your accommodation and flight details. This way you will be able to react in case additional information is needed.