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The Dominican Republic is a vacation destination like no other: a sensual feast of dazzling landscapes, exotic cuisine and an astonishing variety of arts, activities and entertainment options. The pulse-pounding thrill of the meringue, premium cigars, music festivals and even world-class baseball can be found in this holiday paradise. The DR is a delightful surprise that will please even the most experienced traveler.
The Dominican Republic has been blessed with tropical weather 365 days a year, so pack your bags for paradise and be sure to include your sunglasses, suntan lotion, a bathing suit and your sense of adventure.
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The Dominican Republic is a colourful tapestry of Spanish, French, Haitian, and African influences woven by a delightfully rich history. There are two sides to the Dominican Republic, just like there are two sides of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola on which the Republic is situated. The Dominican Republic shares the island with neighbouring Haiti. Inside the confines of the many resort hotels along the beautiful coastline, tourists languish in luxury, sipping cocktails under the palm trees and bathing in beautiful blue lagoons. The other face of the Dominican Republic can be found along the country roads, among the sugar cane, coffee and cocoa bean fields, where people labour in the sun and men play dominoes outside tumble-down shacks. For the local people tourism is an important source of income and the thousands of visitors who come to enjoy the resorts and explore the Spanish Colonial legacy in this country 'where America began' are welcome.
Currently Punta Cana is the most popular destination for Canadians, followed by Puerto Plata. The south coast of the island (Bayahibe, Juan Dolio area) is also popular. In Punta Cana, it's all about the beach – for as far as they eye can see! Punta Cana is undeniably breathtaking with tall swaying palms scattered along almost 50 kilometres of some of the finest white coral sand beaches in the world. The area has become a haven for vacationers in search of a lounge chair, a good read and a Pina Colada in hand.
Boasting 200,000 residents, Puerto Plata on the North Coast is the largest city on the Dominican Republic. The locals refer to the center of the town as the Old City and it is here that Puerto Plata's famed Victorian houses and narrow streets can be found. Vacationers who want a more cultural experience will enjoy visiting the quaint Parque Central which features a two-story Victorian gazebo, followed by a visit to one of many eclectic bars and restaurants on the high street.
Located on the southern side of the peninsula along Samana Bay, lies the lovely and quaint town of Samana. Malecon, Samana's beachfront strip, is the center of activity and features lovely outdoor cafes and small shops for whiling the day away. The area surrounding Samana is heavily populated by Americanos, descendents of freed American slaves. The town holds a series of annual harvest festivals, a tradition dating back to the Yam and Rice festivals of West Africa. These lively events are held on Fridays from late August through the end of October at Samana churches.
Adventure activities like windsurfing, snorkeling and boating are thrilling ways to experience the natural beauty of the sea. Land lovers and golfers will enjoy the world-class courses. With over two dozen national parks, other quieter opportunities to commune with nature like hiking and bird watching are also available. Indoor activities offer you the chance to strike it rich with a little gambling, dance the night away, or shop for curious mementos like carnival masks, amber and a strange liquid cure-all called Mama Juana – no, it’s not what you’re thinking. It’s a concoction of rum, red wine and honey soaked in a bottle with tree bark and herbs. The Dominican Republic is the perfect place to escape for your next vacation.
The currency is the Dominican Republic Peso (DOP), divided into 100 centavos. Many of the hotels and restaurants in the main tourist destinations display their prices in US dollars as well as in Dominican Pesos, as US dollars are widely accepted and some places will also accept Euros. The peso cannot be exchanged outside of the Dominican Republic so itravel2000 recommends planning your currency exchanges carefully. Good news that ATMs are widespread.
Major currencies can be converted into pesos at Central Bank approved bureaux; only 30% of the pesos bought can be re-converted and this only if the original receipts are produced, so it is best not to buy more pesos than you are likely to need.
Major credit cards are accepted everywhere, but a commission is usually charged and it is recommended that you only use your credit card at your hotel as fraud incidents have been reported. The best exchange rates are paid on US travellers cheques and secondly on US dollars cash and are best exchanged at exchange bureaux (casas de cambio). Banking hours are Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm; some banks also open on Saturday.
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Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
| Rainfall (mm) |
61 |
36 |
48 |
99 |
173 |
158 |
| Rainfall (inches) |
2.4 |
1.4 |
1.9 |
3.9 |
6.8 |
6.2 |
| Min Temp (°C) |
19 |
19 |
19 |
21 |
22 |
22 |
| Max Temp (°C) |
29 |
29 |
2.9 |
29 |
30 |
33 |
| |
July |
Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Rainfall (mm) |
163 |
160 |
185 |
152 |
122 |
61 |
| Rainfall (inches) |
6.4 |
6.3 |
7.3 |
6 |
4.8 |
2.4 |
| Min Temp (°C) |
22 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
19 |
| Max Temp (°C) |
31 |
31 |
31 |
31 |
30 |
29 |
The five major airports serving the vacation areas are:
- Punta Cana (PUJ) serving the most easterly part of the island (white sand beaches),
- Puerto Plata (POP) serving the north or Amber coast including Playa Dorada, Sosua and Cabarete
- Samana (AZS) serving the north eastern peninsular of the same name
- La Romana (LRM) serving the south east of the island
- Santo Domingo (SDQ) the capital city and also gateway to some southern beach areas and some cruise embarkations
110vAC, 60Hz - the same plugs as Canada.
The official language is Spanish however English and some French are spoken in the major tourist areas.
Flights from Toronto and Montreal take around four hours and are available from itravel2000 year round to Punta Cana and Puerto Plata. Non-stop service to La Romana, Santo Domingo and Samana is currently only available in fall and winter as well as flights from most major Canadian cities to Punta Cana and Puerto Plata. From Vancouver and Calgary flying time is approximately eight hours. Itravel2000 recommends upgrading to a Club class seat on these flights and less costly than you may expect. Ask your agent for details.
Embassy of Canada
Address: Capitán Eugenio de Marchena No. 39, La Esperilla, Santo Domingo
Postal Address: P.O. Box 2054, Santo Domingo 1,
Tel.: (809) 685-1136
Emergency toll-free to Ottawa: 1-200-0012
Fax: (809) 682-2691
GMT-4. The D.R. does not adjust for Daylight Saving Time, thus during summer, the DR has the same time as Toronto and Montréal, but is one hour ahead during the winter months. From Vancouver, the DR is 3 hours ahead in summer and 4 ahead in winter.
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Vacations |
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Be Live Hamaca 
Santo Domingo (From: Toronto) | Landing in: LA Romana | Nolitours
All Inclusive | 7 Nights | Departing: Monday Feb. 13, 2012 more dates
| $357
tax $388 |
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Be Live Hamaca
Santo Domingo (From: Toronto) | Landing in: LA Romana | Nolitours
All Inclusive | 7 Nights | Departing: Monday Feb. 13, 2012 more dates
| $357
tax $388 |
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Be Live Hamaca
Santo Domingo (From: Toronto) | Landing in: LA Romana | Nolitours
All Inclusive | 7 Nights | Departing: Monday Feb. 13, 2012 more dates
| $357
tax $388 |
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Be Live Hamaca
Santo Domingo (From: Toronto) | Landing in: LA Romana | Nolitours
All Inclusive | 7 Nights | Departing: Monday Feb. 13, 2012 more dates
| $357
tax $388 |
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Be Live Hamaca
Santo Domingo (From: Toronto) | Nolitours
All Inclusive | 7 Nights | Departing: Tuesday March 13, 2012 more dates
| $487
tax $388 |
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Be Live Hamaca
Santo Domingo (From: Toronto) | Nolitours
All Inclusive | 7 Nights | Departing: Tuesday March 13, 2012 more dates
| $487
tax $388 |
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Coral Costa Caribe
Santo Domingo (From: Toronto) | Landing in: LA Romana | Nolitours
All Inclusive | 7 Nights | Departing: Monday Feb. 20, 2012 more dates
| $537
tax $388 |
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