Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic allows citizens of virtually every country in the Western Hemisphere to enter without a visa for up to 30 days (Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela are notable exceptions). Also visa-exempt are citizens of any of the European Union / European Economic Area member states, Australia, Bahrain, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Japan, Macao SAR, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. See Entry Requirements. The 30 day visa waiver can be extended once for an additional 30 days.

All arriving passengers regardless of citizenship or residency status must complete an eTicket online prior to departing for the Dominican Republic. This consolidates and digitizes the arriving passenger/ tourist card, customs declaration, and health declaration required to enter the country and produces a QR code that can be scanned by immigration and customs. Information requested on the eTicket application is fairly straightforward, traveler details, passport number, purpose and dates of trip, where you'll be staying, etc... In all likelihood you will not be asked to produce the QR code on arrival (it appears to be linked to your passport number), but your airline will ask to see it.

A US$10 tourism fee is payable by all arriving foreigners apart from returning residents. Formerly, this was paid in cash just prior to going through passport control, although since the eTicket system was introduced in 2019, it's now almost universally collected as part of the traveler's airfare or cruise package. Private aviation and yacht passengers must pay this fee on arrival in US dollars or euros (not Dominican pesos).

Options for getting around the country include bus service, 'gua-guas' (pronounced "Gwa-Gwas": small battered vans or trucks that serve as a collective taxi running fixed routes that are very cheap but can also be very overloaded), domestic air flights and charter air service. There is a rail system operating only in the city of Santo Domingo. Most towns and cities have regularly scheduled bus service, if not by one of the big bus companies, then by gua-gua. The bus lines are most often simple, independently run operations, usually only connecting two cities within a region (Southwest, East, North) or between one city and the capital (with stops made for any towns on the route). Because of the geography of the country, to get from one region of the country to another you have to go through the capital. At horariodebuses.com you can check bus timetables between destinations in the country.

The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish. You will find some Spanish-English bilingual locals especially in Santo Domingo and tourist areas. If you speak some Spanish, most Dominicans will try hard to meet you half way and communicate. If you have a problem, you can probably find someone who speaks sufficient English (or probably French and possibly German, Italian or Russian) to help you out. Dominicans are quite friendly and will be quite helpful if you are polite and respectful. Haitians living in the DR may speak Haitian Creole and you may hear a few African and Arawakan words interspersed with the Spanish, especially in rural areas. Communication should not be a problem even for those who speak only a minimum of Spanish. If you are traveling to one of the large all-inclusive hotels, you will have no language problems.

Dominicans speak a particular brand of Caribbean Spanish. As far as pronunciation, expect the letter S to often disappear at the end of words or syllables. In some areas, people with a strong Dominican accent may turn R's into L's. Some commonplace Dominican Spanish words you might not be familiar with from other countries include:

menudo means "change", as in coins or the money a vendor returns to you when you give them more money than the price of what you're buying (you're not going crazy - in Mexico, "menudo" is soup made from cow's stomach)

funda is a bag, as in a cashier asking "Do you want a bag?". The term "bolsa", commonly used in the rest of the Spanish-speaking world is a slang term for "scrotum" in the DR and can elicit chuckles or smirks, especially in younger and more irreverent circles. "¡Bolsa!" can also be said as an expression of frustration, akin to "dammit". It's typically drawn out, "¡Boooooooolsa!".

colmado is a locally-owned neighborhood store, selling drinks, dry and canned foods, and sometimes more

banca is a window selling lottery tickets - not to be confused with banco, a bank

zafacón is a garbage can or wastebasket

concho means a taxi, including the ubiquitous motoconcho, a motorcycle taxi

pasola is a moped / motor scooter (i.e. a small motorbike with a covered body and a footrest directly in front of the seat)

There is one UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old town of Santo Domingo which is the oldest European city in the Americas. In addition to that there are many national parks and beaches in the country.

Boinayel is a revered Taíno deity of rain in the Dominican Republic. In Indigenous myth, his tears were believed to create rainfall to fertilize the soil. He is deeply featured in the country's cultural heritage, notably in depictions of cave art, whose name can be seen in the prehistoric Las Cuevas del Pomier.

Climb/hike to the top of Pico Duarte. At 3,098 m it's not only the highest mountain in the Dominican Republic but in the whole Caribbean.

Beer and Rum are ubiquitous.

Mama Juana: a mixture of bark and herbs left to soak in rum, red wine and honey.

Non-alcoholic: Morirsoñando, Piña Colada, Jugo de Chinola, Countryclub Merengue soda.

Additionally, other imported drinks are available for purchase—at least in the towns and cities—they might not be as readily available out in the countryside.

Do not drink tap water! Locals, even in the most rural areas, will either boil their water or purchase bottled water. Eating salads or other food that may be washed in tap water is not advisable. Ice is a bad idea as well, except in luxury hotels and restaurants (which produce ice from bottled water). If you plan on cooking or washing dishes for longer stays, it is a good idea to rinse everything with bottled or boiled water before use.

Food in the Dominican Republic is very diverse, a fusion of Spanish, African and Taino culture. The national dish, “La Bandera”, consists of rice, red kidney beans and meat. The most popular breakfast is called “Tres Golpes” and is made out of mangú (smashed green plantains, fried cheese, salami and eggs). Tostones are also very popular, and the fried pork mofongo.

Lots of types of tropical fruits and seafood are eaten. Most restaurant meals will cost an additional 18% tax plus 10% service: for very good service, it is customary to leave an additional 10%.

Lodging in the Dominican Republic is plentiful, with options ranging from huge, all-inclusive beach resorts to more personal options scattered along the coasts and in the cities. Hotels charge a 25% room tax, so inquire beforehand to determine if that tax is included (often the case) in the listed room price. The country has hostels which offer their shared rooms.

Many US universities offer study abroad options for the Dominican Republic. The two most common cities hosting exchange students are Santo Domingo and Santiago. Check with local universities for programs and prices. Spanish language schools are located in major cities and on the north coast as well.

Most companies do not require anything more than a passport to work. There are a lot of US companies in the country, especially in Santo Domingo and DN (the National District). There are good opportunities for English speaking employees. The country has several free zones, lots of them in the call center area.

The Dominican Republic is generally a safe country. Although the major cities of Santo Domingo and Santiago have experienced the growth of a thriving middle class, construction booms and reached a high level of cosmopolitanism, the Dominican Republic remains a developing country and poverty is still rampant in many areas, so you need to take common sense precautions:

Relatively fewer streets, particularly ones that are not main thoroughfares, are well-lit after dark than you might expect or see back home, even in the capital of Santo Domingo. Those that are lit are subject to routine power outages is as the rest of the country.

Wild dogs are common throughout the country but largely ignore people (feeding these dogs is not recommended as this may induce aggressive behavior).

Western travelers should dress casually and avoid displaying ostentatious or flashy jewelry or other expensive luxury items when away from tourist destinations. Common tourist destinations, particularly the more expensive and the luxury hotels and areas, are very safe.

Sex tourism is prevalent in the Puerto Plata province of the country, so you may be hassled by young men or women trying to offer you 'services'. A firm 'No' is good enough. The age of consent is 18, and tourists who have sex with minors may also be prosecuted by their home country.

There are no laws dictating the maximum amount of alcohol that can be drunk prior to driving. However, there is a 0.05% limit for professional drivers. Be wary of vehicles, especially during the late evening, as there is a much higher possibility at that time that the driver is intoxicated. It is illegal for tourists and visitors to drink and drive and, besides it being a bad idea, you may be penalized for doing so.

The level of professionalism of the National Police is somewhat debatable. To protect income from tourism, the government has established the Politur or "tourist police" for the safety of foreign tourists. Travelers should contact this agency if any problems are encountered as they will have a much more positive response than with the national police.

Malaria can be a rare issue around rainforests if travelers don't take protective measures such as repellents against mosquito bites. No cases have been reported over the past 8 years within the tourist areas. Be sure to consult with a physician before departure.

There is a risk of dengue fever and chikungunya fever which is contracted through mosquitoes that bite during the day and during some seasons of the year. A vaccine for dengue fever is available now, although very expensive. Regardless, using mosquito repellent is advisable.

Many of the local foods are safe to eat including the meats, fruits, and vegetables.

Visitors, however, should not drink any of the local water and should stay with bottled water or other beverages. It is important for visitors to stay hydrated in the hot, humid climate.

Sunburn and sun poisoning are a great risk. The sun is very bright here. Use at least SPF30 sunblock. Limit sun exposure.

The country's adult HIV/AIDS prevalence is reaching 2.0% or 1 in 50 adults, which is almost 3 times higher than the USA. Practice safe sex.

Dominicans are kind and peaceful people. Attempts at speaking Spanish are a good sign of respect for the local people. Be polite, show respect, and do your best to speak the language, and you will be treated with kindness.

Avoid talking about Haiti. Although relations have improved, many Dominicans, particularly of the older generations, harbor resentment towards Haitians. Santo Domingo was invaded and occupied by Haiti for a good part of the 19th century, and the Dominican Republic actually fought its first war of independence against Haiti, not Spain, after which the Dominican Republic faced several other invasions from its neighbor.

Trujillo's dictatorship massacred tens of thousands of Haitians in the 1930s, which fueled the resentment between both nations. The massacre is known as the "parsley massacre" as apparently the way the genocidaires distinguished the ethnicity of their would-be victims was by letting them pronounce the shibboleth "perejil", the Spanish word for parsley, which is difficult to pronounce for native speakers of French or Haitian Creole. Nowadays, about a million Haitians (which is a lot considering the small populations of either country) live in the Dominican Republic, most of them illegally. Some Dominicans' opinions towards illegal immigrants from Haiti are similar to some Americans' attitudes towards Mexican illegal immigrants, with the major difference that, unlike the US, the Dominican Republic is a small and poor country by world standards, but still much much richer and more stable than Haiti. Gang wars can erupt along the border, so stay cautious and be sensitive.

Still, the issues remain very complex and Dominicans often find their position to be misunderstood by foreigners. For example, the Dominican Republic was the first country to come to Haiti's aid in the 2010 Haitian earthquake and has made impressive efforts to help its neighbor during this crisis. This shows that despite their historical, linguistic, religious, cultural and ethnic differences, Haitians and Dominicans still consider each other to be brotherly, yet proudly independent, nations.

When staying at the luxury resorts or really any place in the Dominican Republic, it is advisable to tip for most services. The Dominican Republic is still a fairly poor country and tipping the people who serve you helps them better their sometimes dire economic situation.

It's a good idea to avoid talking about race in the Dominican Republic. Most Dominicans, even very dark-skinned Dominicans who would absolutely be considered black in Europe and the American mainland, will not self-identify as "black" (negro/negra), reserving that term for Haitians and folks from sub-Saharan Africa. Don't call a Dominican a "negro/a" (black person) as this may lead to your being called a racist. There are a plethora of other designations and terms defining skin color ranging from "dark white" to "wheat color" (trigueño/a), "mulatto", "brown" (moreno/a), to, perhaps the most ridiculous, "Indian" (indio/a), despite the Taíno people being largely wiped out after the arrival of the Spaniards. Most Dominicans are of mixed-race heritage with Spanish/Iberian heritage as well as African heritage and even some (nominal amounts) native Taíno roots. Many Dominicans seem to take great pride in being mixed race and not black, unlike their poorer neighbors in Haiti. The notion of "good hair" and "bad hair" (straight vs. kinky) is very much a thing as well, and women who don't straighten their hair or who wear it in an Afro, dreadlocks, or other Afrocentric styles are often derisively called "shaggy" (greñuda) and are often unable to obtain jobs in office settings like banks, etc. due to their "unprofessional" appearance. Under the Trujillo dictatorship an entire color caste system was developed, and its vestiges are still felt to this day. A particularly bizarre eddy of this racist current was that during the Holocaust, Trujillo offered to take in Jewish refugees as he considered them "white" and thus a "betterment of the race" – a view that is not widely shared by other racists, for what it's worth. This type of thing is best not discussed as, no matter how much evidence you may present that this notion of Euro-centrism and colorism is backwards, racist, and post-colonial, you'll simply be told that you're an outsider, that that sort of talk is "woke American culture", and that you don't understand their culture.