The Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean. It forms the eastern
part of the island of Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic is a popular
destination for (short) vacationers from the USA and Canada (around 52%
in total) as well as for tourists from Europe (around 39%).
In
the 1990s, the Dominican Republic acquired a dubious reputation in
Germany as a cheap destination for undemanding all-inclusive tourists -
completely unjustified. Although the magazine "Spiegel" and the TV show
"Voxtours" tried to destroy this image, it is still present in many
people's minds.
The country makes up about the eastern two thirds
of the island of Hispaniola (derived from "La Española" - "the
Spanish"). The western third, Haiti - the name is derived from the
language of the Arawak Indians and means "mountainous country" - is one
of the poorest countries in America alongside Cuba and Bolivia and is
not developed for tourism.
The entire island is slightly larger
than the Netherlands and Belgium combined. The Dominican Republic is
roughly the same size as the German federal state of Lower Saxony. Haiti
has around nine million inhabitants and the Dominican Republic around
10.5 million. The population density in the Dominican Republic is
slightly lower, and in Haiti slightly higher than in Germany.
According to the Human Development Report 2006 (based on data from
2004), the Dominican Republic is ranked 68th out of 177 nations examined
with an HDI (Human Development Index) of 0.793 (from 0.80 a country is
one of the "very highly developed countries", which also includes all
German-speaking countries). Haiti has an HDI of 0.482 and is therefore
ranked 154th out of 177.
The average wage of a Dominican is
around 250 euros per month. Very low wages are paid, especially in large
hotel complexes - but this work is still quite popular because tourists
sometimes give quite generous tips. If you want to support Dominicans,
buy as much as possible outside of the hotels, because what is sold in
the hotels usually only benefits investors from Europe or North America.
Many of the Haitians living in the country (often illegally) earn their
money doing jobs that Dominicans do not want to or cannot do, such as in
the construction industry or harvesting sugar cane. They have a good
reputation as good workers, but earn very little money. Around 30% of
Dominicans live in "poverty", half of them in extreme poverty. In the
mountains there are still a few villages without electricity or running
water. Many Dominicans earn part of their living through transfer
payments from relatives who live abroad (Puerto Rico, USA or Europe).
A natural division is created by the sometimes very
high mountain ranges:
"Cordillera Central" in the center of the
island with the highest elevations in the Caribbean ("Pico Duarte", 3098
m) and "La Pelona Loma", 3097 m)
"Cordillera Septentrional" in the
north of the island, highest elevation 1249m (between Puerto Plata and
Santiago)
"Cordillera Oriental" and "Costera del Caribe" in the east,
highest elevation 736m (north of Higüey)
"Sierra de Baoruco" in the
southeast of the island, highest elevation 2085m (west of Barahona)
The country is politically divided into ten regions. These are in
turn divided into 31 provinces.
In the northern Cibao region
these are:
Cibao Nordeste: Duarte, Hermanas Mirabal, Maria Trinidad
Sanchez and Samaná
Cibao Noroeste: Monte Cristi, Dajabón, Santiago
Rodriguez and Valverde
Cibao Norte: Espalliat, Puerto Plata and
Santiago
Cibao Sur: La Vega, Sanchez Ramirez and Monsenor Nouel
The southwest region of Sur includes:
Valdesia: Azua, Peravia,
San José de Ocoa and San Cristóbal
El Valle: Elias Pina and San Juan
Enriquillo: Barahona, Bahoruco, Independencia and Pedernales
In
the Este region in the east are:
Ozama: Santo Domingo and the
National District
Higüamo: Hato Mayor, Monte Plata and San Pedro de
Macoris
Yuma: El Seibo, La Romana and La Altagracia
1 Santo Domingo – approx. 2,000,000 inhabitants) the
capital on the south coast
2 Santiago de los Caballeros – (approx.
600,000 inhabitants) inland
3 San Pedro de Macorís – (approx. 250,000
inhabitants) on the south coast
4 San Cristóbal – (approx. 200,000
inhabitants) in the agglomeration of Santo Domingo
5 La Romana –
(approx. 175,000 inhabitants) on the south coast
6 La Vega – (approx.
150,000 inhabitants) in the interior of the country
7 Puerto Plata –
(approx. 135,000 inhabitants) on the north coast
8 San Francisco de
Macorís – (approx. 125,000 inhabitants) in the northeast interior of the
country
9 Higüey – (approx. 100,000 inhabitants) in the eastern
interior of the country
Tourist destinations are
in the east:
1 Punta
Cana infoedit
2 Bávaro . via Punta Cana Airport (PUJ) or La Romana
(LRM)infoedit
in the north:
3 Playa Dorada
4 Sosúa
5
Cabarete
6 Río San Juan . via Puerto Plata Airport (POP)
7 Samaná
8 Las Terrenas . via Samaná Airport (AZM)
in the south:
9
Juan Dolio
10 Boca Chica . via Santo Domingo/ Las Américas Airport
(SDQ)
11 Bayahibe (Bayahíbe) info edit
Barahona (Santa Cruz de
Barahona) info edit
a little individual tourism also in the
interior:
Jarabacoa
Constanza
In the interior and
especially in the southwest there are many very attractive landscapes
for holidaymakers with high mountains, rushing rivers, waterfalls, caves
etc., even desert-like landscapes between Barahona and Jimani.
Individual travel is also possible without an official tour guide.
Contrary to what hotels often claim to increase their own sales,
traveling independently is not really dangerous. It is well worth it for
the more experienced traveler (preferably in a smaller group) to
discover this country in detail.
The main reason for traveling to the Dominican Republic is certainly a beach holiday for most people. The Dominican Republic has around 1500km of sandy beaches, including some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The sea never gets colder than around 26 degrees Celsius on the Caribbean side in the south and on the Atlantic coast in the north. Beautiful beaches can be found on all coasts of the country - in the north, east and south.
Package tourism: The destination of package tourism in
the Dominican Republic is primarily the east in the sparsely populated
region around Punta Cana and Bávaro.
Other tourist destinations
are also the north near the city of Puerto Plata, Playa Dorada, Costa
Dorada and Playa de Long Beach east of Puerto Plata, Playa de Maimón and
Playa de Cofresí west of Puerto Plata) and on the Samaná peninsula as
well as the south east of the capital Santo Domingo (especially for
Dominican short-term holidaymakers from the agglomeration of the
capital).
The best "Caribbean" feeling (white beach, turquoise
water, coconut palms) can be found on the
small island of Cayo
Levantado in the bay of the Samaná peninsula and
on Isla Saona in
the southeast, which can be reached from the fishing village of
Bayahibe.
On the north coast there is the most beautiful white
beach and the most turquoise water at Playa Grande east of the city of
Río San Juan.
Sosúa. Close to Puerto Plata airport is the place
where around 600 German Jews settled during the Nazi era and founded
bakeries, butcher shops, etc. "Productos de Sosúa" enjoy a good
reputation nationwide.
Surfing. The small town of Cabarete (40 km
east of Puerto Plata) is a very popular destination for surfers,
windsurfers and kitesurfers. World Cup events in these sports are also
held here regularly. Kilometers of beaches invite you to go horseback
riding or walking. You can swim in the caves of Cabarete ('Cuevas de
Cabarete') around 1 to 2 km from the center. All life takes place in the
town center: in the evening Cabarete is a paradise for eating, at night
for dancing - both right on the beach.
Whale watching: The Bay of
Samaná is a popular destination in spring because whales come there to
mate, which you can see on a boat trip.
The Dominican Republic has
some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but it is also worth a
trip into the mountainous hinterland or a short trip to a city, e.g. to
Santiago or La Vega in the interior.
There are waterfalls on the
Samaná peninsula ("Las Cascadas Del Limón"; "Salto Río Los Cocos"), in
the north near Puerto Plata ("Cascadas Damajagua", also called "Las 27
cascadas") - and inland near Jarabacoa ("Saltos de Jimenoa", "Saltos de
Baiguate", "El Convento"), near Bayaguana ("Salto alto") and Constanza
the highest waterfall in the Caribbean ("Salto de Aguas Blancas"). The
country's four largest rivers also originate there. The rushing waters
are ideal for river rafting.
There are caves in the "Los
Haitises" National Park and in Cabarete in the "El Choco" National Park.
Lago Enriquillo: In the southwest lies the 375 km² (measured in
October 2011) large salt lake in the Parque Nacional Isla Cabritos and
is divided by the provinces of Bahoruco and Independencia. The amount of
water is never constant. The lake was once a former estuary between the
Sierra de Neiba and Sierra Baoruco mountain ranges and is now up to 40
meters below sea level, making it the lowest point in the Caribbean and
the largest lake in the Antilles. At the last measurement in 2012, the
surface of the lake was 29 meters below sea level, with a maximum depth
of 50 meters (-79m). The water level fluctuates due to the strong
evaporation in the area. The salt lake itself is difficult to access and
see, but the landscape and the small villages around Lago Enriquillo are
beautiful.
By plane
From Germany with Eurowings, Lufthansa or Condor from
many airports directly to Punta Cana (PUJ), Puerto Plata / Gregorio
Luperón (POP), La Romana (LRM), Santo Domingo / Las Américas (SDQ). The
international airport El Catey in Samaná (AZS), which opened on November
1st, 2006, has not been served by flights from Germany since May 2010.
This airport is used almost exclusively by foreign passengers, mainly
from Canada, France, Portugal, Argentina, England or Sweden. The
outbound flight from Germany takes around ten hours, the return flight
takes around eight and a half to nine hours.
When entering the
country, a tourist card must be purchased for ten US$ (or ten euros).
Depending on the airline, it is already included in the ticket price or
must be purchased separately. If you stay longer than 60 days, there are
penalty fees, from the 61st day to three months 2500 RD$.
There
are other airports for flights within the country, e.g. in Santo
Domingo/ Herrera, Santiago, Monte Cristi or Barahona.
Ship
Seaports in the capital Santo Domingo on the south coast and in Puerto
Plata on the north coast.
Travelers can move around freely in the Dominican Republic and
explore the island in a variety of ways by bus or rented cars and
motorbikes.
By train
There are no notable train connections on
the island. The long connection from La Vega Real to Sanchez no longer
exists. In the northeast to the port of Pepillo Salcedo, south of Monte
Cristi, the remains of a railway line are used to transport bananas. In
the south, near Barahona, there are still industrial tracks to the
mining areas. Only in the region north of San Pedro de Macoris and La
Romana are the railway facilities maintained and even expanded for the
transport of sugar cane.
Bus/Public transport
In the cities of
Santo Domingo and Santiago, you can get around relatively cheaply by
shared taxi.
Since January 29, 2009, Santo Domingo has had the only
metro in the Caribbean. Line 1 has a total length of 14.5 km. The
terminus is in the north of the city of Villa Mella and in the south, La
Feria. The daily passenger volume is estimated at 200,000 people.
In
most areas of the island, the main roads are used by (very cheap, but
often uncomfortable and overloaded) minibuses, also called "guagua", and
(also cheap, but often very overloaded) shared taxis, called "carrito"
or "publico".
Taxis are usually in good technical condition, but
relatively expensive. Price example: from Puerto Plata airport to
Cabarete, about 25 km away, you pay the equivalent of about 20 euros.
Short individual journeys in the cities and towns can be covered
relatively cheaply by motorcycle taxi ("motoconcho"). If you want to
ride in the dark, first check whether the motorcycle has a rear light.
Often it doesn't, so it's better to take another one.
For longer
journeys, good, usually air-conditioned buses run by regional companies
run overland at acceptable prices. There are special bus stations for
this, but passengers are often picked up during the journey. Routes
between large cities, such as the route "Puerto Plata - Santiago - Santo
Domingo", are operated several times a day, sometimes even every hour.
The timetables of the provider "Caribe Tours", which operates throughout
the country, can also be accessed online. You can read them almost
without any knowledge of Spanish. As an alternative to "Caribe Tours",
there is also "Metro Tours".
The following applies to guaguas,
carritos and motoconchos: make sure that you always have small notes (10
RD$, 20 RD$) with you, otherwise the driver ('conductor') or cashier
('cobrador') will almost certainly tell you that he cannot change so
that he can keep the change.
Car/motorcycle
Generally
well-developed road network. Right-hand traffic. In detail, however, the
transport network is often a bad joke! In the west and in the border
regions with Haiti, you often only find gravel roads, or you drive
dozens of kilometers without passing through a single town. National
roads are often just unpaved roads. Trips to these regions should only
be made with a four-wheel drive vehicle. Due to the topographical
conditions, high mountain ranges with a lot of rain and countless
rivers, many road connections are interrupted because the bridges have
been washed away.
The Dominican Republic is one of the countries
with the best network of highways in the Caribbean and all of Latin
America. In recent years, many new routes have been built that have
reduced travel times enormously, such as the new highway section of the
"Autopista del Coral". The new 70-kilometer section connects La Romana
and Punta Cana International Airport and was officially opened on August
8, 2012. The Autopista Santo Domingo to Samaná, which opened in June
2008 and is around 120 kilometers long, reduces the travel time from 4
hours to 1.5 to 2 hours. Only the "Autopista Duarte", which leads via
Bonao and La Vega to Santiago de los Caballeros, is in a bad condition.
It has only a few bridges for cross-traffic without crossing, and even
traffic from side roads drives directly onto the motorway. There are
several toll "motorways" between Santo Domingo and Azua, between Santo
Domingo and Samana with three toll stations, the new one between La
Romana and Higüey and one in the direction of San Pedro de Macoris.
Since 2013 there has been a toll bypass around Santiago de los
Caballeros. Cars (passenger cars and SUVs), motorcycles (enduros) and
scooters (called "pasola" here) can be rented at reasonable prices. They
are often not in the best technical condition.
The Bay of Cabarete is an excellent place to learn windsurfing and
(about 1km further west) kitesurfing. There are a number of schools with
good equipment and the climatic conditions are excellent.
West of
Cabarete, about halfway to the neighboring town of Sosúa, you can learn
to surf at Playa Encuentro.
In the Bay of Sosúa you can learn to
dive.
The local currency is the Dominican peso (abbreviation: RD$ or
"DOP"). In tourist areas you can easily pay with US$, euros, Swiss
francs, etc. outside of the hotels. In summer 2023 you will get just
under 60 pesos for one euro.
The exchange rate inside the hotels
is often not very good. In places within tourist centers you can safely
exchange money in banks or exchange offices. Some restaurant owners or
supermarkets are also happy to exchange money and usually at good
exchange rates. It is almost always worth comparing. Sometimes it is
cheaper to exchange money in the neighboring town. For example, the
exchange offices in Cabarete always exchange around two pesos less
favorably for the customer than their counterparts in Sosúa, which is
only 15 km away. That corresponds to a difference of no less than 5%.
The best rates for euros/dollars can be found at CaribeExpress. If
you want to exchange pesos for dollars, you may get better rates at the
exchange offices in tourist centers than at the bank, although the
exchange rates are significantly more expensive in the other direction.
At Dominican banks such as Banco Popular, BanReservas, Banco Leon
and Banco Central, you can easily withdraw money from ATMs using all
common credit cards. The menu navigation is in either Spanish or
English. Since the beginning of 2015, however, you should inform your
bank if you use the card frequently in the Dominican Republic, otherwise
it will be blocked for security reasons if you withdraw money more than
once. There have been problems recently when withdrawing money with a
Maestro card from ATMs because the Maestro system is being dismantled at
many ATMs. The withdrawal is made in RD$ at a reasonable exchange rate.
Cash withdrawals are limited to 10,000 RD$, but it is possible to
withdraw money several times in a row at Banco Popular. The fee per cash
withdrawal is around 175 RD$. You should avoid paying with credit cards
at gas stations or in restaurants because they usually do not have a
card reader.
The fact is that the Dominican Republic is no longer a cheap country!
The prices for fuel (petrol/diesel) and gas are uniform across the
country, i.e. unlike in Germany, there are no differences between
branded and independent petrol stations. The prices are set by the
government every Thursday for a week.
Prices are often
negotiable. To put the prices demanded by gringos into perspective, you
should consider that in 2020 a normal worker goes home with 7-8000 pesos
a month.
If you go on an "all-inclusive" holiday, you will
receive a colored bracelet that cannot be removed without destroying it.
This entitles you to eat (breakfast = "desayuno", lunch = "comida",
dinner = "cena"), drink ("beber") and, depending on the hotel, possibly
do a number of sports throughout the hotel complex. Remember: when you
leave the hotel, you will be recognized from 100 meters away as an
(usually unsuspecting) all-inclusive tourist - and treated accordingly.
This starts with the pricing in the shop or on public transport - you
pay a significantly higher price everywhere. If you can somehow make the
plástico disappear for a short time on excursions outside the hotel
complex, do so (it is best to negotiate with your AI provider before
booking so that they allow you to leave the thing at reception).
In many shops you will not find any price labels. This means that the
Dominican may buy there at a significantly lower price than the
foreigner.
If the shop has a computer cash register, there may be
three prices: for example "precio 1 = 1750 RD$," "precio 2 = 1500 RD$"
and "precio 3 = 1250 RD$". The seller can then choose (virtually
invisible to the customer) at what price he wants to sell.
In
many cases, relatively inferior goods are offered in tourist areas,
suggesting that there is no other goods in the country than those on
offer. There are now shops or supermarkets in almost every larger city,
which meet the highest European standards, such as "La Sirena," "Jumbo"
or "Carrefour" in Santo Domingo. There are also first-class hardware
stores there, for example - in Santo Domingo the "Ferretería Americana,"
in Santiago "Ochoa" ("8A"), "Hache" ("H") or "El Bellón," which really
have everything in terms of technology that the heart of a Central
European could desire.
For tourists on the north coast, a shopping trip to a very beautiful
Dominican small town in the interior - Moca - is worthwhile. Moca is
still unspoiled by tourists - you will hardly see a non-Dominican. The
advantage: the prices are very low, the quality is generally OK.
Getting to Moca on the north coast: from "Sabaneta de Yásica" via "Jamao
al Norte" through the mountains of the "Cordillera Septentrional". The
journey alone is an experience and guarantees many fantastic views.
The shops in Moca close for about two hours at lunchtime. Use the
time to go for a walk or have lunch: you can eat and drink well and
cheaply in Moca.
All over the country, especially where there are tourists, CDs by local artists or by the big Latino stars such as Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony, Jennifer López, Shakira, Thalía etc. are sold. A Dominican will buy such CDs for a maximum of 100 RD$, a tourist will be charged 250 RD$ or more for them because he doesn't know any better. By the way: Often - almost always - when the CDs are sold "on the street" they are pirated copies (even if the seller assures you that it is an original). The euphemism for such CDs on the grey market is "versión económica". It also happens when sold on the street that the CD cases only have a cover, but the CDs do not actually contain any music.
Liquids, e.g. petrol ("gasolina") or diesel ("gasoil") are measured
in gallons (Spanish: "galón"). A gallon is 3.785 liters.
Weights
(e.g. body weight) are measured in pounds (lb), Spanish: libra. A
"libra" is 453.6 grams.
Temperatures are measured in degrees Celsius
("grados"), as in our country.
Long distances are given in
"kilómetros" (kilometers), shorter distances are often given in feet
(Spanish: "pie"). 1 foot is 30.48 centimeters.
Measurements in
construction are occasionally given in "centímetros" (centimeters), but
usually given in "pulgadas" (inches). 1 inch is 2.54 centimeters.
Areas are usually calculated in "metros cuadrados" (square meters), in
agriculture often also in tarea. ("tarea" also means "work, activity,
task" in Spanish.) 1 "tarea" is 682.86 "metros cuadrados". 15.9 "tarea"
is 1 "hectárea" (hectare).
The Dominican Republic is world famous for its cigars. Well-known
brands are "Arturo Fuente", "La Aurora", "León Jimenes", "Carbonell",
"Cojimar", "Juan Clemente", "Montecristo", "Romeo y Julieta" and
"Thiriet Mercedes".
In Santiago you can visit cigar
manufacturers, e.g. the "Grupo León Jiménes Tabacalera" (founded in
1903), or the "Fabrica Anillo de Oro", "Los Maestros" and the
"Tabacalera Jacagua" based in Tamboril near Santiago.
There is
also a tobacco museum in Santiago.
Apart from rum, Mamajuana and cigars, the most popular souvenirs are
probably jewelry made of amber and larimar:
Larimar is only found
near Barahona in the southwest of the Dominican Republic. This
semi-precious stone gets its bluish color from traces of vanadium.
There is an amber museum in Puerto Plata.
Taino jewelry
(named after the indigenous Taino people) is also a popular souvenir.
Another popular souvenir: naive Haitian paintings are sold in all
tourist resorts.
On the coast, people like to eat fried fish
(pescado frito), scampi (camarones) or crab (cangrejo).
Otherwise, Dominicans eat a lot of poultry, e.g. E.g. chicken (pollo),
turkey (pavo) and duck (pato), pork and beef (carne de cerdo, carne de
res), eggs (huevos, a distinction is made between huevos gringos
imported from the USA and local huevos criollos), rice (arroz) or fried
rice (concón) with beans (habichuelas) or a type of pea (guandules), as
well as fried or boiled plantains (plátano), yucca, avocados (aguacate),
a type of chestnut (guempanes de grano, guempanes de maza), noodles
(pasta), especially spaghetti Dominican style with tomato and cheese
sauce (espagueti dominicano) and spaghetti with tuna (espagueti con
atún) as well as stew with vegetables and chicken (sancocho).
And
of course fruit: pineapple (“piña”), mango (“mango”), papaya
(“lechoza”), orange (“naranja” or “china”), tangerine (“italiana”),
lemon (“limón”), grapefruit (“grapefruit” or “toronja”), passion fruit
(“chinola”), bananas (“guineo”) and melons (“sandía”).
In the
mountains in the interior, due to the much cooler climate, you can also
get cabbage (“col”), cauliflower (“coliflor”) and even strawberries
(“fresas”), apples (“manzanas”) and grapes (“uvas”).
Meat and
fish are very well cooked and well done. Steak “medium” or “English” is
only available on special request.
The seasoning is not very
spicy, similar to Central Europe.
You should not drink tap water.
But you can certainly brush your teeth with it without any danger.
Presidente, a pilsner beer produced in the Dominican Republic, is
almost synonymous with the term "beer" and probably had a market share
of 90% at its peak, although there are also other types of beer (e.g.
"Quizqueya" or "Bohemia").
"Presidente" also acts as a sponsor at
merengue festivals or the kitesurfing world cup, for example. Since
2005, a Brazilian brewery has been trying to gain market share with the
"Brahma" brand with a lot of advertising and marketing effort.
Dominicans usually drink the "light" version of beer; if you want a
"normal" beer with full alcohol content, you usually have to mention
this explicitly, but not every bar has it.
Otherwise, Caribbean
cocktails (e.g. "Cuba Libre", "Piña Colada" or "Caipirinha") are
preferred. Lemons, like almost all fruits that do not have to be
imported, cost "almost nothing".
Depending on the quality, rum
costs between about 1 euro and 30 euros per bottle. The most famous
brands:
Brugal (founded: 1888, company headquarters: Puerto Plata),
the best is called "Siglo de Oro" and costs a good 30 euros per bottle;
the design of the bottle is fantastic
Bermúdez (founded: 1852,
company headquarters: Santo Domingo), the best is called "Bermúdez
Aniversario 75 Años" and costs about ten euros per bottle
Barceló
(founded: 1930, company headquarters: Santo Domingo), the best is called
"Barceló Imperial" and costs about 30 euros per bottle
"Mamajuana" is the name given to a drink that was originally made by the
indigenous population from roots, branches and herbs, and has been
refined over the centuries with rum, gin, wine and honey. One of the
ingredients, "palo indio", is said to have a potency-enhancing effect.
You can buy these herbal liqueurs in the supermarket for 2-5 euros for a
small bottle (375-500 ml), sellers in tourist areas are happy to charge
five times as much.
There is very good coffee, the most
well-known brand is called "Café Santo Domingo". Dominicans usually
drink the coffee strong, black and sweet, but in tourist areas they also
drink coffee with milk ("café con leche").
The Dominican Republic offers a variety of delicious foods shaped by
its rich history, the influences of indigenous Taino culture, Spanish
colonial times, and African influences.
La Bandera Dominicana:
The national dish of the Dominican Republic, consisting of white rice,
red beans, roasted or braised meat (often chicken, beef, or pork), and
salad. It is often served with a side of avocado.
Sancocho: A
hearty stew made with various meats such as beef, chicken, and pork,
combined with root vegetables such as yams, cassava, and sweet potatoes,
as well as corn. It is a traditional Sunday meal and is often served
with rice.
Mangú: A side dish made of green plantains that are
boiled, mashed, and served with onions. It is a popular accompaniment to
breakfast dishes and is often combined with queso frito (fried cheese)
and salami.
Tostones: Double-fried green plantains that are fried
to a crispy consistency and seasoned with salt. They are served as a
side dish or snack and can be enjoyed with various dips or salsas.
Moro de guandules: A rice dish where rice is cooked with pigeon peas
(guandules) and coconut milk. It is often served with meat or chicken.
Habichuelas con dulce: A sweet bean pudding made with red beans,
coconut milk, cinnamon, ginger and other spices. It is a popular dessert
often enjoyed during the Easter season.
Yuca con mojo: Cooked
yuca (cassava) served with a delicious garlic and lemon sauce called
mojo.
Chicharrón de cerdo: Crispy pork skin often served as a
snack or side dish.
Pastelitos: Small fried pastries that can be
filled with various fillings such as meat, cheese or cod.
Dulce
de leche: A caramel-like dairy dessert popular in the Dominican
Republic.
Dominicans usually go dancing on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Particularly popular dances are Merengue or Bachata, less often Salsa.
Young people are increasingly listening to Reggaeton, a music that is
very popular throughout the Caribbean. The rhythm that goes with it is
called "Dembow" and the dance that goes with it is called "Perreo".
Live concerts are called fiestas in the Dominican Republic. A large
number of merengue and bachata artists are constantly touring the
country. Popular artists include the band Aventura (who had a number 1
hit in Germany in 2004 with the song "Obsesión") and the singers Raulín
Rodríguez, Zacarías Ferreira, Joe Veras, Frank Reyes and Antony Santos.
People don't go there to listen so much as to dance.
A very fast,
wild and original version of merengue is called "merengue típico" or
"güiri güiri". Popular artists include El Prodigio, Fefita La Grande, La
India Canela, María Diaz and José El Calvo.
Such fiestas are also
a popular attraction for tourists. interesting experience. The entrance
fee is usually around 100 to 300 RD$ (approx. €2.50 to €7.50).
Such fiestas often take place at car washes (“Car Wash”). During the
day, cars are serviced, and at night the space is used for nightlife.
On Sundays, (wealthier) families spend the whole day at the sea, on
the river or in the mountains. “Santiagueros” in particular, residents
of the large city of Santiago in the interior of the country, often
travel to Cabarete on weekends “with all their belongings”, i.e. surfing
equipment, jet skis, etc., settle in a hotel with the family and stay
the whole weekend.
The majority of European guests come to the Dominican Republic on a
package deal. However, there are also many (smaller) hotels of different
standards locally, as well as many houses and apartments in the tourist
areas that can be rented very cheaply by the day, week or month. The
main season is Christmas/New Year, July/August and the "semana santa"
(the week before Easter). Outside of this time, there are plenty of
places to sleep at reasonable prices. A mosquito net may be recommended.
Remember: if you book "just the flight" and find your own
accommodation, you cannot claim "missed holiday friends" from the
airline or the landlord in the event of travel defects. If you are one
of those people who immediately think of a "reduction in the travel
price" in the event of a power outage or similar problems, you will have
to book a package deal from Europe.
There are a few offers for Spanish lessons in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is only partially suitable for "self-study Spanish" as most residents speak a very clear dialect that differs from "Castellano".
Crime and the propensity for violence in the Dominican Republic have
increased considerably. There are also isolated attacks on tourists or
residents living there. The first thing tourists are told in
all-inclusive resorts is: "Don't leave the hotel grounds, it's
dangerous." The main reason is that they don't want to be held
responsible if something does happen. Another reason: they don't want to
find out that all the services the hotel offers (changing money,
organized trips, etc.) are available much cheaper outside the hotel
complex. If one of the tourists knows this or suspects something, they
quickly tell a few horror stories to stop you from leaving the hotel.
You should know the following about safety:
If you are unsure, do
not go outside the hotel alone, but rather in pairs or, best of all, in
a small group. There is relatively little violence and crime in the
Dominican Republic (on a global scale), although a little more than in
Central Europe. The caution that should be exercised everywhere is also
necessary here.
Be careful, don't be too trusting of European
residents! The "SPIEGEL" once wrote in an article that nowhere else can
you find such a "mixed bunch" as in the Dominican Republic. A popular
saying goes: "The greatest enemy of the German in the Dominican Republic
is the German resident." That is certainly exaggerated, but among the
residents there are a lot of people who finance their lives in the
Caribbean with scams and fraud. (The same applies to all holiday
paradises, for example Mallorca or the Canary Islands).
There have
been no terrorist acts in the past.
It is relatively dangerous for
tourists to take part in road traffic by car, motorbike or bicycle -
please be careful!
Dominican cars generally have liability insurance
as a compulsory insurance, like in Germany, but since the premiums may
not have been paid, there is often no insurance cover.
There is also
a type of TÜV inspection (called a "revista" here), but the inspector
will gladly waive the inspection for a ten euro bribe. Accordingly, some
cars are in a bad state.
In the case of minor accidents, such as a
mirror being knocked off, the liability insurer often does not pay out.
(The justification will be, for example, "It's not an accident, it
happens every day, just buy a new mirror, you have enough money.").
If a rich person, such as a foreigner, is involved in an accident
involving personal injury, it is generally expected that he will pay for
the medical treatment of the injured if they are poor people who cannot
afford it. And this is regardless of who caused the accident! (It is not
worth taking legal action against this, because the judge usually makes
the same decision as the local police. And actually, that is very
social, isn't it? Such a practice, which is not based on the question of
guilt but on social balance, is common in many countries around the
world; see the article on Thailand)
In crowded places, especially
in the capital, Santo Domingo, you have to expect pickpockets.
Corruption in public administration, the police, customs and airport
controls is quite common. The police cannot be trusted to the extent
that you are used to in Germany, neither the "Policía Municipal" nor the
"AMET" nor the "Policía del Turismo (Politur)". If you request police
assistance, you may be charged for the service and will probably not be
given a receipt. It is often said that even the German embassy in Santo
Domingo processes visa applications from Dominicans who want to leave
the country (for example because a Dominican woman marries a German)
much more quickly after paying 500 euros, but that is surely just a
rumor, right? If something like that were to happen, you could
successfully complain to the Foreign Office in Berlin. Complaining about
corruption to the Dominican authorities is certainly more difficult.
In the Dominican Republic, unlike in Europe, you are allowed to walk
around armed. Some people probably need that to give themselves the
image of a proper man. Don't mess with people like that, sometimes an
idiot like that actually shoots a gun to gain respect. In 2006, a bus
driver near Santo Domingo shot a passenger who had too little money (the
equivalent of about 30 cents too little).
Both the neighboring
country of Haiti and the Dominican Republic are sometimes used for drug
smuggling. The route goes from Colombia across the Caribbean Sea to
Haiti, where controls are minimal, then over the mountains to the
Dominican Republic and then via Puerto Rico to the USA. Drug procurement
crime is no more or less prevalent in the Dominican Republic than in
Germany.
Unlike the Dominican Republic, the neighboring country of
Haiti is not a tourist destination. The Foreign Office expressly warns
against traveling to Haiti (kidnappings for ransom, shootings and gang
wars, robbery, rape). Organized trips to Fort Liberté (just across the
border) are sold in hotels at relatively high prices. Of course,
security is guaranteed, but you don't really see much of the country.
Malaria prophylaxis is not recommended when considering the benefits
and side effects. If in doubt, ask your doctor which vaccinations or
medications he or she recommends.
Dengue: The Dominican Republic's
Ministry of Health has announced that 465 cases of dengue occurred in
the first four months of the current year. So far, no deaths have been
recorded as a result of the fever. The ministry found that only 24
patients suffered from hemorrhagic fever, which is a decrease from the
previous year.
Dengue is mainly transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti
mosquito, which has almost always previously infected people who are
already ill. This means that the disease can spread extremely quickly
among the population. There is currently no effective vaccination for
any of the four subtypes of the virus that occur worldwide. The disease
usually has flu-like symptoms, but in individual cases it can also take
a hemorrhagic form, which often leads to the death of the patient. In
2010, more than 1,000 people died of dengue in Latin America. There were
44,656 severe cases with major outbreaks in Brazil, Peru, Colombia,
Venezuela, Nicaragua, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Honduras, the Dominican
Republic and other Caribbean islands. Brazil was one of the countries
most severely affected with around a million infections and 500 deaths,
followed by Honduras with 83 deaths and almost 66,000 infections
Chikungunya fever is also spreading in the Dominican Republic. There
have also been a few deaths. Travelers should protect themselves from
mosquito bites. The virus transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito is
particularly dangerous for infants, the elderly and those with chronic
illnesses. In healthy people, the symptoms - high fever and severe
joint, muscle and headaches - usually subside after a while without
complications. Anyone who has overcome the disease once is immune for
life.
AIDS (Spanish: "SIDA") is relatively widespread. After
Africa, parts of the Caribbean are the part of the world where AIDS is
most widespread. Within the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic's
neighbour, Haiti, is the country where AIDS is most widespread
(statistically, by a considerable margin compared to other nations).
Many Haitians live and work in the Dominican Republic. For more
information, see: Overview map and AIDS information page of the United
Nations (English)
There have been no food or meat scandals. BSE,
swine fever, bird flu or rotten meat have never been an issue here. You
can eat anything without worry. The hygiene standards in the hotels are
very good.
The skin should be protected from the sun's rays with at
least sun protection factor 15. Germany is at about 52 degrees latitude,
the Dominican Republic at about 19 degrees latitude, which means the sun
is much higher than here. Don't underestimate the Caribbean sun!
You can travel to the Dominican Republic all year round. For
Europeans, it is actually most beautiful from January to March - exactly
when it is coldest in Europe.
The climate on the coast is
tropical, with year-round temperatures of around 32 degrees Celsius
during the day and 22 degrees Celsius at night, as well as high
humidity. It often rains at night, especially on the north coast.
This results in paradisiacal tropical vegetation. Flower lovers will
find bougainvilleas in many different colors and two to three meter high
flowering hibiscus bushes everywhere. In summer, the "flamboyants" also
known as flame trees bloom (mostly red, some yellow), and in winter
(December/January) the trees known as "pascuita" bloom, which are sold
here as pot plants under the name "poinsettia" (also usually red).
In winter it is only about 5 degrees colder than in summer, i.e. on
the coast around 27 degrees during the day and around 18 degrees at
night.
It is colder in the mountains, some of which are over
3,000 meters high. In the highest city in the Dominican Republic,
Constanza, temperatures are below freezing in winter. Potatoes, cabbage
and strawberries are not grown there, just like in Central Europe.
The Dominican Republic is in the catchment area of tropical
cyclones.
Dominicans (and the Haitians living in the country) show similar
behavior to Europeans. So you can communicate with them in the same way
- apart from language barriers.
As in southern Europe, people are
more cordial and less cold than, for example, northern Europeans.
There is a spirited atmosphere, but aggressive behavior is rejected.
Even German "determination" is sometimes interpreted as disrespect and
aggressiveness.
Dominicans are extremely clean and shower up to
half a dozen times a day. If you are on a crowded bus, you will notice
that none of them smell of sweat. The only people who often smell
unpleasant are
a) Haitian harvesters or construction workers. When
they get on the bus, a heated argument often starts between the staff,
who of course want to earn money, and the passengers, who feel harassed.
As a tourist, do not get involved in such discussions.
b) Foreigners.
Europeans in particular (and sometimes North Americans) are considered
unkempt by Dominicans. Men with sweat stains on their shirts or women
with visible armpit hair in sleeveless dresses are an abomination for
Dominicans. Unlike when dealing with Haitians, however, people usually
say nothing because the foreigners bring a lot of money into the
country. If you use public transport, please consider your state of
grooming out of respect!
Men greet men with a handshake or, more
familiarly, with a hug.
Men and women often greet women with a kiss
or two kisses on the cheek(s).
Children can also be greeted with hugs
or kisses on the cheek. Unlike in Asian cultures, for example, you are
allowed to touch their heads.
What applies to greetings also applies
to saying goodbye.
If you are visiting privately, bring (small)
gifts. These should be practical things like a piece of clothing, a
household appliance, a tablecloth or nice cutlery - the main thing is
that it is fun.
Dominicans (including many adults) are most happy
with chocolate, although in the tropical temperatures it often doesn't
survive the journey without turning into liquid. Perfumes for men and
women are also very popular.
Dominicans love to play dominoes, all day long if they have to.
Sometimes for money, but mostly for fun. Foreigners who can keep up with
them are respected.
Male Dominicans are not very interested in
football, but very interested in baseball (also called "pelota"). You
see boys everywhere practicing hitting and catching. For many, it is a
big dream to become a professional in the American MLB ("Major League
Baseball"). Some have already achieved this and returned to the
Dominican Republic as rich men. (On the English Wikipedia you can see
how long the list of Dominican baseball players in the USA is.)
Many Dominican women, like women in other Latin American countries,
spend many hours in front of the television watching telenovelas.
(Telenovelas based on the Latin American model have recently become a
household name in Germany too.)
The traditional male and female
behavior patterns and gender roles are much more important than in
Germany. This affects the whole of life:
Men have to be "real
men", are interested in technology (cars, motorcycles) and many go to
cockfights on Sundays to have fun and ideally earn money.
Women
see themselves as sexy, their role models are the protagonists of
telenovelas (Shakira, Paulina Rubio, Thalía, Jennifer López also started
out as actresses in telenovelas) - and the Barbie doll. Besides the
telenovela, women's biggest vice is the lotería nacional. That's why you
see lottery offices everywhere ("banca" - not to be confused with
"banco" - the bank). There are sophisticated systems that establish
connections between dreams and numbers and depending on what the women
have dreamed, they play the corresponding numbers in the hope that they
will be drawn. This type of dream analysis is one of the main topics of
conversation among Dominican women.
Boys play baseball ("pelota")
or contribute to the family income from an early age.
Girls play with
dolls or help around the house.
Pets: A dog is a dog and will remain
a dog and does not usually enter the house - and it definitely does not
sleep on the sofa or even in bed. The same applies to cats. Dogs are
supposed to bite burglars and cats are supposed to chase mice. And
nothing else.
Dominicans see themselves as actively heterosexual.
Homosexuality is laughed at. Gay people are avoided. But homophobia does
not go as far as in Jamaica, for example, where even famous reggae
musicians call for gays to be killed in their songs.
Outside of the tourist hotels, most Dominicans speak only a Spanish
dialect, and only a few speak English. On the Samaná peninsula, there
are Dominicans who are descended from US slaves and therefore speak
English rather than Spanish. The Haitians living in the country mostly
speak Haitian (a creole language), rarely French and usually a little
Spanish.
Facial expressions and gestures largely correspond to
European customs, so communication is not too difficult despite language
barriers.
As in many parts of the world, you cannot rely too much
on promises made. Sometimes, out of politeness, something is promised
that cannot then be kept. Punctuality like in Germany is not always
guaranteed in the Dominican Republic.
Unlike here, communication
is mainly verbal and rarely written. A letter, a poetry album, a
newspaper advertisement - largely unknown in the Dominican Republic.
Only a few people have a postal address, often even the streets have no
names, and if they do, often no one is interested in what the street is
called.
Whatsapp, texting and writing emails are just as popular among young
people as in Europe. A mobile phone ("celular") is a popular status
symbol for Dominicans of (almost) all ages. While there are only just
under 1 million landlines, around 2.8 million Dominicans have a mobile
phone (as of 2013).
The network coverage is now very good. There
are gaps in the network coverage, especially in the mountains.
The main network operators are "Orange", Claro (formerly "Verizon"),
Viva and "Tricom". Tourists who want to make calls with a mobile phone
need a tri-band phone (GSM 1900) and a US charging cable (or an adapter,
which you can buy in the supermarket for around 25 RD$). You can buy a
prepaid card locally and use it to call Germany very cheaply. If you
give the number to relatives or friends in Germany, you can be reached
from Germany for around 8 to 12 cents per minute using the call-by-call
area code (depending on the provider, e.g. 01026 or 01071). This saves
you expensive roaming charges.
In large cities and in tourist areas you can find Internet cafes with
high-speed connections. Internet providers are: "Verizon", "Tricom",
"Aster", "Centennial" and "France Telecom". In most large supermarkets
such as "La Sirena" or "Jumbo" you can use the WiFi in the cafeterias
for free, as well as on almost all buses.
Especially in the
young, hip surfer paradise of Cabarete you can find Internet cafes on
every street corner.
The price is usually 1 RD$ per minute in
15-minute increments:
15 minutes costs 15 RD$
30 minutes costs 30
RD$
etc.
You can receive almost 100 TV channels from all over the world via
cable.
Some Dominicans don't pay for it (depending on the region,
it costs around 200 to 400 RD$ per month), but simply "tap" into
existing lines. Where there is no cable reception, antennas are used
instead. In some cases, you can find very adventurous homemade antenna
designs...
Interesting for German vacationers: Channel 14
("DW-tv", formerly: Deutsche Welle). Here you can watch the news every
hour on the hour (always alternating between German and English; at 5
p.m. also in Spanish). Five minutes before the news, there are brief
summaries of the highlights in the other language.
On channel 37
there is CDN ("cadena de noticias"), a Spanish-language news channel.
On channels 49 and 50 you can often find German-language programs.
A
large number of sports channels in Spanish, English or French, e.g. ESPN
(English), ESPN2 (English) or Eurosport (French), can be found between
channels 20 and 35.
Between channels 80 and 100 you can find some
music channels.
Other channels include Teleantillas (channel 2),
Telemicro (channel 5), Antena Latina (channel 7), Color Visión (channel
9), Telesistema (channel 11), Telecentro (channel 13), Telefuturo
(channel 23), Teleradio América (channel 45) or Santo Domingo TV
(channel 69).
Many channels broadcast films with original sound and
Spanish subtitles. It's definitely an interesting way to learn Spanish
on the side.