Travel and Tourism Information

Travel - International

AIR

The Dominican Republic’s national airline is Air Santo Domingo (EX). American Airlines offers daily flights from London via Miami. Direct flights from the USA are operated by American Airlines (from New York) and Continental Airlines (from New Jersey). Iberia operates every day to Santo Domingo via Madrid. Other airlines operating flights from Europe are Air Canada, Air France, Air Martinique, British Airways, BMI, Condor, Martinair, Spanair and Virgin Atlantic.

International Airports

Santo Domingo (SDQ) (Internacional de las Américas), 18km (11 miles) east of the city (travel time – 30 minutes). To/from the airport: Taxi services are available to Santo Domingo. Facilities: Outgoing duty free shop, post office, bank/bureau de change, restaurants, bars and car hire.

Puerto Plata International Airport (POP) (Internacional General Gregorio Luperón). Facilities: Outgoing duty free shop, banking and exchange facilities, gift shop, post office, restaurant, bar and car hire.

Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) is 10 to 30 minutes’ travel time from the Punta Cana and Bávaro resorts. Facilities: Gift shops, duty free shop and taxi.

SEA

Cruise lines calling at the Dominican Republic include Holland America, Seabourn and Windjammer.

ROAD

There are three routes from Haiti: on the road from Port-au-Prince to Santo Domingo at Jimaní/Malpasse; on the road from Cap-Haitian to Santiago at Dajabón/Ouanaminthe; and a third route near the centre of the island at Elías Pinâ/Belladere. The borders are open from 0800-1600.

Travel - Internal

AIR

There are regular flights between Santo Domingo, Santiago, Samaná, Punta Cana and Puerto Plata by Air Santo Domingo. Planes may also be chartered. For more information, contact the airline directly.

ROAD

Traffic drives on the right. There is a reasonable network of roads, including the Sanchez Highway running westwards from Santo Domingo to Elias Pina on the Haitian frontier; the Mella Highway extending eastwards from Santo Domingo to Higuey in the southeast and the Duarte Highway running north and west from Santo Domingo to Santiago and to Monte Cristi on the northwest coast. Not all roads in the Dominican Republic are all-weather and 4-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended for wet weather. Checkpoints near military installations are ubiquitous, though no serious difficulties have been reported (those near the Haitian border are most likely to be sensitive). The speed limit is up to 60kph (38mph) in cities and 80-100kph (50-63mph) on motorways. Driving at night is not recommended because of poor lighting and and signage. Keep doors and windows locked at all times and, legally, seatbelts are required to be worn.

Bus: Cheap and efficient air-conditioned bus and coach services run from the capital to other major towns.

Taxi: Travellers are recommended to hire tourist taxis or radio taxis that can be arranged in advance. Avoid unmarked taxis.

Car hire: There are several car hire companies in Santo Domingo. Minimum age for car hire is 25. A credit card is required for car hire transactions. Insurance is compulsory.

Documentation: A national or International Driving Permit is accepted, but is only valid for 90 days.

URBAN

Santo Domingo has flat-fare bus and minibus services, and an estimated 7000 share-taxis called Carro de Conchos. These operate a 24-hour service in Santo Domingo, Santiago and Puerto Plata. Hotel taxis are also available. In old Santo Domingo, the streets are narrow with blind corners, so care should be taken, particularly as Dominican drivers have a tendency to use their horns rather than their brakes. Horse-drawn carriages are available for rent in tourist areas for tours around parks and plazas.

Resorts & Excursions

SANTO DOMINGO

The colonial part has been carefully restored to retain its original charm, and is home to the first university, cathedral and hospital built in the New World. The modern city of Santo Domingo, by contrast, is a thriving port city, equipped with discotheques, gambling casinos, shops and the Cultural Plaza which houses the Gallery of Modern Art and the National Theatre. Just a few miles east of the city is a remarkable cave complex, Los Tres Ojos de Agua (The Three Eyes of Water), so-called because it contains three turquoise lagoons on three different levels, each fed by an underground river and surrounded by countless stalactites, stalagmites and lush tropical vegetation

SOUTHERN COAST

To the west of Santo Domingo is San Cristóbal, where the first constitution was signed on 6 November 1844. It's probably the most visited city, particularly by those wishing to get a closer look at the historical sites linked to the life of Trujillo, the dictator who governed the country with an iron fist from 1930-61. In the church and Caves of Santa Maria the patron saint's day is celebrated with drums and dance rituals.

One hour 45 minutes east of Santo Domingo is the city of La Romana, home to the understated elegance and graceful charm of the 7000-acre Casa de Campo resort, designed by Oscar de la Renta. Nestled within the resort is Altos de Chavon, a reconstructed 15th-century Mediterranean-style village of culture and art which is perched high on a cliff overlooking the tropical Chavon River and the Caribbean Sea. Altos de Chavon hosts major events in a 5000-seat Greek amphitheatre, built in the traditional design of Epidaurus. Near Punta Cana, is Manati Park, a new theme park which includes a zoo, gardens, a recreated Taino village and a variety of exotic animals. The popular destination of Barahona is a humid area with beautiful beaches of white sand. Cabritos Island, a national park in the centre of Lake Enriquillo, is the greatest preserve of the wild American Crocodile, large populations of flamingos and two species of iguana. Azua De Compostela was founded in 1504 by Diego Velázquez, who later conquered Cuba. In particular, the ruins of the colonial city in Pueblo Viejo are well worth a visit

NORTHERN COAST

The Northern, or Amber Coast, is so named because some of the most beautiful amber in the world is mined here. The Amber Museum houses a good display of amber pieces found in this area. Puerto Plata (the Silver Port) has some of the finest beaches in the Caribbean Islands. It was founded in 1504 and boasts colonial architecture. The Fort San Felipe was built in the 1600s by the Spanish to protect the settlement from pirates. The Atlantic coast of the country is renowned for its miles of unspoilt beaches that surround Puerto Plata, the most popular being Sosúa. Just 3km (2 miles) from the town is the Playa Dorada resort complex. Just outside, in Puerto Plata, is the Costambar Beach Resort, with 5km (3 miles) of beach. Mount Isabel de Torres features a cable car which climbs over 760m (2500ft) above sea level. The breathtaking view of the Atlantic and the port of Puerto Plata is well worth the 7-minute ride up to the top of the mountain. Ten sq km (4 sq miles) of botanical gardens can be explored here. Rio San Juan is still an undeveloped area awaiting the adventurer to discover Playa Grande (with a few resorts under construction), the beautiful Playa Caletón and the Gri-Gri lagoon.

The Samaná Peninsula is located on the northern portion of the island, approximately 2 hours from Puerto Plata's international airport. Samaná, with its transparent blue waters, miles of unspoilt beaches, and dozens of caves, is a romantic paradise. Other resorts include The Gran Bahía Beach Resort, Cayo Levantado and El Portillo Beach Club.