USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION Temperatures between summer and winter usually fluctuate less than ten degrees. For more on weather, see www.dr1.com/travel/expect/weather. shtml
© Fernando Calzada / Lifestyle Hacienda Resort
Maritime ports regularly receiving tourists are the Santo Domingo Port (Don Diego and Sans Souci terminals), the Casa de Campo cruise port and Marina de Casa de Campo in La Romana, and the Ocean World Marina in Puerto Plata. Business Hours Government offices, as well as foreign consulates and embassies, open at 8am and close at 2pm Monday through Friday. Some offices stay open for meetings by appointment until later in the afternoon. Businesses typically operate from 9am to 5pm, five days a week. Shops open on weekdays at 9am and usually stay open until 7pm on weeknights and until 2pm on Saturdays. Major stores remain open until 10pm and on Sundays will close at around 8pm. Currency Foreign currency can be converted to Dominican pesos at the Banco de Reservas exchange booths found at airports, major hotels, commercial banks and authorized exchange houses. There are over 1,600 automatic teller machines (ATMs) located nationwide. Banking hours are usually 8:30am to 3pm, Monday through Friday. Some bank branches (primarily in shopping malls or supermarkets) remain open longer. Travelers checks 8
Dominican Republic
(which will require presentation of a passport) and major credit cards are widely accepted. Cash advances are available at certain commercial banks. Exchange rates fluctuate daily and the US dollar is the most widely transacted currency, but Euros and Canadian dollars are accepted for exchange across the nation also. Taxes and service charges On arrival, most visitors are required to purchase a tourist card for US$10 and pay a US$20 departure tax at the airport upon departure. The US$10 charge permits a 15-day stay. For a stay of up to 90 days, an additional US$5 is assessed. Similar additional charges apply for longer stays. Hotels collect 26% of their published prices (16% sales tax +10% service charge). Restaurants also charge the 16% sales tax and a 10% service charge but it is nevertheless customary to tip an additional 10% for satisfactory service in restaurants. Safety The Dominican Republic has a low crime rate, but visitors are suggested to take the same precautions they would when traveling to any busy area, that is, use the safety boxes provided by the hotels, leave expensive jewelry at home and watch
belongings while on the beach and do not leave luggage or bags visible in parked vehicles. A friendly but firm “no” will send most unwanted vendors away. Those taking the roads should avoid driving at night, primarily because of the lack of adequate signage. Holidays While tourist area stores, banks and businesses will remain open, take note of the Dominican dayoff schedule for 2009 and the holiday they commemorate: 1 January, New Year’s Day; 5 January, Epiphany Day; 21 January, Day of Our Lady of Altagracia; 26 January, Duarte Day; 27 February, Independence Day; 10 April, Good Friday; 4 May, Labor Day; 1 June, Corpus Christi Day; 16 August, Restoration Day; 24 September, Day of Our Lady of Mercedes; 9 November, Constitution Day; 25 December, Christmas Day. For more on holidays in the DR in 2009, see dr1.com/travel/prepare/holidays_2009. shtml Weather As with the rest of the Caribbean, the most common weather forecast is partly sunny with a chance of a shower lasting 10 minutes or less, most likely in the late afternoon. The temperatures usually fluctuate from a high of 33ºC (91ºF) in August to a chilly 17ºC (62ºF) on winter mornings.
What to pack If you are coming for a business meeting, note that the DR upholds many formal customs, especially in the cities, with suits and ties being appropriate attire for men and suits for women. Attire is much less formal for meetings at resorts. If you are coming for a leisurely vacation at a resort, shorts, slacks and short cotton dresses are suitable for women. Men should pack dress pants and shoes for evening dining or visiting churches. At least one casually elegant outfit is recommended. Some hotels may not allow men wearing sandals and shorts to dinner. If visiting Santo Domingo, consider more formal wear. Also pack a sweater and jacket for cooler temps and air-conditioned settings. Sun block is a must for spending time outdoors. Electricity Appliances run on 110 volts/60 cycles, just as in the United States. Medical facilities Doctors are usually on call at major hotels and are equipped with medicine for the most common ailments. Ambulances are available, as is air ambulance evacuation. Emergency dental treatment can be provided if needed. Twenty-four hour pharmacies can be found in every major city. Pet regulations The Department of Animal Health requires proof of a rabies vaccination for dogs indicating that the inoculation was given 30 days prior to the animal’s arrival in the country. For both dogs and cats, a Health Certificate issued not more than 15 days prior to the animal’s arrival in the country is also required. If these requirements are not met, the animal will be quarantined upon arrival from 8 to 30 days, depending on its country of origin.
Religious services Though the country is predominantly Roman Catholic, there are many active denominations of Christian faith, including Anglican, Baptist, Evangelical, Seventh Day Adventist and Mormon. English services are held in some churches of the capital city. Santo Domingo’s synagogue holds a weekly service Friday evenings at sundown. Getting married To marry in the DR, you will need a valid passport, original birth certificate, single status affidavit in Spanish, Divorce Act in Spanish. Legal transcripts of the single status affidavit and divorce act can be prepared at the Dominican consulate nearest your residence. You will also need two witnesses. If these are foreigners, they will need passports. If they are Dominicans, then their cédulas (Dominican ID cards) will be sufficient. Some tourists marry in their country of residence, and carry out a mock ceremony in the DR to avoid the pricey cost of the legal wedding procedure in the DR. Several hotels offer wedding packages, many with photos taken by the sea that include the ceremony paperwork. Communications The country has one of the most sophisticated telecommunications systems in Latin America that is provided by Claro-Codetel, Tricom, France Telecom (Orange) and Viva. Services include direct dialing, faxing, teleconferencing, electronic mail and videoconferencing. There is direct dial to the Dominican Republic using the area code 809 or the less common 829. There are many Wi-Fi hotspots in the DR, including the area of the new terminal at Las Americas International Airport.
Media There are five daily local morning newspapers and one afternoon edition in Spanish. See www.dr1.com for daily updated news on the Dominican Republic or get answers to your questions on the country from the web site’s very popular message board forums at www.dr1.com/forums Also check out the Calendar of Events page at www.dr1.com/calendar. Televised coverage of tourism destinations and special events are broadcast on the Caribbean Traveling Network (CTN) on Telecable de Tricom. Web Sites Information National Hotel & Restaurant Association www.asonahores.com Ministry of Tourism www.godominicanrepublic.com Dominican Republic One www.dr1.com For further information contact: National Hotel & Restaurant Association (Asonahores) Presidente Gonzalez/Tiradentes Avenue Edificio La Cumbre. 8th Floor. Ensanche Naco Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Tel (809) 368-4676 Fax (809) 368-5511 Email: asonahores@asonahores.com Ministry of Tourism Av. Mexico, 30 de Marzo Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Tel. (809) 221-4660 Fax. (809) 682-3806 Email: info@godominicanrepublic.com
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