Read This. You will be quizzed.
What will the weather be like in the Dominican Republic?
Generally, the temperatures are hot during the day. Many of the days are a mixture of sun and clouds, the clouds being a welcome relief from the hot sun. In the evening you may need a light sweater. The chart below shows you the average temperatures for each month. January is the coldest month, and August is the hottest month. There is no real rainy season in the DR, it can rain at any time during the year. Much of the time the rain occurs overnight or as a brief afternoon shower.
Average Daily Temperature oC
Jan
High 26
Low 18
These temperatures are in Celsius
Average High is 87o in Fahrenheit
Average Low is 73o in Fahrenheit
Are locals allowed to stay at the resorts?
Yes they are . The following email sent to us by Yvonne from Cardiff, South Wales, U.K, basically covers our feelings on the subject.
I just feel I must put my frustration and anger across to all the tourists who travel to the above resorts and moan about the Dominican people staying at the complex. They like us all, have paid good money for a well earned break and if like me probably saved hard for it. What rights have foreign tourists to complain that they shouldn't be allowed to use the hotels, after all it is their country. I was brought up to treat people with respect and to treat them how I would like to be treated myself. So these people who say the locals are rude, try being friendly towards them, I am sure they would find a difference.
I live in Canada. Should I bring U.S. or Canadian money?
The Dominican peso is the official currency of the Dominican Republic. The banks are phasing out "defaced money". Do not accept any pesos that have been written on, you will not be able to use it. Both Canadian and U.S. cash and traveler's cheques can be changed at hotels and currency exchanges for Dominican pesos. It is sometimes easier to exchange U.S. traveler's cheques. (When cashing traveler's cheques, make sure you take your passport or I.D. with you). At the present time (Feb./05) there seems to be a definite advantage to taking U.S. currency over other currencies. In some cases U.S. currency can be used to pay for tours, etc. booked at the hotel, without having to change it into pesos first. (Also, if you're planning on visiting the casinos, you should take U.S. money for that, otherwise you have to play with pesos, and if you win, you'll win in pesos, which are difficult to change, whereas if you play with U.S. money, your winnings are paid in U.S. money). Canadian currency must be changed into pesos. Credit cards are widely accepted in the Dominican Republic.
Are credit cards accepted? and are there ATM's?
Most hotels, restaurants and businesses accept major credit cards. Please be careful when and where you use your credit card. There have been incidents reported of double billings and other charges being billed to credit cards used by tourists while in the DR.
Gambling in the DR
A number of hotels in the DR have casinos with slot machines, table games, etc. Suggest you use U.S. currency to gamble with - if you play with U.S. money any winnings will be paid in U.S. currency. If you use Dominican Pesos, winnings will be paid in Dominican Pesos. Please be careful and use common sense when visiting the casinos.
There have been allegations against various hotel casinos in the DR about certain games that are scams, often run by Americans (ie KENO), where people have lost thousands of dollars. Be careful! Stick to the games you know, always keep track of your cards/points - don't rely on what the dealers are telling you - We have experienced cases where blackjack dealers make mistakes in counting. And above all, don't bet more than you can afford to lose!
Is there topless sunbathing in the DR?
Yes, topless sunbathing is quite common. It's not a Dominican custom, just the fact that many of the tourists are European, and topless sunbathing is natural for them. Many hotels do not allow topless sunbathing around the pool areas.
Is it safe to walk around during the day and night?
In my opinion it is perfectly safe to walk around tourist areas and towns during the day. Most resorts have security personnel, and the beaches are also patrolled periodically. When going into town, or out of the resort area at night, use common sense, just as you would anywhere else. Don't wear expensive jewellery or flash large sums of money around.
What is the Departure Tax?
Each person is required to pay$20.00 U.S. departure tax when they leave the Dominican Republic. This is generally not included when you buy an all-inclusive package, and is payable at the Dominican Airport. Only U.S. cash is accepted. They will not take Dominican pesos or any other currency as payment, nor will they take traveller's cheques. Some Canadian tour companies now collect this $20.00 U.S. tax when you book your trip, so you do not have to pay it when you leave the DR. Similarly, I am told that Americans always pay for the departure tax in their packages, so do not have to pay it when they leave the DR. Check with your travel agent to confirm what has been prepaid.
Is the water safe to drink?
Drink only purified or bottled water while in the DR. Hotels use purified water for washing and cooking food, serving in restaurants, making icecubes, etc. Do not drink the tap water in your hotel room - it is not purified. Hotels provide bottled or purified water for use in your room.
Why does it seem a lot of people complain of being sick?
I think a lot of the time the reason people become ill is simply because of the change in diet, as well as overindulgence in alcohol, food, sun, etc. Make sure meat - hamburgers, etc. are well-cooked. If outside the resort, drink only bottled water.
What should we wear during dinner and at the casinos?
Dress at the resorts is basically casual. Many hotels require that men wear long pants to dinner, especially at the a la carte restaurants, so make sure you pack a pair. Most buffet restaurants have relaxed the “no shorts” rule, due to the increasing numbers of North Americans traveling there. (Apparently we don’t like to dress up for dinner). Some people dress up a bit in the evening - ie. dress, long skirt, etc. for the ladies, some prefer to be casual - jeans, shorts. It's basically up to you. The same applies to casinos. Take along Immodium for diarrhea - just in case.
I have heard horror stories about the airport porters?
Yes, you can count on there being Dominicans at the airport when you come out wanting to carry your bags, and they can be quite persistent. A "No, gracias" and a firm grip on your luggage is all that is required. It is usually a very short distance from the airport exit to buses, taxis, etc. Or, if you do have heavy luggage, the easiest thing is to let someone carry them. We've done this and given them $3 or $4, and had no problems. Some will demand $5 U.S. a bag, don’t be intimidated into paying this, just give them $3 to $5 depending on how much luggage you have and how far they carried it.
Are the vendors aggressive?
In most resort areas the vendors have stalls set up outside of the resort property. Most hotels don't allow vendors to approach tourists on the beach. You have to go to them, then you're fair game. Each one will tell you he has the "best prices". Of course, the first price he quotes you will be twice what it's worth - you have to bargain, it is expected. If you're not into bargaining, stick to the hotel gift shops.
Generally, the temperatures are hot during the day. Many of the days are a mixture of sun and clouds, the clouds being a welcome relief from the hot sun. In the evening you may need a light sweater. The chart below shows you the average temperatures for each month. January is the coldest month, and August is the hottest month. There is no real rainy season in the DR, it can rain at any time during the year. Much of the time the rain occurs overnight or as a brief afternoon shower.
Average Daily Temperature oC
Jan
High 26
Low 18
These temperatures are in Celsius
Average High is 87o in Fahrenheit
Average Low is 73o in Fahrenheit
Are locals allowed to stay at the resorts?
Yes they are . The following email sent to us by Yvonne from Cardiff, South Wales, U.K, basically covers our feelings on the subject.
I just feel I must put my frustration and anger across to all the tourists who travel to the above resorts and moan about the Dominican people staying at the complex. They like us all, have paid good money for a well earned break and if like me probably saved hard for it. What rights have foreign tourists to complain that they shouldn't be allowed to use the hotels, after all it is their country. I was brought up to treat people with respect and to treat them how I would like to be treated myself. So these people who say the locals are rude, try being friendly towards them, I am sure they would find a difference.
I live in Canada. Should I bring U.S. or Canadian money?
The Dominican peso is the official currency of the Dominican Republic. The banks are phasing out "defaced money". Do not accept any pesos that have been written on, you will not be able to use it. Both Canadian and U.S. cash and traveler's cheques can be changed at hotels and currency exchanges for Dominican pesos. It is sometimes easier to exchange U.S. traveler's cheques. (When cashing traveler's cheques, make sure you take your passport or I.D. with you). At the present time (Feb./05) there seems to be a definite advantage to taking U.S. currency over other currencies. In some cases U.S. currency can be used to pay for tours, etc. booked at the hotel, without having to change it into pesos first. (Also, if you're planning on visiting the casinos, you should take U.S. money for that, otherwise you have to play with pesos, and if you win, you'll win in pesos, which are difficult to change, whereas if you play with U.S. money, your winnings are paid in U.S. money). Canadian currency must be changed into pesos. Credit cards are widely accepted in the Dominican Republic.
Are credit cards accepted? and are there ATM's?
Most hotels, restaurants and businesses accept major credit cards. Please be careful when and where you use your credit card. There have been incidents reported of double billings and other charges being billed to credit cards used by tourists while in the DR.
Gambling in the DR
A number of hotels in the DR have casinos with slot machines, table games, etc. Suggest you use U.S. currency to gamble with - if you play with U.S. money any winnings will be paid in U.S. currency. If you use Dominican Pesos, winnings will be paid in Dominican Pesos. Please be careful and use common sense when visiting the casinos.
There have been allegations against various hotel casinos in the DR about certain games that are scams, often run by Americans (ie KENO), where people have lost thousands of dollars. Be careful! Stick to the games you know, always keep track of your cards/points - don't rely on what the dealers are telling you - We have experienced cases where blackjack dealers make mistakes in counting. And above all, don't bet more than you can afford to lose!
Is there topless sunbathing in the DR?
Yes, topless sunbathing is quite common. It's not a Dominican custom, just the fact that many of the tourists are European, and topless sunbathing is natural for them. Many hotels do not allow topless sunbathing around the pool areas.
Is it safe to walk around during the day and night?
In my opinion it is perfectly safe to walk around tourist areas and towns during the day. Most resorts have security personnel, and the beaches are also patrolled periodically. When going into town, or out of the resort area at night, use common sense, just as you would anywhere else. Don't wear expensive jewellery or flash large sums of money around.
What is the Departure Tax?
Each person is required to pay$20.00 U.S. departure tax when they leave the Dominican Republic. This is generally not included when you buy an all-inclusive package, and is payable at the Dominican Airport. Only U.S. cash is accepted. They will not take Dominican pesos or any other currency as payment, nor will they take traveller's cheques. Some Canadian tour companies now collect this $20.00 U.S. tax when you book your trip, so you do not have to pay it when you leave the DR. Similarly, I am told that Americans always pay for the departure tax in their packages, so do not have to pay it when they leave the DR. Check with your travel agent to confirm what has been prepaid.
Is the water safe to drink?
Drink only purified or bottled water while in the DR. Hotels use purified water for washing and cooking food, serving in restaurants, making icecubes, etc. Do not drink the tap water in your hotel room - it is not purified. Hotels provide bottled or purified water for use in your room.
Why does it seem a lot of people complain of being sick?
I think a lot of the time the reason people become ill is simply because of the change in diet, as well as overindulgence in alcohol, food, sun, etc. Make sure meat - hamburgers, etc. are well-cooked. If outside the resort, drink only bottled water.
What should we wear during dinner and at the casinos?
Dress at the resorts is basically casual. Many hotels require that men wear long pants to dinner, especially at the a la carte restaurants, so make sure you pack a pair. Most buffet restaurants have relaxed the “no shorts” rule, due to the increasing numbers of North Americans traveling there. (Apparently we don’t like to dress up for dinner). Some people dress up a bit in the evening - ie. dress, long skirt, etc. for the ladies, some prefer to be casual - jeans, shorts. It's basically up to you. The same applies to casinos. Take along Immodium for diarrhea - just in case.
I have heard horror stories about the airport porters?
Yes, you can count on there being Dominicans at the airport when you come out wanting to carry your bags, and they can be quite persistent. A "No, gracias" and a firm grip on your luggage is all that is required. It is usually a very short distance from the airport exit to buses, taxis, etc. Or, if you do have heavy luggage, the easiest thing is to let someone carry them. We've done this and given them $3 or $4, and had no problems. Some will demand $5 U.S. a bag, don’t be intimidated into paying this, just give them $3 to $5 depending on how much luggage you have and how far they carried it.
Are the vendors aggressive?
In most resort areas the vendors have stalls set up outside of the resort property. Most hotels don't allow vendors to approach tourists on the beach. You have to go to them, then you're fair game. Each one will tell you he has the "best prices". Of course, the first price he quotes you will be twice what it's worth - you have to bargain, it is expected. If you're not into bargaining, stick to the hotel gift shops.
posted by Greg | 4:00 PM
2 Comments:
On the topic of topless sunbathing: "many of the tourists are European, and topless sunbathing is natural for them"...OK then, I guess our reputation seems to go before us!!
:)
Tan lines are unacceptable! At least until Wednesday @ noon.
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