La Romana

ALTOS DE CHAVÓN - CASA DE CAMPO MARINA - PADRE NUESTRO ECOLOGICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL PATH - CUEVA DE LAS MARAVILLAS (CAVE OF WONDERS) - KVIAR DISCO & CASINO BAYAHÍBE - DEEP-SEA FISHING - COTUBANAMÁ NATIONAL PARK - UNDERWATER MUSEUMS - CAPTAIN KIDD’S SHIPWRECK - DIVING

The Dominican Republic is surrounded by over 1, 600 km (1, 000 miles) of coastline on its north, east, and southern borders, and the climate is tropical. Noontime temperatures range from 27°C to 32°C (80°F to 90°F ), and can fall to 18°C and 23°C (64°F to 73°F) during the winter. Because we are in the tropics, it is hard to say if and when there is a rainy season. Rains are usually short lasting.

The Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1 and extends to November 30. In the Dominican Republic, these are the summer and early fall seasons when the weather is sunny and humid, with some cloudiness and occasional rain showers in the late afternoon or at night. Historically, most hurricanes have occurred in the month of September. But chances of one hitting are slim, and if it does occur, resort staff is trained in handling these situations, and resort buildings today are equipped to withstand hurricane force. You should also take note that the Dominican Republic is a large country–this means that while one coast may be affected, another may be completely unscathed by a storm.

The Dominican Republic’s public transportation system is surprisingly modern and extensive. Dominicans are constantly on the road–visiting family in the countryside, conducting business, or shuffling to school. Taxis are ubiquitous, Uber is available in three major cities–Santo Domingo, Santiago, and Puerto Plata–and there’s always a form of bus service, big or small, going to any town or city you want to explore. Aside from being the most affordable way to travel, public transportation is a great way to glimpse every day life in the DR, and is guaranteed to be a memorable experience.

The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish. And like many of its Latin counterparts, Dominicans have their own accent, colloquialisms, and idioms. They are particularly famous for being incredibly fast speakers, projecting words a mile a minute. They abbreviate, skip syllables, and don’t pronounce certain letters–such as the plural “s” (for example, they say La Terrena when referring to Las Terrenas).

Not knowing Spanish, however, is not a problem: English is widely spoken in the tourist areas. Tour guides and hotel staff across multiple regions are also well versed in multiple languages, including Italian, French, German, and Russian, among others.

The local currency is the Dominican peso (RD$). The daily rate fluctuates depending on the day and the location of exchange.

Keep these numbers in mind as a general guideline:

RD$100 = US$2

RD$500 = US$10

RD$1, 000 = US$20

United States dollars and Euros can be readily exchanged in banks, or in authorized exchange offices around the country. Some exchange offices also accept the following currencies: Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, Danish krone, British pound, Japanese yen, Scottish pound, Swedish krona, and Norwegian krone.

ATMs are widely available from a variety of established banks, including Scotiabank and Banco Popular. They are safe to use for withdrawals in the local currency. They also provide the best exchange rates. Choose an indoor location and stick to daytime use. The Spanish word for ATM is cajero. For help in determining the amount you want to withdraw, download and use a free handy app like XE.

ATMs from Banco Popular, Banco BHD León, Banco Progreso, and Scotiabank accept North American bank cards, and offer an English or Spanish language menu. As a tip, you will often find ATM machines in airports, supermarkets, major resorts, and shopping malls.

Visitors to La Romana and Bayahibe have several shopping options, whether they are looking for local handicrafts, typical Dominican food or the latest in fashion on the island. “El Artístico”, 3 km west of La Romana, is known for the sale of objects made from embossed metal. The Casa de Campo marina also has various boutiques with items to suit all tastes. You can find clothes, jewels, traditional handicrafts, ceramics, fine cigars and much more. The stores also have items by world-renowned fashion designers like Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Galliano, and Prada, to name just a few. The Dominican designer Jenny Polanco has stylish stores well worth a visit in the marina and in Altos de Chavón. If you are looking for quality jewels and handicrafts, the gift shops of the Larimar and Ambar Museum in Altos de Chavón provide an amazing selection made of authentic, high-quality materials. For less expensive, but also unique, souvenirs, the craftsmen of Bayahibe offer handicrafts and jewels made by genuine Dominican hands, with organic materials like seeds, shells and wood, as well as small replicas of the traditional fishing boats of the area.

The beaches of La Romana and Bayahibe are renowned for their extraordinary, fine white sand, as well as for their pristine waters. They are two of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean and those in the hotel area of Bayahibe are internationally recognised and certified as “Blue Flag Beaches”, assuring the high-quality cleanliness of their waters and the appropriate environmental safety and administration measures.

The local time zone is Eastern Caribbean Time (GMT-0400). The Dominican Republic does not observe daylight savings time.