Dominican Republic Holidays
Overview
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A Dominican Republic holiday is a must for anyone who has not been there before, due to the diversity of its people, culture and cuisine. In addition, the warmth of the people, the richness of the culture and the beauty of the country are just some of the reasons why it has remained a popular holiday destination for many years. With heavenly white sandy beaches, coconut palms, mountains, sugar cane plantations and lush tropical surroundings, Dominican Republic holidays provide the perfect exotic escape.
Unmissable Resorts in Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic Highlights
Beaches: Along the East coast you will find the beaches of places such as Punta Cana and Bavaro, where a majority of the hotels are located offering a variety of watersports and activitie, as well as an array of bars, restaurants and shops. Here you can find both secluded beaches exclusive for hotel guests' use and the more action packed public beaches all of which boast sugar white sands and tranquil crystal blue waters.
City Life: The Dominican Republics capital city of Santa Domingo is a cosmopolitan vibrant place filled with rich history, architecture, museums and combines the new world with the old. Here you will find horse drawn carriages side by side with luxury cars and 21st century buildings alongside 15th century houses. Santa Domingo hosts an array of cultural events, restaurants, bars, museums, shops, parks, an aquarium and even a Zoo. Santa Domingo makes for a perfect day out.
Natural Wonders: Worth a visit is the cave of wonders, a national park located between the Soco and Cumayasa rivers consisting of underground caves featuring ancient drawings and engravings. Another worthwhile excursion is a catamaran trip to Saona Island, an island only accessible via boat. This island has some of the most beautiful beaches, a natural pool, and wildlife and sea life including starfish and even the occasional dolphin.
Scuba Diving: The waters of the Dominican Republic are a scuba divers delight with coral reefs, shipwrecks, tropical fish and underwater gardens all waiting exploration. Along the South Coast the 600 mile wide and 600 feet deep La Caleta Underwater National Park is a great place to dive as it comprises numerous reefs and shipwrecks as well as nearby underwater caves.
Kite Boarding: Beaches such as Cabarete's beach are an ideal location for kite surfing and windsurfing due to the constant winds creating perfect conditions for such sports. You will find experienced instructors and equipment rental shops all along the area otherwise known as Kite Beach. This relatively new sport is becoming vastly more popular and is well worth a try for the adrenaline junkies amongst you.
Dominican Republic Factfile
When to go
Temperature Range: 19°C - 34°C
Most popular: December - April
Best value: May, June, September and October
Best weather: December - April
Travel Information
Direct flights: Thomson
Indirect flights: British Airways, American Airlines and Air France
Visa information: Tourist card (USD$10) required upon arrival
Health information: No special vaccines required but Hepatitis A, Polio and Typhoid recommended
Time Difference: GMT -4 hours
When To Go
Best Value
The best value time to visit the Dominican Republic is during the off peak months of May to October, as hotels often heavily reduce their rates. For a true bargain however avoid the school holiday breaks such as July and August as you may find air fares increase during these peak months.
Best Time to Go
The Dominican Republic is best visited during the drier months of mid December to April, also the peak tourist season. The island during these months will be slightly busier but as a result you will find more options available to you in the form of trips, tours and excursions.
Most Popular
Most people chose to visit the Dominican Republic from mid December to mid April in search of some winter sun. During these months you will find there is a lot more on offer in terms of tours and excursions, however due to the popularity of these months they will also be fuller. The island in general is a lot livelier with a buzzing atmosphere.
Hottest
The hottest months in the Dominican Republic tend to be May to October, this is during the islands rainy season meaning you should expect short sharp showers and an increase in humidity. Temperatures during these months are around 31°C during the day with night time temperatures around 22°C.
Climate
Generally the Dominican Republic boasts a year-round tropical climate with average temperatures ranging from 19 - 34°C. Evenings are noticeably cooler in the months of November to April and areas of high altitude such as mountains can even see temperatures below freezing. Like other islands in the Caribbean the Dominican Republic does see some hurricane activity and hurricane season typically runs from the beginning of June to the end of November with August and September being the most affected of the months.
Dominican Republic Travel Information
Etiquette and Customs
The legal drinking and smoking age is 18 years.
Beachwear should be kept for the beach it is not suitable for main town areas.
Do not have expensive jewellery on show as this will attract unwanted attention.
It is illegal to wear camouflage or import camouflage clothing in the Dominican Republic as this is reserved for the military.
It is a legal offence to be found in the possession of or traffic illegal drugs and perpetrators could face long prison sentences.
Tipping
Restaurant bills will automatically include a 10% service charge, however it is customary to leave a further 5 - 10% for good service.
Flight information
There are four main carriers we use offering flights to the Dominican Republic from the UK all of which fly into Punta Cana.
Direct Carriers: There is one direct carrier we use which is Thomson seasonally from both London Gatwick and Manchester
Indirect Carriers: British Airways offer a flight to the Dominican Republic with a touchdown in Antigua from London Gatwick however you will not have to change planes. American Airlines and Air France offer flights from both London Heathrow and Manchester. Air France will go via Paris and American Airlines via the states, you will have to change planes.
Fastest Flight Time: 9 hrs 15 mins.
Visa information
British Passport holders do not require a visa to enter the Dominican Republic for stays of up to 30 days, however you will have to purchase a tourist card on arrival for $10US and your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of return.
