Dominican republic Q&A
Hey guys!
Are you willing to visit the Dominican Republic but you still have a lot of questions that need to be answered? Perhaps you fell in love with the amazing, paradisiac white sand beaches you have seen on the internet (as we did) but you still should know exactly what you’re getting into.
We will now answer the most asked questions regarding our trip to Dominican Republic, but don’t forget to have a look on the other 2 posts about this amazing Caribbean country where you will find amazing things to do to make it an unique trip and useful tips to take the most out of it.
Is it safe? 🟡
This is probably the question most people ask and a very good starting point when choosing your next destination.
The Dominican Republic is a relatively safe country to visit, specially if you stay in touristic areas like Punta Cana, and it is often times considered the safest country in the Caribbean.
However, it is important to enphasize that Dominican Republic is poorer than most of the countries tourists come from and there is a higher rate of small crime such as pickpocketing and scams around touristic areas.
We travelled around the whole island and we felt relatively safe at all times. The biggest piece of advice we can give you is to be aware of your surroundings and to avoid showing off your valuables so you don’t become an easy target.
Driving was probably the most dangerous thing we did in the Dominican Republic and even though we are grateful we did it - as it allowed us to travel around the island - we highly discourage you to do the same
How much did you pay? 🟢
This is probably what everyone wants to know. It is always hard to define how much money someone needs to visit a country because it all comes down to the type of traveller you are and what kind of experiences you value when visiting a new place. But lets dive into our experience.
We visited the Dominican Republic for 11 days in total. We stayed 6 nights in an all inclusive resort in Punta Cana and then we rented a car and we travelled around the island. These were some of our expenses:
Flights: We paid 500£ per person for our flights. We flew from London to Punta Cana with a layover of 2 hours in Madrid. You can look for flights here.
Accommodation: we paid 270£ per person for 6 nights at Impressive Punta Cana resort, in an all inclusive regime. We then paid a further 88£ per person for accommodation around the island.
Food/drinks: 175£ for 2 people. We can’t say this value is 100% accurate as we may have paid some bills with cash and we may have lost track of it, but it is certainly a good estimate cost. Also, if you choose to stay in an all inclusive resort, you will be able to cut down these expenses to almost 0.
Car rental: We paid 272£ for 5 days.
Fuel: 110£
Experiences: 57£ per person for chocolate experience
99£ per person for Saona Island trip
11£ per person for boat trip to Bahia de las Águilas
Always make sure you check trustworthy apps to find experiences/activities. You can check things to do in Dominican Republic here.
Total: 1190£ per person
Are the locals nice? 🟢
We always get this question about the places we visit. Dominicans were extremely welcoming and friendly with us, they always tried to make everything in their power to make us feel comfortable and at ease.
As a gay couple, this is something we value a lot, specially because we don’t always know how homosexuality is perceived in different countries. Yes, we always look it up online but we always find a different reality than what’s written.
Initially we were not conformable to disclose that we were a gay couple but when we did, we received nothing but utter respect. Please note that this is based on our experience only, you should still take every measure to protect yourself and others travelling with you.
Is the food nice? 🟡
You will find all kinds of food there. If you stay in an all inclusive resort, you are more likely to find more international options. If you really want to have a more personalised experience and try traditional dishes and the real Dominican Cuisine, you may need to get out of your resort and find a local restaurant.
We had the opportunity to try different restaurants and everything we tried was extremely tasty, well cooked and served in massive portions!
But of course, there is always a downside. Bruno is vegetarian and he’s transitioning to vegan, but unfortunately these options were harder to find and he didn’t have an experience as good as Rui when it comes to food.
Regarding the price, the food is quite affordable in Dominican Republic in comparison to European countries. However, it is true that you don’t need to pay much attention to notice there’s a price for locals and a price for tourists. Please be aware that negotiations can often happen but make sure you don’t sound disrespectful.
Would you recommend Dominican Republic? 🟢
Is this even a question? HELL YES!
Dominican Republic has all the ingredients for a perfect and unique getaway and we believe it has something for everyone and every taste.
Just be mindful that there’s still a high rate of poverty in Dominican Republic therefore you may witness situations you had never seen before, but if you are respectful, open and kind to everyone, you will certainly have an amazing trip.
Do you need a visa to visit Dominican Republic? 🟢
The answer is: No.
It is not mandatory to have a visa for stays up to 30 days. You will see many websites stating you will be required to pay a tourist fee, which is true but it is automatically included on your flight ticket prices, so you don’t need to do anything about it. We were required to fill in an online form, issued by the Dominican Government before arrival and before departure.
Do I need a travel insurance to visit Dominican Republic? 🔴
You don’t need to book a travel insurance in order to visit the Dominican Republic. But if you should? ABSOLUTELY!
Dominican Republic is still a poor country despite all the luxury resorts and accidents happen when we least expect! There is nothing more terrifying than getting hurt abroad, where we don’t always understand the health system or the language. Also, there is the misconception that travel insurances are really expensive, which couldn’t be far from the truth!
If you are looking for travel insurance for your trip to Dominican Republic, we would recommend IATI, which is the company we use when traveling. As our reader you will get 5% off your travel insurance!
Always remember: Better Safe Than Sorry!
