Enjoying the Dominican Republic

[wassup4565]

As a long-time visitor to the DR, I've been a little distressed reading posts expressing fear or cautions about getting off the ship in that country. I've loved my vacations in the DR, and come to understand Dominicans and the way they see things. For anyone interested, here is what I know, after some 20 visits to the DR spread over 25 years.

 

Yes, the country is still a third-world country, although there have been remarkable changes since I first visited there. There is a growing middle class of educated and modern people, mostly located in the large urban centres (like Santo Domingo and Santiago). They have better cellphone and internet access than we do in some places in Canada. The farther away you get from urban centres, the more basic the lifestyle. And Samana, located at the end of a peninsula at the far end of the country, is relatively undeveloped. As well, the roads are not good in that neck of the woods, just as they aren't if you head off the beaten track anywhere. And yes, you will see poor people, or at least people who don't have all the amenities of city living. I bet you can find that in almost any country.

 

Dominican culture is not the same as North American, although it is becoming more similar since so many of the kids and young people watch US television and surf the interwebs. In my experience, all Dominicans are extreme entrepreneurs. They love making deals, and they feel all is fair in negotiating. If they can get you to pay twice as much as you should, they'll do it, and figure it's your fault for not being a better deal-maker.

 

At the same time, there are very few bad guys who would rob you. First, if they get caught doing harm to a tourist, they're going to a jail you can't even imagine, and they'll probably be made sorry they were ever born. The tourism industry is that important to the government. Second, it's not in Dominican culture to harm people. Cheat them - yes. Harm them - no.

 

Many years ago, my husband and I rented a motorcycle and went riding around on the back roads in the DR. We had a breakdown, in a tiny village near the end of the day, and my hubby had to hitchhike to get help (fortunately someone came along to give him a ride). I ( a woman) was left alone in the village with a motorcycle worth more money than anyone in the village had probably ever imagined. Dark came. They prepared me a dinner with contributions from almost every house in the village - I had seen people coming to deliver a couple of eggs, some sausages, some vegetables, but I never imagined they were for me. They invited me into their little palm thatched hut, and gave me the best chair. They served me coffee in a tiny china demitasse. And they waited with me. At 10:30 pm my hubby finally arrived with help, and everything ended well. But afterwards, I asked myself this: If some foreign woman who didn't speak my language was dropped by my doorstep in that way, would I have taken her in, fed her the best food, and welcomed her into my home that way?

 

Don't be afraid of Dominicans. They are fine people. But do keep a sharp eye on your bargaining with them.

[lifesabeach123]

Excellent post wasup4565!

Dominican's are generally very hospitable, warm and generous people. Yes there is crime here, mostly confined to the capital, (where there's poverty there is always crime) but it's not tolerated in the tourist areas. Bad seeds are quickly punished or run out of town.

 

This is a beautiful island with so much to offer visitors. So get off the ship and explore!

 

Here's my favorite blog about village life in the Dominican Republic - written by an English lady who lives with her Dominican husband in a small village (known as a barrio) in the north of the island. It's well worth reading from the beginning http://www.yoursaucepans.blogspot.com/

[trish1c]

I wish I had been able to see the country through your eyes. Getting off the ship to have a swarm of men surround me & a few touch my arms set off so many bad vibes that I practically ran back on to the tender.

[lifesabeach123]

I'm sorry to hear you felt intimidated by these people, but I can understand why. Some taxi drivers and sellers trying to flog their wares and excursions can be over enthusiastic and seem very intimidating if you are not used to the culture and mannerisms here.

 

Uneducated Dominicans and Haitians tend to shout and gesticulate a lot - even in a normal, placid conversation. One often thinks they are about to have a full on fight when in fact they are just discussing something between themselves.

 

At certain tourist destinations (eg. La Romana port and Punta Cana airport) their behaviour is controlled and monitored - at the airport taxi drivers must stand behind a rope and not crowd the disembarking passengers. At La Romana port they have been instructed to behave in a calm and respectful way. Samana town has no control or rules like this - hence the fact you were mobbed.

 

I'm guessing this was at Samana port and not La Romana? At La Romana port there is no tender.

 

I guess the best advice is don't be intimidated - be firm but polite - stern eye contact and a firm "no gracias" ususally works.

[karena1]

We love the DR, in fact we have been to PC twice and plan to go again next year. Love the people, so warm and friendly. Nothing but great things to say about it.

[wassup4565]

I agree with lifesabeach, and I understand why people find it intimidating. However, once you understand nobody is going to hurt you or brazenly rob you and run away, you can relax and take it as a joke. Just laugh at them and don't show any interest in what they are trying to sell you.

 

It also helps not to wander around looking like you have no idea where you're going. Walk away like you have a purpose and you're on your way to someplace else. I've also found it very effective to hold my arm straight down at my side with my index finger pointing and shake the finger from side to side, while I say "No," quite firmly.

 

Anyway, most Dominicans are wonderful people. They are warm and fun-loving.

[cruising lady]

So glad to see these posts about DR. I read all the bad posts and think I have never been afraid in Samana, been there several times and done tours. This time we plan to go into town and the public beach. I know we will enjoy our day?

[wassup4565]

Of course you will enjoy your day, as long as you remember that the guys who are trying to get you to pay big bucks for a taxi (or whatever) are like carnival hucksters. They are trying to game you. Don't agree to anything you're not happy with. Don't accept that the prices they're telling you are fair or normal. Tell them what you're willing to pay, and don't let yourself get browbeaten. At the same time, please also remember, these are people who are trying to make a living and feed their families, so don't beat them down so bad they are working for you for peanuts. But don't ever get into a taxi or into some other thing without agreeing beforehand on a firm price.

 

Sometimes they also do try a little scam at the end. They have agreed to a price, then demand more when they have delivered the service. For example, you agree to pay $20 for a taxi, take the ride, then the guy tries to tell you it's $30. Just throw the money you agreed to at him, and walk away. What's he going to do, call the cops? They're more likely to harass him. But please be fair about this. Pay what you said you'd pay.

 

Here's a true story. Staying at a resort, I insisted to my nervous daughter that we would get the local bus, the Gwa-Gwa (pronounced like it sounds), to the nearby town. At the resort gate, there were about five taxi drivers who insisted we had to hire one of them for $40, then $30 then $20 US to take us to town. I just held firm, and refused all their offers, asking them why I should pay them the equivalent of a couple of hundred pesos, when we could each pay two pesos for the bus. They were very sad to hear that we knew what the bus cost. And by the way, we had a great time on the bus. Everybody was very kind and welcoming to us, and the driver pointed out where the Supermercado was when he dropped us off, as well as local points of interest as we drove along.

 

Speaking of the Supermercado, if you go to the town, try to go to the Supermercado if there is one. If not, to a smaller food-selling store. Someone will help you find it. There you can buy Dominican coffee at local prices. Some of the best coffee in the world is grown locally in the Dominican, better than Columbian. Makes great souvenirs and great gifts to bring home. Anytime I'm in the DR I try to find a supermarket or food store and buy as much coffee as I can fit in my suitcase.

[lifesabeach123]

@wassup4565 more excellent tips, thanks for sharing - did you used to live here?

 

Cafe Molido Santo Domingo is a good and popular brand. 1lb bag sells for around 140rd ($US3.50) in the supermercados. Like everything here it'll be much more expensive in the duty frees or in hotel shops. It comes in a white bag or tin (do a google image search).

 

Rums: See post #11 & #16 here on Trip Advisor for advice on good rums (and cigars buying)

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147293-i28-k5950709-o10-Recommendations_on_DR_liquor_liquer_to_bring_home-Punta_Cana_La_Altagracia_Province_Domin.html

 

As stated in that link any cigars found at the beach vendor stalls will be not worth the money. They'll be poor quality and dry as a bone or mouldy with humidity. For quality cigars head to a cigar factory (La Flor Dominicana in La Romana) or a quality cigar shop with humidors or a large supermarket like Jumbo in La Romana.

[cruising lady]

wassup4565 --- thanks for your advice. We have traveled alot in the islands and use taxi and public trans. What you say is very true about taxi drivers we have found some very good ones who have given us private tours which were great. Also some scam artists but have done just what you said and paid what we have agreed on I have also found local markets are best for buying local goods to bring home.Just wish I could read local language better once brought home coffee for my dd&dsil when he made his coffee it was hot choc. I may never live this down. It was in the same kind of package.

 

lifesabeach---Thanks for your info on the coffee and cigars, will check out the website

[Donna - dsw]

Loved reading this post and thank you for the information. What would be your suggestion for a good day off the cruise ship in LaRomana?

[wassup4565]

No, I've never lived in the DR, but my best friend lived there for over 20 years, and her daughter still lives there. (She's just about finished her training as a doctor.) This means we've visited the island many times to see them, staying in resorts sometimes, but often renting a villa that our friend lined up for us. When not in a resort, we've done our own grocery shopping and also travelled around many parts of the island by motorcycle. We have usually stayed at places on the north coast (Puerto Plata area) but have also taken the bus across country to the capital (Santo Domingo) and often motorcycled to the central valley (Santiago.) Been to Samana twice for day trips to see the whales.

 

We've often taken the local buses from our apartment to town. You just stand by the side of the main road and kind of flag them down. The fare is very cheap, and the ride has always been a great experience. The bus can become very crowded, but people are very kind, even if you don't speak Spanish. I must say, the local meat and produce we have bought in the grocery stores has been wonderful - the chicken tastes like chicken used to before factory farms, the pork is delicious, and the vegetables taste like they grew in somebody's garden. And as I said, the coffee and rum are terrific. I usually load my suitcase up with ten pounds of coffee when I come home.

 

It's a lovely country, with lovely joyful citizens, and it's too bad that the guys hustling tourists are so pushy - that puts people off and scares them. All I can say is stand firm and don't let them get to you. They'll get the message. I've also found that laughing at them cuts through the nonsense. As soon as they realize that you know what they're up to they realize there's no point trying the game on you any more.

[lucyintheskywithdiamonds]

Has anyone ever heard of or visited Luperon on the northern part of the island? I'm curious to know if it's a safe area... I hear the land is very affordable there.

[wassup4565]

Yes, we've been through Luperon a couple of times on motorcycle day trips, but that was several years ago. That part of the north coast, west of Puerto Plata, is much less populated and developed than areas to the east of PP. There is an all-inclusive resort at Luperon, but no major town. That part of the coast is rockier with only small beaches in some coves, not the long smooth beaches you find from PP onward to the east.

 

If you were considering buying land there, you should look into electrical service. It's not perfectly reliable anywhere on the island, but likely even more sketchy in a less-populated area. You'd also want to make sure there is a source of water, because it's unlikely there would be a municipal water supply. As to safety, there aren't a lot of bad-guy Dominicans, but there are some. If you build a nice big villa in an isolated place, the word will get around. I think you'd need some security, for sure.

[lifesabeach123]

Places with 24/7 electricity (via private companies but at high rates) Punta Cana, Bayahibe & Dominicus (not La Romana town though), Casa de Campo, Cabarete. Not sure about Samana.

 

Purchasing property or land here can be a minefield.

http://www.dr1.com/realestate/info/buying.html

 

This book is a must if one is considering living here and it's a good read too, plus full of useful contact info.

http://puntacanatv.com/culture-smart-dominican-republic.html

[wassup4565]

Luperon is a long way from those places where you can purchase reliable electricity. If I bought land there to build a villa, I would assume I'd need to install full generator capacity.

 

And lifesabeach is correct. Property laws and purchase are governed by a legal and administrative system that is much different from North America. As much as I love the country, I would not venture to buy property there without first-hand trustworthy advice from someone who lives there and knows the way things work.

[CruiseSwag]

Thank you so much for this post!!

 

I am Dominican and while yes in some places people will rob you, and there are some issues over there just like in any other place, however the D.R is a very beautiful and FUN COUNTRY!

 

I travel 2-3 times a year to visit my family and I always have a good time. I live in a small town in which people know everybody so is pretty much safe. People are driving around in BMWs, Merdeces Benz, Range rovers. It is a developing nation like you said, people have blackberries, iphones, galaxies and androids.

 

Of course then there are those that unfortunately live in extreme poverty who I feel for, but the country is little by little advancing. The D.R could had been in better condition if it wasn't because of our history of colonization and corrupted governments.

 

I love my country with the good and the bad, I wouldn't change it for anything.

 

A few minutes ago, I had to reply to a poster that said that they don't know why Carnival would take them to a poor country full of malaria and crime like seriously? People can be so disgusting sometimes and ignorant.

 

I am glad that I am going to La Romana on Carnival Breeze, although I'm Dominican I never been there before so I am excited. Woot woot!

 

I wanted to add that often time every time people travel they want the place to just be like the U.S.A or any other country they come from. I will say HONESTLY I DON'T WANT THE D.R TO BECOME LIKE THE USA. It is called globalization and I don't want that to happen ever ever, I don't want my country to be a little USA, we have to be ourselves. I don't understand why people want everyone to become like this country, trust me D.R the lifestyle is much calmer and people are much happier despite some living in extreme poverty. I like how I go over there and I feel in such peace, no anxiety or depression. The food is GREAT, taste a lot better than the one here because is mostly natural. People over there take a bad situation and make it into a good one, when it rains people still party even if they are getting wet while they drink. People are just always so happy and optimistic over there and that makes me feel good. LOL I am sorry for this post but I love my country this comes from an American born citizen of Dominican parents. I like the USA to make money but I just love the life style over there :D

[wassup4565]

Hi CruiseSwag, so sorry I took so long to reply. Yes, I love all the things you describe about the Dominican people. I have been scammed and ripped off a few times in early days, but that was because I didn`t understand that Dominicans see things differently than I do. We don`t dicker and bargain in Canada, you pay the price marked, done. Once I understood that things are done differently in the DR, I adapted. After all, I`m in their country. That`s how they do business.

 

Yes, the country has a history, and the long period of being ruled by the dictator, Trujillo, means that the people still have more to learn about being a democracy. It`s all very well to tell people they have rights, but if you don`t really know what those rights are and you don`t know how to insist on your rights, do you really have any rights? I see the DR making good progress on this, but there`s still some distance to go.

 

Plus, man, these people sometimes drive me nuts. Their electricity system is overloaded and shaky, but nevertheless, the local hobby and passion seems to be stealing electricity. They`ll climb up on a ladder and hook up some shanty to the high tension lines to avoid paying their fair share. Guys die doing this, rather than just paying for the electricity. They`re celebrated as heroes. This has to stop. Really.

 

Still, I love going there, and every minute I spend there. As you say, there is no adversity they don`t laugh at, and they have a joy in life you never see in North America. Truly, we should learn that from them. Plus, great dancers, really great. I don`t dismiss that at all. Why should we not dance during our time on earth? Much more constructive than bitching at our neighbours, for example.

 

Have a great cruise. You`re connected to a wonderful country and people.

[neptuno]

Hello wassup, lifesabeach and any others who know the DR. I will be bringing my family(wife and two 13yo kids) and would like them to take the bus. I speak Spanish well enough and have spent a month travelling aound the island in a rental car, but know little of the bus from La Romana to Bayahibe. We will be traveling during the day and are not afraid of aggressive vendors, in fact we enjoy the ruckus. Any local knowledge on how to get to Bayahibe without a cruise sanctioned taxi? I assume we will have to walk a bit to get off the "Company" property. Thanks.

[Isa65]

This is a great thread! I have a question as well --- we just booked a last minute cruise which stops at La Romana. I've been to the DR many times before (even honeymooned in Samana and Punta Cana) and speak fluent Spanish.

 

It's only me and my 10-yr old. Can we just get off the ship and get any taxi to take us to Altos de Chavon? Will there be taxis there at all times to take us back? Thanks!

[neptuno]

This is a great thread! I have a question as well --- we just booked a last minute cruise which stops at La Romana. I've been to the DR many times before (even honeymooned in Samana and Punta Cana) and speak fluent Spanish.

 

It's only me and my 10-yr old. Can we just get off the ship and get any taxi to take us to Altos de Chavon? Will there be taxis there at all times to take us back? Thanks!

 

Hello Isa65, I read in Fodor's 'Caribbean Ports of Call' that there is a complementary shuttle to Altos de Chavon from the cruise ships; sounds like it's free. We will be there Tues 3/26. Other posts indicate many cabs available, they sound spendy so be sure to bargain hard!

[Isa65]

We will be there Tues 3/26. Other posts indicate many cabs available, they sound spendy so be sure to bargain hard!

 

Thanks! Can you post after your cruise? I'll be there in May and really want to know before-hand what the options are. Have a great cruise!

[lifesabeach123]

This is a great thread! I have a question as well --- we just booked a last minute cruise which stops at La Romana. I've been to the DR many times before (even honeymooned in Samana and Punta Cana) and speak fluent Spanish.

 

It's only me and my 10-yr old. Can we just get off the ship and get any taxi to take us to Altos de Chavon? Will there be taxis there at all times to take us back? Thanks!

 

There is a shuttle bus to Altos de Chavon from the port. Tickets sold at a booth there. I think it's $US5 or $US7 round trip.

[lifesabeach123]

Hello wassup, lifesabeach and any others who know the DR. I will be bringing my family(wife and two 13yo kids) and would like them to take the bus. I speak Spanish well enough and have spent a month travelling aound the island in a rental car, but know little of the bus from La Romana to Bayahibe. We will be traveling during the day and are not afraid of aggressive vendors, in fact we enjoy the ruckus. Any local knowledge on how to get to Bayahibe without a cruise sanctioned taxi? I assume we will have to walk a bit to get off the "Company" property. Thanks.

 

Please see post #5 "guaguas" on this thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1793635

 

Also see Post #10 on that thread "Playa Caleta" - a small beach 15 minutes west of port in La Romana town. A great experience for the adventurous cruiser looking for an authentic Dominican beach away from crowds of tourists.

[neptuno]

Thanks! Can you post after your cruise? I'll be there in May and really want to know before-hand what the options are. Have a great cruise!

 

Plenty of cabs, expensive as you are inside the cruise gates. Get off the ship early, as there is a long line for cabs. There is now a tourist tram into La Romana town for $5us RT. Didn't use it, but maybe next time to catch a guagua to Caleta Beach, or a rental car. The shuttle to Altos is not free any more, but probably less than a cab. btw, there was a guy from AVIS renting a Camry for $80us inside the cruise gates, just holding up a sign. I might look into a rental car in town next trip. The guaguas were very crowded and we had to wait to leave at both ends, so I don't recommend them, although the people were very nice and helpful as we had come to expect from our previous trip.