Dominican Republic 9Dominican peso In terms of dollars, 13 pesos are worth 1 dollar. Traveler’s checks and major credit cards (Eurocard, MasterCard, Visa International, American Express, etc.) are accepted in most cases. Some commercial banks advance cash.

Politics

The head of state and government is the president. The legislature is the bicameral National Congress (the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies).

Visa and customs regimes

Visas do not need to be issued in advance. Upon arrival at the airport, you must fill out a tourist card and pay an airport tax of $ 10 when entering and $ 10 when leaving the country. If your stay is longer than 3 weeks, an additional 15 pesos must be paid.

Time

The difference with Moscow is minus 7 hours in winter and minus 8 in summer.

Geography

Dominican Republic — a state in the West Indies, occupying two thirds of the island of Hispaniola (aka the island of Haiti). By land, the Dominican Republic borders on Haiti in the west, on the other three sides there are water borders: in the north — the Atlantic Ocean, in the south — the Caribbean Sea, in the east — the Mona Strait. The nearest neighbors of the Dominican Republic are Cuba in the northwest, Jamaica in the west and Puerto Rico in the east. The area is 48734 km2. The country has the highest mountain range among Pico Duarte 3175 m.

Attractions

The Dominican Republic is an exotic land of luxurious nature, hundreds of kilometers of snow-white beaches protected by coral reefs, clear waters of the lagoon, rivers, lush forests and majestic mountains. Natural attractions — the beaches of Puerto Plato, the salt lake of Lago Enriquillo. National parks — Armando Bermudez, Del Este and Los Aitises.

Santo Domingo is the oldest and largest city in the Caribbean, with an area of ​​230 sq. km. and a population of more than 2.2 million, was declared by UNESCO a city of «cultural heritage of the New World». Of great interest are the Torre de Omenahe tower, the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor (1514-1520) with the remains of Christopher Columbus, the ruins of the palace that belonged to the brother of Christopher Columbus — Diego, the church of the 16th century. San Nicolas and San Francisco, the remains of Spanish fortifications, the oldest American university of Santo Domingo (1538) and the first cathedral and hospital in the New World.

Santo Domingo has the largest commercial centers where you can buy clothes, shoes, light industry products of national and foreign firms, of good quality and at affordable prices. The famous beaches of Bavaro, Macau, Arena City, Cortecito, Cabeza de Torro and Punta Cana are 32 kilometers of pearly white sand, new tourist centers located on the coast itself, but not less than 60 meters from the coast, since It is forbidden by law to disturb the natural landscape.

Boca Chica and Juan Dolio Resort — Three and four star hotels, most of which are located on the Caribbean coast, with a wide selection of bars, cafes and outdoor restaurants. Puerto Plata — the beaches of Playa Dorada, Sosua, Cabarete, the Amber Coast Museum.

Playa Dorada is a self-contained, tastefully designed resort of 13 hotels, each with its own club on the Atlantic Ocean, golf courses, restaurants and beaches.

Sosua is a small bustling town with a lot to offer. Cabarete is a place of relaxation for young people — numerous water sports, attractions and excellent cuisine.

Samana — a peninsula on the northeast coast, as if created for lovers of individual recreation — deserted beaches, coconut groves, colorful village houses, a national park. From January to March, here you can watch herds of humpback whales migrating south.

History

The Dominican Republic was discovered by the great navigator and traveler Christopher Columbus on December 5, 1492 years, after long months spent at sea on an exhausting journey, which was already beginning to give rise to despair not only among the crew, but also among the navigator himself.

The island discovered by Columbus was named by him «La Espanola» («La Espanola»). The locals called it «Kisqueya» («Quisqueya»), which means «Mother of all lands.»

December 25 in the territory of «La Hispaniola» from the wreckage of the caravel «Santa Maria» was built fort «Christmas» («La navidad»), in which Columbus left 30 of his people. He himself went to Spain to report the good news about the successful outcome of the trip.

Initially, relations with the locals were friendly. However, then disagreements arose between the cacique (cacique) — local tribal leaders — and the Spaniards. And on his return in 1493, Columbus found that the fortress had been burned down and almost all the people had been killed.

Despite everything, Columbus tried to establish relations between the «two worlds» and gave it the rest of his life. He married the daughter of one of the caciques and in his will asked to be buried in Hispaniola.

Now the remains of Christopher Columbus rest in the Dominican Republic in Faro Colon — a place guarded by a naval guard, which is a large structure with a sarcophagus in the middle of the composition, as well as a museum where you can see many objects of various cultures from around the world and make an exciting excursion , in order to learn more about the history of the Dominican Republic. At night, a beam of light emanates from Faro Colon, directed to the sky, which can be seen from almost anywhere in the country’s capital. Faro Colon is also surrounded by a large beautiful park, where you can walk with pleasure and have a good rest.

In 1682 La Hispaniola was divided into two colonies by Spain and France. The western part of the island with a territory of 27,750 sq. km became a colony of France, while the eastern part of the island with a territory of 48,734 sq. km remained with Spain.

On January 1, 1804, the western part declared its independence and called itself the Republic of Haiti. In 1821, the Dominicans also gain independence, but it was ephemeral, since already in 1822 the Haitians seize control of the entire island for 22 years. But in 1844, thanks to the heroic work of Juan Pablo Duarte, as well as Sanchez and Mella, who were later proclaimed fathers of the motherland and became national heroes and idols, the country was liberated from Haitian rule and again became colony of Spain until 1861. And in 1863, on February 27, the Dominican Republic gains independence and since then celebrates this day every year with a carnival procession and many other festivities.

But this is not the end of the history of attempts to subjugate the country by other states. In 1916, the United States of America occupied the country for eight years as a guarantor of the payment of debts by Latin American and European banks. The history of the Dominican Republic, like most Latin American countries, is rich in dictators and coups. The most famous dictator was Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, who oppressed the Dominican people from 1930 for more than 30 years. At 1961 AD Rafael Leonidas Trujillo was overthrown and the Dominican Republic gained freedom.

Climate

Tropical trade winds. Average monthly temperatures in the lowlands are from +25 C to +27 C. Precipitation falls from 1000 to 2000 mm. in year. The rainy season lasts from May to September, with frequent but short showers. Showers are also possible in November-December. The rest of the time the weather is dry and warm. The hottest month is August (up to +31 C), but sea winds blowing from the northeast soften the heat even at this time.

Cuisine

Traditional Creole cuisine — a combination of European, African and Caribbean traditions using local produce. An abundance of fish and seafood, Creole cuisine, sometimes spicy. Meat, vegetables and fruits for the most refined taste.
Typical dishes: «Bandera» — the daily food of the Dominicans, consisting of meat, beans, rice, lettuce and «fritos». Locals also love fish under coconut sauce and various dishes called «sancocho», «acopao» and «locrio», San Cocho (various types of meat cooked in broth with vegetables), fish with coconut, Mangu (mashed wild bananas, prepared for breakfast), Pignonate (dessert made from milk and coconuts).
Typical drinks: Fruit juices (papaya, coconut milk, orange, pineapple, passion fruit, etc.), «seniza» beer (very cold), as well as rum and piña colada, cola), as well as a large selection of exotic cocktails.

Rum is the national alcoholic drink of the Dominican Republic and is essential for any celebration anywhere in the country. Rum is widely popular among the local population of the Dominican Republic along with local brands of beer «Quisqueya», «Presidente» and «Bohemia». Rum of various quality and bottling can be purchased at any store or tent.
Among the 15 varieties of rum produced in the country, the main positions are occupied by Brugal, Barselo and Bermudes. Rum is made dark (with a classic golden hue) and light (white, often with the addition of lemon, which gives the drink a refined taste).

Rum is drunk neat or added to cocktails. For example, “Pina colada” (Rum, often 3 types, coconut milk and pineapple juice, ice), “Daiquiri” (rum, lemon juice, ice chips) and, of course, the famous and most common “Free Cuba” (rum with coca-cola and ice).
Many rum factories open their doors to tourists to get to know them more about the production of rum, as well as its history. There you can taste the famous drink and buy it. These factories include «Brugal», located not far from the city of Puerto Plata, which produces most of the rum of this brand. Every year, 1,300,000 liters of white and dark high-quality rum come out of the walls of this factory.

Population

About 8 million people. The bulk of the population are blacks, mulattos and creoles.

The whole life of the Dominicans is spent in dancing. It seems that there are no lyrical songs here at all — only dance rhythms.

Useful information

The main rule that you must learn when going to the Dominican Republic is that you cannot drink tap water here.

The locals are very welcoming and friendly, with roots going back to the Spanish and African settlers.
Keep in mind that the pace of life of the Dominicans is different from the European one. When you are told: «Momentido», this does not mean at all that someone is going to run to fulfill your request. Maybe no one is going to do it. It is better to accept this as a national feature of the Dominicans and try to live at their pace.

Handicraft production in the Dominican Republic is widespread as a type of handicraft, but the scale of production is not large. Basically, this is a family production, and artisans are “hereditary”, learning from their ancestors the skill. However, in recent years, handicrafts have become more widespread due to the development of tourism in the country. Souvenirs made by handicraftsmen can be purchased both in specialized markets and shops, which are numerous throughout the country, and on beaches, or simply on the roadsides.

In 1981, with the light hand of the local sculptor Liliana Mera, the Lime doll became very famous — a ceramic figure without a face, painted in Creole colors and becoming the amulet of the country. There are many variants of this doll, some of which are very original and expressive.

Another attraction of the island is Larimar, a blue semi-precious stone, also called Dominican turquoise. This stone was discovered in the 70s, and now it can only be found in the Dominican Republic. Craftsmen make many products from it, such as rings, necklaces and bracelets, amulets and other jewelry set in various metals, including gold and silver.

Dominican cigars are hand-wrapped and are mostly done by men, who have been doing it for many years as a way of making a living. Dominican cigars have stood the test of time and are of the highest quality, as you can see for yourself by tasting them. They can also bring a lot of joy to your friends if you give them as a gift.

Holidays and non-working days: January 1, 6, 21, 26, February 27 (Independence Day, every year this day is celebrated with a carnival procession and many other festivities), May 1, July 16, August 16, September 24, 12 and 24 October, November 1, December 25, religious (Catholic) holidays.

Attention! The country still uses the old Spanish system of measurement, for example, the ounce and pound are used as a unit of weight, while gasoline, engine oil and most liquids are measured in US gallons. In bazaars, sellers very often use «their» measure of weight and length, so carefully recalculate, otherwise excesses are possible. Fruits are sold by the piece, the price depends on the size, not the weight.

When leaving the country, you can exchange the remaining local currency for dollars at the airport, but usually there are very long queues. Therefore, a large amount of money should not be exchanged for local currency at a time.

You can rent a cell phone. The points of the national telephone company are located in almost every village.
We advise you not to buy products in the markets and not to eat in cheap restaurants so that there are no stomach problems.

When you go to the beach, we advise you to leave all your jewelry in a safe at the hotel.

We do not recommend young girls and women to sunbathe alone on wild beaches.

The sun in the Dominican Republic is very tricky — don’t forget to get a high protection cream and don’t stay in the sun for more than 5-10 minutes. the first time, even if the sky is covered with clouds.
Do not exchange money on the street, be sure to be deceived.

If you are holidaying in Juan Dolio, please be aware that there are no banks and there is no way to get cash from a credit card in the area.

Entertainment

Nature in the Dominican Republic is luxurious, lush and varied. More than 8,000 plant species — three times more than in Europe, of which 800 are found only here. The best beaches in the Caribbean: endless, with fine white sand and a shallow lagoon, fenced off from the ocean waves by a coral reef. The most famous beaches are located in the north — in the province of Puerto Plata.

If you are a sports fan, great golf and tennis await you. The country has the highest mountain in the Caribbean — Peak Duarte (3175 meters), rafting is offered to tourists. It offers tourists — magnificent beaches, scuba diving. The Dominican beaches of Cabarete and Sosua are famous all over the world for their ideal natural and climatic conditions for windsurfing. Professionals and windsurfers have included these beaches in the top ten places in the world to practice this sport. The beaches of Cabarete and Sosua host numerous international competitions, including the windsurfing World Cup.

In terms of the number of attractions, the Dominican Republic prevails over other Caribbean countries. The ancient history of the island is closely intertwined with the life of the great traveler Christopher Columbus, so there are a lot of architectural monuments associated with him and his family.
Deep underground in the National Aquarium is a unique discotheque and folklore center. The caves «Three Eyes» will amaze you with lakes with unnaturally blue water. National parks and the salt lake of Lago Enriquillo on the border with Haiti, where crocodiles live, the unstoppable nightlife of Santo Domingo with the sounds of incendiary merengue and peace and tranquility on the uninhabited island of Catalina.

Best diving in Boca Chica, best beaches in Bavaro, most vibrant nightlife in Santo Domingo.