Our Advice
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🚰 Infrastructure
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Water: Tap water is not for drinking. Most places will have large jugs (botellones) or dispensers placed around. Buying a decent quantity right when you arrive is a great call. Definitely bring a large water bottle and electrolytes for your days in the sun. It's always hot and humid, your future self will thank you for placing some priority on hydration. Bathrooms: Don't flush your TP. Bathrooms will always have a small trash near the toilet. Throw it there.
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🇩🇴 General Culture
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Dance! The most significant cultural emphasis is on dance, specifically merengue, a form similar to salsa. You'll definitely bump into it while you're here. Formality - There is an emphasis on dressing nicely in shared social settings. Wear whatever you like at the beach, of course, but you might notice swim suits and tank tops stick out if you head into town for a sit-down meal. You don't need anything fancy. Nice-looking but breathable and stretchy clothing is our favorite when out and about.
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💵 Cash and Payments
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Currency: The local currency is the Dominican Peso (DOP). The Conversion rate hovers steadily around 60 DOP to 1 USD. Save your small bills for tipping! Tipping: Tipping is common, but not as much as the States. When eating out, you'll find that on most bills will have already added an 18% "ITBIS" (Sales Tax) and a 10% "Propina" (Gratuity). Any small amount you want to give above that is up to you. (As a note in advance, you may notice things move a little slower on the island. Plan for meals to take longer then you might expect). Credit Cards: Small markets and beach vendors will be cash only. You can pay in credit card nearly everywhere in the actual town. We've marked some nearby ATMs in the interactive maps above. When paying via credit card and given the option to pay in DOP or USD, select DOP (the conversion rate provided at point of sale is almost always much less favorable than your bank). Unless your card has very high foreign transaction fees and the transaction amount is small, the default should generally be to pay in Pesos.
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Communication
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The Google Translate App is your best friend. You can even download the English and Spanish translations "offline" for when you don't have signal. WhatsApp is the most common form of communication between transportation drivers, tour companies, really anyone locally. It's like texting, but with internet instead of minutes and for free! I recommend downloading the app and setting up your account before you arrive. The local area code is the same as the US +1 Si, the Dominican Republic is a Spanish speaking country. But don't worry, you'll get by just fine if you aren't fluent.