Holidays in the Dominican Republic: pros and cons, entertainment, local climate, nature and attractions. Regions of the Dominican Republic: holidays in Juan Dolio Impressions of the Dominican Republic, pros and cons

The Dominican Republic is a state that is like heaven on Earth. Everything here is at the highest level - whitest sand the most gorgeous beaches, the most luxurious tropical nature, friendly local residents, comfortable stay... There are 16 in the Dominican Republic national parks and nature reserves, where you can observe both unique species of animals and plants, as well as wonderful natural landscapes of the tropics. This country is home to Peak Duarte - the most high point in the Antilles, the ascent of which attracts many tourists.

It is best to vacation in the Dominican Republic during the period December - March or July - August - at this time it is warm and dry, there is no rain that would prevent you from sunbathing on the beach, exploring exotic sights and sea treasures Caribbean Sea and Atlantic. It is always warm in the Dominican Republic, the air temperature in winter is 26 degrees, the water temperature is 27. This area is replete with nature reserves, waterfalls and coral reefs. Those who come to the Dominican Republic forget about their problems, indulging in relaxation surrounded by mountains - the Cordillera, palm trees, the sea, waterfalls and local exotic inhabitants.

If you have the opportunity to come here, you must do it! This is a great opportunity to relax with the whole family at the resorts Dominican Republic everyone will find relaxation to their liking and recharge themselves with positivity and improve their health.

Is the answer helpful?

Helpful advice?

Dominican Republic weather map:

Is this review helpful?

How much does a holiday in Punta Cana cost? April 2019.

tour cost

I did not need a visa to travel to the Dominican Republic; I am a Russian citizen. For a flight on the route Moscow - Punka Cana - Moscow, I paid seven hundred dollars. I bought tickets about four months before the departure date. I would like to emphasize that I flew directly by plane; it could have been cheaper with transfers, but I didn’t want to. I spent a week in the Dominican Republic. She paid three hundred and fifty dollars for hotel accommodation.

The decision to relax at sea with the whole family can only be welcomed. And if you are not afraid of flying with your children to the sunny Dominican Republic, then vivid memories of your vacation will remain with you forever.

All hotels must be equipped with some (or even all) of the following entertainment areas:

children's shallow pools;

game rooms or areas with slides and attractions;

clubs and hobby groups, including sports;

children's discos.

Experienced nannies come to the aid of parents who want to spend time without small children. Animators work with older children on playgrounds and mini-discos. You don’t have to worry about food either, since dishes from the children’s menu are always available.

In hotels, conditions for children are approximately the same. But if your plans include beach holiday with children in the Dominican Republic, you should be more careful when choosing a resort. You need to learn more about the coast - is it sandy or rocky, about the entrance to the sea - is it smooth or suddenly becomes deep, about the winds and waves - in lagoons and bays the water is calmer.

Don't forget about the possible presence of corals near the shore, because in some places on the coast it is dangerous to enter the water without rubber shoes with thick soles, otherwise children risk slipping, cutting themselves or hitting sharp corals. Such a place is, for example, Juan Dolio, although besides this one drawback it has many other advantages. It should be noted that north coast countries are washed by fairly strong waves of the Atlantic Ocean, but in the Caribbean Sea the water is calmer and warmer.

To safely and with maximum pleasure spend your holiday with children in the Dominican Republic, consult with friends who have been here or travel agents - they will help you decide on a specific stopping place on the island.

The following resorts are considered the most suitable for children

Punta Cana It will delight you not only with its huge length of snow-white sandy beaches and smooth entry into the sea. The Manati Park located at this resort will introduce children to iguanas, parrots, sea lions and dolphins, with whom you can even swim. In the aquarium you can see stingrays and sharks.

Samana- a city on the Samana Peninsula, from the side of the bay of the same name. Lemon Falls February Festival National parks and the opportunity to see humpback whales in the bay - all this combined with half-empty sandy beaches attracts families who love a relaxing holiday.

Puerto Plata on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean includes several resorts; its wonderful beaches stretch for 120 km. Lots of sights and views active rest Even children, especially teenagers, will appreciate it.

Where to find cheap tours?

Search profitable tours better through a service that compares prices from more than 120 tour operators and allows you to find the most cheap offers. We do this ourselves and are extremely happy :)

It’s been 2 months since we settled in the Caribbean again, and many people think that our life is like a fairy tale. In some ways, you are right, but life in the Dominican Republic is not only the azure ocean and cheap pineapples :) Today I will tell you about the pros and cons of living on a paradise island.

Obvious

Climate in the Dominican Republic

pros

Honestly, the Dominican climate is one big plus! At least in winter time(from November to April) it is extremely comfortable here, the air temperature stays at around 28-30 C degrees, the air is neither dry nor humid, the ocean is very warm. Beautiful 3D clouds float across the sky.

I determine the comfort of the weather for myself by one single criterion - if you don’t notice the weather, then everything is as it should be. This is exactly the case in the Dominican Republic - you don’t think about being hot or cold, wet or dry. You always feel good!

Minuses

At the beginning of November it rained heavily and there was flooding. There are also sometimes hurricanes here, but very rarely.

Nature in the Dominican Republic

pros

Sometimes I get the feeling that when God created the Dominican Republic, he was in an extremely favorable and creative mood. Or maybe he just had a lot of beauty at hand, which he decided to push onto this small piece of land at all costs.

Well what can I say, the Dominican Republic is amazing beautiful country! Wow!

There is everything here - mountains, green valleys, crystal clear rivers and lakes, waterfalls, rainforests, coniferous thickets, palm groves, fruit plantations, sand dunes, picturesque canyons, mysterious caves and stunning synod caves, the fantastic Caribbean Sea and the powerful Atlantic Ocean. Even whales come here!!!

The concentration of natural masterpieces here is simply off the charts!

Minuses

Bird-eating spiders and scary praying mantises live here, as well as several dozen species of snakes and hordes of mosquitoes, including dangerous ones.

To be fair, of all these monsters, I only saw a tarantula once. Mosquitoes don't count; a regular fumigator can save you from them.

Prosaic

Moving to the Dominican Republic

pros

It is quite simple for citizens of Russia and Ukraine to move to the Dominican Republic - a tourist visa is issued directly at the airport of arrival and is valid for one month. But the country’s authorities don’t really bother foreigners with checks, so even when the visa expires, you can stay in the country illegally as long as you want. When leaving the country, you will need to pay a fine for overstaying your visa.

Of course, you cannot officially work on a tourist visa, but if you want and have some luck, you can find work in the tourism sector.

Minuses

Flying to the Dominican Republic is long and relatively expensive. This is not Egypt or Türkiye, from where, if something happens, you can quickly return to Russia.

One-way tickets to the Dominican Republic start at $450 charter flights, but even this is not the worst thing - a 12-hour flight personally terrifies me, even when I just think about it. This is difficult, and I am sure that some citizens (elderly people, pregnant women) cannot do it at all.

Life in the Dominican Republic

pros

In Punta Cana, apartments are usually spacious, have a competent layout, large cozy balconies, special laundry rooms, a toilet in each bedroom and built-in wardrobes. I compare with Egypt and sincerely don’t understand why the Egyptians stubbornly build uncomfortable cages with pencil case balconies?

Resort towns in the Dominican Republic are stretched along the coast, so you can get to the ocean on foot from almost any area. As a last resort, take a bus in 5-15 minutes.

Quite a lot of Russians live in Punta Cana and Bavaro, which means that there is some kind of Russian infrastructure here - shops with Russian products, restaurants with Russian food, Russian beauty salons, sports studios, etc.

The Dominican Republic has a huge selection of fruits and vegetables, and if you are a vegetarian, this is the place for you! Here you can cook vegetable dishes for your whole life and never repeat yourself :)

Public transport in Bavaro and Punta Cana is very decent - city buses are not broken down, some are air conditioned. Intercity buses Generally excellent, large, clean, with air conditioning and sometimes with internet.

The Dominicans themselves are positive and smiling people. Their life is very leisurely, so they are not nervous about long lines in stores and do not swear at slow drivers on the roads.

Dominicans profess Christianity and are extremely calm about some human vices - there is no ban on drinking alcohol, and for lovers of carnal pleasures, special “cabanos” have been built - small hotels where you can rent a room for 2-3 hours and receive a condom as a gift :)

Minuses

Almost all the disadvantages of the Dominican Republic are associated with the high cost of living in this country. The Dominican Republic is not a place for downshifters, and it’s better not to fly here without a serious financial cushion!

Renting apartments in the Dominican Republic is not a budget-friendly activity at all.

If we consider housing in tourist areas where foreigners live, then we should expect an amount of $500 per month. But if you plan to settle not in the first kennel you come across, but choose an apartment to your liking, then budget for rent 700-1000 dollars a month.

Rental amount does not include public utilities, and they are not cheap here either. For example, you will have to pay from $100 a month for electricity, provided that you do not use air conditioning at all. With air conditioning, the bill will be $200-300 per month.

Food prices in supermarkets are comparable to Moscow prices.

Yes, some products are really cheaper, meat, for example. But in general, a grocery basket costs me the same as in Moscow - bread, milk, eggs, cheese, sausage and many other products are more expensive here than here. For a family of 3 adults and 2 small children, we spend about $100 a week on food at home with what we save.

Medicine in the Dominican Republic is prohibitively expensive.

Therefore, all foreigners must take out insurance. The cost of average insurance is about $40-50 per month per person. Elderly people may be denied insurance.

Without insurance, the cost of seeing a doctor starts at $100. This is an appointment only - no tests, medications or examinations.

It is very difficult to live without transport in the Dominican Republic.

Yes, there are city buses here, but if you have lived with a car all your life, you will understand me - buses will never replace a personal car. At the same time, renting a car here costs from $50 per day, and renting a scooter starts from $20 per day.

A regular city taxi within Bavaro costs $10-30 per trip. A ride on a motoconcho (motorcycle taxi) costs $2-8 around the city.

There is absolutely nothing for children to do here.

There are 3 decent schools in Bavaro and Punta Cana that are suitable for foreigners. Tuition in the cheapest of them costs about $500 per month, plus the cost of uniforms, transfers and lunches.

But schools are not entertainment at all, but, for example, there are no playgrounds or just parks for walking here in principle. There are several clubs (dancing, wrestling, playing the guitar), but this is also not a budget-friendly activity.

And by the way, Dominicans speak Spanish.

This means that English will not be of any use to you here! Without knowledge of Spanish, it will be difficult for you to navigate a store, open a bank account, connect to the Internet with a provider, apply for insurance, and much more.

Although, in principle, Spanish is not such a difficult language, and it can be learned relatively quickly at the everyday level. But at first you will be uncomfortable :)

Dominicans are also very calm and leisurely people.

I wrote about this in the pros?? Believe me, sometimes this can turn into a huge minus! For example, when you wait 3-4 days for a plumber. Or when there are 2 people in line in front of you at the bank, and it takes an hour and a half to serve them (at the same time, the girl at the bank teller can chat with a colleague or sing a song!!!)

They are also so calm that it would never occur to them to complain about their neighbors having a party at 2 am. And the neighbors shamelessly take advantage of this - they dance and sing all night long.

In general, we have fun here.

Would I like to live in the Dominican Republic forever?

Honestly, it's unlikely. Yes, it’s beautiful here, warm and comfortable, tasty and fun, and you don’t have to rush anywhere. Perhaps if I didn’t have children, I would have stayed here for a couple of years to enjoy the Dominican tranquilla.

But it seems to me that sooner or later I would get bored of this quiet time in paradise. In addition, I understand that in order to provide a decent life for ourselves and our children in the Dominican Republic, my husband and I will have to work very hard. Although, who knows, maybe soon we will become rich and the money issue will not interfere with our choice of place of residence on the world map? :)

Write in the comments, where would you like to live if you had complete financial freedom?

Lyudmila S. Kuznetsova

PS By the way, I forgot to say! In the Dominican Republic I work for the excursion agency Republica.Pro. If you want to book excursions in the Dominican Republic, be sure to say that you are from me - you will be given a discount on all excursions :) You can also read some of my articles about the Dominican Republic on my company’s website.

Also, due to the fact that I now work full-time, I don’t get to write as often as I’d like. But I have become more active on Instagram (@mila.s.kuznetsova)! Subscribe to my account and follow my life in the Dominican Republic almost online - there is a lot of interesting things there :)

The Dominican Republic, along with the Maldives, is a real Mecca for romantic couples and newlyweds. Thousands of them cross the ocean for a relaxing island holiday Honeymoon or a long-awaited vacation together in this distant and attractive tropical country.

Getting to know the country

The Dominican Republic is a small country, occupying only half of the island of Haiti, living off the tourism industry. The entire state can be crossed by car in just 6 hours. tropical, and average air temperatures remain at + 26 - +29 degrees. Local natural feature There are night earthquakes, but you shouldn’t be afraid of them - Haiti shakes constantly and only slightly.

The journey to Moscow takes 12 hours, after which you can completely indulge in a measured, half-asleep rest. But don’t be lazy, take a break from the beach and the hotel, and visit the capital city of the Dominican Republic - . It was not for nothing that UNESCO declared it a heritage of humanity. There are many beautiful narrow winding streets, ancient monuments and churches. The center is rich in buildings from the colonial era, since it was built by Europeans in the 16th century, so its architecture leaves the feeling not of the Caribbean, but rather of Spain.

Recommended for visiting, built from scratch half a century ago at the expense of some eccentric philanthropist. Creative people live here (designers, artists, craftsmen), and film crews from world film studios meet at work (film shooting is common here).

For the cost of goods and services in a variety of populated areas Russia is closely monitored by Rosstat and various rating agencies. They are all together...

Currency, tastings, purchases

With this versatile cash, you can bring back some excellent gifts from the island, especially for men. First of all, rum! Local factories produce as many as 15 varieties of rum, and their doors are always open to tourists.

The local drink “Mama Juana”, delicious coffee and, of course, tobacco are also noteworthy. Dominican cigars are in no way inferior to Cuban ones.

Among the dishes of Caribbean cuisine, Russian tourists note green bananas (“tostones”), fried with garlic and salt - this is truly exotic!

You can shop right in Punta Cana: at the Plaza Bavaro souvenir market (next to Hotel Bavaro Princess) or on the territory of the resorts, since prices here do not vary much.

Excursions

Choosing among long lasting excursion programs, pay attention to o. Saona is the largest in the Dominican Republic. The trip takes a whole day. You will also have the opportunity to see, touch and hold starfish. Echinoderms are even allowed to be taken out of the water, but for no more than 5 seconds.

Entertainment

For those vacationers who find it not quite enough to lie there all the time, looking into the endless expanses of the turquoise ocean, local services are able to offer a number of active recreation options:

Of course, the Dominican Republic is a paradise for lovers, where all conditions are created for privacy and immersion in the local luxurious nature. For single tourists, such a vacation may even seem boring, but not for those who came here together, on the wings of great feelings.

The Dominican Republic is a state that is like heaven on Earth. Everything here is at the highest level - the whitest sand of the most gorgeous beaches, the most luxurious tropical nature, friendly locals, comfortable relaxation... The Dominican Republic has 16 national parks and reserves, where you can observe both unique species of animals and plants, as well as wonderful natural landscapes of the tropics. This country is home to Duarte Peak, the highest point in the Antilles, which attracts many tourists to climb.

The best time to vacation in the Dominican Republic is December – March or July – August – at this time it is warm and dry, there is no rain that would prevent you from sunbathing on the beach, exploring exotic sights and marine treasures of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic. It is always warm in the Dominican Republic, the air temperature in winter is 26 degrees, the water temperature is 27. This area is replete with nature reserves, waterfalls and coral reefs. Those who come to the Dominican Republic forget about their problems, indulging in relaxation surrounded by mountains - the Cordillera, palm trees, the sea, waterfalls and local exotic inhabitants.

If you have the opportunity to come here, you must do it! This is a great opportunity to relax with the whole family; at the resorts of the Dominican Republic, everyone will find a vacation to their liking and recharge themselves with positivity and improve their health.

Is the answer helpful?

Helpful advice?

Dominican Republic weather map:

Is this review helpful?

How much does a holiday in Punta Cana cost? April 2019.

tour cost