Dominican Republic Good to Know

General - Dominical Republic is a Caribbean Island that splits the island with Haiti. It's about 240 miles wide and 170 miles long. English is widely spoken.

Language - Spanish is the official language. Most people I encounter spoke English.

Crime - The crime rate will vary depending on where you go. In Punta Cana, the crime rate is low. Watch your bags and cell phones. However, always use common sense.

Money - Dominican Peso. 1 Dominican Peso equals about $0.17 in USD. Credit cards are widely accepted.

Hint: Before you travel make sure you use a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. There are a lot of them out there. Those fees can add up fast.

Water - Non potable (not drinkable). Don't use to cook or brush teeth.

Electricity - Dominican Republic uses Types A and B outlets.

• Type A is the same as the US, it's the one that has the 2 flat pins.   

• Type B also same as in the US but it has the grounding pin.

Tipping - 10% of the bill is a good rule to follow. Really good service 15-20% of the bill.

Bathrooms - Do not flush toilet paper. This is very common in a lot of countries. The pipes are either to narrow, or they don't have a process to break down the toilet paper. If there isn't a bidet, then throw the toilet paper in the waste basket.

Driving - Similar to US. Fast and tailgating is normal.