Nestled between Puerto Rico and Cuba on an island that it shares with the Republic of Haiti, the Dominican Republic offers travelers the best that the Caribbean has to offer, with a unique personality rooted deeply in her Latino heritage.
» Dominican Republic General Information
Area: 48,072 sq km (18,696 sq miles)
Capital: Santo Domingo
Currency: Peso (DOP)
GNI per capita: US$4,390 (World Bank, 2008)
Main exports: Ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats
New Year’s Day (01Jan); Epiphany (Celebrated on Feb 9) (06Jan); Our Lady of Altagracia (21Jan); Duarte’s Birthday (Celebrated on Jan 30) (26Jan); Independence Day and Carnival (27Feb); Good Friday (14Apr); Easter Sunday (16Apr); Labour Day (01May); Corpus Christi (15Jun); Restoration Day (Celebrated on Aug 14) (16Aug); Our Lady of Las Mercedes (24Sep); Constitution Day (06Nov); Christmas Day (25Dec).
› Visas
Citizens of Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Peru, South Korea, Uruguay and subjects of the Principality of Liechtenstein can stay for a maximum of 60 days with a valid passport, without visa or purchasing a tourist card.
Citizens of the countries listed below can stay for a maximum of 90 days with a tourist card which costs US$ 10 and can be purchased at accredited Dominican Consulates worldwide, when purchasing ticket, or on arrival at one of the country’s ports or international airports. These countries are:
Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Curaçao, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominica, England (carrying British passports with the following inscription on their cover: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or Jersey or Guernsey) and its dependencies (Isle of Man and Channel Islands) Finland, France and its overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique and Reunion), Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Marino, St. Martin, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobabo, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States (including Puerto Rico; U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and Hawaii), Venezuela, Yugoslavia and all legal residents from Canada, the United States of America, Venezuela and from the member countries of the European Union, regardless of their nationality, carrying valid passports and their residency card.
Argentina, Belice, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japón, Korea, México, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Uruguay citizens bearing official or diplomatic passports can enter without visa or tourist card.
» Dominican Republic History
Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865.
A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996.
Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past decade.
Situated in the stunning north coast, this lovely 3 star hotel in Sosúa is within walking distance from the beach. The Casa Valeria Hotel enjoys a privileged location in a quiet spot, though surrounded by lively bars and restaurants.
Catalonia Gran Dominicus is an all-inclusive resort located on the south-east coast of the Dominican Republic and overlooks the white sandy beach of Bayahibe.
A magnificent four-star superior resort located right on the famous Playa Bávaro in Punta Cana, with sparkling white sand, turquoise water and swaying palm trees.
"One of the most emblematic hotels in Santo Domingo"
Surrounded by lush tropical gardens in the residential area of the capital, Occidental El Embajador has become one of the most emblematic hotels in Santo Domingo. A privileged location that combines the proximity to the business and commercial center of
Tortuga Bay in Punta Cana has made the Top 25 list of influential Trip Advisor's Travellers' Choice 2012 in the category of The Best Hotels in the Caribbean.
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A 24-hour all-inclusive hotel, the Riu Hotels & Resorts Naiboa north of the Punta Cana string of hotels reopened after a US$12 million remodeling program. Its 362 rooms were equipped with new baths and the lobby and theater bar areas were renovated....
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