Welcome to Santo Domingo
Welcome to Santo Domingo
The City of Santo Domingo de Guzman, first city of the New World and capital of the Dominican Republic, which was declared the Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO, constitutes a high degree of honor with which it welcomes each and every one of its visitors.
The People
The Dominican Republic has a population of 8.6 million people comprised of white 16%, mixed 60%, black 16%, and other 8% with Haitians comprising the largest minority with 1 million immigrants.
The predominant religion is Roman Catholic. The Dominican Republic gained its independence from Haiti on February 27, 1844, and restored its independence on August 16, 1863. The constitution was written in 1866 and amended in 2002. It is a representative democracy with executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. There are 31 provinces and the National District of Santo Domingo.
The Dominican Republic has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a GDP of $16.12 billion with the majority of money coming from tourism, telecommunications, agriculture, and free trade zone manufacturing being the most important industries.
Geography
The Dominican Republic is a 48,442 square kilometer country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It covers over 2/3 of the island which it shares with its western neighbor, Haiti; bordered by the Atlantic ocean to the north, the Caribbean sea to the south and Puerto Rico is a few kilometers away to the east. It is about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. The climate is tropical with an average temperature of 81ºF (26.2ºC) year round. The rainy season begins around April/May and lasts until November; you can expect it to rain daily, but only for a few hours. The dry season generally is from December to April.
Time and Seasons
Dominican Republic operates on Atlantic Standard Time year-round, which is 1 hour later than US Eastern Standard Time from October to April and the same as EST (due to Daylight Savings Time) from April to October.
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Public Services
The Dominican Republic is a developing country, a fact reflected by the condition of its public services.
Structural Aspects
Electricity is 110-120 volts, 60 Hz and outlets use the same size and configuration as U.S. electrical outlets. Available in some places 220, 60 cycles. The demand for electricity exceeds the supply, there are regular power outages in the Dominican Republic. These apagones (power outages) are not caused by accident as in the U.S. but are a way to share a limited resource. Some homes have plantas (small generators), that supply power during apagones, while others have inversores, car batteries wired together to keep lights and fans going during blackouts. Our office always has power, as do most other places and businesses. A surge protector is a good item to pack.
Although the DR has the same electrical current as the U.S. (your appliances will fit the plugs here), many buildings are not electrically grounded and are not well wired. Take extra care to avoid shocks when handling appliances (especially barefoot!). Also, power lines in the street sometimes hang low enough for you to reach. These lines may be live-DO NOT TOUCH!
Money Matters
The official currency is the Dominican Peso. The equivalent in U.S. dollars fluctuates according to the exchange rates established by the Central Bank. BanReservas is the national bank of the Dominican Republic. Most banks have ATMs within the Cirrus and Plus networks that will work with most US ATM cards and major credit cards. Many ATMs function in English in addition to Spanish.
In restaurants and bars, tipping around 10% is suggested. All consumptions items carry a 16% ITBIS tax. At hotels, the tax is 26% of the hotel rate, which is the 10% for legal tip plus a 16% ITBIS tax for the Internal Revenue Office.
Water Services
The water in the Dominican Republic is not 100% reliable as drinking water. You should only drink bottled water or water your host family has indicated as safe drinking water. The water is fine for all other household uses. Also, some areas experience water outages occasionally. In many houses, the water stops running when the power goes out and for this reason, Doñas keep full containers of water on hand at all times, mainly in the bathrooms and kitchens. When ordering water at restaurants, only drink bottled water and inquire about the origins of the ice. Any vegetables or fruits that you plan to eat raw should be washed with sterilized water as well.
Connectivity and Communications
The area code in the Dominican Republic is (809). To connect to the United States, it is necessary to dial 1 + area code + phone number. There are several cell phone companies that offer prepaid or contract plans including Orange and Verizon.
Each university has a computer lab with internet connectivity. Internet connectivity is not guaranteed to be in every home. There are internet cafés that charge about 35-40 pesos per hour of usage. Keep in mind that computers here may not operate as quickly as those in the U.S.
Transportation
Public transportation is dominated by private minibuses and private cars that travel fixed routes around the city. The buses are called guaguas and the cars are called carros publicos or carros de conchos. Both are inexpensive (10 pesos, about 35 cents) but not very comfortable, especially when crowded. You will quickly learn where to catch guaguas or carros publicos that take you to the university office.
You can also call a taxi company that will pick you up and take you exactly where you want to go. Taxis cost about 90 pesos (Around $3) for most trips inside the city. They charge 700 to 800 pesos to or from the airport. In some areas there are motoconchos or motorcycle taxis, but these are very dangerous and we strongly advise AGAINST riding them.
The best way to travel from Santo Domingo to another city is on the new, well maintained buses of Metro Tours, Caribe Tours or Terra Bus. Tickets are inexpensive but you must call and make a reservation (see phone list). Most Dominicans travel on guaguas like the ones that ply the streets of Santo Domingo. These are cheaper (RD$10) but are less comfortable and far less safe.
By Air .-
There are good flight connections between major cities, served by Air Santo Domingo. Overbooking is common during holiday time. Passengers leaving on international flights must reconfirm their reservation not less than 72 hours in advance and for national flights, no less than 24 hours in advance.
By Bus.-
Long distance buses: The bus service between the major cities is good. The shared taxis (carro o concho) and mini buses (guagua) are more common to and from smaller towns and villages. Although sometimes it might not be adviseable carry large luggage.
City buses: You can choose between regular buses and minibuses but both get overcrowded during rush hour.
En Carros.-
All visitors can drive if they are over 18 and have a valid license from their own country. To avoid any problems it is a good idea to bring an International drivers license too. A credit card is required if you want to rent a car. Rates fluctuate between $30-100 per day and usually no fee per kilometer. Some companies are: Avis, Hertz.
Taxis.-
Negotiate the fare before you step in. Do not tell them that it's your first visit to Dominican Republic.
Business Hours and Bank Holidays
Banks.-
09.00am-05.00pm Monday to Friday
Bank Holiday.-
9:00am-1:00pm Saturday to Sunday
Government Offices.-
9.00am a 12:00pm generally, but sometimes government offices have fixed visiting hours usually from 9am-10am or from 3pm-4pm.
Shops.-
They are open from Monday to Saturday from 9am-10pm
Business Hours.-
Usually from 8am-5pm Monday to Friday with a mid-day break. Most businesses close on Saturday and Sunday.
Other publics services
Mail.-
Airmail letters to the U.S. or Europe take 2-4 weeks. The postal services are reliable but slow. In order to receive mail, please have it sent to a P.O. Box or to the host families address. If you want to send or receive parcels, we recommend DHL, UPS, or FEDEX.
Telephone.-
It is best to call from VERIZON (local telephone company) offices or hotels rather than from telephone cabins. Many public phones operate with phone card (tarjetas prepagada). You can buy “tarjetas” at VERIZON or shops.
Safety.-
It is best to call from VERIZON (local telephone company) offices or hotels rather than from telephone cabins. Many public phones operate with phone card (tarjetas prepagada). You can buy “tarjetas” at VERIZON or shops.
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Cultural Activities
The Dominican Republic as a whole is a center of cultural history. As the first landing site of Christopher Columbus, the Dominican Republic is extremely important to the discovery, conquest, and colonization of the western hemisphere.
Founded in 1496, Santo Domingo is in fact, the first city of the New World. Within the Colonial Zone lie the first cathedral, first hospital, first court and many other “firsts”. Many of the incredible structures are still standing in their original form or restored to reflect their historical architecture alongside other culturally important landmarks like the Royal Houses, Columbus Castle, and the first commercial structure of the Americas, the Royal Atarazanas. Due to its importance to the history of the Americas, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have declared the Colonial City a “Patrimony of Humanity”.
Santo Domingo is home to many interesting attractions and cultural traditions. The people of Dominican Republic have a mixture of heritage and influence from the Spanish explorers, African slaves, and Native inhabitants of the islands, who were called Tainos. Evidence of this cultural mixture is seen throughout the food, dancing, artwork, and customs of the people.
Spanish and Moorish influence can be seen in the city’s layout and the buildings’ architecture. The traditional
merengue and
bachata styles of dancing (salsa too) can be seen in just about all the local clubs and dance spots as well as the musical variety and creativity that accompany them that is influenced by African drumming styles. Taino styles, colors, and designs can be seen in contemporary artwork and jewelry. Typical cuisine has
arroz con habichuelas (rice and beans) is a staple that is served with every meal. Other choices include fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken, beef, or occasionally fish, bread, often coupled with fresh squeezed juice which allows one to take advantage of the country’s Caribbean location and specialties in agriculture.
Dominican National Holidays
January 6 – The Epiphany
January 21 – Our Lady of Altagracia
January 26 – Juan Pablo Duarte Holiday
February 27 – Independence Day
March 29 – Holy Friday
April 29 – Labor Day
May 30 – Corpus Christi
August 16 – Dominican Restoration Day
September 24 – Our Lady of Mercedes
November 4 – Constitution Day
December 25 – Christmas
Interesting Sites and Sounds
Colonial Zone.-
UNESCO declared this area a “Patrimony of Humanity” for good reason. Santo Domingo was discovered in 1496 and many of the structures in the Colonial Zone are the first of their kind in the western hemisphere. Some must-sees are:
Metropolitan Cathedral.-
is the first cathedral in the western hemisphere; construction was initiated 1523 and completed in 1540.
Viceroys Castle.-
was the home of Diego Columbus, the son of Christopher Columbus and first viceroy of the colony. The castle was the headquarters of the first Spanish court. It was built in the early 16th century and housed Christopher Columbus’s remains until 1992.
The Royal Atarazanas.-
Is the oldest commercial structure in the Americas.
San Nicholas de Bari Hospital.-
was the first hospital in the Americas.
Royal Houses Museum.-
(Las Casas Reales) houses historical artifacts and relics from the 16th century.
La Fortaleza Ozama.-
Is the most important military monument of the 1507 Colonial City. It consists of various edifices, of which the Torre Del Homenaje (Tower of Homenaje) is the most important.
The National Zoo.-
National Botanical Gardens, Museum Plaza, Columbus Water Fountain, Columbus Lighthouse, El Conde and the Amber Museum are some “must-see” locations in Santo Domingo.
Outside of the capital city and throughout the Dominican Republic lie other fascinating parks, monuments, museums, and sites such as: Los Haitises National Park, Samaná, La Romana, the marvelous beaches of Puerto Plata, Sosua, Higuey and the European ambiance of Santiago, the second largest city in the country.
Nightlife.-
Conde Street or “El Conde” is an important place for nightlife attractions. There is a variety of restaurants, bars, and dance clubs on this popular street in the Colonial Zone. Other streets that are good for nighttime activities include Hostos, Isabel la Católica, Mercedes, La Atarazana, and Padre Billini streets where you can choose from dance clubs and discos.
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