Dominican Republic Luxury Vacation Guide & Information Center
Plan Your Dominican Republic Luxury Vacation

The Dominican Republic's climate has been dubbed the 'endless summer', with average annual temperature hovering around 25°C (77°F). In summer (May-October) sunny skies are the norm, with daytime highs reaching 31°C (87°F) at the coasts (cooler in the mountains). The Dominican Republic's sector of the Caribbean has historically experienced occasional hurricane activity in August-September.

Spanish is the official and spoken language in the Dominican Republic, although English is spoken by most tourist and hospitality professionals.

The official currency of the Dominican Republic is the Dominican Peso (DOP) which is divided into 100 Centavos. However, $US currency is welcomed (even preferred) everywhere. Many establishments accept major credit cards, but outside of your hotel it is recommended you use $US cash - since credit card fraud is frequently reported. ATM machines are available in the cities, but not the major resort areas.

The Dominican Republic has a fertile agricultural base producing high quality vegetables and fruits. Traditional Dominican dishes feature staple crops such as rice and beans deliciously flavored with oregano and other herbs and spices, as well as a variety of meats or seafood, as well as a salad or side dish. In the cities and resort areas you'll find restaurants specializing in Italian, American, Mexican, Latin American, and other International cuisines. On your luxury vacation, such high-end places to eat include (in alphabetical order) El Pescador (Seafood, in La Romana), La Briciola (Italian, in Santo Domingo), and Lina (International, in Santo Domingo).

Inside Advice - Eating in the Dominican Republic's top restaurants is a 'must-do' experience for anyone on a luxury vacation. But you don't have to visit the the most expensive places to get excellent cuisine.

For great food and good value in the Dominican Republic we particularly recommend; Aquaceros Bar & Grill (International, in Puerto Plata), El Conuco (Latin American, in Santo Domingo), Jardín Suizo Malecón (International, in Puerto Plata), La Bahía (Seafood, in Santo Domingo). You must also try some of the delicious Domenican dishes served in the local town and city restaurants!

The Dominican Republic, like any major Caribbean tourist destination has many fine hotels and resorts to stay at. You'll find accommodations ranging from inexpensive hostels and B&B's up to highly exclusive ultra-luxury villa rentals.

Luxury Beyond Comparison: Are you looking for the ultimate luxury vacation in the Caribbean? For the absolute ultimate luxury villa rental experience in the Dominican Republic we especially recommend: Ultra-Luxury villa rental at Villa Castellamonte

Home to both the Caribbean's tallest mountains and lowest inland terrain, the Dominican Republic may be a small country, but as a luxury vacation destination it is much larger than most Caribbean islands, with much more to see and do than one vacation could possibly allow:

The Dominican Republic's Beaches & Waters

The Dominican Republic is surrounded on 3 sides by the warm Caribbean Sea. Over 800 of miles of shoreline with literally 1000's of beautiful sandy beaches await you:

Just bask in the warm sun on the beach, or if you feel more adventurous - try your hand in a range of watersports the Dominican Republic's warm blue waters. Fish, swim, snorkel, paddleboat, kayak, sail, windsurf, waterski, parasail from the beach. Alternately, learn to dive with PADI-certified instructors and take one of the many dive boats to scuba-dive on pristine reefs and wrecks in deeper waters.

Charter a sail boat or powerboat and explore the Dominican Republics more secluded coves and bays. Charter a fishing boat and angle for large gamefish such as Marlin, Swordfish, Tuna, Wahoo, & Yellowfin.

Ashore In The Dominican Republic

Fabulous restaurants, hospitable people, and a mountainous interior with healthy rain forests await you.

The Dominican Republic offers something for everyone. From spectacular and informative eco-tours through the diverse ecosystem in the vibrant and healthy rainforest, to the more sedate and leisurely gallery and museum tours. You'll also find tennis, horseback riding, horse racing... and the whole range of terrestrial sports and activities to get involved in or watch. Those who crave the night life will enjoy the bars, disco's and casinos in the popular resort areas, and the shopping opportunities are endless.

Come ashore in the Dominican Republic for the utra-luxury vacation of a lifetime.

Car rental is available at airports in the Dominican Republic, but it is expensive and can be dangerous in the cities - where traffic law enforcement is almost unheard of, and accidents are frequent. Motorcycles are cheaper to rent, but may not be worth the risk in the cities.

When flying into the Dominican Republic, internal flights are regularly scheduled between the major tourist destinations.

There are no trains, so to explore the Dominican Republic consider taking the clean, safe and inexpensive buses. 'Local buses' ('guaguas') travel between towns and make a lot of stops. Express 'inter-city' buses are air conditioned and a fast form of transport.

Inside Advice - The sand-colored 'tourist taxis' that serve the airports charge about twice as much as the 'city taxis' ('carro-conchos') that you will find in the city centers. Be aware that the 'motorcycle taxis' ('moto conchos') are not practical for longer journeys, and are frequently involved in accidents.

Mains electricity on Dominican Republic is provided at 110V alternating at 50Hz.

The Dominican Republic is a small country, about 240 miles east to west and 160 miles north to south, covering about 18,800 sq miles in area. This is far more land than found on most Caribbean Island vacation destinations!

The Dominican Republic is home to about 9 million relaxed and welcoming people. For Dominican Republic population demographics click here

In the new millenium, Dominican Republic's service sector has surpassed the growth of sugar, coffee and tobacco as the economy's largest employer, primarily due to strong growth in tourism and free trade zones.