Dominican Republic

The white-sand beaches, impressive mountain ranges veined with spectacular rivers and waterfalls, and saltwater lakes teeming with exotic wildlife are just part of the Dominican Republic 's appeal. Whether you're looking to party, relax or explore, the Dominican Republic has a lot to offer.

Steer a small boat through endless mangrove forests in search of gentle manatees. Spy on lovesick humpback whales in the Bahía de Samaná. And once you've had your fill of this exquisite island's natural wonder, get back to civilization and prepare to party.

The locals throw festivals, parties and carnivals like there's no tomorrow. Folks in the Americas ' first European city, Santo Domingo , don't just spend their time admiring the fine colonial architecture gracing their home. Nope, this town has not one, but two complete Carnivals, complete with parades, elaborate floats, lots of live music and plenty of dancing in the streets. Pre-Lent Carnivals are celebrated in Santiago , Cabral, Monte Cristi and La Vega as well. If that's not enough, check out the country's two major merengue festivals, the annual Latin Music Festival and the national surfing and windsurfing championships.

Full country name: Dominican Republic
Area: 48,730 sq km
Population: 8.71 million
People: 73% mulatto, 16% European descent, 11% African descent
Language: Spanish; Castilian
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic
Government: Representative democracy
Head of State: President Hipólito Mejía

GDP: US$43.7 billion
GDP per capita: US$5,400
Annual Growth: 8.3%
Inflation: 5.1%
Major Industries: Tourism, sugar refining, nickel and gold mining, cement, tobacco.
Major Trading Partners: USA , Venezuela , Belgium , Mexico , Japan

Facts for the Traveler

Visas: All visitors require a valid passport; citizens of Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Curaçao, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Russia, Surinam, Switzerland, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela and Yugoslavia are eligible for a 90-day tourist card. Check with the Dominican consulate for the latest visa requirements.
Health risks: Malaria, Dengue Fever, Giardiasis, Typhoid, Hepatitis
Time: GMT/UTC -4
Electricity: 115-125V ,60Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

When to Go

The DR has a primarily tropical climate, with more local variations in temperature than seasonal ones. August is muggy and hot, January a bit less so. There are two rainy seasons, October to May along the northern coast and May to October in the south; bring an umbrella if you plan to travel the entire country. Dominican rain isn't your garden-variety 'just-enough-to-cool-things-off' precipitation native to Hawaii or Central America - this stuff drenches waterfall-style and could easily last half a day.

The June-to-September hurricane season might be worth missing; though the chances of one blowing through are miniscule, remember that one little hurricane can wreck your whole holiday.

Events

One Carnival isn't enough for fun-loving Santo Domingo . Nope, the pre-Lent celebration, which is echoed throughout the country, always begins two or three days before February 27 (Independence Day) and ends a few days later. It's a monster party combining Catholic decompression with African spirituality, not to mention great costumes, spectacular floats and all the rum you can drink. The second Carnival begins August 15, to coincide with Restoration Day (when the DR declared war on Spain ); August festivities may be marginally more sedate, but they're still the perfect place to wear that sequined-and-feathered number.

The DR throws another wild party during the last week of July and first week of August, a merengue festival that is the epicenter of the art form, attracting the world's top talent to Santo Domingo for a festival that engulfs the city and surrounding suburbs in music and dance. Another merengue festival goes off in Puerto Plata during the first week of October. If you'd like a little variety while you dance, however, don't miss the three-day Latin Music Festival in the capital, when everyone from Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin get down with Tito Rojas and Fernando Villalona.

Other can't-miss festivities worth crossing the Caribbean for include Puerto Plata's week-long Cultural Festival in June, with jazz, blues, merengue and folk concerts throughout town; Cabarete Alegría , in which the country dedicates the entire month of February to fun, with weekend events like mountain-bike races, kite-flying competitions and sand-castle building contests; and the Encuentro Classic , an internationally known windsurfing spectacular that pits the sport's stars against the hurricane season.

Of course, the best time to hit the restaurant- and bar-packed town of Sosúais is during the few days before Easter Sunday, Holy Week . Dominicans from all over the country flock to the bayside city to compete in volleyball contests, drink themselves silly, soak up the sun and dance the night away. Hell, yeah.

Money & Costs

Currency: Dominican Republic Peso

Meals

• Budget: US$5-8
• Mid-range: US$8-20
• High: US$20+

Lodging

• Budget: US$20-40
• Mid-range: US$40-70
• High: US$70+

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