Taxis in Santo Domingo do not have meters, so you always have to agree to a fare in advance. Agreeing to a price could be difficult if you and your driver have a language barrier. The standard fare is around RD$250 from one side of the city to another; rates tend to be higher in the evening. The minimum fare within Santo Domingo is RD$150. Taxi drivers are typically found parked at various major points waiting for customers to come to them. In the Zona Colonial, Parque Colon and Parque Duarte are the best spots. You can easily get a taxi at most major hotels, but expect to pay more for these.

Make sure to never get into an unmarked street taxi. Many visitors have been assaulted and robbed by doing just that.

Collective Taxis: These collective taxis or `carros públicos` as they are called by Dominicans, stick to a predetermined route (usually up and down a major avenue), picking up and dropping off passengers along the way – often cramming up to five passengers into small cars. They are inexpensive to ride, around US $0.50 per trip, yet very uncomfortable.

Uber is available in Santo Domingo and is often cheaper and faster than getting a taxi in Santo Domingo. You also do not have to worry about a language barrier as your destination and price is already determined on the app.

Walking along major thoroughfares in Santo Domingo can prove quite challenging. First, drivers aren’t very respectful of pedestrians, so you have to take extra care when trying to cross a street. Second, some sidewalks can be damaged or under construction, forcing you onto the street.

Walking is the only way to get around such districts as Zona Colonial, site of the major attractions, and Malecon. We recommend avoiding walking at night, as you may be victim of a mugging. You find that even in the daytime, you’ll be harassed by hustlers calling themselves `guides` and offering tours. It is relatively safe for tourists to explore these areas on foot, just keep your wits about you.

We don’t recommend driving in Santo Domingo due to heavy traffic, aggressive drivers, and the lack of attention/enforcement of rules. Many of the city’s major avenues are gridlocked during rush hour and you’re better off walking.

If you do have a car, parking is not generally a problem. Many midrange and top-end hotels have parking with 24-hour guards. Make sure you do not leave any valuables inside your car.

Buses are the publicos, which are mostly beaten-up minivans and private cars that follow the same main routes bus stop wherever someone flags them down. They are supposed to have publico on their license plates and make stops at clearly designated bus areas. They are air-conditioned and typically crowded. The fare is RD$25 – pay when you get in.

In the Dominican Republic, you can purchase and consume alcoholic beverages from the age of 18. This means that bars will not admit anyone under 18, even when accompanied by parents or an adult.

The Dominican Republic is surrounded by over 1,000 miles of coastline on its north, east, and southern borders, and the climate is tropical. Noontime temperatures range from 80°F to 90°f, and can fall to 64°F to 73°F during the winter.

The Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1 and extends to November 30. In the Dominican Republic, these are the summer and early fall seasons when the weather is sunny and humid, with some cloudiness and occasional rain showers in the late afternoon or at night. Historically, most hurricanes have occurred in the month of September. If you plan on traveling during these months, we recommend you buy travel insurance.

Resort staff is trained in handling hurricane situations, and resort buildings today are equipped to withstand hurricane force winds. You should also take note that the Dominican Republic is a large country which means that while one coast may be affected, another may be completely unscathed by a storm.

You won’t have any problems communicating in the Dominican Republic. Dominicans are very friendly and even if they do not speak your language, they will help you find someone who can or find a way to communicate. In the big cities, as well as in most tourist destinations, staff in hotels, restaurants, and tourist areas, as well as tour guides understand and speak English, in addition to other languages. Fluency is less common in the villages and countryside, but they will still make out the basics and help you find your way. We recommend you get a good guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, please, thank you, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

Santo Domingo can be very dangerous. You should be aware that tourist hotspots, restaurants, shops, and public transportation are places where most thefts and pickpocketing occur, and that violent crime exists on the streets, too. Always keep your wits about you and do not flash wealth (lots of jewelry, expensive cameras, etc.). Keep your bag away from the street when walking as it can be snatched by people on mopeds. If you are Caucasian, expect to have a lot of attention by `friendly` people on the streets following you and striking up conversations with you. They are only talking to you in order for handouts. Always walk with confidence, try to dress like a local, and know where you are going before you get there.

No, it is not safe to drink the tap water in the DR, as it is not purified. Always drink bottled water, available in abundance at your resort or in the neighborhood stores and supermarkets.

If your cell phone is on the GSM network, you can use it. However, your roaming costs will be high. Your best option is to bring an unlocked phone, and purchase a SIM card here to have a local number – you can obtain one with your passport ID, and activate it at any of the telecommunications companies in the DM, including Claro and Altice. The SIM card costs less than $5 US, and you will need to purchase additional phone credit for calls, at your discretion.

The local time zone is Eastern Caribbean Time. In the winter this is one hour ahead of Eastern Time. The Dominican Republic does not observe Daylight Savings Time.

The currency of the Dominican Republic is the Dominican peso. The most convenient currency to take with you is US dollars, which you can change to pesos once you arrive.

Many tourist destinations, including restaurants, bars, department stores, souvenir shops, and supermarkets tend to accept dollars, though you will receive a less favorable rate than at the banks. Many places also accept major credit cards. That said, most prices in the Dominican Republic are in Dominican pesos. If you plan to make a big purchase in small shops and markets, negotiate first with the seller who may be interested in receiving the payment in American dollars. Prices are fixed, however, in supermarkets and shopping mall stores. Your best bet is to use an ATM to withdraw local currency at the best daily exchange rate.

Tipping: It is widely practiced throughout the country. Many restaurants will add a 10% service charge on the bill. Tips are commonly given to taxi drivers, hotel maids, tour guides, etc.

Taxes: The ITBIS (Impuesto sobre Transferencia de Bienes Industrializados y Servicios or the value-added tax for transferring industrial goods and services) is 18% and is applied to most purchases. In restaurants, bars, and hotels, a further 10% is automatically added as a service charge.

Local dishes tend to focus on meat and starches (mainly rice), fruits and vegetables also play an important role in Dominican cuisine. In fact, almost every cafe serves a wide selection of freshly prepared tropical fruit juices. The delicious juice options include chinola (passion fruit), piña (pineapple), lechosa (papaya), zapote (sapote), tamarindo (tamarind) and mango.

Some traditional ingredients in the food are yuca, a root that is used as a vegetable and also made into a flat bread called casabe. Another is tayota, a type of squash. Platano or plantains, are also very popular and used in both side dishes and main courses. Many Dominican dishes are prepared with sofrito, a mixture of sautéed vegetables, herbs and spices. The ingredients for sofrito include onions, garlic, green peppers, tomatoes, thyme, parsley, coriander, cilantro and vinegar. Some popular dishes include Mangu, a mashed plantain served with sauteed onions, cheese, or salami; La Bandera Domincan, a typical lunch dish consisting of rice, red beans, meat and a vegetable side dish; Empanada, flour tortilla stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables and then fried; Paella, a local version of the Spanish rice dish ; Mofongo, fried plantains flavored with olive oil, garlic and bacon; Sanchocho, a hearty stew; and Moro de guandules con coco, rice with coconut milk and pigeon peas.

Santo Domingo offers a variety of cuisines from around the world from Chinese, Italian and Mediterranean to Brazillian. You can also find the main fast food franchises like McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, among others.

Most of Santo Domingo’s restaurants stretch along the seaside, bordering Avenida George Washington, popularly known as the Malecón. Some of the best restaurants are in hotels.

In most restaurants, casual dress is fine, although shorts are frowned upon at the fancier, more expensive spots. Many Dominicans prefer to dress up when dining out, especially in the capital. Be aware that mid-grade and high-end restaurants can be quite costly in comparison with local salaries, a dinner with an entrée, main course, drink and dessert can range from US $20 to $85US per person. Be careful and ask around as price doesn’t always equal quality, especially in tourist areas. Be aware that menu prices do not include the 10% service charge and 18% sales tax, so real prices are 28% higher than indicated in the menu.

The Colonial Zone offers plenty of shopping opportunities, especially if you are looking for Ambar and Larimar, the traditional stones of the Dominican Republic. You’ll definitely want to haggle, as the shop owners adjust their prices for this purpose. Learn to say, `Gracias no, pero es demasiado caro,` (No thanks, but too expensive) and see how much lower they are willing to go. The main boulevard in the Colonial Zone is El conde, a pedestrian boulevard lined with all kinds of shops and eateries mostly aimed at the locals.

Another area for shopping is the Mercado Modelo, an indoor maze of shops. It can be overwhelming as a tourist, but it is fun to experience if you are feeling adventurous. Walk through the shops and kiosks offering everything imaginable from souvenirs, jewelry, stone, artwork, etc.

If you are looking for more American-style shopping there are plenty of options for malls to go to. Remember there is no haggling at the malls. MegaCentro Mall is a bit farther away, but a destination in and of itself. It is the second largest mall in the Caribbean. Don’t expect to find many bargains though at the malls, and also remember that everything is taxed at 18% (ITBIS or Value Added Tax).

The best buys in Santo Domingo are handcrafted native items, especially amber jewelry. Amber, petrified tree resin that has fossilized over millions of years, is the national gem. Look for pieces of amber with objects like insects or spiders trapped inside. Colors range from a bright yellow to black, but most of the gems are golden in hue. Fine-quality amber jewelry, along with lots of plastic fakes, is sold throughout the country.

A semiprecious stone of light blue (sometimes a dark-blue color), larimar is the Dominican turquoise. It often makes striking jewelry, and is sometimes mounted with wild boar’s teeth.

Ever since the Dominicans presented John F. Kennedy with what became his favorite rocker, visitors have wanted to take home a rocking chair. These rockers are often sold unassembled, for easy shipping. Other good buys include Dominican rum, hand-knit articles, macramé, ceramics, and crafts in native mahogany.

Dial 911 in an emergency.

Hospital: Clínica Abreu, Calle Beller 42 (tel. 809/688-4411). Most of the doctors trained in the United States and speak English. Open 24/7.