Juvenile Whale Shark Swims Lazily by On Freestyle Catamaran Excursion
Check out this amazing video taken recently as a juvenile whale shark swims lazily alongside the Freestyle Catamaran giving all on board a wonderful treat. The passengers are clearly thrilled with this amazing close up and personal encounter and why wouldn't they be as The Discovery Channel comes to life right before their eyes. Once in a lifetime experiences like this one create vacation memories that last a lifetime. Click here for more information about the Freestyle Catamaran excursion from Playa Dorada on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.
Dominican Republic Transport
Bus Service
The two main bus companies are Metro (tel: 809 566 7126) and Caribe (tel: 809 221 4422) tours. Both services offer clean, regular and air conditioned buses into each major city and towns throughout the DR. Timetables and costs are printed in all depots and the buses are generally extremely punctual. These buses cannot be flagged down by the roadside and if you are wishing to catch the early bus (usually departing around 6.00am) then a reservation the day before maybe required. Fares are very reasonable and for getting from the north to Santo Domingo (the capital) or vice versa then there is no better way. Plenty of luggage space and toilet facilities on board! Try and get to the bus station an hour before departure to ensure your seat.
Public Buses or Gua Guas
Chugging along or puffing out smoke – you’ll find gua guas running up and down the highways and roads all around the Dominican Republic. An informal bus system, these mini vans, people carriers have all seen better days, however they offer a cheap and somewhat regular bus service too. Cheaper than the Metro and Caribe tours, the gua guas can be flagged down by the side of the road and a young boy will scoop you in and squash you up next to the local goat herder or bank manager. Everyone uses the gua gua system, cosy but not comfortable and a great way to get to know you fellow countrymen in a compact kind of way.
Usually a ride will cost around RD$10 -20 depending on journey length, gua guas can be found running every 20 -30 minutes along the main roads. Usually on public holidays the service is limited and gua guas do not run after dark either….
Public Cars
Can be flagged down by the roadside too. A regular car with a box on the roof saying “Publico” you can spot the cars quite easily as they are normally run down battered old bangers. A public car will squash around 5 people on the back seat and usually 3 people on the front seat. You can pay RD$50 to reserve the front seat for yourself. Expect dare devil driving and break neck speeds, loud music and loss of hair due to your stress levels rising at an abnormal rate on knots!
Public cars travel the main towns and highways from dawn and during dark hours to with journeys usually costing no more than RD$20./p>
Taxis
Real and regular taxis do exist and can be found outside any hotel or at taxi ranks through towns and cities. There will usually be a tariff displayed on a board outside and they are a great way to get out and about to sight see or venture out to restaurants etc.,.
Agree your price beforehand and your taxi driver will drop you off at your destination, he will come back for you at a specified time (waiting time can be pre arranged at no extra charge) and remember to pay for your journey when you get back. Don’t pay for your return leg of the journey until you have had it! The local taxi drivers are normally great guys and will wait for around 3 hours if you want to go out for dinner!
Motor-Conchos
The cheapest and most popular form of transport for locals but the most dangerous and accident prone! Motorbikes all over the Dominican Republic are used as a taxi service from town to town. Hop on the back and off you go, often you can see Grannies sitting side saddle or a mother with 3 kids dangling off the sides of the bike, builders transporting building goods, ladders, farmers carrying livestock, washing machines – if fact you name it !
A cheap and fast way to get out and about but not recommended. Journeys cost from RD$5 – RD$20. An essential part of local life but as a tourist or bystander just visiting the DR, take your photographs and leave it at that.
Car Rental
Car rental is generally quite expensive in the DR, but you can always book in advance via the internet or the The Real DR car hire section, as most main car hire companies have concessions over here like Hertz, Dollar and National. Rates are roughly US$45 upwards per day. Do get full collision insurance. Note all dents and scratches before you drive off in you rental car as you surely will be charged for them when you return! Remember driving over here is on the right hand side of the road and conditions are often quite treacherous, many people do not pay attention to traffic lights/stop signs, over-take when you would not normally even think about it eg.,. round a blind bend, entering a dark tunnel etc.,. and if you are involved in an accident then everyone (even if it is not your fault) is taken away to the local police station for questioning. Sounds like a fun way to spend a couple of days during your week long vacation? Take care if you hire a car seriously!
Plane
Air Santo Domingo offers an island service which will get you from the north to south and east of the island with journeys lasting no more than an hour. Tel: 809 683 8006.
Where is the Dominican Republic
Suprisingly, in this day and age of easy travel, not everyone knows where the Dominican Republic is actually situated in the World. The Dominican Republic is perfectly situated between the warm waters of the Caribbean sea and the colder waters of the Atlantic. This provides a diverse climate with warm Caribbean winds as well as large rainfalls (in the mountains), that ensure a truely stunning and vibrant landscape.
To the immediate west of the Dominican Republic is Haiti, and the two countries could not be more different in terms of culture, ecomony, education, language and religion. For more information on Haiti, please visit the Wikipedia Haiti site.
To the far west is the island of Cuba, with its vibrant culture and inconic architecture and while we're sure that once you've visited the Dominican Republic, you will never want to go anywhere else, if you would like one "non-Dominican" vacation, then Cuba is an amazing place to visit. To the east of the Dominican Republic is Puerto Rico, again with a defined Spanish influence and even further west are the Caribbean islands of The British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Montserrat and a host of other beautiful places.
As you can see, we are lucky to live in such a beautiful location and we're sure that once you experience the REAL Dominican Republic, then you'll leave part of your heart here forever.
December Travel in the Dominican Republic
What to pack for a Christmas in the Caribbean? What weather can you expect in December? What usually happens at New Year in Dominican Republic resorts? What are the Pros and Cons of a Dominican December vacation? Rest easy you savvy travelers and put your feet up for a few minutes to read our brief December Travel Article on the Dominican Republic and your questions shall be answered…
Dominican Republic Eco Tourism and Camping
Eco & Camping Fun in the Dominican Republic
For anyone seeking an eco friendly adventure holiday then the DR could just be the very spot! With over 16 National Parks including 67 protected areas within the countries borders there is a lot to do from hiking to the top of Pico Duarte to rappelling and white water rafting through stunning forest scenery.
Towering mountains, trails scented by pine needles, glowing white beaches, majestic waterfalls, lazy fresh water lagoons and thick dense tropical vegetation its no wonder the eco tourism market in the Dominican Republic is becoming one of the fastest growing pastimes for adrenalin seekers though out the world!
You could spend a whole week reveling in action packed pursuits (energy levels permitting of course) and buy a weeks package stuffed full of eco action options from mountain biking and cannoning, trekking and hiking, kayaking & rafting and go for it! With a couple of top class companies in the Dominican Republic specializing in outdoor eco excitement you’ll be in safe hands with professional guides leading the way and showing you the ropes, first timers to an eco option holiday are more than welcome.
Within the National Parks of the Dominican Republic there are no official campgrounds as such mainly due to a lack of and regulatory measures and normal camping protocols. If you are going to venture into any of the Parks then you must obtain a pass from the National Parks Office. The National Parks Office is located in the DR’s capital city of Santo Domingo on Avenida Maximo Gomez, apartado postal 2487. Or give them a call on 809 472 4204 (would be handy if you speak some Spanish!). A pass will cost RD$50 (a little over a dollar) and you can gain permission from here. You will find that at many of the larger National Parks, guides will be waiting at various entrances to take you in for a fee. This is not a bad idea, as the guides have been trekking round the parks for years, know where to go, are unobtrusive, many speak basic English. Remember to haggle a little over their price!
Many of the National Parks have rivers and mountains to cross and scale, one of most popular park being Parque Nacional Armando Bermudez and Parque Nacional Jose del Carmen Ramirez , with Pico Duarte rising up between the two parks! Going up Pico Duarte is not to be taken lightly; you will need guides, routes vary from 25 - 45 kilometers and the peak is at 10,094 feet above sea level. The best climbing months are from December, January, February and March. To read more about each individual park click here. Many different kinds of climate will be experience here – incredible.
Southwest of Barahona in the Peninsula of Pedernales you will find the Parque Nacional Jaragua. This is one of the largest parks and one that gets the least rain fall too, from deserted beaches and cacti filled floors you will also find that over sixty percent of the countries bird population here. The depth of scenery and wild life attracts many people here every year.
There pretty much has to be something to captivate and entertain any one of an eco friendly mind, from wind surfing and kite-boarding on the fine Cabarete coastline of the north, to whale watching once a year in the beautiful bay of Samana on the east coast, click here to find out more whale details, to horse riding, scuba diving, snorkeling and caving! It’s all here for you to enjoy.
For people looking to camp and not finding too many campsites, you will however discover a brilliant selection of hostel places located by many of the National Parks around the Dominican Republic. They will offer clean accommodation, food, sometimes even hot water (!) for a reasonable price per night.
Whatever kind of eco adventure you are interested in, the Dominican Republic will be able to quench your thirst for some serious eco fun!
