For most the Dominican Republic is a cost effective way for a great all inclusive vacation.
Its white sandy beaches and emerald waters make this a popular destination for all who love fun in the sun.
Here are a few things to take in to account when you're visiting the Dominican.
English is not the first language there, so with some of the locals you may find a bit of a language barrier, but not to the extreme. Most of the staff at your resort will be able to communicate with you, but they may not be able to understand some of your terms. For example: We asked for our room to be upgraded at check-in. Well we got upgraded one floor. After a bit of communicating what we actually wanted, we were moved to an oceanfront room for an additional cost of $300.00 U.S. dollars. It's a good idea when booking your trip, to clarify with your travel consultant exactly what type of room you want. This will save some confusion with your resort staff.
All resorts have both alacarte restaurants and buffets. If you are looking for alacarte for your evening dinners, be prepared to wait in line each morning to make your reservation. While some found this a bit annoying, we found it to quite a pleasurable experience as we had the chance to meet people from various countries in line. All in all we had about a 20 minute wait each day, so it was not really a big deal.
I would suggest you put aside about $70.00 for tips. Not that tipping is encouraged by the resort, but it's a nice gesture for the staff. Remember they don't make a ton of money and it's the ones who tip, who get the best service. I gave our bartender $20.00 at the beginning of the week and as a result he waited on me hand and foot. We also put aside $3-$4.00 per day for the housekeeping staff and this in turn got us extra beach towels and a turned down bed each evening. The rest of the tips went to our servers at dinner time.
Make sure you drink only bottled water and brush your teeth with the same. The tap water is not something you want to ingest and it can leave you feeling very sick. Bring a good supply of Imodium if that just in case. As well, be careful of certain foods, most resorts having their own water purifications systems the food is very clean, however it is a wise idea just to take it easy for the first couple of days and not go hog wild at the buffet until your system gets accustomed to the way food is prepared down there.
Bring lots of sunscreen and apply it whenever you get out of the water, the sun is very powerful and we ended up with a case of sun poisoning which made for some pretty nasty itching. When looking for the best resort you have to factor in what best suits your needs. If you are looking for a peaceful vacation, they pick one of the smaller resorts as opposed to the large ones. The small resorts will have fewer children and are more geared to the honeymoon type couple.
If you want to go for the party or family type resort then they larger ones are for you. The will cater to kids and adults and have plenty of night life to take you to the wee small hours of the morning.
As well, remember the rum in most islands is very strong, so take it in moderation or you will find your self with one dozy of a hangover.
The Dominican is an excellent destination and the locals will make you feel welcome and at home. Take in its breathtaking beauty and charm and most of all enjoy yourself.
