Dominican Republic All-Inclusive Travel Guide

Do you need a passport, visa, or E-Ticket?

U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport but no visa for tourism. The one extra step is the E-Ticket: a free, mandatory online entry and exit form at eticket.migracion.gob.do that takes about ten minutes. Fill it out within a few days of travel and save the QR code to your phone. The old paper tourist card is now included in your airfare.

Use only the official migracion.gob.do site; lookalike sites charge a fee for what is a free form.

Is Punta Cana safe? And is it safe to leave the resort?

The resort areas (Punta Cana, Cap Cana, La Romana, Samaná) are the safest parts of the country and are patrolled by a dedicated tourist police force (POLITUR); violent crime against tourists in these zones is rare. The country carries an active U.S. travel advisory worth a quick read (the current level is shown at the top of this guide).

Leaving the resort on an organized excursion is fine and recommended. Use resort transfers or licensed operators, don't flash valuables, go easy on the very free-flowing drinks, and ignore the 'pirate lawyers' who linger near tourist areas. Check travel.state.gov before you travel.

Currency, U.S. dollars, and tipping

The Dominican peso (RD$) is the official currency, but U.S. dollars are widely accepted in resort areas. Restaurants and resorts often add a 10% service charge plus tax, and it's customary to add another 10% or so for good service on top. Carry small bills; pesos are handiest for tipping staff directly.

When to visit

Peak season is December through April: dry, sunny, and priciest. Late spring and early summer offer good weather at lower rates. Hurricane season runs June through November. If whale-watching appeals, Samaná's humpbacks arrive from mid-January to mid-March.

Getting there & around

Most travelers fly into Punta Cana (PUJ), the gateway to the Punta Cana, Bávaro, and Cap Cana resort strip. La Romana (LRM) serves Casa de Campo and the southeast, while Santo Domingo (SDQ) and Puerto Plata (POP) cover the capital and north coast. The DR drives on the right; resort transfers and organized tours are the easy, low-stress way to get around.

What to do beyond the resort

Day-trip to Saona Island for postcard sandbars, swim the turquoise Hoyo Azul cenote at Cap Cana, wander the Mediterranean-style artists' village of Altos de Chavón, or zip-line through the hills. History buffs should see Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, the oldest European city in the Americas, and winter visitors can whale-watch in Samaná.

Good to know

Power & plugs: 110V, the same flat plugs as the U.S. Language: Spanish, with English common at resorts. Water: stick to bottled off-resort. Sunscreen: pack reef-safe for the cenotes and reefs. Dress: beach-casual by day, smart-casual for specialty restaurants at night.