What You Need to Know Before Traveling to a Caribbean Destination, Dominican Republic

An enjoyable time is what we all wish when we think about taking a vacation, however, there is more to the story than just tropical beaches. There are some things that you probably will not think about before taking a trip to the Dominican Republic. Beautiful beaches, warm breezes, green mountains, great food, fantastic weather, friendly people, and much more can be found in this beautiful country. To have a safe and enjoyable trip there are some details you need to know before traveling to the Dominican Republic.

Weather conditions are something that you would think you would not have to worry about when you are traveling to a Caribbean destination, however, the weather conditions can be an issue if you do not pay attention to certain details. The weather in the Dominican Republic is warm throughout the year. A typical day in the Dominican Republic has temperatures in the 80 degree range Fahrenheit, however, there are places that the temperature could drop down to the freezing point. These lower temperatures can be found in the mountains. Remember that the Dominican Republic has very high mountains in some places, including the highest point in the whole Caribbean, which is called Pico Duarte. Its altitude reaches 10,417 ft. There are other elevations where lower temperatures can be found as well. Make sure to bring your winter gear if you planning on taking on this type of adventure.

Transportation is not so bad if you planing on taking buses, taxis, or the train. Be aware that taxis sometimes can be a little pricey if you are planning on taking taxis every day. Also keep in mind the train runs only locally in the capital, Santo Domingo. Another option is renting a car, which can be sometimes even worse. The fact is that driving in a foreign country is already an issue, but went it comes that the safety of driving around, the Dominican Republic has its own challenges. In most cities and towns, the traffic lights do not work and most people do not follow the traffic laws. Motorcycles, which are the most common way of transportation in the Dominican Republic, can often make driving really unsafe for themselves and other drivers. The motorcycle riders sometimes can cross in front of you unexpectedly and between cars in a very unsafe way. Also keep in mind that most of the roads are very narrow. Another big issue when driving a car is some drivers just stop at the red light signal for a second and go through the red light. This type of driving is very common especially if there is not a police officer around. On the highways it is even worse, as drivers can go to the maximum speed that their cars can reach.

There are places along the highway where vendors sell very nice things such as food and other things as well. However, the location in which merchants sell their products is on the shoulders of the highway, which is extremely dangerous. If you decided to stop in one of this places take in consideration the safety issues of the location, especially if you are traveling with kids or pets. Be aware that these issues that I have addressed above are some things that are good to know before you experience them first hand. On the other hand, remember that the Dominican Republic is a country that is not fully developed yet, which can explain why you need to be aware of these types of issues. Besides that the Dominican Republic can give you a joyful vacation if you take into consideration the tips above. Enjoy your vacation!