Info for first visit

Welcome to the forums Jim!

You may not be coming to the right place. Santo Domingo is a large city and there are no swimmable beaches here.

You need to go about 40 minutes out of the city to find a beach.

If that is important to your vacation you will want to start looking at other areas.

I won't address the other questions yet.

You probably don't want Santo Domingo.  Like planner said, BIG CITY!  Flights are cheaper, but ground transport will eat the budget.  Punta Cana has many resorts right on the beach, but lots of tourist.  Would suggest the North Coast area and a resort or private condo.  Flights more expensive, but nicer and much cheaper in the long run.  Puerto Plata, Sosua, or Cabarete.  I prefer Cabarete since you can walk to everything!

Much slower pace.

@jas1962:  2 words...Punta Cana.

Slower pace sounds good for me. I will be looking for a place on or near the beach for 2 weeks. I will not be spending much time inside so it can be minimal. Any suggestions? How do people get around? Can rent mopeds while there? In the long run I plan to stay there for the winter months. I am tired of the cold winters. Also interested in day snorkel trips. Maybe fishing trips. Anyone here stay in DR full time?  Do they have night markets with many different kinds of food for sale?

@sberger50 Cabarete sounds nice. I like the relaxed pace and am not really into the crowded tourist places. Any specific info I would love to hear. Do you live or stay there?

Ok so that helps information wise.

There are many places to consider and it all depends on what you like and your budget!

I will recommend you start reading threads on here. There is a lot of information to consider.

Specific places to consider:

North coast:

costambar, Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete, Cabrera.

Samana and Las Terrenas

East Coast

Punta cana, Bavaro

South coast:

La Romana, Juan Dolio

Southwest

Baharona area - you will need Spanish for sure

Just general areas to consider. Not one is better than the other! They are all different, each has it's pros and cons! Find what work for you.

@jas1962 To answer your question - yes, most of us on this forum live here permanently or at least a good part of the year.

I will visit for probably 1 month. I will want to travel from beach to beach. I am guessing a bus system would be the easiest way to travel. Will getting just basic accommodation at different places be easy? I do not want to book places in advance to keep my schedule flexible. I will be looking for places near but outside of tourist areas. I have looked up beaches but the only way to know is to go to them. Do any of the beaches have good snorkeling by walking from the beach?

I have booked my flights. Is it good to bring USD? Should I exchange currency at the airport? Can you use a debit card to get Pesos or better to have cash? Do taxis negotiate fares like in other countries or do they use meters to clock the miles?

I ordered Dominican Peso's from my local bank 3 weeks before my trip.

Never exchange at the airport. You will get much much better rates at exchange houses or western union.

If you come to Punta Cana I can help with your tours and accommodations.  MICHES is very pretty and not overdeveloped and has mountains and the ocean.

I found my phone carrier will charge me $10 per day if I make a phone call. Does anyone know what I can do? Can make call using the WiFi?

Switch out your Sim card and use what's up or messenger to call home

If you are just here for a short time you can turn your data off and just use wifi calling, download an app called "Duo" and make wifi phone calls (the other party must also have Duo installed on their phone).  You don't have to change out your phone card to use whatsapp but you will be limited to making wifi communications (if your data is off).  In other words if you are out on the road you will have nothing.  That's when a sim card from here or mobile internet device works well.  Sim cards are cheap and you can get a pay as you go account.

I have Verizon, and you can call them to get their international calling plan added for free.  If in the DR and you turn your phone "ON", it will start a 24 hour clock in which the phone works just like at home, in US.  Cost is $10/24 hr.  Second option is to get the app "Whatsapp" which is internet generated.  You can call for free with internet but the receiver must also have the app on their phone.  Used a lot in the DR for local calls.  That is maybe your best two options. 

I had Verizon when I first came here and it was 5 dollars a minute so I bought a sims card and bought min. Then switched to T-mobile,  25 cents a minute , for out of network like when someone is call from out of country plus I use WhatsApp most of the time  , works great

Any recommendations on a company for a sim card?

Any recommendations on a company for a sim card?
-@jas1962

Altice and Claro are the two big providers, coverage will vary based on where you are.

I intend to be coming down often. Sim card may be the way to go. If I change my sim will it change my ph number? Will my phone still have all the information and numbers that are in it. Thank you so much for your help.

@jas1962

depending on your phone and provider at home, you may be able to get an e-sim for your US or CA phone and insert a DR phone into your physical sim. We’ve done that and it works pretty well. 

Jas1962,  you sound JUST like me.....

I just want to get there and enjoy.

Stay wherever I want. Nothing touristy, just natural.

I have been determined to get to the DR for LITERALLY decades .

I think I have read every paragraph of every thread on this forum .

My problems however are numerous.....

My international travel experience is minimal, my Spanish is even less.

My patience is non-existent. LOL.

I don't know how to haggle.

I'm spoiled. I am more than willing to pay whatever it is, to have what I like.

From what I have learned from this forum, that is the recipe for disaster.

Some Spanish is essential.

Patience is MANDATORY !

And knowing what things should cost is strongly recommended.

Even the phone service issue caught me off guard. When I first posted my worries about not being able to contact anyone in the event of a problem, someone recommended an "international plan"

I thought he was suggesting a tour group.

LMAO !!!  So, now I don't know what to do.

I will be anxiously waiting for the results of your experience.   All the luck.

You could always get a cheap phone just for here and put minutes as you go  , if your coming  on a continuous basis  but I’m sure there are more tech savvy people then me that could help you with your decision