Anyone been to the Dominican Republic??
 

Just about to book a last minute break to the Dominican Republic, second and third week in September:)
Just wondered if anyone had been and if so what was it like. Looks really nice on the TV and in pic's.
Just looked at the weather for the next ten days and its cloudy, rain and thunder. Not much crack if the weather is often like that.:nono:

Whats your opinions????

HI SOOB

I think the reason the rain is like that is because there are currently 4 Hurricanes lined up to go through there in the next 2 weeks or so. Does nothing for the weather.

Or am I thinking of somewhere else?

Might be right?? Never really thought about it.

So long as they are past within the next few weeks it will be fine;)

September is the wettest month down on the south coast of the Dominican Republic, but it's one of the driest months on the north coast, so it depends where you're going. Having said that, I went to Santo Domingo in September (1983!), and it didn't rain at all ;)

So it might be safer up north then:)

If it's anything like St lucia i wouldn't bother,what a dump :D

Unfortunately the place is a khasi, which is why you've got a cheap holiday - you get what you pay for. Poor sanitation, outbreaks of sickness, poor infrastructure, largely confined to guarded holiday complexes, widespread poverty that is embarrassing to go and witness. Oh, and did I mention the other half of the island is Haiti, run for years by the wonderful dictator Papa Doc Duvalier, then by his son Baby Doc........voodoo and the like is still rumoured.

Also went to St Lucia back in about 1987, that was a khasi too, swore I would never go back. Or Barbados, in 1985 the year Airtours started flying there - predicted that would be ruined by Essex people too..... :)

Don't want to put you off though, you might like Magaluf in the Caribbean :D

Mr T-S will soon be leaving his job at Lloyds of London to take up a new position with the Dominican Republic Tourist Board :)

Glad it wasn't just me that thought the Caribbean was a bit of a toilet then lol

Make sure you take *plenty* of Gaviscon, diarrhea medicine and the like - you'll need it.

Man... what do I do NOW???

Go, but go prepared. At least if you know what to expect you can deal with it.

Oh, and don't leave ANY valuables in your room the day before you're due to leave, not if you want to see them again. Classic party piece in many DR resorts.

Like the wife :D:D:D:D

We went a couple of years ago. Try to speak some Spanish, rent a jeep, take a lonely planet guide and go enjoy one of the most beautiful islands around. Sure, the place is rather backward and driving standards are variable to say the least. The infrastructure is improving, Santa Domingo is quite a pleasant town and the people are nice. The only place I've seen people dancing in a supermarket. I thought I'd wandered into Mary Poppins by mistake...

Try to avoid driving at night as the locals tend to avoid using their lights to save wear and tear on the bulbs. And just keep your wits about you because you are so much wealthier than everyone who lives there that you're an easy mark.

Oh, and don't go on an all inclusive and stay in the hotel for two weeks. If you're going to do that then save a few bob and go to Butlins instead.

SB

LOL @ Chris :D

HI SOOB

If the next couple of windstorms hit, the above will be the least of your worries :D This year is predicted for above average windstorm activity, and the season is just starting........ ;)

Very much a "third world" experience and quite unlike the rest of the caribbean. Take a trip outside the tourist areas and you will see new stuff. e.g. workers toiling in the cane fields with machetes and oxen, my dog has a better shed than the locals. Just pop along to a small town and you might happen upon a cow being disected in the street by the local butcher with the blood running down the gutter. Small place we stayed in the guard had a shotgun, tho no bullets, he said. The bars on the windows and doors in town will give you an idea of the after dark activity. When we had stuff pinched we went along to report it to the law and saw the prisoners banged up in the local nick. Very interesting!!
If you fancy you can pop across the border to Haiti and see real 3rd world with slavery and voodoo.
But don't let me put you off, we wern't bored and met some nice friendly people.

P.S. Look out for some wee chap wearing my goggles, I sometimes picture him gripping a palm tree for grim life as he hangs horizontally in the hurricane wearing my stuff.

PMSL :D

Just got back from the dominican this morning,its a brilliant place to go we stayed at the gran ventena resort in puerto plata.It was all inclusive and worth every penny, you need to go on a few trips and see how the locals live,it really opens your eyes to how the other half live.I wouldn't recomend hireing a car tho,they are completly nuts,no road sense at all:D and there is no drink drive laws out there!We got the back end of hurricane charly(the 1 that hit usa) it was a massive storm a couple of hours on and off,but good to see!!:D:D

Went there about 6 years ago...I stayed in the south which at the time was not over developed so it was pretty grim in places.The resort we stayed in was nice though,clean and quiet and right on the most amazing beach.
Don`t drive out there as the local can`t drive and the cars and vans are deathtraps.During monsoon like rain we watched cars go buy with no windscreens or if the had that luxury they had no wipers so they just drove with there head out of the window.
It was dirt cheap out there,the local rum was £3 a litre and trips out were only about £20.Went into the capitol which was a bit daunting at first cause not many tourists who stayed in the popular north came down so you stick out like a sore thumb.It turned out to be fine and most left you alone or were friendly if they did speak to you.
It is a third world country so don`t expect to much.Water and leccy went off for some time each day even though most hotels have there own generators..

So its not so bad after all!!

LOL at some of the comments:)

ttt