Go with a plan.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Dominican Republic
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Street solicitation for money
Strangers follow tourists to strike up conversation, eventually demanding money or protection fees. Do not engage in conversation with these persistent individuals.
Unsolicited guide services
Locals offer to guide you to your destination but will demand payment or use the interaction to set you up. Decline all offers to be led anywhere.
Taxi and ride-hail interference
Individuals in uniforms or claiming to be police force tourists away from Uber services toward run-down local taxis. Refuse their demands and persist in your choice of transport.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Age of consent
The age of consent is 18. Engaging in sexual activity with minors results in prosecution, including potential charges from your home country.
Drinking and driving
It is illegal for tourists and visitors to drink and drive. Penalties apply for those caught operating a vehicle under the influence.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Cholera, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to the Dominican Republic must obtain a visa from one of the
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in the Dominican Republic, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Attitudes towards the LGBT+ community are mostly conservative throughout the Caribbean. Although same-sex sexual relations are legal in the Dominican Republic, same-sex marriages are not legally recognised. Showing affection in public may result in unwanted and negative attention. Nearly all Dominican hotels welcome LGBT+ travellers, although you should check when you book. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •The Dominican Republic is generally a safe country.
- •Relatively fewer streets, particularly ones that are not main thoroughfares, are well-lit after dark than you might expect or see back home, even in the capital of Santo Domingo.
Staying healthy
- •Malaria can be a rare issue around rainforests if travelers don't take protective measures such as repellents against mosquito bites.
- •There is a risk of dengue fever and chikungunya fever which is contracted through mosquitoes that bite during the day and during some seasons of the year.
- •Many of the local foods are safe to eat including the meats, fruits, and vegetables.
- •Visitors, however, should not drink any of the local water and should stay with bottled water or other beverages. It is important for visitors to stay hydrated in the hot, humid climate.
- •Sunburn and sun poisoning are a great risk. The sun is very bright here. Use at least SPF30 sunblock. Limit sun exposure.
- •The country's adult HIV/AIDS prevalence is reaching 2.0% or 1 in 50 adults, which is almost 3 times higher than the USA. Practice safe sex.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
- Ongoing border enforcement : Revocation of citizenship of convicted criminals2026-07-21
- The Crisis of Care Work - The American Prospect2026-07-21
- A Dangerous Partnership2026-07-21
- Not on Our Watch : Defending Democracy from the Playbook That Broke Lisbon , Madrid , Berlin , and Rome Nearly 100 Years Ago and Aims to Break Washington , DC Today2026-07-20
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers in the Dominican Republic focus their safety concerns on alcohol consumption and transportation risks. Regarding drinks, the consensus is to avoid pre-mixed options from resort restaurants and instead ensure your drink is prepared directly in front of you at the bar to avoid tainted alcohol. Transportation presents its own set of dangers, specifically involving ATVs, which are associated with a high frequency of accidents. When moving between locations like Santo Domingo and Las Terrenas, travelers prefer private car shuttles over other methods for ease and security. While travelers seek out paradise destinations, they remain wary of the practical risks inherent in local transit and beverage handling.
“I would just advise you always get the drink made in front of you and not order it from the resort restaurants (I did this for one of my drinks and that was the only time it felt a little funky so I didn't drink that one).
— r/travel
“We were worried about the safety of ATVs given there's a lot of accidents with them, if it was even a good idea to get around on them from Las Terrenas to the waterfall (35 min drive).
— r/travel
“We are going to rent a private car shuttle from SDQ to the town of Las Terrenas because I figured it would be easier than the bus and we have 6 people so it can be split.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B / C · 120V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 911 / ambulance: 911 / fire: 911
SIM / Data
Telephone numbers in the Dominican Republic use area code +1 (809) with +1 (829) and +1 (849) as overlay codes. Telecommunications in the Dominican Republic use the North American Numbering Plan country code, 1, followed by the area code as in the US and Canada.
Cash vs. Card
The currency of the Dominican Republic is the Dominican peso denoted by the symbol "$" or "RD$" (ISO code: DOP). Wikivoyage uses "RD$" for clarity.
Zoom in
One Dominican Republic city on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (9 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09