Dominican Republic Travel Tips
The Dominican Republic is a wildly popular destination wedding location because of its accessibility, excellent infrastructure, and affordable wedding packages. Destination wedding couples and their guests can enjoy a hassle-free vacation in the Dominican Republic because of the ease of with which you can get there, get in, and get around.
Traveling to the Dominican Republic
It is easy to get to the Dominican Republic by sea or air. The Ferries del Caribe service connects Santo Domingo and Mayaguez, Puerto Rico by ferry boat. There are also three major border crossings you can use to get to the Dominican Republic from Haiti.
The Dominican Republic is home to a number of international airports. The largest, most modern airport in the Dominican Republic is the Aeropuerto Internacional Las Americas in Santo Domingo. However, the airport that serves the most passengers is the Aeropuerto Internacional Punta Cana. The Aeropuerto Internacional Gregorio Luperon in Puerto Plata and the Aeropuerto Internacional Cibao in Santiago also serve many passengers. The Aeropuerto Internacional El Catey is a new airport 40km west of Samana where international flights from Puerto Rico and Europe land. You can catch charter flights from the US to the Aeropuerto Internacional La Romana if you are staying at the Casa del Campo or another resort in La Romana.
Airlines that serve the Dominican Republic include American Airlines via New York and San Juan, Continental Airlines via Newark, Delta via Atlanta, Jet Blue via New York and Orlando, Spirit Airlines via Fort Lauderdale, and US Airways via Philadelphia. It takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to get to the Dominican Republic from New York and 2 hours and 25 minutes from Fort Lauderdale.
Entry Requirements
To travel to the Dominican Republic, destination wedding couples and guests must have a valid passport and proof of an onward/return ticket. No visa is required for a stay of up to 30 days. Travelers are required to purchase a tourist card upon arrival. The tourist card cost USD $10 at the time of writing. If you prefer, you can also purchase a tourist card ahead of time at the Dominican Consulate in your area.
Rental Cars in the Dominican Republic
While there are inexpensive, first-class bus services available in the Dominican Republic, you can save a lot of time by renting a car. Renting a car allows you to see more of the island in a shorter amount of time because it eliminates having to wait for buses. The road conditions are pretty bad in the Dominican Republic so busted tires are a common problem. Prices to rent a car in the Dominican Republic range from around USD $40 to $100 per day. In order to rent a car in the Dominican Republic, you must be at least 25 years-old, have a valid driver’s license from your country, and show a major credit card or leave your passport as a deposit. Rental car companies that operate in the Dominican Republic include Budget Rent A Car, Alamo Rent A Car, and Hertz. Rental car offices are conveniently located in the international airports.
Destination Wedding Packages
There are destination wedding packages to suit any budget in the Dominican Republic. Resort wedding planners can plan every aspect of your wedding for you so all you have to do is concentrate on relaxing and spending time with your guests. Destination Wedding Packages at the Catalonia Bavaro Resort in Punta Cana are very budget-friendly and include services like a priest, decorations, champagne, a massage, breakfast in bed, and a wedding cake. Destination wedding guests who would like a luxury wedding package with all the frills can head to Villa Catalina, a luxury vacation villa on the north coast. Wedding packages at the Villa Catalina are completely customizable and include fireworks, a live band or DJ, photography services, helicopter transportation and much more.
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