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Question: Has anyone ever been to the Dominican Republic?

Moongidget

Angel Diva
So DH and I are currently planning a trip to the DR. I haven't booked tickets yet, but I was planning on doing so after he chats with his boss about it today. I'm super psyched, have our destination region/town picked out and hotels narrowed down to two.

Then I went to the CDC Travel website and got freaked out. Malaria I can deal with. But dengue, typhoid and rabies!? That scares me. Anyone have any advice? Been there?

Unlike when DH and I went to Belize, I cannot find a single hotel with nets over the beds. That seems odd, but we are going to a town in DR as opposed to an isolated resort where jungle meets the sea as we did in Belize.

Thoughts?
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Do you ever chat on travel websites? I bet you could find good info on tripadvisor, fodors or lonely planet.
 

litterbug

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don't know about dengue, but you ought to be up on rabies vaccinations anyway (I think you only need it every 10 years or so), and typhus is always something to be protected against if you're going into areas that might have poor sanitation. Neither typhus or rabies is transmitted by flying insects; mosquito nets are effective against malaria, but if you'll be staying in local hotels with open windows, a mosquito net will help ensure a more peaceful night's sleep. I'd check out whether malaria's even an issue where you're headed. Do check out travel sites to find out the protocols. If nothing else, talk with your GP or some other medical source to make sure you have what you need.

Have lots of fun and bring back lots of pics!
 

Moongidget

Angel Diva
Christy - I have checked Fodor's, LP and TA. I can't find a single negative review for the area we are going to re: mosquitos, or other rare illness. I think CDC just needs to be overly cautious esp with 3rd world and developing countries.

I plan an talking to my GP, and Kaiser has a special travel line where you discuss your trip in detail with a NP or PA, and they advise/prescribe as necessary.

I'm super excited. We've ok'd it through both our jobs and I'm making reservations today!
 

geargrrl

Angel Diva
we found out after the fact that Honduras has Degue and Malaria. In some places they recommend taking a prophylacitic anti malarial,
 

Moongidget

Angel Diva
Tickets booked! I'm so excited. I just can't even say how much. :banana:

This trip, although we have to wait until Thanksgiving to actually go on it, came at just the right time. My bestest bud, who I work with, is moving away, my boss has been an unfun turd for about a month or more, DH has been a studying fool for months and months, and I was just plain struggling to cope with it all. I'm such a planner, that this will give me something to plan and look forward to while I deal with all of these other changes.

Yay!
 

Downunder Diva

Angel Diva
Oh wow MG how exciting!!! Have the best time ever over there. Perhaps you could take a mosquito repellent impregnated net ( they weigh nothing) and also a steripen ( also weighs nothing - in case you get caught short without bottled water)... And we all expect a TR and pics :becky:
 

Moongidget

Angel Diva
And we all expect a TR and pics :becky:
Sure thing. DH loves to take pics, so there will be 1,000's!

I had thought about the net, and thankfully we still have a lot of time to figure these things out. I've been in communication with a couple hotel owners, so before we go I'll be asking a lot more questions of them.
 

Sherr630

Certified Ski Diva
Where in DR are you going? I have been to La Capital, La Romana, San Pedro de Maquoris, and in sept - november 2008 lived in Cabarete (north coast just east of puerto plata / sosua) for two months at a house where there were no screens on the windows. My husband and I were both fine - no dengue, no malaria, etc. I think I got pink eye at some point, but that had nothing to do with bugs and I've gotten that here in NYC too. We even went up into the mountains in Jamao and were fine. A couple of itchy mosquito bites maybe, but we never took any pre-emptive malaria meds or anything. Cant wait to hear which part you are going to. Have a great time!!
 

Moongidget

Angel Diva
The Samana Peninsula, specifically Las Terrenas.

Sherr630 - I am confused about $ in the DR and none of my research is helping. Everything is quoted in USD, however ATM's only shell out pesos. I also read to not carry around large sums of $. Seems obvious right? Will everyone take pesos, even though they quote USD? I am aware that we need $30 US to get into and out of the country. Will a taxi driver take pesos? How about a credit card?

Thanks for your help.
 

geargrrl

Angel Diva
Many of the islands operate on two kinds of monies. Example, in Honduras we could only get Limpera out of the ATM, but everyone was happiest being paid in dollars. We had some dollars we'd brought with us, but a trip to the ATM would give us local money. Half the CC charges were calulated in one currency; half the other. We've had similar experience on many of the Carribean islands. We found that for anything cash (taxis, tips, small vendors) , either/or was fine. I suspect that if there's any tourist economy, it will be the same where you are going.

A departure tax is normal... just set that aside so you have it. It's a great way to get rid of your leftover local money. It's smart to not carry a lot of cash. We use cards as much as possible, with the exception of local markets, taxis, tips, etc.
 

Sherr630

Certified Ski Diva
Hey MG,

Def similar in my experience in DR: everyone wants the dollars if you have it, but if you go to the ATM machine, you get pesos. And everyone takes pesos. If you do happen to pay in dollars, you will get pesos back as change anyway. I do agree on not carrying large sums of money around, but like you said - that's a given any time as a tourist, right?

My debit card at the time I spent a couple months was HSBC and charged no foreign transactions fees. That was 2008, but now I have Charles Schwab online banking which is also excellent with no foreign fees as far as I know.

I think you are fine dealing in pesos - just be aware of what the general exchange rate is for if you do pay in dollars anywhere. I havent been to Las Terrenas but Im pretty sure its not as touristy as Punta Cana or Puerto Plata, so that's kind of nice.
 

Moongidget

Angel Diva
That was 2008, but now I have Charles Schwab online banking which is also excellent with no foreign fees as far as I know.

Thanks for that. I knew about Schwab. Used mine to travel in Europe. Sweetest deal ever. And they have by far THE FRIENDLIEST phone agents than anyone, ever.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I went to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic for my honeymoon ~ 4 years ago and stayed at Excellence resort, it's an adults only resort all inclusive everything and was blissful. I didn't have any issues medically except an ear infection which I always seem to get when I go to places like that and spend alot of time in their swimming pools. There were definitely mosquitos outside though because I recall them spraying people with bug spray during some of the nightly outside events when we were just sitting around. I never noticed anything in my room though..

We brought cash and traveler's checks in USD when we went and the hotel front desk was able to accomidate everything we needed. Though we didn't need cash for much since everything was all inclusive, we basically used it for tipping people, buying souveniers from shops as well as locals who sell stuff, and the one excursion we went on.
 

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