Catalina Island
Small island off the southern coast with white sand and clear water. Boat trips stop here for swimming and snorkelling, and divers visit the reefs nearby.
La Romana
Saona Island can be reached on boat trips from this city, which also has the village of Altos de Chavón and the Casa de Campo resort.
Attractive locations
Saona Island
Large island in the east with palm-lined beaches and shallow, turquoise water. Day trips by boat from the coast often stop at a natural pool where starfish rest in the sand.
Cotubanamá National Park
Protected area on the southeast coast, also called Parque Nacional del Este, with dry forest, caves and coastline. Birds and other wildlife live here, and Saona Island is part of it.
Cuevas de las Maravillas
Limestone caves reached by a short guided walk, with stalactites and stalagmites and rock drawings from the Taíno people. Lighting and walkways make the tour easy to follow.
Altos de Chavón
Hillside replica of a Mediterranean artists' village overlooking the Chavón river, with cobbled lanes, a stone church and a large open-air amphitheatre. Galleries and workshops make it a pleasant walk.
Bayahibe
Small fishing town and beach on the south-east coast, and the starting point for boat trips to Saona and Catalina islands. Its waterfront has calm water and simple restaurants.
Airports
Casa De Campo International Airport LRM
It is about 7 km in a straight line from La Romana.
Punta Cana International Airport PUJ
It is about 66 km in a straight line from La Romana.
Las Américas International Airport SDQ
It is about 74 km in a straight line from La Romana.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Dominican Republic page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan25.6 °C38 mm
- Feb25.8 °C27 mm
- Mar26.4 °C25 mm
- Apr27.3 °C47 mm
- May27.8 °C67 mm
- Jun28.1 °C46 mm
- Jul28.4 °C49 mm
- Aug28.7 °C59 mm
- Sep28.5 °C65 mm
- Oct27.9 °C62 mm
- Nov27.0 °C78 mm
- Dec26.1 °C47 mm
Driest months: Jan, Feb, Mar. Wettest months: May, Sep, Nov.
Costs
Prices here are about 39% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
911 for all emergencies.
local government
Tourist Police (POLITUR), Dominican National Police
Helps with: The central office of the Dominican tourist police, listed in the National Police directory. Its tourist assistance and protection work covers visitors in tourist areas.
Who qualifies: Tourists and other visitors in the Dominican Republic.
Phone: (809) 222-2123
Email: [email protected]
Address: Ave. Gustavo Mejía Ricart esq. Teodoro Chasseriau, Santo Domingo, D.N.
ngo
Cruz Roja Dominicana (Dominican Red Cross)
Helps with: The Dominican national Red Cross society, a non-profit. Its services include a blood bank, clinical laboratories, training, and ambulance transport. It also lists disaster response and pre-hospital care as areas of work.
Who qualifies: People in the Dominican Republic who need its health, ambulance or disaster services.
Phone: 809-334-4545
Address: C/ Juan E. Dunant No. 51, Ensanche Miraflores, Santo Domingo
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Dominican Republic
Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in the Dominican Republic since 1968. It responds to the humanitarian needs of migrants, displaced people and returnees, and supports migration management.
Who qualifies: Migrants, displaced people and returnees in the Dominican Republic. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +1 809 688 81 74
Address: Av. César Nicolás Penson 102, Santo Domingo
local government
Emergency number 911 (police, ambulance and fire)
Helps with: Reaches the police, ambulance and fire services in the Dominican Republic. UK government travel advice says 911 does not have full coverage across the country.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 911
local government
Tourist police emergency line outside Santo Domingo
Helps with: Tourist police line for emergencies outside Santo Domingo, as given by UK government travel advice. That advice says the 911 number does not cover the whole country.
Who qualifies: Visitors who are outside Santo Domingo and need the tourist police in an emergency.
Phone: +1 809 200 3500