Monumento de Santiago
Tall white monument on a hill in the middle of the city, honouring the heroes of the 19th-century war of restoration. Its terrace has wide views over the surrounding valley.
Santiago de los Caballeros
Tobacco and cigar making are centred in this second city, which also has a lively food scene and a monument on a hill.
Attractive locations
Santiago Apóstol Cathedral
Neo-Gothic cathedral facing the central park, with coloured glass windows and wooden carvings inside. It is a quiet space in the middle of a busy city centre.
Fortaleza San Luis
Old fort on a rise above the Yaque del Norte River, now used as a small museum of local history. The grounds look out over the river and the town below.
Pico Duarte
The highest mountain in the Caribbean, in the Cordillera Central. Most walkers take a guided trek of several days from a mountain village, through pine forest to the cool summit.
Jarabacoa
Mountain town with cool air and pine-covered hills in the central highlands, known as a base for river rafting, hiking and waterfalls.
Jimenoa Falls (Salto de Jimenoa Uno)
Tall waterfall on the Jimenoa River near Jarabacoa, dropping into a green gorge. A short walk and a hanging bridge lead to viewpoints, and a second fall nearby is also visited.
Airports
Cibao International Airport STI
It is about 11 km in a straight line from Santiago de los Caballeros.
Gregorio Luperon International Airport POP
It is about 37 km in a straight line from Santiago de los Caballeros.
Samaná El Catey International Airport AZS
It is about 103 km in a straight line from Santiago de los Caballeros.
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.
- Jan23.0 °C49 mm
- Feb23.3 °C29 mm
- Mar23.9 °C38 mm
- Apr25.0 °C44 mm
- May25.9 °C64 mm
- Jun26.9 °C39 mm
- Jul26.9 °C49 mm
- Aug27.1 °C55 mm
- Sep27.1 °C58 mm
- Oct26.5 °C60 mm
- Nov24.8 °C86 mm
- Dec23.6 °C56 mm
Driest months: Feb, Mar, Jun. Wettest months: May, Oct, 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