Located in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and constitutes the eastern two-thirds of the Antilles Island. The Hispaniola Island was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. The landscape of the island is forested and mountainous (Pico Duarte – highest mountain at 3175 m), with valleys, plains and plateaus. The soil is fertile with excellent beaches rising up to the mountains on the north, southeast and east coasts. The Dominican coast offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.

Money and Currency: Dominican Republic Peso (RD$, DOP);
Dominican Republic Peso = 100 centavos
The Euro and US Dollar, as well as all common credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Eurocard, American Express, Diners Club) are usually accepted.

Health and Vaccinations: There are no vaccinations recommended. However all water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated and sterilisation should be considered essential. Water used for drinking, brushing your teeth or making ice should be first boiled or otherwise sterilised. As milk is sometimes not pasteurised, it is recommended to cook it first. Powdered or tinned milk is also available. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry an increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Malaria exists throughout the year, but only in rural areas of the western provinces. Hepatitis A and B, as well as the dengue fever, may also occur.

Security: The Dominican Republic is a democratic Republic. Since the change of government in 2004 under the presidency of Leonel Fernández Reyna, the political situation of the country remains stable. This is a very important contribution to the overall security of the country.
As tourism is one of the most important economic factors, there is a dedicated police force for tourists – the so-called POLITUR (Policía Tourística) which is exclusively responsible for the security of tourists in the country.

Airports: There are 6 international airports servicing the Dominican Republic – Santo Domingo / Las Americas (SDQ), Puerto Plata / La Union (POP), Punta Cana (PUJ), La Romana (LRM), Samaná / El Catey (AZS), and Santiago de los Caballeros / Cibao (STI). Moreover there are 9 small National Airports – Barahona (BRX), Constanza (COZ), Pedernales (CBJ), Sabana de la Mar (SNX), San Juan de la Maguana (SJM), Santo Domingo / Herrera (HEX), Santo Domingo / La Isabela (JBQ), and Santo Domingo / San Isidro (ZXD, Las Terrenas / El Portillo.