Dominican Republic Warning?
 

I see many positive posts regarding the Dominican Republic... <BR> <BR>However when I brought up this possible vacation destination with my travel agent she told me that if she were to print up a ticket for me to the D.R. there would be a warning from the U.S. government saying that they cannot ensure my safety if I traveled there..... Why? Is this accurate?

Get another travel agent! The DR has become a very popular tourist mecca.

So, where does your travel agent think she/he can get a better commission... This winter will be our seventh visit to the D.R. The Dominican people are really lovely and sweet..there are mainly all inclusive resorts on beautiful long beaches. Yes, like all big cities when visiting Santo Domingo you have to be a little careful, but this senior citizen can hardly wait to return and tour S.D. on our own..visit the Mercado, lunch at a little native restaurant whose name I won't even mention and revisit history.. Get another travel agent..Punta Cana, La Romana, Boca Chica, Puerta Platta (not my favorite) are all waiting for you...and you won't feel as ripped off as you do in Cancun or the Yucatan..etc.

you can check for youself the State Dept's warning about the Dominican Republic at http://travel.state.gov/dominican_republic.html <BR>Erring on the side of caution seems to be the State Dept's motto with the warnings but your agent is not wrong and is only reporting to you what she knows. I suspect that those mega a/i closed-compound resorts do pay nice commissions!

That warning was from March 2000.

Your travel agent was merely telling you the truth, the snide comments seem unwarranted in this case (and I'm no travel agent fan); can you imagine how many complaints he/she would get if no mention was made of this fact? It is cheap but most people just limit themselves to all-inclusive resorts and remain isolated, if that's what you want, it should be fine. It's a third-world country, the second poorest in the Latin Am/Caribbean region after Haiti.

I agree with the others. Get another travel agent. I've been there 3 times, and am going back in September. The people can't do enough for you at the resorts, in fact, I never felt a need to leave the resort. Everything I needed...activities, sun, beach, food, drink...was there in abundance. You cannot beat the price. I've never seen that warning on any of my tickets. Go for it. I bet you'll love it.

I am a travel agent and there are NO warnings on tickets to the DR. You need a better travel agent who is fully informed!

UH, duh, Travel Agent! They don't print the warning on the ticket! And even though the warning is March 2000, what has changed? No one said a thing about not going but when and if you do, you should be aware of and educated as to what to expect. But then if you hide in one of the closed compounds and never leave, that's a different story. Of course, the guards at the airport unnerved me a bit with the machine guns but I guess that was because of the drug runners. Are they still there?

The reason I am going to Boca Chica (besides the fact they have a beach and the hotels in Santo Domingo don't) is the fact I can go into the city...even if it's two or three times during the week we are there.. There is much history and many things to see...Is it a third world country,yes it is.. If your the type that doesn't want to see dirty or poverty, go to Aruba or on a cruise.. This trip I also want to go to a local baseball game.. Go and have a great time, I promise you that if you go you will..

I don't know if and when the State Department issued such a warning, but be assured, if you take the same precautions you would take in any major town in the world (yes, including the US), nothing will happen to you. Dominicans are nice people, generally, and although they sure like to get some of your money (who wouldn't ?), they prefer to get it in an honest way. <BR>The comparison to Haiti seems a bit unfair to me. The DR might be the second poorest country in the Carribean but IT IS NOT a third world country. I don't know of any third world country where they have McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Payless Shoes and so on. <BR>

The DR is not a third world country???!!! Ridiculous. McDonalds is in almost every country in the world. The only non third world countries in the caribbean would be the Cayman Island s and one or two others. All of the larger islands are a part of the so called third world. By your own logic Haiti is the only third world country in the Caribbean.

You can and do get sick in the Dominican Republic. They specifically say do not drink the water after a rainfall because the sewage drains into the drinking water. <BR><BR>People do get sick in the Dominican Republic...that is why it is soooo cheap to go.<BR><BR>If people want to spend there vacation being sick, so be it.

I didn't know th US gov. could ensure our safety anywhere including at home!!!I have felt safter in most places in the Carribean including DR than in most cities in the USA. Have a great trip and definately get a different travel agent. Check out website www.vacationexpress.com and click on Punta Cana. Great deals, I have used them quite often.

I am a travel agent, and no travel warning will print on your ticket. Also just back from DR and it is wonderful, we went into town and did tours of the country side and we never ever felt threatened at all. Also we did not get sick, but we did not drink the water I would not suggest going out on your own unless you are well traveled, and know what you are doning. Go and have a great time.

You holier than thou types crack me up. Our entire family just returned frrm a fabulous vacation in Punta Cana. Our ages renged from 20 months to 62 years old. We had a fabulous time at a great resort and enjoyed good food, lots of activites and a gorgeous beach. Not one of us got the least bit sick. <BR><BR>Yes we stayed in our "AI compund" but that's the type of vacation we were looking for. R and R in a beautiful setting with something to please everyone, and that's what we got.<BR><BR>I've traveled all over the world, and believe me, there isn't any more culture in Grand Cayman than there is in the DR. Maybe even less. <BR><BR>You want culture mixed with a great beach go to Phuket Thailand where I was 2 years ago and stay away from the caribbean in general.<BR><BR>It is a poor country but NOT a "third world country" in the sense that anything you need, including medical attention, is easily accessable. You want third world go to the Amazon Jungle, (where I've also been), now THAT is third world!

Our family of four just returned from Punta Cana. We took no chances with the local water, and all four of us were ill for most of the trip. We were at a beautiful AI resort, and the beaches were very nice, but we will never choose to return to DR. The money we saved was not worth it!!

If you want to be really scared, read the warnings about Mexico at:<BR>http://travel.state.gov/mexico.html<BR>The point is that anywhere you travel these days, has local problems. We felt very safe in the DR (Punta Cana) and as for those saying they got sick, I have only been sick one place and that was in Mexico on the Mayan Riviera. That doesn't mean I won't be back there because if I did that for every occasion I got sick, I'd end up never leaving my house! Travellers just need to pay close attention to all details, including, but not limited to, watching the local water.

Just returned from DR 2 days ago. Prior to booking my resort I did a lot of research, picked a 5 Star all inclusive in Punta Cana, and although we were careful about not drinking tap water, not even to brush teeth with, all 4 of us got sick at some point during our trip.<BR>The people working at the resort were very polite and friendly, however had major issues at the airport.<BR>Security officers at the airport opened our suitcases, and stole a lot of our personal hygiene items, such as deodorant, shaving razor, calogne etc.<BR>My husband had bought a bottle of rum, and that was kept by the security guard, who said it was "danger" to bring on the plane, when my husband told him he would go and empty the bottle he again just said "danger" he kept it for himself.<BR>Being in a strange country, we felt helpless, and did not want to cause trouble.<BR>Although we had a good experience at the resort I will not go back to the DR. <BR>

I was at Casa de Campo several years <BR>ago, had a nice time. Yet the guards with machine guns did bother us a little as a few other minor incidents.<BR>Beach was pretty, good a little ill from water one day. tried to be careful, any way my friend is interested in a new place called "Secrets" in Punta Cana, any <BR>feed back on this resort??