About Cabarete

~ Important information to know about your travels to the Dominican Republic ~

 

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How to Get Here

There are 3 main airlines that fly into Puerto Plata International Airport (POP):

• American Airlines – Connects in Miami Florida
• United Airlines – Connects in Newark New Jersey
• Jet Blue Airlines – Connects in JFK New York

**We HIGHLY highly recommend flying into POP airport as opposed to one of the other options – Santo Domingo (SDQ) or Santiago (STI) – Sometimes you will find cheaper flights into these airports but they require expensive long taxi rides along slow windy roads. Please contact us for additional info if you decide to fly into one of these alternative airports.  Please note that many flights from the West Coast have arrivals dates of +1 day.

**Please wait to purchase your plane ticket until the retreat is confirmed**

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Passport & Entry Information

• You WILL need a passport to travel to the Dominican Republic.  Make sure to double-check the expiration date on your passport BEFORE purchasing your plane ticket.  Some airlines will ask for your passport number in order to purchase your flight.
• AFTER you arrive in Puerto Plata Airport you will be required to go through immigration.  There is NO fee to enter.  You will state that your destination is Hotel Villa Taina in Cabarete.

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Money — Dinero

• The Dominican Peso (DOP) is the national currency in the Dominican Republic.  While it is best to have/use Pesos while here, US $ and Credit Cards are also accepted in some places.  Exchange rates fluctuate throughout the year but are generally around 50 Pesos to the Dollar.
• It is wise NOT to exchange your $$ at the airport, as you will get the worst exchange rates.  There is a bank directly across the street from our hotel making ATM withdrawls & exchange very easy!

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Language

• Spanish is the national language here in the Dominican Republic, although because this is a tourist destination, you will find that some locals also speak English, French, &/or German!
• We are lucky to have local friends here who are happy to help us learn / brush up on the language here, and classes on basic Spanish to help you get around are included in the cost of the retreat!

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Cultural & Climate Considerations

• The Dominican Republic is considered a ‘developing country’ and like other developing countries, wearing flashy expensive clothes and jewelry can attract the wrong kind of attention.  That being said, one of the main reasons we keep coming back to Cabarete is because we feel safe and welcomed here.
• Dominicans pride themselves on their hospitality.  When someone visits, Dominicans go out of their way to make their guests feel welcome and comfortable.
•  When asking someone here, ‘how they are doing’, the most common answer you will receive is “Tranquilo”.  There is no better way to describe the atmosphere here than this word, translated as “Chill”.
• Cabarete is a small beach town in the Caribbean that stays pretty warm and humid throughout the year, mid 80’s – low 90’s.  Loose shorts, pants, tank tops and loose fitting shirts will be most comfortable.