Travel guide Dominican Republic

This danceable, folkloric rhythm, which originated in the Dominican Republic, became popular in the 1960s and especially since the 1980s with the development of tourism. The bachata is a mixture of bolero, musical influences of African origin and other sounds evoking the merengue, the cha-cha-cha or the tango. Typical!

Baseball (or béisbol) is the national sport par excellence, followed with fervor by an entire nation: attending a game in the Dominican Republic immerses you in an authentic, local atmosphere! The sport arrived here with Cuban sugar cane planters fleeing Cuba during the Ten Years' War (1868-1878).

Carnival in the Dominican Republic is one of the most incredible in the Caribbean. What makes it so special is that it takes place twice a year, on the anniversary of national independence day (February 27) and the anniversary of the restoration of the Republic (August 16). Masked parades, rum and good cheer!

If you see someone waving a red rag at the side of a road, be careful! It means animals in transit or roadworks. Slow down! The herd, or even a single cow, is usually behind the next bend in the road. Some vehicles also hang this piece of cloth to indicate a balanced load.

This is the part of the rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan and is slightly burned when it is prepared. It is customary in all families after finishing the first service to ask enthusiastically who wants concón, which is usually served with red beans. Dominicans love it, and we recommend it...

These must-visit grocery stores are more than just shops: they're meeting places where people come to have a drink, chat with neighbors and relax. In Santo Domingo, some are veritable institutions, like the one in Plaza Duarte, while others are trying out new trends, like Coolmado de las Mercedes.

It's the traditional men's game, played all over the island and at all hours. A rickety table and a few chairs are all that's needed for players to set up and improvise a game that can last for hours. Particularly skilful, the players hold the dominoes in one hand and rattle them noisily as they come down on the board.

This is the phrase to use when hitchhiking in the Dominican Republic. In rural or poorly served areas, you can ask a driver to give you a lift by waving. However, always be careful not to put yourself in danger by making sure that the person is well-intentioned.

Almost every village has its own gallera, the arena where cockfighting takes place, a popular and highly prized pastime. The fights take place on weekends. As the fights get underway, the betting public gets excited, and the atmosphere is often electric. A practice which nevertheless remains ethically questionable.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016, merengue is a major part of the country's culture. While the locals love to dance to some twenty different rhythms, the most famous remains the merengue, a blend of Spanish and African culture, influenced by the güira, an instrument made of a cylindrical brass rasp on which a scraper is rubbed.

While it's the cheapest way to get around the Dominican Republic, it's far from the least dangerous. Since 2006, motos conchos (short for moto con chófer - motorcycle with driver) have formed a union. Prices should be about the same everywhere, but in reality they are not. Don't hesitate to negotiate.

This is plantain banana, low in sugar but high in starch, which makes it firmer and more resistant to cooking. Very abundant, it is one of the most widely consumed foods. It can be prepared in many different ways, fried or mashed, sweetened or salted, for example tostones (fried slices).