From the airport to the city centre Dominican Republic

If your plane lands you at Las Américas airport and your hotel is in Santo Domingo (and certainly in the colonial zone), the easiest thing to do is hop in a cab, which will take you to the heart of the capital in just over 30 minutes. It costs around US$40. There are also buses - the famous guaguas - which will take you into town, but not into the colonial zone. They are located on the second level of the airport, behind the cabs. Some hotels also have private shuttles that can pick you up at the airport. The best rates are obtained by booking in advance with www.sichala.com/tarifas.

If you're landing in Punta Cana, cab s are still the best option for getting to your hotel, unless your hotel offers a private shuttle service.

The last option is to rent a car directly from the airport where you arrive.

Arrival by boat Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic's main maritime tourist links are with Puerto Rico. Three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 6pm, a ferry leaves the port of Santo Domingo (located in the colonial zone) for San Juan (Puerto Rico). This service is provided by Ferries del Caribe (www.ferriesdelcaribe.com). Allow 14 hours for the crossing, arriving at 8 a.m. the next day. If you're planning to visit Puerto Rico, don't forget to bring a valid ESTA form, as the island is a North American territory.

The Dominican Republic is also a popular destination for cruisers. The country boasts a total of five ports, all of which are classic stops on a Caribbean cruise: Santo Domingo, La Romana, Puerto Plata, Samana and Punta Cana.

Public transport Dominican Republic

Guaguas. They're an institution all over the country, a very inexpensive service that allows you to travel from a few hundred meters to hundreds of kilometers for an unbeatable price. From Las Terrenas to Samaná by guagua, for example, it will cost you $100, compared with $340 for a Caribe Tours bus, and $2,000 - 20 times more - if you take a cab. Used daily by Dominicans, it's one of the few ways of rubbing shoulders with the local population and seeing the huge gap that exists between the very rich and the very poor, with the middle class ultimately made up of expatriates living here on their pensions or savings. In Santo Domingo, departures are usually from the Independencia or Enriquillo Park stations. Depending on prices and schedules, you may or may not have air conditioning. The air-conditioning in a guagua is the sliding door that remains open at all times, allowing you to get on and off quickly. To board the guagua, raise your hand to stop the vehicle and tell the driver where you want to go.

Hitchhiking. Posted along the roadside, Dominicans wait for guaguas or generous motorists. Here, we don't give the thumbs-up, but wave our arms perpendicular to the road, shouting "Dame una bola!

Bike, scooters & co Dominican Republic

A company called Zona Bici (www.zonabicird.com/home) offers Beach Cruiser bicycles (easily recognized by their turquoise color) for hire. A perfect solution for exploring the capital's colonial center. Rates range from 7US$ per hour to 28US$ per day for one bike. Electric bikes cost twice as much.

With a driver Dominican Republic

Cabs. Gas isn't necessarily more expensive than elsewhere, but most cabs charge surprisingly high fares, depending on the customer, or rather the tourist. This is particularly true when approaching tourist areas, even though some routes are priced and displayed in the taxi ranks. From the airport to downtown Santo Domingo, for example, the average fare is US$40, which is hard to negotiate. In the capital, Apolo Taxi offers more reasonable rates (www.apolotaxi.com).

Outside the major hotels and in the more developed tourist areas, where certain official cab companies have a monopoly, fares are based on destination. These vehicles have the advantage of being in better condition and therefore safer than others. But in most cases, cab fares are negotiated before you even get into the vehicle. The others are either shared cabs, identifiable by the "público" sign, or motorists offering their services as clandestine cab drivers, but beware of the dishonesty of some.

Uber. Another solution, which saw the light of day in 2016, and had the effect of a small bomb in the Dominican transport world: the arrival of Uber, which has profoundly shaken up habits. Young people and businesses alike quickly converted to it (www.uber.com/fr/cities/santo-domingo). This mode of transport is safe and inexpensive, which is why it's a good idea to have Internet data on your mobile.

Motoconchos. Outside the capital and Santiago, every town has its own network of motorcycle cabs. These are generally 50 to 125 cc motorcycles. It's a very popular and inexpensive mode of locomotion, but dangerous and rarely insured. So much so that some malicious tongues have dubbed them muertoconchos. Choose a vehicle in good condition and with working lights, but avoid three people on the same machine. In Samaná, some motoconchos, similar to the Thai tuk-tuk, tow small covered cabins that allow them to carry more passengers. A word of advice: always get on and off on the left side of a motoconcho to avoid burning your calf on the rarely protected engine.

By car Dominican Republic

Different street numbering systems coexist (when street names are displayed!), and this can be a little disorientating, especially as numbers are often absent. To help you find your way around, remember that addresses often mention the corner of the nearest street(esquina) or the streets between which the establishment is located. Even today, GPS won't help you much, and maps lack precision. So take the time to ask passers-by how to get to your destination, and try to stay zen.

Road conditions. Under the impetus of the public authorities, the 5,000 km road network is improving considerably, and in recent years, the focus has been on the south-west. Tracks have been paved, communication routes created and roads in poor condition repaired. But climatic conditions (wind, rain, storms, falling trees or coconuts) mean that the work has to be started all over again. As a result, it's a good idea to get all the information you need before taking a road or track, as some roads are sometimes cut off by a river overflowing its banks, a landslide down a hillside, a mudslide or the disappearance of a bridge.

Freeways. The country's three main highways link the capital to the country's second-largest city, Santiago, in the northwest, to Las Terrenas on the Samaná peninsula, and to Punta Cana in the southeast. The first, a public road, is dangerous due to a lack of signage, poorly marked entrances and exits, sometimes deficient road markings, and the fact that Dominicans have not yet assimilated the role of the different lanes. So be careful on this road, which is very busy with vehicles of all kinds, including heavy goods vehicles and two-wheelers. As for the fare, it's very moderate, almost symbolic, as it's only $30 to get out of the capital, to be paid in cash only. The second, privately-owned road is much safer and still not very popular, as it costs $800. The one to Punta Cana, which also serves San Pedro de Macoris and La Romana, is also the most recent and in excellent condition. The toll from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana is $180. Note that in 2022, a project was launched for an expressway linking Santiago de Los Caballeros to Puerto Plata in 25 minutes. However, the construction of this highway, named Autopista del Ámbar (Amber Highway), is still facing numerous problems in 2024, particularly with regard to its financing and ecological consequences.

Driving. Dominican driving obeys only one rule: every man for himself! This is surprising for the first few days, but you soon get used to it. Signage is just as poor in town as it is on the roads: don't hesitate to ask passers-by, they'll be happy to point you in the right direction. But be careful! When traffic lights are in operation, they are placed after crossroads, as in the United States. So don't stop at the light, stop well before it. One-way streets are very poorly signposted, and "una via" signs are not very visible. It's best to get used to the white arrows on the ground or, better still, to observe the direction of parked vehicles.

To slow down traffic in built-up areas, particularly when approaching schools, speed bumps, here known as policiaacostada (recumbent police), proliferate. Often poorly marked and barely visible, they are particularly deadly for shock absorbers. They are sometimes drawn in hollow. If you manage to get away from them, you won't be missed by the deep dips in the intersections, designed for rainwater run-off. In Santo Domingo, there are certain conditions in which it's best to avoid driving. Rainy days, dusk and night, weekend evenings and Sundays are particularly inadvisable. If you do decide to take to the road, you'll need to be vigilant at all times. At night, you'll need to pay close attention to the arms waving out of the windows. They act as turn signals or brake signals. As you can see: caution, caution. All the more so as free-roaming animals don't imagine for a second that the road belongs to you. Spare the horses, donkeys, cows, pigs, dogs and chickens, and pay particular attention to children on country lanes, bicycles, motorcycles and so on. There are lots of them on the roads, and at night you may see them... too late! The speed limit is 40 km/h in town, 60 km/h on highways and 80 to 100 km/h on freeways, but it's never respected. Last but not least, always check your spare tire and tire-removal equipment before setting off.

Two-wheelers and quads. Motorcycles and scooters are available for hire in most tourist resorts, but be sure to check insurance cover. Over the past few years, quads have become the fashionable vehicle in tourist areas, particularly in Las Terrenas and the mountains, where there are still many tracks. Noisy and unwieldy, quads nevertheless offer good stability and can carry several people over rough terrain.