Dominican Republic travel advice

There have been 279 confirmed cases of cholera, including four deaths, in the Dominican Republic since an outbreak of the disease was confirmed in neighbouring Haiti in October 2010. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises visitors to eat and drink only well-prepared and properly stored food and bottled water. Personal hygiene is paramounnt, including regular washing of hands before meals.

Most visits to the Dominican Republic are trouble-free, but there are incidents of crime and violence. These tend to occur within the local community but can sometimes affect tourists and residents. There have been occasional incidents of serious attacks on foreign visitors, as well as more opportunist crime including burglaries, breaking into cars and pick pocketing. By remaining alert to the threat you can reduce the risk of becoming a victim.

Arrests of British nationals for attempting to traffic drugs have increased markedly. Penalties for possession, distribution or manufacture of drugs are severe and can lead to imprisonment.

Credit card cloning and fraud are common. It is safer to use cash.

The hurricane season in the Dominican Republic normally runs from June to November.

There is a low threat from terrorism in Dominican Republic. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel