Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»
Restaurants
Dominican cuisine,
comida criolla
, predominates but international fare,
especially Italian, is readily available. Local places usually offer a '
plato del día
' (set
menu) option for lunch; restaurants that cater to foreign tourists tend to have inflated
prices and mediocre food.
»
Cafes
Coffee drinks and pastries, plus usually a limited menu of simple sandwiches.
Stay however long you'd like.
»
Resorts
Buffets, usually with dizzying selection, run the gamut, though least expensive
places can be stomach-worrying. Stand-alone restaurants range from bland, generic ver-
sions of ethnic cuisine to quality fare.
»
Cafeterías
Selection of fish, chicken and beef with rice and beans, usually displayed
under glass.
»
Comedores
Generally they are informal eateries, often hole-in-the-walls.
»
Pica Pollo
Chain-style places specializing in fried chicken.
»
Colmados
Combination corner stores, groceries and bars, you can usually put together
a meal here.
»
Car Washes
Combining automobiles and beer, the wisdom of which has to be ques-
tioned - these facilities serve drinks and simple food.
Money
ATMs can be found throughout the DR. Most charge fees (around RD$115) and have rel-
atively low withdrawal limits. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in cities and
tourism-related businesses - Visa and MasterCard are more common than Amex. Many
tourist-related businesses, including most midrange and top-end hotels, list prices in US
dollars, but accept pesos.
For more information,
Click here
.
Bargaining
When shopping for souvenirs, whether jewelry, handicrafts or artwork, bargaining is fairly
common. Even when the price is marked on the item it's worth a shot, however it's always
a casual, low-pressure affair.
