Safety in the Dominican Republic – is it safe?

Safety in the Dominican Republic – is it safe? Is it possible to travel alone around the country? What is the crime level in the Dominican Republic? I answer your questions!

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Safety in the Dominican Republic – is it safe? Safety in the Dominican Republic is a topic that often comes up in discussions about traveling to this Caribbean country. Before choosing a holiday destination, it is worth reading the information about the country’s safety so that you can freely enjoy your trip without unnecessary stress on the spot.

In this article, I will introduce you to safety aspects in the Dominican Republic, discussing both potential threats and tips that will help minimize the risks during your stay in this beautiful country.

Contents

• Criminality
• Kidnappings in the Dominican Republic
• The situation in Haiti
• Health risks
• Can you drink tap water?
• Road safety
• Is it worth renting a car, then?
• Safety on beaches
• Reporting theft in the Dominican Republic

I have been traveling around the country on my own for more than 2 years, during which time I have traveled to a lot of places in the Dominican Republic, so the information you will find here is based on my experience and knowledge.

You probably already know my approach to security. Any country can be safe, and any country can experience dangerous situations. You should always follow a few rules and traveling will certainly be more pleasant and safer.

Criminality

Safety in the Dominican Republic in terms of crime may raise some concerns. Like any other place in the world, the Dominican Republic struggles with problems related to theft, burglaries and petty crimes.

This is due to the fact that there is a large percentage of poor people in the country. We must realize that the equipment and money that tourists have with them are very valuable to criminals, because they will provide them and their families with a few months of life.

From my experience, I can tell you that you have nothing to worry about. Tourists rarely fall victim to theft. Additionally, in the most touristic places, there is a tourist police office (POLITUR)  that aims to protect and help tourists.

However, it is worth remembering the basic rules of caution, such as avoiding carrying valuable items in plain sight, carrying large amounts of cash, not leaving valuables on the beach and using safes in hotels and apartments.

A story-curiosity from my life.

I usually try to rent apartments with private, secured parking. Unfortunately, during my stay in Santo Domingo, my apartment did not have a private parking lot, so I had to park my car on the street, which is common in the Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, after a few weeks my car’s mirrors were robbed… That’s why I recommend everyone to look for apartments and houses with private parking. Sometimes it’s better to pay more for accommodation and have peace of mind than to save on parking and have a lot of problems and additional costs.

Kidnappings in the Dominican Republic

This topic does not exist here, I would rather not mention it at all, but unfortunately I see questions about it on many websites/blogs/social media, so I decided to mention it here. The topic of kidnappings probably arose from the dangerous situation in Haiti, where kidnappings of tourists for ransom were quite common. This topic does not exist in the Dominican Republic, such cases do not occur. You don’t have to worry about this.

The situation in Haiti

This is not directly related to the Dominican Republic, but the topic has recently become more and more popular in the media. Unfortunately, I often see questions, mainly on social media, about trips to Haiti while in the Dominican Republic. In my opinion, this is one of the stupidest and most dangerous ideas you can come up with. I categorically advise against traveling to Haiti at this time. The situation there is bad and getting worse. The chances of you getting into trouble are high. It is also worth mentioning that at the moment, the possibilities of leaving Haiti are very limited. No one can guarantee you that you will leave this country without any problems. It is worth mentioning that, in my opinion, the dangerous situation in Haiti does not translate into the security situation in the Dominican Republic. Perhaps this will change in the coming months/years, but I don’t know. Tourists in the Dominican Republic are treated as VIP class passengers, which is why this situation affects them the least.

Health risks

When it comes to the safety of the Dominican Republic, health risks should also be mentioned. Some tropical diseases occur in the country, such as dengue, malaria and zika. Unfortunately, there are no preventive vaccinations for these diseases, so you must use repellents. Dengue has been a common occurrence here lately, unfortunately I know people who were hospitalized because of it. Still, statistically, you would have to be very unlucky to get it.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of stray dogs in the country. They are generally not aggressive, but you should bear in mind that not every animal behaves the same, and vaccinations against rabies are not common in the Dominican Republic.

In addition, before departure, it is worth seeking advice from a travel medicine doctor regarding possible vaccinations. I especially recommend it to people who plan a longer stay in the country and visit other Latin American countries.

In my opinion, if you come here for a while, you do not have low immunity, you do not need to get vaccinated. However, it is worth taking care of good repellents, because there are a lot of mosquitoes (although some resorts use mosquito repellents to reduce their populations). Remember, however, that it is always worth consulting a specialist.

Can you drink tap water?

I do not recommend drinking tap water here. Let’s start with the fact that the water in the Dominican Republic is of very poor quality, it is not chlorinated (this is rare, sometimes found in hotels). If you rent private apartments on Airbnb/Booking in Punta Cana by the beach, you have to expect that the tap water will be… salty. I use tap water to brush my teeth or wash vegetables and fruit (if I peel or cook them later). I hear opinions that such water should not be used, even for brushing teeth. Furthermore, I use it, but I leave the risk issues to you to consider.

It’s also worth adding that I use bottled water for coffee because the taste of tap water, especially when you live closer to the beach, is unacceptable to me.

It is best to buy water in the Dominican Republic in large bottles, the price will depend on the location, skin color or knowledge of Spanish. I think if you run out of water, the easiest thing to do is write to your landlord and ask him to arrange it for you.

Road safety

Safety in the Dominican Republic is also a matter of road safety. Unfortunately, road accident statistics are not optimistic. Many drivers drive aggressively, do not obey traffic regulations and drive under the influence of alcohol, do not turn on their lights at night and do not wear helmets on two-wheelers. Therefore, caution is advised when driving a car, and especially when using motorcycles and scooters.

If you are curious about the driving license in the Dominican Republic, please read the post about driving license.

As you probably already know, I travel between cities by my own car. I have witnessed very dangerous situations and accidents many times. From entering the road, running across the highway, to farm animals on the road, driving after dark without lights or drinking alcohol while driving.

I have already seen several accidents, including fatal ones. One of the more dangerous situations that could have caused an accident with my participation was a truck tire explosion at a speed of 100 km/h.

In the Dominican Republic, there is no such thing as an annual inspection of cars and bikes, and people who ventured outside the closed resort have certainly seen the technical condition of local cars. A bad external appearance is nothing, cars have faulty brakes, engines and other parts that affect the safety of the driver and other road users.

As a trivia, I will also quote data from the World Health Organization from the “Global Status Report on Road Safety”. The Dominican Republic has the highest rate of fatal road accidents, data from 2020. The coefficient was as high as 67.23%. You can look at the data on this page.

Is it worth renting a car, then?

If you are a good driver, you will do fine. You can’t drive fast in the Dominican Republic because the road capacity does not allow it. In my experience, driving in Punta Cana is better than in Santo Domingo or the Samana Peninsula. You must be careful on the road, expect that red lights/stop signs do not mean much here. The rule of limited trust and extreme caution is the basis.

Remember that while in Europe, US driving at night is quite comfortable, in the Dominican Republic it is problematic. The streets are very poorly lit, you can’t see any holes in the road, roadworks are often not marked, so you have to be very careful. Drunk drivers, especially in the evening, are completely normal and, unfortunately, socially acceptable, so don’t be surprised if someone drives slowly with hazard lights.

If you came here, you are probably most interested in the route from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo or Las Terrenas. I found these routes to be quite easy (especially to Santo Domingo), the worst part is driving around the city, but you should be able to handle it!

Safety on beaches

Safety Dominican Republic also covers issues related to safety on beaches and when using local water attractions. Remember to use creams with a high sun protection factor and protect your head from the sun. Remember that the Dominican sun is much stronger than the sun in Europe. I’ve met many people who can sunbathe for a long time in Europe, but in the Dominican Republic, one day without sunscreen was enough to burn. Also remember that on cloudy days, the sun also tans.

Don’t leave your things unattended on the beach, be careful where you park your car. Thefts from car trunks are rare here (certainly much less common than in Costa Rica), but I recommend taking all valuables with you.

If you would like to know if in the Dominican Republic you have to worry about sharks, read an article about sharks in the Dominican Republic.

Reporting theft in the Dominican Republic

To fully cover the topic of safety in the Dominican Republic, I must also mention reporting theft in the Dominican Republic. I hope that this knowledge will not be useful to any of you, but it is better to know what and how.

As you already know, after reading the first paragraph, my car was robbed. To be able to use my car insurance, I first had to go to the Policia Nacional police station and report the theft. Unfortunately, this is not a simple formality.

At first, I had to wait for the arrival of the officer who takes down such statements. I then had to spend an hour explaining to the policeman what had happened and that my insurer would cover the damage (since I have comprehensive insurance). After this time, the officer was very reluctant to write down the statement. I had to provide all personal details, insurer details, car details and all the circumstances of the theft. I even had video from CCTV.

I must also add that during the visit to the police, I was accompanied by the owner of the apartment, who is Dominican. The woman went with me to report the theft to “make sure” the formalities were completed. Unfortunately, there are situations where a tourist is asked for a “tip” for something that should absolutely not be paid for. Another important thing is the fact that without Spanish you won’t be able to get anything done.

If you are in a situation where you need to report a theft in the Dominican Republic, it is worth going there with a trusted person who will help you so that the matter is resolved successfully.

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In the Dominicana tab you can find more useful information and recommendations about this country.

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I love sharing my travels, experiences, thoughts and self-tested advices. A travel blog is also a bit of work that I do drinking coffee.

If you want to buy me a coffee, I’d be very pleased!