Popular sports practiced widely by Dominicans are baseball, basketball, tennis, softball, and volleyball.

Cockfighting is another of the country's most popular sporting events, held mainly on Sundays. All rural communities have cockfighting arenas where you can watch the matches.

Excellent golf courses are found. The one designed by Robert Trent at Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata and Los Cajuiles designed by Pete Dye and located at Casa de Campo are two of the most famous. Please see our golf section in things to do.

Horseback riding is offered in some hotels or can usually be arranged by your representative. There are facilities to play polo and good trainers in Casa de Campo Resort in La Romana and in Sierra Prieta in the Capital. Please see our horeseback riding page in excursions. section in things to do.

Water sports can be tried out in many hotels. They usually include non-motorized sports in their programs, such as Pedal boats, Windsurfers, Surf Boards, Boogie-Boards, Kayaks, Sailboats and Scuba diving. Please see our sailing section in things to do.

Fishing can be arranged by your representative, depending on the hotel where you are staying. Travel in Style recommends Cabarete ( the Windsurfers paradise) were we offer special packages for Windsurfing, including hotel accommodation as well as top of the line Windsurfing equipment at very affordable prices. We also organize special tours for scuba diving.

Since the book and movie Jurassic Park, Dominican amber has become world famous.

Dominican amber differentiates itself from Baltic amber by being mostly transparent and often containing a higher number of fossil inclusions.

Dominican amber found on the world market is natural amber the way it comes from the mines, and has not been enhanced or received any chemical or physical change. The age of Dominican amber is around 40 million years.

Although all Dominican amber is fluorescent, the rarest Dominican amber is blue amber. It turns blue in natural sunlight and any other partially or wholly ultraviolet light source. In long-wave UV light it has a very strong reflection, almost white. Only about 100 kilos of this fossilized tree is found per year, which makes it valuable and expensive.

Dragon carved from Dominican blue amber. Dominican amber, and especially Dominican blue amber, is mined through bell pitting, which is extremely dangerous. Bell pitting is basically a foxhole dug with whatever tools are available.

Amber is regarded as the national stone. Amber jewelry is in great demand as souvenirs. This island has one of the worlds largest deposits of amber. The prices for the translucent, semiprecious stones, which range in color from pale lemon to dark brown, are unmatched. The most valuable stones are those in which prehistoric insects or small leaves are embedded.

Santo Domingo has many shopping Centers and specialized shops offering the best known national, international brands and excellent world fashion designers. In both rural and urban areas, the peoples collective artistic expression is manifested in a variety of crafts. Arts and crafts can be purchased at the Mercado Modelo (the biggest open market for crafts in Santo Domingo) and Conde Street where you find a variety of objects made from horn, wood, leather, snail shell, amber, ceramics and fabrics. The Dominican Republic is also well known for its rum, coffee, and cigars.

Bargaining is a must in the Dominican Republic, especially with street vendors.

The monetary unit of the Dominican Republic is the Dominican Peso (RD$ / DOP). The exchange rate fluctuates but right now it is: one US dollar is approximately RD$ 42.00 as of September 2013.

The best exchange rate is obtained when changing CASH US Dollars to Dominican Pesos. Euros, Pounds, Canadian Dollars and other currencies do not get the best rate.

Most hotels, restaurants and businesses accept major credit cards and are charged the official rate at the time of the transaction.

In the banks, you are also able to obtain cash from credit cards but make sure you have some form of identification with you.

Please avoid the black marketers, who will offer you a tempting rate of exchange for your US dollars. This is illegal and it is easy to get ripped off.

The merengue has its origin in the Dominican Republic and is literally played every were.

Merengue means whipped egg whites and sugar in Spanish, similar to the English word meringue. No one knows why this name became the name of the music of the Dominican Republic. Maybe, it can trace its meaning from the movement on the dance floor that could remind one of an egg beater in action.

Three main types of merengue are played in the Dominican Republic today. Perico ripiao which is usually called merengue tipico (classic) is the oldest style commonly played and when translated in English the name "perico ripiao" means "ripped parrot" which suggests controversy but is said to be the name of a brothel where the music was originally played. The other 2 types are Merengue de Orquesta and Merengue de Guitarra.

It's a good idea to rent a Perico ripiao for any special occasion. It isn't expensive and can add a very nice touch to an incentive event or a special dinner. We will be happy to set you up or if you are lucky take you for a dance.

We can also set you up with lessons to learn to dance merengue!