Category Archives: RESOURCES

All the information and resources you might need while visiting Dominican Republic.

Police-Phone-Internet

Important Telephone Numbers (Police and Emergency) – Telephone – Internet Servers

When visiting or living in the Dominican Republic it is important to know the emergency phone numbers and telephone and internet servers that are so important for communicating.

Important phone numbers | Phone Calls | Internet / Cable TV / Telephone Service Providers

Important phone numbers

to carry with you while visiting the Dominican Republic:

Sistema Nacional de Atención a Emergencias y Seguridad / National System of Attention to Emergencies and Security – 911
Police, Fire, Civil Defence, Reporting Excess Noise and Emergencies – 911 will now be available in the Santo Domingo and Santiago areas. The 911 service is growing to cover more and more of the Dominican Republic.

*Dirección Nacional de Emergencia/ Direction National Emergencies 809-566-6648.

*If you have an incident involving police (for example, they pull your vehicle over while driving or riding and ask you for money or harass you in any way) this can be reported to the Internal Affairs Department of the National Police at 809 688-1777.

If you are coming to Dominican Republic on vacation or are a long-term tourist CESTUR (the tourist police) has a free app you can put on your phone available on Google Play.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ferreirapablo.CESTURAPP

Policía Nacional / National Police Av. Leopoldo Navarro #402, Santo Domingo, R.D. – 809-682-2151 – TWITTER @PoliciaRD

CESTUR Police (Policía Turística/ Tourist Police) Cuerpo Especializado Securidad Turística http://cestur.gob.do/

If you are coming on vacation or are a tourist CESTUR (the tourist police) has a free app you can put on your phone available on Google Play.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ferreirapablo.CESTURAPP

1-809-200-3500 (free call)
809-222-2026 ext 2123.

Their web site has all the contact numbers on a google map.

Santo Domingo
There is a conveinent office on Calle el Conde.
*Cede Central C/ Gustavo M. Ricart No. 121 / c/Theodoro Chasseriau, El millon Sto Dgo. Tel: 809-222-2026 Ext. 0
*C/Juan Parra esq. Caamaño, edificio Plaza La Cultura No.136, Ciudad Colonial. Tel: 809-754-3025, 809-754-3025
*A small office at Port San Souci – Modulo de Asistencia al Turista, Avenida España Muelle San Souci Tel: 809-754-3123, 809-754-3048

Authoridad Metropolitana de Transporte (AMET) / Metropolitan Transportation Authority – 809-686-6520 – TWITTER:@AMETRD

Cuerpo de Bomberos de Santo Domingo / Fire department – 809-682-4545

Corporacion de Acueducto y Alcantarillados de Santo Domingo (CAASD) / Corporation of Aqueducts and Sewers of Santo Domingo – 809-562-3500 – TWITTER: @rdcaasd

Corporación Dominicana de Empresas Eléctricas Estatales (CDEEE) / Dominican Corporation of State Electric Companies – 809-535-1100 –
TWITTER: @CDEEE_RD

Centro de Operaciones de Emergencias (COE) / Emergency Operations Center – 809-472-0909 – TWITTER: @COE_RD

Cruz Roja Dominicana / Dominican Red Cross – 809-682-4545 – TWITTER: @crdominicana

Defensa Civil / Civil Defense – 809-682-1749 – TWITTER:@DefensaCivilRD

Oficina Nacional de Meteorología (ONAMET) / National Meteorological Office – 809-788-1122 – TWITTER: @onamet

*Directory Assistance: 411

*Dominican Republic Yellow Pages/ Páginas Amarillas. For English click on the top. http://www.paginasamarillas.com.do/Default.aspx

*A private nationwide ambulance service, ProMed, operates in Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata and La Romana; Telephone number is 809-412-5555. ProMed expects full payment at the time of transport.
Ambulance Service – Movimed 809-255-0394

*Any complaints arising from a casino should be directed to the Office of Casinos at the Secretary of Finance. To register a complaint with this office, call 809-687-5131, ext. 2120.

The Consular Section and the U.S. Embassy

moved (June 2014) to Arroyo Hondo sector, north of the Botanical Gardens between Av. Republica de Colombia and Carretera La Isabela. The address is: Av. República de Colombia #68, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana. The Consular Section entrance is on Republica de Colombia Avenue located at the corner of Calle César Nicolás Penson and Avenida Máximo Gómez.

The American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit can be reached by telephone at 809-731-4294, or via email at acssantodom@state.gov. ACS Unit office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, Friday 7:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., except on U.S. and Dominican holidays. The Consular Section entrance is on República de Colombia Avenue. is located at the corner of Calle César Nicolás Penson and Avenida Máximo Gómez. The telephone number is 809-221-2171.

There is a Consular Agency in the north coast city of Puerto Plata at Calle Villanueva esq. Avenida John F. Kennedy, Edificio Abraxa Libraria, 2nd floor, telephone 809-586-4204, 809-586-8017, 809-586-8023; office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

One type of Payphone used in Dominican Republic

Phone Calls

To make a phone call to a Dominican Republic telephone number from the United States or Canada it is the same as calling any US or CA number because they are all part of the North American Numbering Plan – NANP. There is no International code. The area code for the Dominican Republic is 809, 829 and 849. So when You call dial
1 + 809 (or 829 or 849) + the 7 digit number.
It is the same when calling to USA or Canada from Dominican Republic. Just dial as you would if you were in USA.
1 + Area Code + the 7 digit number.

Payphones here can be a little different. Usually, you wait until the call connects and drop your coin into the slot. Some phones you drop the coin and there is a button to push when the call connects. Most phones have a display of how much time you have or they will beep. Make sure to deposit another coin before the time runs out or you will be disconnected.

Internet / Cable TV / Telephone Service Providers

Proveedores de Servicios de Internet / Telecable / Telephono

*Codetel / Claro – provides internet and cable television.
*Altice – offers mobile Internet access to customers (used to be Orange).
*Wind Telecom – provides telephone, television and internet services.

More information and Helps when using or purchasing a phone in Dominican Republic.

Calendar

Holiday Calendar 2017

Holiday Calendar 2017

Holidays – The Minister of Work announced the calendar for the celebration of the holidays for the year 2016 according to the law 139-97 / Días Festivos – El Ministerio de Trabajo anuncia el calendario para la celebración de los días feriados para el año 2017, establecidos en la Ley 139-97. www.ministeriodetrabajo.gob.do

Beaches are full during weekends and holidays. Playa Dominicus, La Romana.

January/ Enero
1 – Sunday – New Year’s Day
9 – Monday celebrating (The 6th is the OFFICIAL date) Día de los Santo Reyes Magos – Epifania / Three Kings Day – Epiphany (what is 3 Kings Day?)
12 – Thursday – Día de la Resistencia Heroica/ Day of Heroic Resistance (this is the first year for this day to honor the men and women who fought for a fairer society)
15 – to End of March – Whale Watching (the best place to observe is the Samana Bay)
21 – Saturday – Our Lady of Altagracia Day. (more information on Altagracia and a photo slide show of the Basilica de Higuey)
28 – Saturday – Chinese New Year (celebrations for the Year of the Rooster in China Town)
30 – Monday – Duarte Day celebrated. Juan Pablo Duarte was born on the 26th.(more information on Duarte).

February/ Febrero
1 thru 28 Las Fiestas de Carnaval Dominicano / Dominican Carnival Parties Carnival Dominicano/ Dominican Carnival celebrations happen all month. The weekends are when different communities hold their parades and celebrations. Usually the ultimate parade on the Malecon in Santo Domingo with the best of the best is held the first Sunday in March.
14 – Tuesday – Día de San Valentín / Valentine´s Day
27 – Saturday – Día de la Independencia / Independence Day – Día de la Bandera / Flag Day. Dominicans celebrate February 27, 1844 as their Independence Day. This the day the country declared its independence again and retook the name República Dominicana (Dominican Republic). A constitution modeled on that of the United States was put forth in November 1844.

March/ Marzo
1 – Miércoles de Ceniza / Ash Wednesday – The first day of Lent
5 – Sunday/ Domingo The big Carnival Parade on the Malecon in Santo Domingo.

April/ Abril
9 – Domingo de Ramos / Palm Sunday
14 – Viernes Santo / Good Friday (long weekend from Thursday the 24th to Sunday the
16th – one of the biggest vacation times here. How do Dominicans celebrate Easter/ Semana Santa? Read all about it.
16 – Sunday – Domingo de Pascua – Semana Santa / Easter

May/ Mayo
1 – Monday – Día del Trabajo / Labor Day (official day May 1st) (long weekend from Friday April 28th to Monday the 1st)
28 – Sunday – Mother’s Day. (Always falls on the last Sunday in May)

The dates of all the Patronales/ Patron Saints celebrations are on the Patron Saint Celebrations Page.

June/ Junio
15 – Thursday – Corpus Christi Day

July/ Julio
30 – Sunday – Father’s Day (Always falls on the last Sunday in July)

August/ Agusto
16 – Thursday – Restoration Day/ Día de Restauración (more information on Restoration Day)

September/ Septiembre
24 – Sunday – Día de las Mercedes / Our Lady of Mercedes Day.(more information on Las Mercedes)

October / Octobre
9 – Monday – Día de Colón / Columbus Day

November/ Noviembre
6 – Monday – Día de la Constitución / Constitution Day

December/ Decembre
25 – Monday – Día de Navidad / Christmas Day (How Dominicans celebrate Navidad/Christmas)
31 – Sunday – New Years Eve (New Year traditions)

The dates of all the Patronales/ Patron Saints celebrations are on the Patron Saint Celebrations Page.

Be aware that on the long weekends the cities usually empty out as most people head to the beaches or the country. Hotels are usually booked to capacity with Dominicans enjoying the long weekends. The highways in and out of the city can be very congested with people coming and going.

How To Say Months and Days In Spanish

Historical Documents, Maps

Historical Maps

Old Antique Maps of Colonial Zone / Mapas Antiguos de la Zona Colonial

I have added some very old maps of the Dominican Republic when what is now Dominican Republic was named Hispaniola or was only known as Santo Domingo. It is interesting to see Colonial Zone when it was fresh and new (here is a historical document I found where the writer describes the city and island). The maps of the entire country are interesting to compare.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did when I found them.

1.Original City of Santo Domingo | 2.Plan du siège de Santo Domingo | 3.Louis Drake Mountains Map | 4.Joseph Spear Map | 5.Sir Francis Drakes Early Voyages

Original City of Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo 1755 – Stadt St. Domingo. C. F. Fritzsch, sculp. Chedel, del. 1755

A drawing of the original city of Santo Domingo – Colonial Zone. It is interesting to note the way the buildings look at this time and to notice that many of them are still the same today.

The maps name is: Stadt St. Domingo. C. F. Fritzsch, sculp. Chedel, del. This map is thought to be created and published by Leipzig in 1755. It is a perspective map and not drawn to scale. This is a birds-eye-view of the original fort which is now the Colonial Zone.

The map is located in the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA
The digital ID of this map is: g4954s ct000107 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g4954s.ct000107

Plan du siège de Santo Doming[o] par Dess[a]lines, chef des révoltes de St. Domingue, forme le 15 ventôse et levé le 8 germinal an 13.

This map was created/published in 1805. It is a relief map showing the shadows and depth perspective. It is a pen and watercolor drawing. I cropped this section out of the map to show the Colonial City. It is interesting to see the buildings and the outskirts of the city. There seems to be nothing out there.

The full version that can be found in the Library of Congress
This map is stored in the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA
Digital ID: g4954s ct000102 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g4954s.ct000102

Louis Drake Mountains Map

Map Title: North America, performed under the patronage of Louis Duke of Orleans, First Prince of the Blood; by the Sieur d’Anville, greatly improved by Mr. Bolton. Engraved by R. W. Seale. For Mr. Postlethwayte’s Dictionary of trade and commerce. Gravelot, delin; Walker, sculp. Created/Published: [London] Printed for John and Paul Knapton, 1752.

It is interesting to see in this map the shape of the island and the names of the towns. if you look at the other maps of the islands each has the island shaped a little differently.

Hand colored. Relief is shown pictorially. Shows provinces, cities and towns, forts, Indian villages and tribal territory. Also shows shoals, banks, and other navigational hazards off the coast of Nova Scotia and in the Caribbean area.
Repository: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA
Map call number: G3300 1752 .B62 Vault
The Maps Digital ID: g3300 ar001300 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3300.ar001300

Joseph Spear Map

To His Royal Highness. George Augustus Frederick. Prince of Wales &c. &c. &c. This chart of the West Indies, is humbly inscribed by His Royal Highness faithful & obedient servant Joseph Smith Speer. Thos. Bowen, sculpt. Speer, Joseph Smith. Created/Published: Westminster, 1774.

It is interesting to see the names of the towns at that time. Also, Dominican Republic seems to have been known as Santo Domingo.

Relief shown pictorially. Depths are shown by soundings. Shows southern United States, Mexico, Central America, West Indies, Bermudas, and northern South America. Includes acknowledgment dated Jan. 25, 1774 at Plantation Office, Whitehall by John Pownall, secry.
Repository: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA
Map call number: G4390 1774 .S62 Vault Oversize
Maps digital ID: g4390 ar169900 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g4390.ar169900

Sir Francis Drakes Early Voyages

Privateer Drake visited many parts of the island of Hispaniola and also other parts of the West Indies (as the area was called at that time).

Sir Francis Drake PDF Map (opens in a new window). Click on the maps to enlarge.

More information on Sir Francis Drake

Guide to the Colonial Zone and Dominican Republic