PUNTA CANA, PUERTO PLATA, & La Romana,
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
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Sunset in Punta Cana.
WestJet is delighted to add La Romana to our complement of Dominican Republic destinations.
Now you have more options to get you to the Dominican Republic this winter. There’s a whole lot of fun, frolicking and festivities waiting for you!
COMING SOON! Visit these pages again soon for more details about our fabulous new destination: La Romana, Dominican Republic.
Join us for Caribbean sun, smells and sounds - and those little paper umbrellas.
What could be better than an oasis of white sand, brilliant blue water and tropical hospitality? Look no further than Punta Cana and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic!
Punta Cana and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic both have so much to offer, whether you are an adventure hunter or prefer to relax in the sun to the sound of crashing waves and swaying palm trees. Bring your golf clubs for a round at one of the prestigious courses on the island or visit a carnival town for the colourful displays of pageantry and music, there’s something for the whole family, or a quiet solitude for a romantic getaway.
Sounds great, doesn't it?
Why would you want to be anywhere but outdoors when you’re here?
- The area around Puerto Plata is a versatile playground, the terrain is rugged and mountainous which lends itself well to mountain-biking over riverbeds or rock climbing through the jungle forests, while still being only a short distance from the lure of the beach. Perfect for adventure seekers!
- In and around most of the resort areas, there’s also tennis, polo, horse back riding and cycling, river rafting and of course spectacular golf courses to be found.
For some people, golf is the highest form of relaxation. Are you one of them?
- Check out 18 and 27 hole courses in Punta Cana, most of which are reasonably priced for 18 or 9 hole rounds. Several of which have been designed by Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo, in addition to a championship course designed by Pete Dye.
- Puerto Plata offers 9 & 18 hole courses, either public or on resors which are fairly inexpensive and great for beginners. Play on courses designed by Arnold Palmer and Jim Fazio; including ocean front courses, with windswept cliffs for more challenging rounds.
Get your holiday started now!
In between relaxing or adventuring, you should check out what kinds of shopping you can find around Punta Cana or Puerto Plata:
- If you have a chance, take a day trip to one of the Carnival towns on the island, each a relatively short drive from the resort areas of Punta Cana and Puerto Plata:
- Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic;
- LaVega and Cabral.
The perfect keepsake from your Dominican holiday is a carnival mask. While you do need to travel to one of the cities listed above to find them, these gorgeous, handmade creations will make the treasure hunt worthwhile.
Other fabulous items you can purchase locally are Larimar, a stone found only in the Dominican Republic and Amber, both the honey and blue types; Cuban rum, cigars and coffee.
Do you like to take a chance or two on the slots or blackjack tables? The Dominican Republic has a variety of casinos to offer excitement for travellers with a penchant for high or low stakes gambling. You may even want to choose your resort based on these locations, so you are never far away from the fun:
- Iberostar Hotel & Casino, Melia Caribe Tropical Casino Palma Real and The Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana;
- Paradise Beach Club & Casino and Puerto Plata Beach Resort and Casino in Puerto Plata.
Are you ready to go?
Often visitors choose stay at all inclusive resorts – most of which offer a wide array of activities, such as volleyball, tennis, exercise classes, banana boats, dance lessons and Kids Clubs. For this reason, packing for a Dominican holiday is easy – just be sure you have the essentials – sunglasses, sunblock, a few summer outfits and a bathing suit; your all-inclusive resort should be able to take care of the rest!
Brand name and chain hotels, such as WestJet’s Hotel Partners, the InterContinental Hotels Group, can be found in the area and booked through WestJet.com.
Thinking about booking a package? Visit WestJetVacations.com for flight and hotel package deals.
Thousands of people travel to the Dominican Island for weddings and honeymoons each year. If you like the idea of little to no stress, planning or organizing, this is just what you’re looking for. Resort coordinators shoulder most of the work and preparation for you and can assist in almost the entire planning of your special day. You will have to choose who is on the guest list though! Just remember the three R’s for planning a wedding Dominican style:
- Register with the government. Your coordinator can advise you how best to do this, how to pay the fee and what documents are required for the registration. They may even take care of this before you arrive, depending on the level of services you employ.
- Reserve a judge – don’t forget you need to organize two witnesses too;
- Request a marriage certificate – weddings in the Dominican are legal and recognized worldwide, you’ll just need this document to register your marriage back home.
Tropical luxury, palms and sand with dramatic mountains in the background, extravagant resorts or quiet inns, wedding packages are available in most places, and professional services are sometimes even included. Whether you want to go ultra fancy or simply elegant, don’t be shy to ask questions – resort or hotel coordinators are used to weddings, so are happy to help.
Be sure to contact WestJet’s groups desk to coordinate travel for your wedding guests.
Let's get you on your way!
The indigenous people of the Dominican Republic, the Taino, who populated the island before Columbus discovered it and the Arawakan people of South America make up most of the island’s culture. While Spanish is the official language, English, French, German, Haitian, Creole and Italian are also spoken to some degree.
These cultures combine to create Caribbean ambiance with meringue music and dance based on African rhythm. You’ll hear and see it all around you, so let yourself get swept up in the melodic atmosphere.
The Dominican peso is the national currency; however U.S. dollars are acceptable in most tourist areas.
To get yourself from place to place by car, rent from one of our Car Rental Partners: Budget Rent a Car or National Car Rental through WestJet.com
Starting December 11, 2007 WestJet will fly to Puerto Plata twice a week and beginning December 13, 2007 to Punta Cana twice a week from Toronto, on a seasonal basis. Check out connections from other awesome WestJet cities too.
It is important to note that when you vacations to Punta Cana or Puerto Plata there are entry requirements you should know before you depart. You will need:
- Government issued ID, for example a valid driver’s license – it is recommended however, that Canadians always be in possession of a valid Canadian passport while abroad,
- Proof of citizenship, like a birth certificate - if a passport is not used,
- A Tourist Card for each member of your party, paid for at the time of entry – at a cost $10 USD valid for 30 days, which must be paid in cash. No coins, Dominican currency or other currency will be accepted. Be sure to have the right cash in paper form, as ATM’s are not available before customs in either airport,
- An embarkation form to be completed upon arrival.
The Tourist Card has two parts, one of which is taken at the point of entry and the other half must be kept safe for you to be able to leave at the end of your trip. WestJet flight attendants will give you your Tourist Card on the plane, so you should take a minute or two to fill it out on the flight, as it is to be completed before you enter the immigration line.
A Departure tax is charged for International flights, which is included in the price of a ticket when purchased with WestJet; however not all airlines will do this, so please check with your travel agent prior to leaving.
Book now!
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