Tips on renting a car and driving in Dominican Republic: all you need to know

Another country, another road trip. Renting a car and driving gives us so much freedom to see places outside of the most popular tourist spots. So when we decided to fly to Dominican Republic for Christmas and New Year’s, there wasn’t any doubt regarding how we’re going to move around. With all the experiences we had, I prepared for you a full guide to driving and renting a car in Dominican Republic.

As always, we chose Discover Cars to book our car for this 2-week trip. Again, it was a very good decision as the car we received was brand new, so in perfect condition. For me, choosing the right rental agency makes such a bog difference in the overall experience of renting a car and driving in a new country.

Should you rent a car in Dominican Republic?

While it might seen complicated at first, renting a car in Dominican Republic is a good idea. Unless you stay in one city or resort, getting a car will give you so much flexibility to visit many beautiful areas of the country beyond the most popular touristic spots.

However, if you want to stick to one beach destination, like Punta Cana or Samaná, renting a car is not really needed.

We rented our car in advance at Santo Domingo Airport through Discover Cars. As Dominican Republic is a very popular destination and in peak season, like December, for instance, many people visit, we precooked the car. I wouldn’t risk trying to rent a car on arrival as you might end up with nothing.

Basic practical info

Gas or petrol stations are called “bomba de gasolina”. There are many of them in cities, but could be sparse in rural areas. Fill up before long trips. Most stations are full-service and credit cards are widely accepted.

Should you rent an automatic or manual car?

We rented an automatic car, but it is not necessary. However, it was quite useful and comfortable.

So my general advice for driving in Dominican Republic would be that when deciding whether to rent a manual or automatic car, consider your comfort level and the driving conditions. The Dominican Republic’s road conditions can range from smooth highways to poorly maintained rural roads, which might make an automatic car a more practical choice. We didn’t drive on really bad roads, nonetheless the automatic car was a good choice. If you consider the cost, manual cars are often more affordable and may be more widely available in some rental locations, so if you really want an automatic car, book it in advance, just in case.

Is it safe to rent a car in Dominican Republic?

I would say- yes. The process of renting the car was easy but driving kept us on our toes (although it was much easier that in Lebanon or Albania). However, as the roads are not in the best condition in places that can damage the car or coconuts can fall from the palms, I think Dominican Republic is one of the places where getting a car insurance is worthy. We bought it from Discover Cars as well.

Do you need to be an experienced driver to drive in Dominican Republic?

Driving in the Dominican Republic doesn’t necessarily require extensive experience, but it does demand confidence and a good sense of awareness. The local driving culture can be unpredictable (do you remember my driving experience in Sicily? It’s something like that a bit), with motorcycles weaving through traffic, cars overtaking from any direction, and frequent disregard for standard traffic rules like using indicators or maintaining safe distances. Road conditions also vary, with some areas having large potholes or unmarked routes, especially in rural regions. While experienced drivers may find it easier to adapt, even less experienced drivers can manage by staying vigilant, driving defensively, and avoiding high-traffic areas like Santo Domingo or driving at night. If you’re unsure, start with quieter routes.

What does driving look like in Dominican Republic: all we’ve learned during a 2-week road trip

After two weeks of driving in Dominican Republic, we got a pretty good idea what to to share with you that could be helpful to have a stress-free experience.

Motorcycles often drive on the shoulder, sometimes in the opposite direction, appearing unexpectedly and requiring extra vigilance. In some areas, roads are riddled with large, deep potholes that can actually not be safe the for the car. You’ll need to pay a lot of attention to the road.

Police inspections of vehicles are common, so be prepared for occasional stops. It didn’t happen to us and I was under impression that they were only stopping locals, but who knows. Another thing that made driving more challenging was that drivers frequently ignore safe distances, overtaking closely and from any side, often without using indicators. Additionally, it’s not unusual to see cars stopped on the shoulder, adding to the unpredictability of the road.

Driving at night in Dominican Republic

Driving at night in Dominican Republic is tiring, even near popular, touristic places, like Punta Cana, for example. The roads don’t have any lighting in most places and sometimes the lines are faded. But what made driving at night most difficult was the huge number of tour buses that drive fast and recklessly. On top of that, we encountered quite a few cars and motorbikes without any lights.

Another thing to know is that many cars and motorbikes have extremely bright lights. So bright, that nearly blind you and you cannot see obstacles on the road. As a general advice I’d suggest to avoid driving at night if possible.

Tolls

There are many tolls in Dominican Republic on major roads. If you don’t have the electronic system installed, you will need to pay cash (pago efectivo)- credit cards are not accepted. The toll fee varies between 60 and 400 pesos, usually. Have small change handy when driving.

Highlights of our 2-week road trip in Dominican Republic

We rented a car at Santo Domingo airport upon arrival and drove to the hotel in the historic centre, where we spent a couple of nights. Driving in Santo Domingo was a real chaos, so we left the car in a parking and walked or used Uber.

I will write a detailed plan of our itinerary, because there’s so much to say. However, just to give you a little overview of the main places we visited.

After Santo Domingo we spent a couple of nights in Bayahibe and went to explore Punta Cana and surroundings too.

Wanting to see less touristy places, we went to Jarabacoa, which is great for hiking and local lifestyle, but too wet in December. We stopped for a day in Santiago de los Caballeros and headed to Puerto Plata, which we left after one day as it was as nice as expected. With cutting the visit short, we had more time to enjoy Samana. I’d say, Samana is the place to be and has so much to offer. Definitely, I will write more about it because I cannot get over how beautiful this area is.

A few great attraction and activities to do in Dominican Republic

Whale watching from mid January to March. Apparently, Dominican Republic is the best place for whale watching when hundreds of these giants gather in the bay of Samana. We could not do it as our trip ended a few days before the boats could legally take tourists.

Isla Saona is a popular trip from Bayahibe or Punta Cana. It’s a paradise like island with white sand beaches.

See also:

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Use my favourite travel resources to plan your dream trips

Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
Discover Cars is a great website as they search both local and international car hire services, so you can choose the best deal for yourself. Make sure though, that the company has a good reputation and reviews.
Get Your Guide is my place to go for searching and booking tours and excursions, especially when I travel solo.
World Nomads and EKTA travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
Jack’s Flight Club is a service that can save you hundreds of dollars on flights, it works especially well in Europe.
Trivago where you can search and save on hotels.
Klook for all sorts of bookings- offers discounts.
Go City is a perfect site for booking bucket list experiences and attractions all in one to avoid paying for multiple tickets. Easy and saves money. You can even save 50%.
Trip Advisor– amazing for good quality recommendations.
Skyscanner is a perfect website for searching flight routes and comparing prices.