Practical Information

We’d like to offer you some practical information that will enable you to plan for a pleasant stay in the Atlantis Hotel.

1. Before your departure
2. On your arrival
3. During your stay
4. On your departure

Before your departure

Dominican Government Requirements
French citizens need a passport that will still be valid three months after the date of return, or a PLASTIC-COATED identity card. Tourists of other nationalities need a valid passport.

On arrival in the DR, all foreigners must purchase a tourism card (tarjeta de turismo). The latter is valid for 1 month, and is available for purchase in the airport on arrival, at the price of 10 $US (calculated exclusively in American dollars).

On departure, a tax of 20 $US will be collected at the airport. If you exceed a stay of 1 month, an extra tax will be calculated according to the length of time you have continued your stay in the Dominican Republic.

Medical Requirements
No vaccinations are required. As a preventive measure, avoid mosquito bites ; in extremely rare cases, they may transmit infectious diseases.

Monnaie
The local currency is the Dominican peso ($Do or RD$), divided into 100 centavos.

• 1€ = approximately 50RD$ (exchange rate as of 19/12/09).
• 1$US = approximately 36RD$ (exchange rate as of 19/12/09).
• Travellers cheques and most international credit cards are accepted (American Express, Visa, Eurocard...).

Time zones
Difference from Europe : -5 hours in winter, -6 in summer
Difference from East Coast of US : +1 hour in winter, same hour in summer.

Electricity
The current is 110 volts (standard American), the plugs are flat prongs as in the US. Consider buying an adapter if coming from Europe (to adjust for 110 volts), so you can replenish the batteries of digital cameras and other devices.

Cell phones and mobiles
Only three-band cell phones (GSM 900, 1800, 1900) are likely to work locally in the DR.

Telephone code
To telephone the Dominican Republic from Europe:
00 (international) + 1.809 (country code of the Dominican Republic) + the number.
To telephone the Dominican Republic from the USA: 1 + 809 + the number.

From the Dominican Republic to European and most other countries :
011 (international) + 33 (code of France) + telephone number without the 0.

From the Dominican Republic to the USA, Canada and other islands in the Caribbean:
1 + area code code + the telephone number.

Geography
The Dominican Republic lies in the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola, situated at the center of the Carribean archipelago. It covers two thirds of the island, while Haiti occupies the remaining third to the west. Approximately 500 km (340 miles) long and 300km (210 miles) wide, the country includes 1500km (950 miles) of coastline, of which 600km (390 miles) are beaches, among the most beautiful in the Caribbean. The geography of the country ranges from beaches lined with coconut palms along the coast to agricultural plains and mountains in the center, where Pico Duarte (3.175m or 10,000 ft tall) is the highest peak in the Caribbean. Santo Domingo, the capital, is on the southern coast. The southwest of the country is characterized by semi-deserts and Lake Enriquillo, the largest salt lake in the world, located at 45 m (150 ft) below sea level. It provides a habitat for crocodiles, and Isla Cabritos, in the middle of the lake, harbors giant iguanas.

Surface area of the DR: 48.734 km2 (19,129 sq m) : roughly 11 times smaller than France, and a little less than the size of Massachusetts.
Population: 8.7 million inhabitants.
Capital: Santo Domingo de Guzmán.

Climate
The climate is tropical. The weather is rather hot in summer and expenses the night in winter. The average temperatures are 30 °C (85 ° F) by day, 20 C° (70° F) by night. There is normally one rainy season in May-June (short tropical showers) and another in October-November (longer and more frequent rains).

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On your arrival

Transferts from various airports.
How to reach the Atlantis Hotel...

From the International Airport of the Americas, Santo Domingo:

• Taxi : 4 hours : 165$ USD
• By private plane : 40 mn : 230$ USD (3 ppl.), 400$ USD (4-5 ppl. single-engine aircraft), 720$ USD (9 ppl)
• By plane , regular line: 30mn: 70$ USD / ppl. , 35$ USD / children under 12 years of age.

From the Isabella Airport, Santo Domingo:

• Four regular flights daily/ 40 minute flight: departing 7:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Fares :70$ US per person 35$ US for children under 12 years of age.

From the International Airport, Puerto Plata:

• Taxi : 130$ US/ 3 hours overland
• By private plane/ 35 minute flight: for 3 people 330$ US, for 4-5 people 550$ US, for 9 people 990$ US

From the International Airport, Punta Cana:

• Taxi : 340$ US/ 9 hours overland
• By private plane/ 40 minute flight: for 3 people 330$ US, for 4-5 people 550$ US, for 9 people 990$ US

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During your stay

Départs des lignes régulières de l’aéroport Las Terrenas / EL Portillo :

To travel back and forthe between the hotel and the village of Las Terrenas, the simplest way is to take a « motoconcho » (motorcycle taxi), which costs approximately 50$ RD (about 1.50$ US) ; a taxi costs approximately 300$ RD (about 9$ US).

PTo explore the peninsula of Samana, and get around on your own, we suggest you rent a car in Las Terrenas, (or a motorcycle or quad). Since it would be a shame to come to the peninsula of Samana without taking part in at least one excursion, we offer you a wide variety of options, so you can take your pick :

• whale-watching from mid-January to mid-March
• the National Park of Los Haitises
• the El Limon waterfall
• the jeep safari
• the quad excursion…

In addition, we offer you nautical and sporting activities: you can choose among jogging in the morning on the beach, horseback riding, diving, surfing, kite-surfing, windsurfing… All these activities can be arranged for you at the hotel reception desk. Fees on request.

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On your departure

Departures of the regular flights from the Las Terrenas/ EL Portillo Airport:

1. to Isabella Airport, Santo Domingo: 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 2 :00 PM and 5:00 PM
2. to Las Americas Airport, Santo Domingo: 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM and 5:15 PM. Fares: 70$ US per adult, and 35$ US for children 12 years of age.

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