Can I drink the water in Dominican Republic?

Generally, water in Dominican Republic is not safe to drink. Restaurants provide bottled water for drinking. The community of Cap Bonita filters water, but to be safe, we have a special whole-house water filtration system that permits all of the water to be drinkable quality. As an additional measure, refrigerator water has been filtered a third time. You can trust that our water has been tested to be excellent for drinking and cooking.

Do I need to bring cash with me?

We recommend bringing some cash as certain places, such as your driver from the airport or small fruit stands, do not take cards. However, grocery stores and most restaurants accept credit card, and there are many ATMs in town to get cash if needed.

Do the utilities ever go out?

For the most part, water, electricity, and internet are fairly reliable on Playa Bonita. There can be brief electrical outages, but our home has an inverter which can store electricity for use in the event of an outage. During periods of heavy rain, the town may shut off water to Playa Bonita. Our home has a 5,000 gallon cistern which will permit 10 guests to have enough water for approximately seven days. We will notify you if the water is shut off so that you can try to conserve, just in case, but in the event of a prolonged outage we would also have water delivered to the cistern.

Are there mosquitoes in Dominican Republic?

Yes, as in other tropical climates, we do have mosquitoes. The property is sprayed for mosquitoes and the house, since it is a new villa, is air tight; therefore once doors and windows are shut at night, there should not be a problem with mosquitoes. We do encourage you to bring bug spray.

Should I drive in Dominican Republic?

While it’s possible to drive in Dominican Republic, we recommend care be taken about how far you are going and avoid driving at night. Most of the time, you may not need a vehicle as car rentals can be more expensive than paying a driver for the occasional trip. We can help you rent a car or find a driver if needed.

What if I have a medical emergency?

For serious emergencies, call 911. Otherwise, you can try calling United Doctors for an appointment. They can do house calls.

How do I get around Las Terrenas? How do I get to Villa Solmara?

We recommend using a driver for transportation from the airport to Villa Solmara. We have a trustworthy driver, Paul, as well as some of his coworkers, who can transport guests from Samana El Catey (AZS), Las Americas International Airport (SDQ), Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), and Puerto Plata International Airport (POP).

Once in Las Terrenas, you can continue to use a driver for errands or you can rent a side-by-side or full-size vehicle. We can provide car rental recommendations.

Additionally, you can download the app Konica—many stores and restaurants can provide delivery for a small fee (200 Dominican pesos or so).