Rent a Car in Dominican Republic

Get around freely in a rented car and discover the most interesting hideouts in the Dominican Republic

One of the best ways to move about within the Dominican Republic is to do it in a rented car which will allow you to reach the most interesting and remote places in full freedom, as well as discovering the hidden secrets of the Dominican Republic.

Obviously, to rent a car, you need to have a valid driving license, that will be valid as long as your visa is; in addition to a credit card and the requisite of being over 25.

There are lots of national and international enterprises that rent cars in the country’s main cities and touristic destinations, so you will not have any problems to find them in airports or near some hotels.

Before renting a car, you should take into consideration the following recommendations for driving in the Dominican Republic:

You have to be careful and fill up the tank of the car before long trips. Even though there are gas stations in every city, they are usually closed by 19:00. The price of gasoline and diesel, when this guide was written, was of about 117 and 175 RD$, respectively. It is quite common, in remote rural areas, to find people who sells gas at their houses, this could be a big help sometimes.

If you are unfortunate enough to get a flat tire, you will find lots of garages ready to assist you. You should know that the Dominican name for tires is “gomas”.

With respect to road conditions, you can find very good paths, but also awful ones, especially if you move away from the big cities, in rural and less-transited areas. These, in general, are full of potholes and speed bumps. It is advisable to drive only in daylight, since pedestrians and motorcycles do not usually wear any reflective device and this can lead to a traffic accident.

Traffic rules do exist, as in any other place, but they are not observed. Dominicans do not obey traffic lights or any kind of traffic sign. Thus, it is compulsory to drive very carefully.