Is the Dominican Republic dangerous? The truth of an Italian living there

I am often asked if the Dominican Republic is dangerous, and if it is not scary for me to live here. First, I would like to emphasize that living in Santo Domingo is not the same thing as living in a seaside town like Cabarete, where I live.

Before arriving here in 2021, I did not know what to expect. Googling I found conflicting information about whether this beautiful island was actually dangerous. So, as always, I decided to find out for myself, having eyes and ears everywhere.

Is the Dominican Republic dangerous? Here is the truth

The Dominican Republic is the ideal place for any true adventurer, and it offers a diverse ecosystem that is unlike any other Latin American country.

However, usually people only know the island for its luxury resorts complete with all-inclusive wristbands, from which people often do not even leave. So no, in this case the Dominican Republic is definitely not dangerous if you don’t go out and explore.

While on the other hand, if we talk about visiting the capital city, that is, Santo Domingo, the subject changes completely.

Historic Downtown Santo Domingo – Source: Pixabay

Is Santo Domingo a dangerous city?

In general, the city of Santo Domingo is safe to visit, although it may present several petty crime hazards. Be aware that typical tourist spots, restaurants, stores, and public transportation are where most pickpocketing and robberies occur, and that violent crimes sometimes occur on the streets.

However, keep in mind that this is a big city, and just as I point out in one of the most read articles on my blog where I talk about safety in Rio de Janeiro, any metropolis in the world is dangerous. Whether in Europe, South America or the United States, you have to have your eyes open everywhere.

Santo Domingo – Source: Pixabay

In the specific case of Santo Domingo, I can tell you to be careful mainly about three things:

1. Beware of pickpockets: They may try to snatch your cell phone, purse, or whatever. So I recommend that you protect your belongings as much as possible, and ride around in Uber in the evening.
2. The Dominican Republic is the country with the highest number of fatal accidents in the world-especially in Santo Domingo, where most of the cars run, be very careful crossing the street or drive very carefully if you decide to rent a car.
3. If you are female and traveling alone or with friends (so no men in tow) keep in mind that some Dominicans can be very pushy indeed. I wouldn’t consider it a physical danger because beyond giving you lots of compliments and inviting you out, they don’t do. As they say, “barking dogs don’t bite.” Nevertheless, even compliments or any kind of praise can be too much if given insistently, and I say this from personal experience.

What are the least dangerous areas in the Dominican Republic?

Playa Rincón – Dominican Republic

As I have tried to explain so far, to say that the Dominican Republic is dangerous would be to generalize.

There are areas of the country that could be considered much safer than any Italian city. Where I live (in Cabarete), for example, almost nothing ever happens.

In general, the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic, so Cabarete, Las Terrenas, the Samana Peninsula, etc., is among the safest in the country.

Punta Cana is also a quiet area. However, if you decide to spend your vacation at a resort (please don’t!), your hotel employees may lie to you and say that it is dangerous to go out alone and that it is always better to book a tour. They tell you this to make you pay more, not because it is true that outside the resort everything is dangerous.

Blend into the crowd, experience a real, typical Dominican experience. I assure you that you will not regret it!

Conclusion: Is the Dominican Republic dangerous or not?

So is the Dominican Republic dangerous or not? The answer is a round NO. Live your Caribbean experience with total peace of mind, always keeping in mind the usual rules of when traveling the world:

1. Always pay attention to your personal belongings.
2. Do not leave items unattended while on the beach.
3. When you want to book a tour, always ask for the price first, and from different agencies, so you can get an idea.
4. Don’t walk around with too much cash.
5. Leave your passport at the hotel, and only go around with a photocopy.
6. Don’t walk around at night in Santo Domingo. It is always better to pay for an Uber!
7. In any other part of the island, always ask the motoconchos (that would be moto-taxis) how much the ride costs before you leave, because they might try to rip you off.
8. When you go to withdraw, keep in mind that banks are the first criminals here. ATMs that will charge you less fees are Scotia Bank and La Nacional.

Have I convinced you to leave? Read my article on the most beautiful and least touristy places in the Dominican Republic by clicking here!