Where the heck is Mr. Jones-Güngör?

Santo Domingo is easily accessible from the city's international airport, Las Americas. It'd be best to arrange for a pick up or get a taxi. If you plan to go to a resort area after Santo Domingo, you'll need private transport. Be ready to pay around 50 USD for a distance of 30 km. outside of the city.

For this trip, we also visited Isla Saona, which is accessible via tours. It's all the way to the East of the country. You can spend a whole day getting there, enjoying the island, and coming back. Unfortunately, there are no accommodations on the island.

Food: Dominican fare is tasty combination of very usual dishes, like chicken and pork, with local ingerdients, such as plantain. Visit Museo del Jamon, on Plaza de Espana, to sample pork varieties and watch the square, overlooking to Rio Ozama.

Accommodations: In Santo Domingo, Bettyes Guest House is a jewel in the colonial zone. Bettye, herself, is a great host with a lovely gallery and vast local knowledge. She has dorm-style rooms, which can also be booked to be private. When you stay here, you'll be in the thick of it.

For more: See Lonely Planet's Dominican Republic section.

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