It is usually a good idea to keep track of holidays in the Dominican Republic even if you don’t celebrate them. Stores are usually either closed for the whole day or don’t open up again in the afternoon. meaning you need to plan ahead. Also it can be a bit more dangerous to been on the streets during many of the holidays.

I am adding most of the holidays into my section of “places to avoid” due to safety issues. The driving in the DR on normal days can be a little crazy, and it gets much worse during holidays

Dia de la Constitution Dominicana (Constitution Day)

Usually on November 6 the Dominican Republic celebrates the that the first constitution of the DR was signed. This year it was changed to November 4.

While this isn’t as widely (or wildly) celebrated as other holidays, most of the stores, banks, and shops (more…)

A point of interest if you are needing to get some things done today. The ministry of Labor has made today a holiday to commemorate the birth of Juan Pablo Duarte. Duarte is considered one of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic. There is a province named after Duarte as well as at least one street named Duarte in almost every town and city in the Dominican Republic. You can also find a statue of Duarte at the Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration in Santiago.

What this means if you are needing services today is that (more…)