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Official Dominican tourist offices in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom provide brochures and routine information on major destinations. For more details on specific activities, smaller hotels, and independent travel you may be better off consulting independent agencies, tourist offices, and websites.

There are tourist offices scattered throughout the country, with the main offices situated in Santo Domingo, but few have the resources or expertise to answer more than the most basic questions. A better bet would be one of the many specialist tour operators (see Tours & Special Interests).

There is a huge amount of information about the country available on the Internet. Search engines are a useful means of locating specific information.

There is currently no English-language newspaper published in the Dominican Republic, but an invaluable source of news and general information is available on the website DR1, which has a daily news service as well as lots of material on travel and tourism.

There is a lively local press, with several daily and evening titles published in Santo Domingo. Some are available online, such as Listín Diario and Diario Libre .

Dotted around the country, these are often a reliable source of information on specific regions and activities.

There are several good maps of the country, the best published by Berndtson & Berndtson. In Santo Domingo, the best outlet for maps is Mapas Gaar.(www.mapasgaar.com.do )

Several bookstores in Santo Domingo have a good range of maps, guidebooks, and other travel-related literature.

Although some individuals offering their services as guides can be a nuisance, there are many well-qualified and informed guides. It is worth asking at your hotel or among any local contacts for a recommended and reliable person, who may also be a taxi driver (see Taxis).

For sports and activity holidays it is worth consulting Dominican Adventures’ website www.drpure.com for maps, information, and a great many useful links.