Dominican Republic lifestyle

Both street shops and stalls sell amazing souvenirs such as amber jewellery, wood or soapstone carvings, colourful paintings and mahogany furniture. The most popular, however, are the locally produced cigars, rum and coffee.

Dominican cuisine has several unique dishes. Sancocho, a thick stew, is made of five or seven different meats. Arroz con pollo (chicken with rice) is staple on every Dominican menu. Bananas are cooked in a million different ways, such as Tostones, where the banana is flattened and fried. The most common dish is called 'La Bandera Dominicana' (which literally means 'Dominican flag') and comprises white rice, beans, meat and salad. Fish and seafood are excellent and reasonably priced, and the fantastic local fruits are made into a whole range of exotic drinks known as 'jugo'. Orange is normally called 'china', papaya 'lechosa', passion fruit 'chinola' and coconut water is normally served cold, straight from the coconut. It's also worth sampling the local beers and the many brands of rum.

As the national music, Merengue is the centrepiece of parties throughout the country. Dominicans have a reputation for dancing anywhere - even in the street! In the evening hotels host entertainment with theme nights and shows, which are well worth seeing.