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{{IsIn|Hitchhiking in the Dominican Republic is - like in many countries in the [[Caribbean}}]] - farely common.  In the early morning and after work in the evening, you can see a lot of locals waiting for a lift on the side of the road. They gather at bus stations or just wait at the road until they are picked up.Sometimes they hold out their hand or stick out their thumb, but usually they are just standing there as people know what they are waiting for anyway.  == Hitchhiking in DR means "una bola" == The most important word to know for you to make people understand your intention is "una bola", pronounced like "una vola" which means a ride in Dominican Spanish and also a ball.  If you don't say "una bola", many people will just try to find a public or private bus or taxi for you or try to bring you with a motoconcho in exchange for money.  == How to hitchhike in DR == 1. Stand by the side of the road. 2. Lift up your arm if a car or moto arrives. 3. If the driver stops, say "una bola" to him and your destination. 4. If it's a motorcycle, only get on from the left side. On the right side, there is a hot exhaust pipe. Be careful. If you touch the exhaust pipe with your leg, you will get a Dominican tattoo, a lasting burn injury. == Alternative: Cheap and crowded "guaguas" == The public transportation system in the country is called guaguas. Guaguas are either pick-up trucks where you sit outside on a wood construction or round and white vans with an open door and 4 people sitting on 3 seats in 4 rows. Occasionally, chickens, bags of rice, clothes and crying children also find their place into the guagua. In every city there are several guaguas leaving every day and connecting to all possible destinations. The guaguas are really cheap. They cost between 50 and 150 Pesos for one ride. == Why hitchhiking is part of the Dominican culture already == As there are no bus schedules, the majority of people also hitchhike as long as the next bus to their destination might come by. An unknown driver of a car or motorcycle may stop, if a bus can't because it is already full.  Everyone in the Dominican Republic hitchhiked once. Many people don't own cars or motorcycles and hitchhike to work every morning. Many people with empty space in the car will pick up hitchhikers. As a white person you get lifts very fast, locals can wait longer, but the atmosphere is nice. Hitchhiking is a normal thing to do in the country. == How to find the perfect hitchhiking spot == 1. Walk along the road until you find shadow.

Hitchhiking in the Dominican Republic is - like in many countries in the [[Caribbean]] - farely common and especially in the evening if people finished work, you can see a lot of people waiting 2. Look out for a lift on the side of the road. They gather at bus stations, I saw up to 50 people standing around one bus station. Sometimes they stick out their thumb, but usually they are just standing there as people know what they Bus stations are commonly used hitching spots and waiting spots for anyway. Kinda everybody hitched once and a lot of people who have space pick up hitchhikerstry to move to a different place in DR. As a white person you get lifts very fast, locals can wait longer, but I like Bus stations are directly at the side of the atmosphere, that hitchhiking is just a normal thing to do. Not so common like road and often in Cuba, but easier as more people have their own, empty car..the shadow of some palm trees or buildings. There are a lot these kind of pickups, it happens sometimes there is one perfect spots all over the country. The buses who just picks up everybody they come acrossare passing by and shouting out their destination, as much as fit on tell you if you stand at the backright road.In the middle of the day, its possible to wait longer, as less people And if you are driving long distance when it´s really hotunlucky hitchhiking, and as it´s also not too comfortable waiting in you can still take the sun (at least in the hot season), i recommend morning next bus or evening hitchspublic guagua.

The most important word In the middle of the day, its possible to know is "una vola" which means a ride in dominican spanish and makes clear what you wantwait longer, as many less people want to help you finding a busare driving long distance when it's really hot, and as it's also not too comfortable waiting in the sun (at least in the hot season), morning or evening hitches are recommendable.

Dominicans are very friendly and hospitable people and they´ll they'll probably invite you by times.

There are a lot of private beaches and areas you can't enter next to the sea, so it's hard to find a nice spot to sleep/and camp there, but possible. Also There are good places to find in some national parcs or stuff you can sleepthe countryside. Usually, it's usually there are no problem for white persons or people who look obviously like a touristproblems with the police.

Couchsurfing works super well, also last-minute, you don't have to send too many requests (more than 5), as kinda kind of everybody will invite you who sees the message in time. I Dominicans are easy-going and they usually looked for a couch one don't mind that you don't know your exact arrival time or two days before i came to the place and i mostly had to choose between couchesdate. You'll be welcome.

In local restaurants, ask for "plata plato del dia" (, which means plate of the day), and they'll give you . You will be provided a typical dominican meal for a cheap price, mostly of no more than 150 pesosor 200 Pesos. It's usually rice with beans and meat, and a lot. I always asked If you're on a tight budget or not too hungry, ask for a smaller portion, which was is still a lot, and it's only 100 Pesos. If you just want to get 100 Pesos of rice at a restaurant or a public market for example, you can just ask "Hola, dame cien pesosde arroz, por favor."

If you smell the taste of food somewherein smaller towns or the countryside, people eating together in the garden, you're lucky, as you can easily join(just ask for the way, etc.) without being supposed to pay, that's part of the culture and a reason why i I wanted to visit this country. Although, it won't happen too often.

It´s possible to hitchhike sailing boats to get around the Carribean. The two best Two good ports for that i found are in La Romana and Boca Chica. From May till November nobody´s sailing cause of the winds. You can find the first boat out beginning of November. I recommend Recommendable is Boca Chica as it´s it's the bigger port, but if you don´t find any there, La Romana is very close.

- [[Santo DomingoCategory:Caribbean]]- [[La Romana]]{{IsIn|Caribbean}}