What should I buy in the Dominican Republic?

[contactme_11]

I will be in the DR for the month of March. Any suggestions on what I should buy to bring back with me? ie, what's the best values as I will Be all over the island.

 

[LabelKing]

Trujillo memorabilia.

The shops are called just Trujillo.

 

[Will]

Cigars, guayabera shirts and rum.

 

[luk-cha]

Originally Posted by Will

Cigars, guayabera shirts and rum.

+1 the cigar are better than cuban too!

 

[chapunso]

Besides rum women shirts and cigars, concentrate on amber (beautiful), old silver coins from spanish galeons, woodcarving figures and hatian paintings. they are beautiful. You can bargain a lot, so feel free to do so.
Wonderful restaurants in SantoDomingo: neptuno, sully, boga boga, just to name a few. there is only one decent clothing store in santo domingo, but it is not woh it. I a looking for a tailor myself. I know some ministers in the government, and in my next trip i am going to visit a good tailor. I will be more than happy to share this with the group.
I have been in the DR more than 40 times. Just let me know if there is anything else you need.

 

[milosh]

+1 on the cigar advice.

Wouldn't say they are better than cuban but they are good.

 

[Philip1978]

i love rum, i love rum, i love rum.

 

[contactme_11]

Originally Posted by chapunso

I have been in the DR more than 40 times. Just let me know if there is anything else you need.

Any particular places you recommend for shirts and jewelry?

 

[mack11211]

Baseball players.

 

[Connemara]

I was in Puerto Plata a few years back, and it was a lot of fun. The country (i.e. scenery) is breathtaking, but driving cross-island was depressing. You pass a lot of wretchedly poor people, living in tiny hovels with rusted tin roofs. I gave a $5 bill to a little girl who assaulted our car's windshield with cleaning fluid and a rag, and she started crying. It's amazing that $5 can make a bit of a difference in someone's life...I think we often forget how privileged we really are.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Connemara

I was in Puerto Plata a few years back, and it was a lot of fun. The country (i.e. scenery) is breathtaking, but driving cross-island was depressing. You pass a lot of wretchedly poor people, living in tiny hovels with rusted tin roofs. I gave a $5 bill to a little girl who assaulted our car's windshield with cleaning fluid and a rag, and she started crying. It's amazing that $5 can make a bit of a difference in someone's life...I think we often forget how privileged we really are.
$5 would probably be a fair amount to those homeless windshield people in America.

 

[larryr]

Don't buy any "cuban" cigars down there.

 

[Will]

Originally Posted by larryr

Don't buy any "cuban" cigars down there.

No need. Of the approximately 70 cigars rated above 90 in Cigar Aficionado last year, half were non-Cuban, and most of those from the Dominican Republic.

 

[larryr]

I agree there are some great DR cigars, but CA is the cigar equivalent to GQ, their ratings are pretty much regarded as useless. DR is notorious for fakes. I also probably wouldn't buy any DR cigars in DR, odds are those are fake too. Unless you know where your going.

 

[dirk diggler]

a lot of the DR cigars that are highly rated in CA are made in special tax-free zones and are not available locally. Try some of the local brands (the Leon family makes good stuff) and drink President beer. oh, and the women!!! get some tail if you can.