Santo Domingo Zoo Park is a real fauna sanctuary.  It was inaugurated in 1975 and since then it has been visited by thousands of students and people in general.

The Zoo has a great amount of attractions such as wild animals, lions, tigers, crocodiles, water ponds, turtles, monkeys, etc.  The birds’ area is really beautiful due to the colorful feathers of the elegant birds.

Dominican Zoo territory can be covered through an entertaining walk or taking the Zoo little train which makes a tour through the most important zones and then takes passengers to the green areas where a nice open air moment is spent.

There are veterinarian and scientific experts dedicated to the investigation and preservation of species. In Santo Domingo Zoo it is possible to enjoy a beautiful spot where animals are in recreation places according to their natural environment.

Santo Domingo Zoo is located in Los Arroyos Avenue, Arroyo Hondo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic . The schedule is Tuesday to Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Guloyas or Buloyas from San Pedro de Macorís are part of the Dominican culture and history and they are considered as humanity cultural heritage.  The story of their origin tells that they were born from the descendant of black cocolos people who immigrated to San Pedro City from Britain islands of the Caribbean and their main characteristics is their use of masks.

Dedicated Dominican artists and composers honor this famous group through their songs as in the case of the singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra, in the musical video “A pedir mi mano” which shows and happy and lively representation of this Dominican colorful cultural and folkloric group.

Amont the Guloyas or Buloyas’ activities we have: several an varied dances; the most famous one is the movement of raising the knee and let it fall again to the floor, others accomplish the activity of weaving strips; they also walk and dance on stilt; everything is accomplished with folkloric music in which African music and instruments like drums and flute are relevant.

The most important characteristic of Guloyas group is undoubtedly the original costume which portrays decorated head with long and colorful peacock feathers; the costume is complimented by the capes of lively colors, colorful shinning stones and mirrors that transmit joy and dynamism to their folkloric representation.

Teofilus Chiverton is the founder of Guloyas; he’s from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic where his picturesque and folkloric house, painted by Dominican artists is; it’s also part of Dominican Cultural Heritage.

BANI.- The southern coast of Dominican Republic, now related to Peravia Province and its main city Bani, is a rich in natural resources zone; it surprises with a singular landscape of fine sands: Dunes of Bani.

Telling about Dunes of Bani is telling about a place that shows the charms of the desert nature in full Caribbean; the work of Caribbean Sea waving and the breeze as well as the wind blowing the sand shape dunes of Bani. “Photography lovers” have chosen this place countless times to take pictures of the beautiful evenings of this sandy exotic zone.

The impressive view of the sand cover is matched with the trees that grow and decorate the place and add more to the exuberant beauty; in the horizon the blue waters of Caribbean Sea can be perceived as well as the pleasant weather of a dry subtropical kind.

Dunes are specifically located in the community of Bahia de Las Calderas, Bani. Its extension is 15 kilometers and 35 meters of maximum height.

Concerning the rich flora found in the place, we can see endemic species such as the olive and other plants which are characteristics of the desert nature like cactus.  In the fauna of Dunes of Bani we can find black gulls, narrow-billed toddies and pelicans.

The way Dunes are formed is a rarely seen phenomenon in the world and live the experience of visiting this place will be undoubtedly a unique and unforgettable experience. Please, don’t forget your camera.

JARABACOA, LA VEGA.- Right in the scientific natural reserve of Valle Nuevo, located at 2,200 meters above sea level, in the oriental parte of the Central Mountain Range, you will find Aguas Blancas Waterfall, an impressive waterfall of 83 meters height.

This beautiful waterfall, the highest in Dominican Republic is located in the only place of The Antilles where there is alpine vegetation surrounded by the majestic landscape where low temperature form winter frost.

For those ecotourism lovers, Aguas Blancas Waterfall is a wonderful place to visit. Besides, for those adventure lovers, this place offers the chance of enjoying sports such as mountaineering and rappelling.

Many people don’t have a good reason to get married out of their countries, but let me tell you that celebrating your wedding in Dominican Republic is like a dream come true, why? First of all in here is cheap, easy and unforgettable, Dominican Republic slogan is “…Inexhaustible”, just imagine you in your wedding surrounded by palm trees, tropical weather, beautiful flowers, and the ability to have your wedding as secret as your want, lovely?.

Making your wedding in Dominican Republic is an activity that keeps growing over the years, becoming really popular for foreigners, the most adorable thing that you can do here is your honeymoon, here you don’t have to travel more than 30 minutes to get married and then go to your hotels where you’ll enjoy with live music, sandy beaches that should make your day an unforgettable moment in your life.

Your wedding in Dominican Republic can be a quiet ceremony of a huge party all depends of how much money you want to spend, here are two ways to get married, by law and or church (Catholic), if you want to prepare your wedding by law I recommend you to start in your paperwork between 1 – 2 months earlier, but if you want to get married by Church that can take more time, so start making arrangements between 4 – 6 months that can vary depending where you want to get married.

If you not speak Spanish and you don’t know nothing about Dominican Republic I recommend to hire a Wedding Planner, also if you want write me and I will send you some tips about prices or places, also hotels packages offers where have wedding packages include I’ll be speaking about that in the hotels section so go there if you want more info.

Preparing your Wedding in Dominican Republic

Here is not required to get a marriage license to get married in Dominican Republic, what you have to do is to register in the Oficialia del Estado Civil(City Clerk), every city have one, they have a small charge for that registration, that charge is the same for everybody, the charge is less than US$20.

You have to hire a judge (if it’s by law) where the price may vary, if you want to get married in the Oficialia Civil is not expensive, but you can talk with the judge and make an appointment for any day, my sister was married here last Sunday and we just pay US$100 for the judge that may vary cause my sister was married in Piedra Blanca, Bonao (where I was born) and that place is not a tourist place.

What you need to have for the paperwork is:

• Valid Passport, if you are Dominican you just need a Cédula (National ID), two copies.
• Birth Certificate: two copies.
• Single Status affidavit: Translated by a official translator into Spanish, Bring or send one original and one photocopy.
• Divorce certificate if apply: Translated by a official translator into Spanish

The last two documents are translated and legalized by the Dominican Republic Consulate. The birth certificates have to be translated into Spanish as well, the fees are less than $100 US each legalization, and less than $40 US each translation.

Your have to transcripts legally the Birth Certificate, Single Status Affidavit, an Divorce Certificate (if apply) in the Dominican Consulate just where the documents were issued, if you need more details about how to contact Dominican Consulate at you country just go the de consulate section in our Directory.

Here exists a Special Divorces Law, and you can get divorced as fast as you can change your shoes, but to get married again you just need to wait 24 hours (…relatively fast).

In case that after the marriage you or want to spouses what to apply for a visa (ex if you are Dominican) you need to have a Marriage Certificate from the Oficialia de Estado Civil (City Clerk), and bring that certificate to your consulate in Dominican Republic, if this is your case please consider to hire legal help or ask for help to your hotel, that can be handle as part of your wedding package or maybe you shall pay an extra fee.

If you are gay or lesbian we are still working to approve than kind of wedding but for now is not possible, if you want to get married with a Religious Ceremony please hire a wedding planner, is really important to have all the paperwork done before making your wedding plans in Dominican Republic. If you have any specific question please feel free to send me an email any time or to visit our forum.