My two cents worth ...
Wow what a lot of posts in just a few hours. Sunday morning too. Good stuff; and it seems mostly from “living-there” people.
1. Tourists – let’s not alarm them but they should travel in groups; think about (and try to follow) the advice given here and elsewhere.
2. Regular, repeat visitors – don’t get cocky after a few trips in which there were no incidents; read the advice on this thread and mull it over.
3. Living-there people – I bow to the experts.
My philosophy is – Most Domincanos are not crooks. Some of the not-crooks will take advantage and commit crimes of opportunity if someone who they think rich is careless. The very few who make their living (or most of their livelihood) from crime are almost impossible to thwart if they put their mind to it. You just have to encourage them to prefer to rob someone else; and/or you avoid the places and times of day (night) when they are prowling.
Stress: attitude – attitude – attitude. I always dress down, moderately and try to act as if I know where I’m going. I’m not trying to pass for a Dominicano – just someone who knows his way around and is not worth the trouble of molesting; that is – not someone who is especially rich and not an especially easy target.
Dressing down/moderately to me means: what in Canada would be work pants and work shirt, almost never short pants; scruffy ball cap or local straw hat.
BTW safety – for new visitors especially – includes awareness of traffic and the low priority placed on pedestrian life. It is also awareness of the fact that you are responsible for yourself when you choose to: get on a boat, gua-gua, plane etcetera; walk that deserted path; eat that meal. You’re not in Kansas anymore Toto.
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