Internship and Volunteer Program in The Dominican Republic - The FAQs

The best time to travel to the Dominican Republic is the dry season which starts in December and lasts until April/May. Long white beaches, turquoise blue water, and the pura vida are awaiting you! The climate is tropical and the average temperature is around 25°C, yet, during the rainy season it can get a lot warmer.

In general, both project sites in Samaná and Las Terrenas are safe, peaceful and foreigner-friendly. Nonetheless, you should keep an eye on your belongings and not stay alone in bigger cities or offroad in the woods.

During your entire stay, you can reach your personal contact person on-site at all times. Already at the airport, he picks you up and directly guides you to the bus with which you will reach your future home at the sea. Moreover, our partner is going to give you useful tips concerning the safety situation in the country upon arrival.

Voluntary work in a community project in Samaná

Voluntary work in the field of dentistry in Samaná

Assistance in an animal shelter in Samaná

Conservation of endangered sea animals and coral reefs in Las Terrenas

Nature and environmental conservation in Las Terrenas

You don’t have to be a student to take part in the programs! As soon as you turn 18 years old we can start planning your travel together. If there are any further qualifications needed you can find them in the program description of your favorite project.

The projects are available all year round. You will discuss your individual period of time with our team. They will also give you information about general as well as school holidays.

All projects require you to take part in them for a minimum duration. In some projects, you may already work in for a minimum of 2 weeks. For how long you want to volunteer and work for afterward is up to you. Keep in mind: the longer you stay the more diverse your tasks are going to be.

It’s best to sign up about 2 months prior to your stay so we can organize your participation - starting on time also means that you can prepare yourself in peace as well. But the Dominican Republic is also an ideal destination for spontaneous planners! The mediation is very quick plus you can easily get your visa upon arrival at the airport!

The project participation is not remunerated but by volunteering you will make a valuable contribution to the community in the Dominican Republic. Of course, you can also raise some donations on your own initiative beforehand or start a fundraiser which will support the project even more.

The participation in the programs can, in consultation with your university, count as a mandatory internship. Before you sign up we will discuss whether the conditions of your university can be met. If wished-for we can also issue a project certificate at the end of your stay.

Generally, our partner organizes a suitable accommodation for you. There are 3 options available:

Living in shared accommodation with other volunteers and interns

Living in a host family (for an extra fee)

Individual search according to your preferences

No worries, we will inform you about your options before you sign up and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the options given.

Usually, you’re not alone and other volunteers and interns are n site as well. Nevertheless, we cannot guarantee that 100%. The number of participants may vary depending on the time of year and the project. That’s why your engagement and commitment to helping others should be your number one priority!

If you live in a volunteer house or in an accommodation that has been found for you individually you are going to take care of the food shopping as well as cooking yourself. If you decide to stay in a host family three prepared meals per day are included.

How many hours per day you’re working for depends on the project you chose. Usually, volunteers work an average of 4-8 hours per day from Monday to Friday. Plus, you’re going to have the weekends off and therefore a lot of spare time. For making plans it’s best to ask your contact person about valuable insider tips on events, tourist attractions and must-sees!

It’s best if you arrive a few days before the project starts - preferably on a Thursday or Friday. That’s how you avoid your arrival being stressful as well as working with a jetlag. Moreover, our partner is booking your accommodation according to your flight details. You may also already live in your host family 3 days prior to your project start.

There are a lot of different websites on which you can compare flights and find the best one. After your application, we will share our favorites with you if you like. When you book your flight, pay attention to the airport you choose in the Dominican Republic. The target airport for projects in Samaná and Las Terrenas is the International Airport Las Américas in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

Recommended Airlines are:

Air France

KLM

British Airways

We recommend you to arrive at the airport Las Américas in the morning or around noon. Our partner organizes a pick up for you that takes you to a bus station close by. He is also going to buy you a ticket that takes you from Santo Domingo to Samaná or Las Terrenas. Once you’ve entered the bus you have to drive to the final stop. The ride takes about 2 hours. Once you have arrived our partner is going to welcome you and take you to your accommodation.

If you arrived in the afternoon or at a different airport you should look for a hostel or hotel in Santo Domingo for the first night. The next day you can travel further to Samaná or Las Terrenas. No worries, our partner will help you with the arrangement if needed.

To participate in the programs you don’t need a special visa since a tourist card is sufficient. The card is valid for 30 days and you can extend it on site. Every month you’d like to stay longer costs about 10$. If you’d like to get the tourist card prior to your arrival, you can contact the Dominican embassy in Hamburg. By doing so you can save some time at the immigration counter at the airport.

Furthermore, it is very important that you check the validity of your passport. At the time of arrival, it has to be valid for at least 6 more months. Moreover, you should organize a foreign private health insurance for the duration of your stay since you will be asked to provide proof when you arrive at the airport in Santo Domingo.

You should arrange for private foreign health insurance since you will be asked to show proof of that when you arrive at the airport. Inform yourself about the insurance benefits in detail in advance, especially about which travel duration the insurance covers and whether a return transport to Germany is guaranteed.

Make an appointment for a consultation concerning the required vaccinations with your doctor prior to your stay. The consultation is important so you are informed about how to prepare best for the travel healthwise. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends vaccinations against tetanus, measles, polio, hepatitis A & B and, sometimes, typhoid, rabies, and cholera.

In recent years, the cases of dengue fever have increased in the Dominican Republic. You should, therefore, pay attention to proper mosquito protection!

These are a few items we advise you to take with you:

First aid kit

Antihistamine against itching in mosquito bites

Anti-mosquito spray

Medicine for diarrhea

Antacid (if you have problems with your stomach)

Painkillers

Personal prescribed medication

Sunscreens and aftersun lotion

The currency of the Dominican Republic is the Dominican Peso (RD$). One option is to exchange Euros or Dollars at the airport. In Samaná, we can recommend you to withdraw money at the Scotiabank, but there are many other banks as well. Please note that you will need a credit or debit card at the ATM and the PIN. A fee of around 4€/US$ is usually charged for the use of the ATM.

Your contact person in the Dominican Republic is Manfred. Since he is very passionate about traveling, social work and getting to know different cultures, he decided to work in the field of development aid. He also helps you during the mediation process and the planning of your stay and is the person to talk to if you have any questions during your time abroad. Manfred has been our contact person for many years and is very experienced and dedicated when it comes to his work. Over the years, he and his team have successfully looked after a number of volunteers.

In the accommodations of our partners, there is WIFI available 24/7. This enables you to stay in touch with your family in friends via WhatsApp and Skype at all times. Moreover, we recommend taking a second mobile phone with you. In addition, you will get a local SIM card upon arrival at the airport with which you can make cheap phone calls.

In summer, the Dominican Republic is 4 hours behind the German, Austrian and Swiss time. Its time zone is UTC-4.

Although the Dominican Republic is a very popular holiday destination for tourists from all over the world, a majority of the population is suffering from poverty. Even though there have been various education initiatives over the last couple of years, universal education is not accessible for every one of the islands resulting in the number of illiterate people being very high. Through various charity projects, communities have been founded that enable the local population to get an easier and free access to education.

Our Recommendations:

Casual clothing during the day at work: T-Shirts, Jeans, Knee-Length Shorts

Long Pants and Long Sleeve Shirts to Protect You from Mosquito Bites

Sturdy Shoes and Rainproof Clothing for trips into nature

Thin Scarf

Swimsuit or Bikini

Transportation is relatively easy in the Dominican Republic. Most urban travel is by bus and by GuaGua, although Carros Públicos (a sort of shared taxi) are available as well. Intercity travel is by bus, while rural travel can be done in air-conditioned minibusses, crowded carros públicos, motoconchos (moto-taxis) or lots of walking. Most volunteers rely on public transportation such as the guaguas (local bus), motoconchos, carretas/rikshas or the Caribe Tours buses to get around.

To enter the Dominican Republic, you will need proof of your travel health insurance. This procedure comes in handy for you in this case! If you need medical help during your stay, you will receive free medical treatment in the Dominican state hospitals. There are also plenty of private doctors and dentists on the island. The costs vary depending on the case and the effort that has to be put in. Usually, you pay about 15 USD per visit. In the case of emergencies, our partner will, of course, help you on-site.

Germans, Swiss and Austrians usually need a travel adapter to use the electricity sources on site. In the Dominican Republic, sockets type A and B are used. The right adapters are available at specialist shops or online shops for a small budget. Also, pay attention to the voltage number: it’s 110V at a frequency of 60 Hz. Pay attention to the voltage when using electronic devices - many my differ in their frequency.