From an article about time in Dominican Republic, a traveler will find out all the necessary information. Namely, what time zone is the Dominican Republic in, what is the difference with the cities of the USA and Europe, is there a time changing from daylight to standart, what to expect from jet lag and what it is, as well as a lot of other useful information about time.
Time in the Dominican Republic: everything you need to know
The Dominican Republic is a relatively small island nation in the Caribbean. It is only about 500 km wide. Therefore, there is one time zone throughout the country. This is very convenient for those who want to see the whole island and visit its different parts.
The Dominican Republic is located in the Western Hemisphere, and unlike Scandinavia, Poland, the Baltic States, where the time zone is +, for example Norway +3. That in the Dominican Republic is the time zone with a sign – (minus).
Good to know:
The time zone of the Dominican Republic is called – Atlantic Standard Time (AST), this is UTC -4
Total: time in the Dominican Republic is always 5 hours behind Paris or Berlin. And 4 hours from London.
Below is a list of several US cities and the time difference with the Dominican Republic:
- New York: same time as Dominican Republic in summer, -1 hour in winter
- Los Angeles: -3 hours in summer and -4 hours in winter. If in the summer in the Dominican Republic it is 3 p.m., then in Los Angeles it is only noon at 12 a.m.
Another important point regarding the time changing from daylight to standart in the Dominican Republic:
- The country is located near the equator at 18 degrees north latitude.
- This means that the length of day and night is not much and varies throughout the year.
- Also, sunrise and sunset do not shift very much.
Therefore, in the Dominican Republic there is no time changing from daylight to standart.
An article about the facts about the Dominican Republic for tourists is available at the link. It will answer many common questions about this country.
Jet lag and time in the Dominican Republic
First, one paragraph for those who do not know what jet lag is.
Jet lag is:
Jet lag is a condition that affects people who travel across time zones quickly, typically by airplane.
It is caused by a disruption in the body’s internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm.
Jet lag symptoms:
- fatigue
- insomnia
- High temperature
- difficulty concentrating
- Headaches
The severity of jet lag depends on the number of time zones crossed, the direction of travel, and an individual’s own susceptibility to the condition. To help combat jet lag, it’s recommended to adjust to the local time as soon as possible, get plenty of exposure to natural light, and avoid alcohol and caffeine.
Therefore, the vast majority of tourists arriving in the Dominican Republic are faced with jet lag.
Follow the link to read a separate article on what else to take with you to the Dominican Republic.
After all, if in the Dominican Republic it is 9 p.m., then in London it is already 1:00 a.m. And if it’s 5:00 a.m. here, then you don’t feel like sleeping, because it’s already 9:00 a.m. in London.
Dominican time format
There is nothing unusual, but you just need to know. That in the Dominican Republic the time format is the same as in many countries of America and Europe.
In the Dominican Republic, the following designations are valid (international):
- a.m. – This is the first half of the day until noon.
- 3 a.m. – 3:00
- 11 a.m. – 11:00
- p.m. – the second half of the day after noon and until midnight.
- 3 p.m. – 15:00
- 11 p.m. – 23:00
And here you can read about the currency and money of the Dominican Republic.
The attitude of the Dominicans to time
There will only be tips. Since the locals are not the most punctual nation, 5 Dominican minutes easily turns into 1 hour of time. Being 20 minutes late is not even considered late. Keep this in mind.
In the Dominican Republic, there are two words that express the whole national essence: Tranquilo and Mañana. They are translated accordingly as: Relax and Tomorrow. Everything is exactly the same as in Zanzibar, only there it is called Akuna Matata.
I am often asked what is the best country to choose for the next trip, Tanzania and Zanzibar or the Dominican Republic. Read about it in a separate article.
Often in a dialogue between a boss and a subordinate, it doesn’t matter if you are in a hotel or a store or a car rental office, I hear something like this:
- Eduardo, when will you finish this work today?
- Mañana, boss.
- Eduardo, you promised to do it today.
- Tranquilo, boss
Therefore, we ordered a taxi to the airport at 7 am in the evening, agreed with the guide to meet at 12 o’clock, the owner of your apartment promised to solve this problem in 5 minutes – be prepared for delays almost within an hour.
An article is available at the link: how long does it take to fly to the Dominican Republic. If you haven’t bought tickets yet, I advise you to read.
In conclusion, the Dominican Republic is 4 hours behind London, but 3 hours ahead of Los Angeles. Always take the necessary pills when traveling, for the likely symptoms of jet lag described above. There is no change time to winter and summer time. And also, the locals are not very punctual, keep this in mind and your trip will not be overshadowed by unpleasant surprises.
Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Dominican Republic
- Flights at the best prices with discounts
- Car rental: DiscoverCars – a largest international resource
- Hotels and apartments:
- Vacation packages:
- Tours, excursions and extreme activities:
- GetYourGuide – more than 800+ tours and water activities.
- Viator – 3500+ tours and excursions in Dominican.
- Comprehensive travel insurance: EKTA
- Internet and Calls:
- Airalo – eSIM with internet package.
- Drimsim – universal SIM card (or eSIM) in any country in the world.
- Taxi and airport transfers: Intui.Travel