Cigars, cigarettes, departure tax?

RandR

New member
Jan 24, 2002
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Can I pick some brains for a sec? Will be in DR for the first time next week and need to buy cigars for the boss. Not too expensive. Any recommendations? What's the price of a pack of cigarettes and what brands are available? Finally, I see the thread below about the departure tax and I'm now all confused. It seems there is no set price at the moment, but would hate to show up to depart with $10 only and am then charged $40-50. Does anyone know where I can get a definitive answer about this? Thanks one and all.
 

doug

Member
Jan 1, 2002
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Departure Tax and ect,....

For your departure Tax....it is 10.00 USD and that's a fact! But being in the DR....anything could happen, Have !0 bucks in US cash, not pesos....not euro dollars, or canadien dollars(even the equivilent of 10 US) you need 10 bucks US.....it's the only currency taken (once again this could change and it sometime does, but most of the time you'll be fine with the 10 bucks....about 95% of the time...you'll be fine)As for Cigars, depends where you are and what you want,,,,look for Hillbilly, one of his posts, and e-mail him and tell him what part of the countrie you are going to be in and he'll point you in the right direction, there is no-one more knowledgeable on this board or on the intire island.......about Cigars! So just look for a post with his name and e-mail him and you'll be fine in that department. Any other questions,, just post them and you'll get good reliable answers from this board! It is the best board on the internet reguarding the Dominican Republic!
Good luck and have a great time and don't forget to come back to the board and let us all know how your trip went. If you are going to the south side of the island, your welcome to e-mail me directly if you have quetions that you need answers for!
HAVE FUN AND BE CAREFUL!!!!!!
 

ArJay

New member
Jan 1, 2002
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cigars

I bought a box of 25 cigars in a nice supermarket in POP.
The brand Aurora, is a good local DR brand not known in the US. The ones I bought and tried while there were very fresh and enjoyable, so I was looking forward to some very enjoyable smokes.
Though $75 is not very expensive for 25 good cigars at US prices, it is a small fortune to a non-affluent local Dominican so I guess the full boxes don't sell fast, and must have sat there for awhile. When I opened the cigars at home, I found them to be dried out.
I've rejuvenated them somewhat but they're not the same as fresh.
A box of the best prestigious cigars in the US can't be had for much less than $200. More like $300. That's for Cohiba and Montecristo. If you want something like that, you can get some prices off the web to bring down with you and compare at the duty free shop in the airport. I saw POP airport to have anything you might want. I saw a box of Montristos there for $150 but I can't tell you which type. ( There are many types and the prices vary greatly. The web had many types of Montecristos in the mid $100 range ).
If your boss is not swayed by name brands, and might get a kick from an unknown local brand, then the Auroras ought to be fine
( as long as you are confident they'll be fresh, I.E. ask a cigar smoker where there might be high turnover. ) A dedicated cigar shop might be the way to go there. Or if in POP, I heard there is a big open air market that has lots of them. ( I think it's called something like Jose Luis .) Also I'd get the shopkeeper to pledge their freshness. Cigars can be returned in the US if your not satisfied, especially if you're spending upwards of $100. Unfortunately, forget about returning something by mail to the DR. ) 5 packs ought to be fresher than full boxes. Jimenez is a good well known name, and they're made locally in the Santiago area.
As the previous poster recommended, contact Hill Billy as he seems very knowledgeable. If you could meet him personally, I'm sure he wouldn't steer you wrong.
 

ArJay

New member
Jan 1, 2002
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cigars ( again )

P.S. I put the cigars in checked baggage, and they were not taxed on either end. The DR end was physically checking all checked baggage.

Also don't buy the so-called Cubans that many street hawkers will try to sell you. Of course they're counterfeit, and your boss probably already knows that so he won't be impressed. Besides, you never know if the US airport will bust them.

If you or someone you know like fine liquor, bring back some Bermudez Anniversario 25 year old rum. It beats courvasier and Remy at about $9 per bottle. Now that would really impress a Brandy connouseour.

There are restrictions to how much you can bring back. For instance Canadians can bring back 50 cigars. You'll have to look it up on the web for US. I don't have a clue as for how much liquor is allowed but I felt safe in bringing back 2 bottles. ( They may measure simply by volume, and not bottles ).

If you like art, I find haitian art very attractive. It's mysterious and colorful. But find an out-of-the way shop as the street hawkers will drive you crazy with their talk, and you might end up with something at home that you really don't like. Haitian art is actually highly regarded. http://www.medalia.net/ is a web site with nice samples.

Cigarettes are about $2 a pack and all I saw there were Marlboro Red and White. Of course tobacco stores will carry many European brands.

Have fun!
 

Jerry

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Jan 1, 2002
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www.livinginsantiago.com
departure tax

I have flown into Santo Domingo and Punta Cana. The departure tax is $10 US. The tourist card is also $10 US. If I remeber correctly, someone posted a wile back that La Romana was $15 US departure. Now depending on who you use, you might not see these cost directly.

When I fly in with American Airlines I have to pay for both the tourist card and departure tax at the airport. With Canada3000 both were included in the price of the ticket. Last week I used AirTransat and the tourist card was included in the cost but I had to pay for the Departure tax. When I was going to the gate they checked my ticket said I had to pay then stamped my boarding pass.

Jerry
 

Lyse

New member
Jan 2, 2002
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Re: departure tax

Jerry said:
I have flown into Santo Domingo and Punta Cana. The departure tax is $10 US. The tourist card is also $10 US. If I remeber correctly, someone posted a wile back that La Romana was $15 US departure. Now depending on who you use, you might not see these cost directly.

When I fly in with American Airlines I have to pay for both the tourist card and departure tax at the airport. With Canada3000 both were included in the price of the ticket. Last week I used AirTransat and the tourist card was included in the cost but I had to pay for the Departure tax. When I was going to the gate they checked my ticket said I had to pay then stamped my boarding pass.

Jerry

I fly with A.A. into La Romana. I used to pay 15$ for the departure tax (10$ departure and 5$ for airport improvement). On my last trip, at the airport, they did not charge me the 15$. Recently, someone posted that the 15$ was now included in the A.A. airfare. I'm leaving February 18th for the D.R. and last Thursday A.A. confirmed me that the departure tax was included in the airfare.
 

doug

Member
Jan 1, 2002
266
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There, That........

There, That clears things up for you..........LOL....Welcome to the Dominican Republic!!!!