It should rain little, noon time peaks of low 80s, high 70s, early morning 60s, so bring a sweater and jacket. Shopping is limited, but the Riu complex has a shopping area for buying souvenirs, the dollar stretches some so buy what attracts your idea, despite the tourist prices. There is a mall in the area, further south, near the Melia Bavaro area, but nothing great. Good place to get more pesos to the dollar in the exchange house there. The Riu Palace is a comfortable, relatively small hotel. Food reviews are great on the hotel. But note that it is primarily for those who seek to relax on the beach. Entertainment is good, but mostly shows put on by the house staff. Catamaran beach tour, jeep safari get good reviews from tourists. The most popular tour in the DR is the Saona tour, but it will take you all day. If you can combine it with the Altos de Chav?n/Casa de Campo tour, and you want to see another resort area, go for it. I would save that tour for a return trip when you stay at a La Romana resort (Casa de Campo, Dominicus or Bayahibe hotels), which will bring you must closer. If you don't think you will make it back to the DR, definitely take the all day tour to Santo Domingo, the capital city, site of the 2003 Pan American Sports Games. The city is under a big highway improvement plan, but the colonial city area where you will be taken is well worth the visit. There you may be taken to the Amber Museum and the Casa Verde gift shop, also in the colonial city, that have a wide selection of amber jewelry (plus the history of amber) and a wide assortment of Dominican handicrafts.
