Heading to the DR for the first time in Feb any advise?

Just back from the DR. You get to buy a visa for $10.00USD as you enter the airport so have your cash in hand. I took lots of 1's and 5's USD for tipping and it paid off. If you have your transport set up before you go walk past the hoard of men who will try very hard to get you to use them and follow your instructions to the letter to get to the right booth. We had our name printed and taped to the booth so we knew where we needed to be.

No need to have anything other then USD with you as that is what everyone wanted from us and all the prices were in USD. FYI, the cost of Kahlua was $10.00 less at the airport on the way out then it was at the "duty free" shop at the resort. I take cardboard tubes with me to put the bottles in then into the boxes they provide. The boxes were flimsy and two of them were dropped getting to the plane with broken bottles resulting so if your plan is to bring a cpl of bottles home go with packing for them.

We found no reason to go off the resort for the 5 days we were there but next time plan on going off on a tour. We tend to want to see wildlife and there where two offered, half day and a full day. Weather will be warm but you will be able to be in long pants for dinner and even a light jacket in the evenings. Still nice and warm for swim suits in the day time. Watch the sky, we had rain every day for a bit.

If the resort you go to has an upgrade for premium service like ours did, do it, well worth the cost for the larger room and location plus the full access to some of the "better" services at no extra cost.