Many of the hotels and holiday resorts offer their clientele plenty of daytime activities and water sports such as snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing, waterskiing and parasailing, to mention a few. There are also wonderful golfing opportunities for those looking to improve their handicap at a range of beautiful 18-hole golf courses, such as the White Sands Golf Course.

Spanish is the official language, but English is spoken in the main tourist centres.

The currency is the Dominican Republic Peso (DOP), divided into 100 centavos. Many of the hotels and restaurants in the main tourist destinations display their prices in US dollars as well as in Dominican Pesos, as US dollars are widely accepted and some places will also accept Euros. The peso cannot be exchanged outside of the Dominican Republic. Major currencies can be converted into pesos at Central Bank approved bureaux; only 30% of the pesos bought can be re-converted and this only if the original receipts are produced, so it is best not to buy more pesos than you are likely to need. Major credit cards are accepted everywhere, but a commission is usually charged and it is recommended that you only use your credit card at your hotel as fraud incidents have been reported. The best exchange rates are paid on US travellers cheques and secondly on US dollars cash and are best exchanged at exchange bureaux ( casas de cambio). Banking hours are Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm; some banks also open on Saturday. ATMs are widespread.

The hotel nightlife leaves a lot to be desired and party-animals are warned that Bavoro may be a little boring. It is geared more towards couples and older travellers.

Like most things in Bavaro, the nightlife is mostly concentrated in the hotels and holiday resorts, although the nearby town of Cortecito sees some of the most dedicated party-goers in its clubs. Disco Mangu, located near the Flamenco Bavaro Hotel is one of the most popular clubs and a favourite for people to let loose and dance the night away while on holiday. Plaza Bavaro also offers some wonderful bars ideal for relaxing and enjoying a pint.

Most of the hotels and holiday resorts in Bavaro offer an array of eateries; some even have up to six or seven à la carte restaurants. A few restaurants can be found on Plaza Bavaro serving some wonderfully exotic Dominican fare. Bavaro Cortecito has plenty of other options for those looking to escape their hotels for the evening, Captain Cook's being the most frequented. The fresh fish dishes at the Tropical Bavaro Restaurant are excellent value for money and when the moon is full, head on over to the Jelly Fish Restaurant on Bavaro Beach where live entertainment can be found on full moon nights.

There are three main shopping centres where shopaholics on holiday in Bavaro can spend, among other things, their time. Bavaro Shopping Centre is the main place to look for clothing, while the Plaza Bavaro offers almost everything from boutiques, gift shops, souvenir shops, jewellery stores, pharmacies and beach clothing stores and is open from 9am to 7pm. Palma Real Shopping Centre is a great place to buy cigars, and outside many of the hotels are flea markets where Bavaro locals can be found peddling their wares.