Cabrera Information

On this page you will find what we hope will be some useful information relating to services and facilities in Cabrera including addresses and telephone numbers where appropriate.

Medical Facilities

If you are coming to Cabrera as a vacationer, or for any other reason for that matter, we strongly recommend you take out adequate medical insurance cover for the length of your intended stay. Whilst we hope your visit will be very enjoyable and not affected in any way, accidents or unforeseen health problems can arise and in the Dominican Republic it is best to be covered for such an eventuality.

Cabrera does have a public hospital but its facilities are limited and, in all honesty, is best reserved for local people who speak fluent Dominican Spanish and understand the system.  Fortunately Cabrera has two excellent private clinics where an extensive range of medical procedures are available.

Centro Medico Cabrera – Tel 809-589-7410 or 809-589-7791

Centro Medico Cabrera is situated on the main Cabrera/Rio San Juan road, Esq. Maria Gomez,  alongside the Farmacia Anna Paula and offers a full range of medical facilities including:-

24 Hour Emergency Service – on either of the telephone numbers above.
General Medicine
Specialist Medical Procedures
Diagnostics
Laboratory
X-Rays
Ultra-Sound
Electrocardiogram
Operating Theatre
Orthopedic Procedures
Private Inpatient Bedrooms
Home Visits
Will accept International Medical Insurance subject to authorization from the Company who issued the Policy.

The Medical Director is Dr. Miledy Mejia.

Centro Medico Dr. De La Cruz – Tel 809-589-7566. Email delacruzri@hotmail.com

Centro Medico Dr. De La Cruz is also located on the main Cabrera/Rio San Juan road at km1 which is more or less mid way between the two entrances to the town from this road.  This medical centre also offers a comprehensive range of facilities including:-

24 Hour Emergency Service – See telephone number above.
General Medicine
Specialist Medical Procedures
Diagnostics
Laboratory
X-Rays
Ultra-Sound
Electrocardiogram
Operating Theatre
Orthopedic Procedures
Pre and Post Natal Consultancy
Gynecology
Private Inpatient Bedrooms
Is not able to accept International Medical Policies.  Here you will have to pay for treatment and recover the costs from your insurer when you return home.

The Medical Director is Dr. Ricardo de la Cruz

Police:-

It is very unlikely you would ever need to contact the police in Cabrera. Serious crime is almost unheard of here and the local police spend more time making sure vehicles are parked on the right side of the road and motorbikes left at the correct angle to the curb than investing real crimes.  However should you need the police you can either go to their office or call the emergency or local numbers below:-

The Police station is located in C/ Duarte about 100mtrs from El Parque in the direction of the coast.
Tel. 809-589-7305 Emergency Number 911

Fire Service:-

Again, it is very unlikely that you would ever need the Fire Service (Bomberos) but should such an event arise they can be contacted on the Emergency Number 911

Ambulance:-

 The Ambulance service can also be contacted on the National Emergency Number 911

Chemists:-

There are three main chemists located in Cabrera with a small additional shop attached to the local hospital, which offers a limited range of medicinal items at a discounted price, mainly to the local residents.

The addresses and opening times of the other chemists are as follows:-

Farmacia Anna Paula, Autopista Cabrera – Rio San Juan No 6 (actually alongside the Cabrera Medical Center) Tel:  809-589-7591and 829-897-7410.

Open 7 days a week from 08.00 to 22.00.They will also deliver to your home if you cannot go to the shop.

Farmacia Lucas 11, El Jamo, Cabrera. (On your right hand side as you leave Cabrera in the direction of Nagua)
Tel:  809-589-7877 and 829-210-4560

Open Monday to Saturday 08.00 to 19.00 Sundays 09.00 to 12.00

Farmacia San Luis, C/Lorenzo Alvarez, just up from El Parque on the right hand side of the road
Tel:  809-589-7322

Open 08.00 to 12.00 and 14.00 to 18.00 Monday to Saturday and 08.00 to 12.00 Sundays.

Lawyers

Radio Stations

http://www.cabrerafm.com/app/  89.1 mhz
http://tunein.com/radio/Independencia-FM-933-s113759/  93.3mhz
La Kalle 96.3FM

Internet Facilities

The main and most comfortable internet facility is the Photo Bar located on C/ Duarte.  Modern, air-conditioned, coffee, ice cream and other drinks and pastries are all available.  You can use your own laptop here free of charge and just pay for what you eat or drink. The Photo Bar closes all day Tuesdays.

Also in C/ Duarte the restaurant Chori Pan has a free WiFi facility where again you can just pay for what you eat or drink and connect with your own laptop or use one of their computers.

Caribe Tours/Caribe Express

Caribe Tours provides comfortable transport to most major towns and cities in the Dominican Republic and their ticket office is located in C/ Lorenzo Alverez No 33 (in front of the park) which is also where the coach stops.  You can go by express direct to Santo Domingo via the motorway or via San Francisco de Macoris where there are connections to other towns.  Unfortunately, for some destinations, there is no interconnecting service so some investigation of routes and connections is necessary.

Departure times are:-

Mornings

07.30 and 09.30 via the motorway and 06.30, 09.00 and 11.00 via San Francisco de Macoris

Afternoons

14.30 and 16.30 via the motorway and 15.00 via San Francisco de Macoris
These times, and sometimes routes, are subject to occasional changes so it is recommended you check the timetable displayed in the office.

Apart from providing a passenger service, you can also send parcels and post via Caribe Tours although this does mean delivery and collection from their offices.  This is a more reliable service than the post office and with same or following day delivery depending on the destination.

Caribe Express provides a currency exchange and money transfer system as well as an international postal service via Fedex.  Their office is located at the corner of C/ Independiencia and C/ Lorenzo Alvarez.

Alternative Public Transport

If you want to travel like the locals there are several small public transport buses that go to a variety of destinations from Cabrera or pass through Cabrera on their journeys.  You can easily get to La Entrada, Nagua or Rio San Juan in one of these as long as you don’t mind cramped conditions, loud music and the driver using his cell phone whilst driving at high speed.  Connections with other similar vehicles can take you to destinations further afield and if you tell the driver your ultimate destination, he will drop you where you can board another bus.  These “guavas” will stop for passengers almost anywhere but do have recognized “stops” adjacent to El Parque, Isla Gas Station, on the corner of C/ Independiencia and C/ Lorenzo Alvarez and outside Cabrera Medical Center.

For easy travel within the town there are plenty of “Moto-conchos” available on many street corners who will transport you to where you want to go for 25 or 50 pesos.  Don’t worry if there are two of you, as well as bags or baggage. Carrying 2 or even 3 people is quite the norm!

Banks

Cabrera has three main bank branches in the town all of which are in C/Independiencia and all have ATM’s accepting Visa/Mastercard etc.  Banco Progreso is the branch closest to the town centre with Banco Aduarte further along the road towards the main Nagua/Rio San Juan road and Banco Reservas about 50mts on the right hand side before the junction.  There are other savings and loans offices in the town but these do not offer the same facilities as these main banks.  Strangely, there is no branch of Banco Popular.  For this bank you will need to go to Nagua.

Money Exchange

Although you can change currencies in the major bank branches there are two other facilities in the town which normally offer better rates and less “paperwork”  Immediately in front of Banco Progreso is one office whilst on the corner of C/Independiencia a few meters down from this bank is the office of Caribe Express.  They advertise the current rates for both Dollars and Euros outside and with both these exchange bureaus there is no commission charged.  What you see is what you get.  Dollars and Euros are easily exchangeable but other currencies can cause problems so it is advisable to either bring one of these currencies, in cash or travelers checks, or use your credit/debit card to obtain local currency.  Make sure though you advise your bank or Card Company that you will be using this in the Dominican Republic or you could find the card suspended if your bank thinks withdrawals might have been fraudulent.

Money Transfer

The office of Western Union can be found in the group of businesses surrounding the Isla petrol/gas station at the Nagua entrance to Cabrera.  From here you can send or receive money all over the world.  Identification in the form of a passport or Dominican Cedula is required to either send or receive funds.  Money transfer/receipt is also available from other recognized worldwide companies in some of the banks but the procedure and paperwork needed is much simpler with Western Union.

Caribe Express also offers a money transfer system via its offices but only within the Dominican Republic or Haiti. Their charges are slightly cheaper than Western Union.