Lowman:
Agree with the above statements. I've made a couple of trips to DR and it is a great place for vacationing as far as people, food, sand/beaches, and those "all inclusive resorts"....PARTY Times were great.
Unfortunately, bring your own cigars with you. Not only are 95% of the Cubans fake, but 97% of the High End DR cigars are fake. It is true that there are a couple of sites in Santo Domingo that sell REAL DR cigars and a few ISOM's, but you will pay more than they are worth...and besides, the bargaining for a MSRP is not worth ruining any vacation. Over 90% of High quality DR cigars are exported, and those left in the country for sale are overpriced and difficult to find. Though some major resorts will vouch for their credibilty, especially if the cigar store is in their premises, the cigars are probably fake. The Airports are also notorious for selling fakes and poorly maintained cigars. The natives do not take very kindly to remarks made on their fake cigars....just politely say "no Thank you".
As far as the High end brands: AF, Davidiffs, etc. IF they are found, and REAL, the price will be overinflated (much cheaper and hassle free to purchase them here in the States).
Therefore, as a tip, tell your friend to have a great time in the DR (Truely a fun vacation site), bring his/her own cigars, don't purchase any High End DR/ISOM cigars, and buy your DR cigars here in the States.
BTW, a couple of Low End Genuine cigars that are decent mild-medium bodied smokes and made in the DR and readily available are "DR Neuvo Millenniums", and the "DR Tenorio".
Ed