Visiting Dominican Republic

1POSTS

11 years ago

Hello,
I'm not sure if this is the best forum to ask when we are just coming to DR for two weeks but any advice would be helpful.
So we are young couple from Europe and coming to DR on the beginning of January.
We have only flights to Puerto Plata and no hotel/hostel. We would like to experience some different than all-inclusive hotels and lots of tourists. We are travelling with backbags and looking for great experiences but also a safe travel.
So if you have any tips for us f. ex what is the best town to visit/great hotel/things that we should do/see, that would help us a lot.
First we were planning to stay couple nights at Puerto Plata any suggestions for places to go/what to do? Is Mount Isabel de Torres worth of going? What other should we do in Puerto Plata province?
Then we were wondering if we should go either to the South, visit Santo Domingo and Bayahibe for snorkling and national park OR to go Las Galeras for kayaking and hiking/horseback riding.. Can we do all places or what would you prefer? Is Punta Cana nice place?
So any tip/recommendation would help us and also what not to do is helpful.

Thank you!
Saara

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JDM222 Active member

41POSTS

11 years ago

Hi there,

You will have a great time on the North Coast.聽 If I was you, I would go from the airport straight to Sosua and spend some time there, while you plan the rest of your trip.聽 Then you might want to visit Cabarete for a few days, both are great little beach towns on the North Coast.聽 Puerto Plata has never been my favorite.聽 Punta Cana is nice, but it's quite a drive.聽 You might enjoy a few days over the mountains to Santiago as well.聽 These are 3 very cool places to visit since you are flying into Puerto Plata.聽 Other folks here will chime in on good places to stay I'm sure, I have my favorites but I haven't been to the DR in about 4 years.

JDM222

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17778POSTS

11 years ago

Welcome to the forums!聽聽Yes go up to Isabel de Torres, the view is worth it.聽 Go in the morning.聽 Also go to Damajagua falls, hire a guide and go into the falls!聽聽Make sure it has not been raining the night before or the water current may be too strong.聽 In Puerto Plata you can stay at the Montesilva Hotel - cost is about聽 US 25 a night.聽 They are at 809-320-0205

First - Punta Cana is really all about giant all inclusive resorts and it is expensive. Does not sound like it would be your thing. Go to las Galeras,聽 Samana etc.聽 From Puerto Plata you go聽 east to Samana peninsula.聽 After some time there, if you聽 feel like moving on, then head south to Santo Domingo and maybe the south coast.聽聽Santo Domingo has a lot to offer that is not beaches!聽

From Santo Domingo it is a聽 4 hour (more or less) bus ride back to Puerto Plata for your return flight.

1 member reacted to this post

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

You are talking about being here in less than 2 weeks.聽 You will have a very hard time finding any reasonable hotels as it is the height of tourist season and many places will be full.

Concentrate in one area either the north coast, south coast or east to avoid lots of days of travel.聽 Travel if using the gua-gua system will be very slow.

All areas have a places to see and do.

Yes Mt Isibella as well as the fort are two places to see in PP.

Have聽 a great trip and welcome to the forum

Bob K

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

I'm coming to visit for 10 days, January 8th threw the 18th, staying in both Puerto Plata & Santiago. Looking to travel a bit around the island (Santo Domingo to be exact), will be traveling alone, but wondering about possibly meeting with some people whom live there, to get first hand experiences about the transition(s), if any is interested please email me for further discussion.

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

Tyree welcome to the forum. You are planning a lot to do in 10 days.聽 Unless there is a reason聽 you are visiting Santiago I would forgo that and concentrate on the North Coast Puerto Plata and maybe a 3 day trip to Santo Domingo.

Some of it may depend on your flight arrangements.聽 Best if you flew to one place and then returned home from the second one. Fly to PP and then fly out of Santo Domingo or the other way around.聽 This will make your life easier and actually will be cheaper that way as flights to and from Santo Domingo are cheaper then to PP.

I won't be available to meet but do use this forum to ask questions. There are lots of good folks here with lots of information for you

Bob K

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17778POSTS

11 years ago

Welcome Tyree,聽 Bob is right lots of info on here for you.聽聽He is also right about the trip being fairly short,聽 don't try to pack in too much......

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

Thanks Bob and Planner, I actuall booked my tickets to fly into PP & out of Santiago. It's cool, no big deal, if necessary I'll change flight plans if I want, about how long does it take to travel from PP to Santo Domingo? Also, in regards to traveling across the country, it seems as though motor coach is the best way? Also, should I exchange money there or before I depart?

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

Cost for the bus from $10 and takes about 3.5 -4 hours.聽 Nice very cold AC motorcoach. I would use Metro vs Caribe as slightly nicer buses but now Caribe does have a couple of express buses each day that cuts the travel time down.

Exchange your money here and NOT at your Hotel or Airport but at the many exchange houses around. Current rate on the street is about 44.10 to the dollar

Bob K

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

#10

Cool, thanks Bob. Another question, are the Mosquitos bad? I've read on some sites that they are, while others say the opposite? Just trying to figure out what to expect on some of the details.

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#11

Bring Deep woods OFF with 25% DEET and use it in the evening and early morning and you should be fine.

Bob K

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

#12

Cool, man Bob, you a great help, if you could think of any other things that would be a great help, please let me know. Wish I could meet you man.

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17778POSTS

11 years ago

#13

Bob is right again.聽 Metro bus is nicer and聽 faster most of the time,聽 but less scheduled buses.聽 Caribe tours bus is okay as well. Price is the same. I prefer Metro too.

Santo Domingo is a completely different experience to the north coast!聽聽Both are great but it all depends what you are looking for!

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

#14

Honestly looking to experience as much as possible, I have rented a villa in Puerto Plata, for some peace, but open to pretty much the whole island, as much as possible.

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17778POSTS

11 years ago

#15

NIce.聽 Where is the villa? Get out and enjoy the city, do the touristy and the local stuff!

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

#16

The villa is in PP by Playa Dorada Beach, any suggestions (I've looked at other post as well) what about Santo Domingo, how different are the beaches there from Sosua or PP?

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#17

There are no beaches in Santo Domingo but you will have to go out of town for them.

You will find you will spend most of聽 your time (it takes 2-3 to do entirely) exploring the Colonial Zone

Bob K

clegalbap Active member

45POSTS

11 years ago

#18

down in santo domingo about 30-40 minutes outide of town you have boca chica beach and about 15 minutes further east is juan dolio beach saturdays and sundays are fairly crowded in the city try agora mall just for light shopping and a taste of d.r. mall life not bad you'll see how some locals move around, shop and work. if in boca chica beach look up my buddy manois a nice gent who works at a hotel called condo carey nice rooms for a nice rate. info you can find on line. safe travels. i find santiago to be ok decent night life ask a cabbie and stay at el matum or the platino, camp david is not bad but way up in the hills. go slow and enjoy.

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

#19

Thanks clegalbap, definitely appreciated!

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17778POSTS

11 years ago

#20

The beaches outside of SD are crowded on weekend.聽 Boca Chica is is full of high pressure sales people and "girls"..... Juan Dolio is nicer

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

#21

Thanks & I'll keep that in mind. Maybe sometime during the trip we can meet up.

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#22

The beaches on the north coast are much better and I would not waste the little time聽 you have on beaches in the SD area, but rather spend that time exploring the history and cultural aspects of the Colonial zone.

Bob K

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17778POSTS

11 years ago

#23

I agree with Bob,聽 get to the Colonial Zone - lots to see and do, lots of restaurants, clubs etc and great people watching.....聽 hit the beaches in Sosua and Cabarete!!!

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

#24

Thanks to both of you and I appreciate聽 it.

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#25

You are welcome and enjoy!

Bob K

Bucketowater New member

4POSTS

11 years ago

#26

Where does Metro travel to?聽 We will fly into PC, take a bus to Saman谩, stay there one week then later take a bus from Saman谩 to PP.聽 LATER we fly home from Santiago.聽 All in one month stay. Any travel suggestions are welcomed.

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#27

Do you know how you are getting from PC to Samana and then to POP?
From POP to Santiago is easy

Bob K

Xavier_Onassis Active member

93POSTS

11 years ago

#28

The exchange rate is very good at the Caribetours station in Santo Domingo.

Bucketowater New member

4POSTS

11 years ago

#29

I was told Bavaro express, from PC to SD, then Caribe to Saman谩.聽 Does that sound right?聽 I just never heard of Metro. Thanks!

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17778POSTS

11 years ago

#30

Bucketowater - first welcome to the forums.聽 You have it right. Bavaro Express to SD, then聽 Caribe Tours to Samana.聽 From Samana to Puerto Plata I have no idea. But someone in Samana will help you figure it out!

Metro is another bus - you can take that one from Puerto Plata to Santiago - a little nicer,聽 a little cleaner and same price.

Bucketowater New member

4POSTS

11 years ago

#31

聽聽Thank you planner!
I have an idea what to do from a local.."public guagua" and she said it cost $350 RD.聽 I just don't know the schedule. I'm working on that.聽

Xavier_Onassis Active member

93POSTS

11 years ago

#32

Strangely, the fare on smaller guaguas and less-fancy large buses is about the same as on the fancier Caribetours and Metro buses. I think the govt. sets the prices. The main difference is that the smaller buses have smaller seats and stop whenever anyone gets on or off, and have no bathrooms, so they usually take a potty/lunch break on longer trips. And they are much more frequent. Caribetours and Metro are faster and safer and generally better than Greyhound in the US. Of course, some of the highways are bumpier in the DR.

In most of Latin America, there are large terminals where all the buses leave from and arrive at. In the DR, every company seems to have its own terminal. The Caribetours terminal in SD is nice. Guagua terminals are far less nice. I have not ridden Metro for over a decade and cannot comment on their terminals.

MPDesjardins Active member

80POSTS

11 years ago

#33

Not to mention that gua-guas will frequently embark as much as 30 passengers, while they are built to carry 10-12 people. Happened to me last week. We even had passengers holding on the sides of the gua-gua, outside. No air conditioning as well, which is fine now but in July?

Xavier_Onassis Active member

93POSTS

11 years ago

#34

I agree that guagua travel can be less than ideal. Caribetours and Metro will not stuff the thing full of extra people.
When I ride guaguas, I am usually one of the first people on the bus, so I get a seat. The buses from SD to Barahona normally do not get stuffed as full. But the seats are tiny, being as the guagua was designed for teensy Asian butts, and there is often not much room.

I know a guagua driver, and the thing is that they are paid based on the amount of fares they collect. On a few guaguas from SD to Juan Dolio, there have been cases in which the guagua stops when someone waves, but is stuffed so full, the prospective passenger waves it on.

TyreeR Member

10POSTS

11 years ago

#35

I'm in Puerto Plata now and can confirm they (Guagua's) will stuff you full and even have people hangin off the sides. STAY with the main bus companies, you will be much happier!

1 member reacted to this post

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17778POSTS

11 years ago

#36

You all have the gay guas figured out!!!聽聽

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#37

Gua-gua cost is between 40 and 50 pesos depending on the route not 350.聽 $350 pesos is for the metro bus and I believe it is 450 or so from Santo domingo and 350 or so from Santiago to PP

Bob K

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17778POSTS

11 years ago

#38

It聽 was聽 370 from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata Bob.聽 From Santiago to Puerto Plata is even cheaper......聽 maybe 220 or so......聽聽

Bus transportation is definitely economical here!!!