- Thread starter mrcancun
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The porter at the airport asked me for 400 pesos
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I usually give the porters a buck a bag, sometimes I'll give them $5 US, tops.
Sounds like the porter tried to price gouge you at 400 pesos.
And motoconchos, in Sosua, I always give them a couple of bucks to run me from point A to B, throughout the town. I know I overpay them most of the time but I feel sorry for the way they have to hustle to make a buck. I'm not a tacano gringo...
gre:
I usually give the porters a buck a bag, sometimes I'll give them $5 US, tops.
Sounds like the porter tried to price gouge you at 400 pesos.
And motoconchos, in Sosua, I always give them a couple of bucks to run me from point A to B, throughout the town. I know I overpay them most of the time but I feel sorry for the way they have to hustle to make a buck. I'm not a tacano gringo...
gre:
Do not be sucker into these handouts that looks obligated,
I was once given back $3.00US about 8 years ago; I guess it wasn't enough for the bellboy, I just took it and put it back into my wallet. HIS LOST
I was once given back $3.00US about 8 years ago; I guess it wasn't enough for the bellboy, I just took it and put it back into my wallet. HIS LOST
I hear from a client he had to pay 40 Dollar.
And they forced him to pay.
They grab him at his trhoat
And they forced him to pay.
They grab him at his trhoat
When each porter turns up for work each day, he must pay the 'boss' $10 USD for the privilege of being able to assume his position. I guess that the guy who asked for 400 pesos was trying to make his profit on one customer so he could get home faster that day. :bunny:
you think 400 pesos is bad?
I was asked for $100 U.S. once when I came through the airport. A lot of times (not just with bringing bags through the airport, but with a lot of other things such as riding some public transport, car repairs, home repairs, etc) they will just throw some crazy number out there to see if you will pay it.
I was asked for $100 U.S. once when I came through the airport. A lot of times (not just with bringing bags through the airport, but with a lot of other things such as riding some public transport, car repairs, home repairs, etc) they will just throw some crazy number out there to see if you will pay it.
i don't use those guys since i always have carry on.
if i was to, i'd give them 30 pesos max ($1USD). they are scavengers, so be a little careful interacting with them. also be careful of the taxi drivers at the airport they are the same.
if i was to, i'd give them 30 pesos max ($1USD). they are scavengers, so be a little careful interacting with them. also be careful of the taxi drivers at the airport they are the same.
People from expensive developed countries go to the poor developing countries with $250/month average salary with a normal and reasonable expectation to pay developing prices too.
I doubt that those who earn $250 a month pay $400 RD to porters.
So it can be called cheating on uninformed, naive and trusting visitors.
In the States average salary is $3000 or more, so $10 seems normal. In DR it must be ten times less. $1 will be more than enough. You spoil them now you will be very sorry later.
Just carry your own bags. They are not a mandatory service. Never had any of these issues in the Santiago airport.
A one or two dollars in US or pesos for all your bags carried to the taxi or car is fine. If someone is picking you up (car service, hotel, or tour company), don't bother with the porters, someone will take your bags for you once you get outside.
The luggage carts at the carousel are free and there are plenty of them, so just grab your own bags and go. Even if you do this, the porters will still try to take your bags after you pass through customs/duty check...you don't have to use them...
I know a couple of guys from the states that come several times a year and love to tip, and tip based on US standards...they actually feel bad giving the bag boy at Playero "only" 100 pesos...I try to explain that's about a half day's salary for 2 minutes work, but they don't care...they'll double a taxi fare for a tip and tip the maid 1000 pesos when they leave after a weekend stay...so you can understand why taxi drivers, porters, moto guys, etc. think they can get away with asking for inflated "tips"...each one probably gets at least one "big spender" a day...
One interesting observation...when you you do tip here...whether it's 10 pesos or 500 pesos for the simplest service, you will almost NEVER get anything beyond a mumbled "thank you"...if that. This is one of the biggest little problems with DR tourism. In other countries, especially in the Caribbean, service workers know to smile and give a genuine thank you for gratuities...it makes a huge difference in most people's perspective of a tourist destination...even if it's only on the subconscious level.
The luggage carts at the carousel are free and there are plenty of them, so just grab your own bags and go. Even if you do this, the porters will still try to take your bags after you pass through customs/duty check...you don't have to use them...
I know a couple of guys from the states that come several times a year and love to tip, and tip based on US standards...they actually feel bad giving the bag boy at Playero "only" 100 pesos...I try to explain that's about a half day's salary for 2 minutes work, but they don't care...they'll double a taxi fare for a tip and tip the maid 1000 pesos when they leave after a weekend stay...so you can understand why taxi drivers, porters, moto guys, etc. think they can get away with asking for inflated "tips"...each one probably gets at least one "big spender" a day...
One interesting observation...when you you do tip here...whether it's 10 pesos or 500 pesos for the simplest service, you will almost NEVER get anything beyond a mumbled "thank you"...if that. This is one of the biggest little problems with DR tourism. In other countries, especially in the Caribbean, service workers know to smile and give a genuine thank you for gratuities...it makes a huge difference in most people's perspective of a tourist destination...even if it's only on the subconscious level.
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If you use these porters at the airport, pay them 1dollar. Thats 35peso for 2minutes of work.
If they give you the "uglyface" when you hand them the dollar, then it means their service is free.
If they give you the "uglyface" when you hand them the dollar, then it means their service is free.
Second that. Matter of fact never any issues in ANY other airport in the DR although I mostly fly into STI like you.
I remember one december I gave this dude a 100 peso bill from left over currency I had from a previous trip. He gave it back to me and told me "dollars please" and my response was - TE JODISTE - you screwed yourself. On my way out of STI I stopped at Plaza Nunez, a ritual many of us have, and with that same 100 peso bill got me a pequena vestida de novia! :cheeky:
We never use them at the airport either, and they always swarm us anyway. But this trip, when we came through immigration, I saw my husband talking to the immigration officer who was stamping our passports. When we got outside he told me the guy asked him for money! He said something to the effect that it was a bad Christmas and anything we could give to him would be a help, blah blah blah. He didn't get anything from us.
I swear that almost everyone in that country has their hand out. We didn't get stopped by the police at all this trip, but in March we were stopped [for no reason] and the cop [after he was holding our documents and my husband's license] started this whole story about how it was his birthday and someone had bought him a cake and could we buy him a bottle of scotch to help him celebrate. I don't remember how much my husband gave him, a few hundred pesos probably, just to make him go away so we could get to where we were going without any trouble.
AE
I swear that almost everyone in that country has their hand out. We didn't get stopped by the police at all this trip, but in March we were stopped [for no reason] and the cop [after he was holding our documents and my husband's license] started this whole story about how it was his birthday and someone had bought him a cake and could we buy him a bottle of scotch to help him celebrate. I don't remember how much my husband gave him, a few hundred pesos probably, just to make him go away so we could get to where we were going without any trouble.
AE
Porters/Tips/Bribes
Coming in, I usually give the guy a buck (just one) even though if Im coming in with a checked bag it most likely has wheels on it. No big deal. But a couple years ago I came in with two big duffle bags stuffed with household stuff. I was first in line because I bought my tourist card back in the states and didnt have to stand on that line and luckly my check bags came out early. So they are heavy and the porter sees me lifting them up to be checked, comes over and says, "Give the customs guy $10 his my cousin and he wont open your bags" (Note the quotes, exact quote) I laugh and say I got nothing to hide. But I did give him $2 for carrying the duffle bags out to the car. HAHA, I had my chance to bribe an official and missed it.
Not sure exactly about the customs rules but I did have a couple things (in sealed boxes) that have value over $200. So, maybe I DID have something to hide.
Leaving we did have one complain to my wife about her only giving him a buck to wheel her suitcase from the conveyor belt over to CO's checkin line, what maybe 30 meters. She just laughed and said $1 for 30 sec of "work" pretty good salary no?
BUT WE ALWAYS GIVE THE MUSICIANS A BUCK.
Coming in, I usually give the guy a buck (just one) even though if Im coming in with a checked bag it most likely has wheels on it. No big deal. But a couple years ago I came in with two big duffle bags stuffed with household stuff. I was first in line because I bought my tourist card back in the states and didnt have to stand on that line and luckly my check bags came out early. So they are heavy and the porter sees me lifting them up to be checked, comes over and says, "Give the customs guy $10 his my cousin and he wont open your bags" (Note the quotes, exact quote) I laugh and say I got nothing to hide. But I did give him $2 for carrying the duffle bags out to the car. HAHA, I had my chance to bribe an official and missed it.
Not sure exactly about the customs rules but I did have a couple things (in sealed boxes) that have value over $200. So, maybe I DID have something to hide.
Leaving we did have one complain to my wife about her only giving him a buck to wheel her suitcase from the conveyor belt over to CO's checkin line, what maybe 30 meters. She just laughed and said $1 for 30 sec of "work" pretty good salary no?
BUT WE ALWAYS GIVE THE MUSICIANS A BUCK.
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