Hi Friends,
I did the post below back in February (2017) after taking the Ruta Turistica (also called Ruta Panoramica) from STI airport to Sosua. It's been 5 months since but at least back then, it was VERY rough and I wouldn't advise it (it took as long if not longer than just going the Navarette/POP highway)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I just got back into NYC from Santiago yesterday (2/22). I stayed in Sosua and took both roads during my stay. Here's the latest: RUTA PANORAMICA (shows on a map as "Rt 25").
It's a disaster. As the posting above noted, it's 50% severe dirt potholes and depressions. There's the one point around the Tubagua curve that the road collapsed and you have to use a makeshift bypass that's been backhoe'd out the mountain. If you're driving at night and go over the collapsed section, forget about it, you're a goner. It took me almost 2 hours to go from Santiago (the circun. highway) to Rt5 in Sosua. If you do decide to go this way, ONLY DO IT IN AN SUV. DON'T EVEN THINK OF TAKING A CAR especially if it's a rental where you could get charged for damage when you return it. There were sections in the road where even my rental Honda CRV bottomed out. I used to take that road many times in years past (I've stayed at the Tubagua Nature Lodge in the past w/ my kids) and it wasn't anywhere near as bad then as it is now. It's a disaster. Really think twice before going this option.
SECOND OPTION: From STI take the new Circunvalacion North highway a few minutes outside the airport. It's new, fast, completely modern, very little traffic because it's a toll road. I will cost you $100 pesos (about $2) but it's worth it in the time it saves (you can also go through Santiago proper but you hit all the lights, congestion etc. you lose so much time). The Circunvalacion is what we call here in the US an Interstate Outerbelt; it goes around a main city. Just take that from the airport to Rt 5 and then Rt 5 up to Puerto Plata. In years past Rt 5 used to be a problem road itself, lots of potholes but I took Rt 5 up and down three times on this trip and I can't get over how much better it is now. They've really done a lot of work on it. You probably hear about people saying it goes down to one lane at one point due to the storm etc. after the town of Imbert. Don't worry, it's a 50 foot section. Nothing to worry about, you just wait for traffic to pass. Took me three minutes to get past. Overall condition of the road is very good. It will take you right into Puerto Plata (and beyond to Sosua/Cabarete if those are your final destinations). If you take this route you don't need an SUV and you'll be fine just renting a car at STI for the whole trip. Hope this helps anyone traveling in the near future.
