Most of the conflicting information is about transportation, currency, and safety. I have read that US currency is preferred many places, and I have also heard travelers really need to use local DR currency. I have heard read that one should be very careful and/or maybe not even consider going into bars in Las Terrenas, and I have read you just need to use your head [and of course not act stupid or act like you have money] like you would in Mexico. Lastly, most confusing is travel. We know we need a transfer from SD airport, and it may be expensive, but the bus seems to be questionable or unsafe? We know we will need taxi's , busses, scooters, 4 wheelers or some transportation to accomplish getting around, but really don't know where to start to research what will work best or what the cost really might be. I assume the hotel will be helpful scheduling transportation? Is it unwise to leave the Wyndham or walk the beach after dark?
Many thanks for any info.
Randy
You will need to use Dominican pesos when shopping and out and about in town. You can book excursions with US Dollars but the rest of your transactions will likely be in pesos. You can change a few at the airport on arrival using the ATM's on the ground floor arrival hall where they dispense about 3000rd max. Don't use the currency exchanges after customs due to poor rates. Changing US Dollars in Las Terrenas town is easy and you get the best rates or use one of the bank ATM's. I always opted for Scotiabank and you can get 20,000rd daily in two 10,00rd lots.
There are very few bars in Las Terrenas so that bit of information is far fetched. The ambience of LT is French/Italian and there is no bat culture as such. Bars are restaurants and restaurants are bars. And frankly after about 9.30pm the town can seem dead during the week until 11.00 when a couple of central night venues open up. La Bodega is a dance hall bar and gets a good mix of foreigners and locals plus the working girls and I believe it is on a Wednesday night that they have a live band. The rest of the later night venues are centred on the Fishersmans Village area. At weekend the capitalenos descend on the town and it gets more lively.
I have stated it in another current thread on LT in the North East Forum, that during my two years in LT I always felt safe out at night and during my trip last week nothing seemed to have changed. But a couple other posters had a few comments and perhaps a PM (when you get 10 posts) to Salsafan who I know visits LT regularly would help. Yes use your common sense and you can feel much more comfortable walking around the town than in most domestic US cities.
With you arriving from mid USA, my guess is you arrive late afternoon and whilst it is an easy drive albeit two plus hours to LT, you may not want to hire a car immediately in a foreign land. There are airport transfers and one at least advertises on this forum. SINCHALA the SDQ airport taxi company also does a pre arranged taxi service and that can be booked on line. Do you really want to have all the hassle of using a bus with the uncertainties after a days travelling. I think not. You would have to get a taxi to the bus terminal, wait for the bus and it might be too late that day anyhow, and on arrival a taxi to your hotel which is 15 minutes outside LT...see Google Earth map and scroll from hotel to town.
https://www.google.com.do/maps/plac...c5b9a9aecc5b9fd!8m2!3d19.299298!4d-69.5559162
In LT, hiring a car or a quad is easy. You will need something for getting around LT with your hotel out of town.
Of course you must get out of the Wyndham but as far as a night beach walk is concerned it can be quiet in that area and respect the security guards at the property perimeters. You have a couple of adjacent good hotels in Coson Bay and Sublime Samana so it is possible to transfer between for a different night experience.