Hello DR1

rfahriowa

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Dec 25, 2017
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Happy Holidays!!

This is my first post. We have done most of our traveling in Mexico, but went to Punta Cana two years ago.
We did not enjoy the resort-after-resort scene, and while we were there heard of the Samana Peninsula. My wife and I decided to book a trip there, probably on limited information, and now we are in need of help. We fly into Santa Domingo mid February for 10 days, staying at the Viva Wyndham A1 near Las Terrenas. We are hoping to visit a variety of beaches, El Limon, Samana City, and maybe Las Galeras. Whale watching or a cruise of some sort is possible too. Probably 3 or 4 longer day trips and almost daily short ones to beaches near the resort.

We are starting to collect a lot of conflicting info. We speak English only. We would love to connect with new people while in the Dominican. How do we gain the accurate information we need to be safe, see the area, and meet others?

Randy and Annette from Iowa
 

ju10prd

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Nov 19, 2014
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Happy Holidays!!

This is my first post. We have done most of our traveling in Mexico, but went to Punta Cana two years ago.
We did not enjoy the resort-after-resort scene, and while we were there heard of the Samana Peninsula. My wife and I decided to book a trip there, probably on limited information, and now we are in need of help. We fly into Santa Domingo mid February for 10 days, staying at the Viva Wyndham A1 near Las Terrenas. We are hoping to visit a variety of beaches, El Limon, Samana City, and maybe Las Galeras. Whale watching or a cruise of some sort is possible too. Probably 3 or 4 longer day trips and almost daily short ones to beaches near the resort.

We are starting to collect a lot of conflicting info. We speak English only. We would love to connect with new people while in the Dominican. How do we gain the accurate information we need to be safe, see the area, and meet others?

Randy and Annette from Iowa

Hi.

Great choice of area.

Viva Wyndham is on my favourite beach in the peninsula Playa Coson. A beach so varied and long and classically Caribbean with tall coconut palms swaying over many parts of that 13km beach.

If you enjoy peaceful beach walking you are in the right place. Go east and up to Punta Bonita and around the corner to Playa Bonita and find some clam swimming water near Los Nomades always.

Go west and around another point and across a small river coming down from the limestone spectacular hills and you get to a golden treasure of a beach outside and beyond Luis restaurant (very basic casual but great for fresh seafood).

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaur...renas_Samana_Province_Dominican_Republic.html

Was there again this week. Love it. Lived it and will always return the short distance from home in Santo Domingo.

Samana peninsula is an ideal holiday destination in DR for the discerning traveller but more favoured by Europeans rather than Americans.

You need wheels unless you find a good taxi driver where you are staying.

Welcome to DR1 on this festive day.
 
Last edited:

rfahriowa

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Dec 25, 2017
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Thanks so much for the reply. What is my best resource for investigating transportation needs, currency exchange, day trips, etc? Should I start with my hotel or try it on my own?
 

ju10prd

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Nov 19, 2014
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Thanks so much for the reply. What is my best resource for investigating transportation needs, currency exchange, day trips, etc? Should I start with my hotel or try it on my own?

Ask yourself do you want to be independent?

Do you usually hire cars back home when travelling?

The transfer from SDQ to Las Terrenas could cost you $200 each way. You can hire a car but depending on arrival time you may have reservations driving to LT.

It is an easy drive in reality once you get given the instructions to find the toll road and just about a two hour drive from SDQ.

Driving around Samana is easy then.

If you have car and are adventurous you don't need a travel agent. DR1ers will give you all the advice you need.

Your hotel is a ten/fifteen minute drive to Las Terrenas town
 

ju10prd

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Now some must doo's in Samana:

- whale watching...you are going right time of year....plenty of threads on DR1 for that
- Parque Los Haitises......find someone taking trips out of Sanchez
- Salta Limon.....my advice go early midweek and park at one of the restaurants on the Limon - Samana road and hire a couple of mules with guide and lunch when you get back.
- El Valle zip line near Dominican Tree House and El Valle beach for lunch....rough road off just outside Samana but worth every penny
- Las Galleras and day trip to Playa Fronton by private boat trip
- Limon natural pool, on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy local hospitality
- Luis Restaurante day on the beach and hours of beach wandering and sand dollar finds
- a trek in the hills along the old Coson to Sanchez mule track
- lunch if you can at the small but unique Peninsula House
- a night out in the seedy but fun La Bodega in LT
- evening dinner at Atlantis hotel with owner s\chef who was chef to French president Mitterrand

And you still have days to enjoy in LT town and its other beaches

Simply too much to do but keep asking advice here.
 

rfahriowa

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Dec 25, 2017
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Many thanks! I will spend some time looking into these options and then return with follow-up questions.
 

Caonabo

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Sep 27, 2017
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Welcome rfahriowa. Can you provide some insight into the types of conflicting information you have gathered recently? The information may very well be dated, thereby causing the confusion.
 

rfahriowa

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Dec 25, 2017
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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
 

ju10prd

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Nov 19, 2014
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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.
 

LTSteve

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Jul 9, 2010
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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

To answer your last question, first. Do not walk the beach away from the hotel after dark. Not wise. You certainly can go into Las Terrenas for dinner via taxi. As tourists I would avoid La Bodega and La Pirata bar in Las Terrenas. To be blunt, these are bars frequented by prostitutes and you and your wife may not be comfortable in this atmosphere. I guess it depends how adventurous you are. Around the hotel, for tips, if you are considering this, American dollars are fine but if you go to a local shop or restaurant the prices will be in pesos. You can exchange dollars for pesos either in an ATM at the airport or a currency exchange. Just remember you will pay a fee for the exchange. Use your credit card sparingly in paying for goods. Make sure you notify your credit card company that you will using your card in the DR, otherwise it may not work. Use pesos if possible. For tours through the hotel you are probably ok to use your card. Buses from Santo Domingo to Las Terrenas are safe but are not available directly from the airport. You would need to take a taxi to the bus station and then access the bus. Additionally if you are arriving late afternoon no buses will be available until the next day. I would try to touch base with Wyndham and see if they can arrange a car and driver to pick you up at the airport and bring you to the resort. It is about a two hour ride and cost about $200 one way. Expensive but worth the money for speed and convenience. Based on your experience in the DR I would stay around the resort and take some day tours. I would recommend whale watching, El Limon Falls and possibly 4 wheelers in and around Las Terrenas. For whale watching if you can book with a tour run by Kim Beddal. Her boat is a decent size and she gives you a very informative tour.
Definitely go to Luis Restaurant (open for lunch only) on the beach in Samana. You can swim and have a drink while you wait for your meal. They feature grilled, fish, chicken, shrimp or lobster. Your meal includes, salad, rice and beans and french fries. Prices are reasonable, except for the lobster. Get the price before you order.
In Las Terrenas I would recommend Tres Caravelle,(seafood and steak)La Yuca Caliente(Italian), Casa Azul .pizza and light fair. Have fun and stay safe. Good luck and good travels.
 

ROLLOUT

Silver
Jan 30, 2012
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Happy Holidays!!

This is my first post. We have done most of our traveling in Mexico, but went to Punta Cana two years ago.
We did not enjoy the resort-after-resort scene, and while we were there heard of the Samana Peninsula. My wife and I decided to book a trip there, probably on limited information, and now we are in need of help. We fly into Santa Domingo mid February for 10 days, staying at the Viva Wyndham A1 near Las Terrenas. We are hoping to visit a variety of beaches, El Limon, Samana City, and maybe Las Galeras. Whale watching or a cruise of some sort is possible too. Probably 3 or 4 longer day trips and almost daily short ones to beaches near the resort.

We are starting to collect a lot of conflicting info. We speak English only. We would love to connect with new people while in the Dominican. How do we gain the accurate information we need to be safe, see the area, and meet others?

Randy and Annette from Iowa

Holyjeezusmotherofgawd. People, do EXTENSIVE research (like joining DR1), before you make any hard bookings. Yes, I am being Debbie Downer, and with good reason. Nine years ago, I was sort of in your shoes, and got taken to the cleaners.
Learn basic phraseology, and the like. The knowledge imparted by many posters on this website can be priceless.
I wish that I had been aware of a fraction of the information I now know before i stepped off into the deep end of the pool.
Good luck, and always employ situational awareness.