just got back-report

chad

New member
Jul 12, 2002
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just got back from a week stay at the paradise beach club in pureto plata. overall i would have to say we were pretty dissappointed in the dominican republic. maybe our expectations were a little too high, but i didn't think there was going to be so much hassle. you couldn't walk two feet in any direction without being bothered by some salesmen or vendor. I expected some of this but to a lesser extent. i've been on quiet a few vacations in the caribbean and this made this one the worst by far.

The least bothersome part of our trip was being at our hotel. the rooms we decent ( we had a 1 brdm), the service was average, and the vendors on the beach only bothered you every five minutes (as opposed to every two). The food was average for buffet food, after a couple days you really get sick of it.

One of the days we took a trip to pureto plata city and saw some of the sites there. of which the impressive i would have to say was fort of san feilipe (we didn't go to mt isabela).

Another day we took a trip to sosua beach. i've read so much great stuff about this town and beach i could hardly wait, only to be dissappointed. the beach's water was nice, barely any waves and crystal clear. but the trip there, the town, and the back part of the beach (where the vendors are) was absolutely disgusting. maybe it's just me, but i don't want to see this kind of thing when i'm on vacation.

i really made an attempt to have a great vacation, and do the things recomened on this site. like, getting away from your resort to see the rest of the country. but the farther away from my resort i got the more i wanted to go back. where people aren't going to rip you off every chance they get.

i understand there are people like this any where one goes, but there seems to be a dissproportionate amount of it going on here.

it doesn't seem like there's any kind of regulation of any sort, and it seems neither the government nor the people of the dr have an interest in the tourist. which is fine by me, i've learned my lesson and i will not be traveling back to the dr anytime soon!!!
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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Well, there's always Florida or California

When you go to a developing country you aren't getting Americans waiting on you , you get enterprising people without a pot to **** in 1/2 of the time to sell stuff to survive. Ditto with 100% beach cleanliness.

Advice avoid all of Central and South America, Asia, and Africa too.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,504
5,932
113
dr1.com
must be you

I've stayed in resorts in Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Samana, and Sosua and never been bothered by the Vendors. A simple No Thank you worked for me. If you want to go to a place with great sun, beach and relaxing attitude and less aggresive vendors go to Hautulco, Mexico.
For me the driving and the garbage are the onlt things that bother me in the DR and for the most part I can look past them and really enjoy myself.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
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Thank you for that report

While I happen to live here and a lot of those things just sort of bounce off us, I can see whay somebody would be bothered a lot by what we feel is "normal" ..

Sad to say I feel the same way about Sosua and the environs, and would not go there except to sell cigars or have a beer with friends...We do go to an all inclusive, which wasn't all inclusive when we first started to go ther, by the way...and we sort of enjoy being tourists for a week.

I think that you would enjoy a less hectic environment, I mean, after all we happen to have 54,000 rooms here, and you seem to be perfect for the East Coast: Bavaro and Punta Cana would be perfect for you.

Unless you are really adventureous, it is not wise to go native...

HB
BANJO.GIF
That's me on a good day!
 

Larry

Gold
Mar 22, 2002
3,513
2
0
chad said:
just got back from a week stay at the paradise beach club in pureto plata. overall i would have to say we were pretty dissappointed in the dominican republic. maybe our expectations were a little too high, but i didn't think there was going to be so much hassle. you couldn't walk two feet in any direction without being bothered by some salesmen or vendor. I expected some of this but to a lesser extent. i've been on quiet a few vacations in the caribbean and this made this one the worst by far.

The least bothersome part of our trip was being at our hotel. the rooms we decent ( we had a 1 brdm), the service was average, and the vendors on the beach only bothered you every five minutes (as opposed to every two). The food was average for buffet food, after a couple days you really get sick of it.

One of the days we took a trip to pureto plata city and saw some of the sites there. of which the impressive i would have to say was fort of san feilipe (we didn't go to mt isabela).

Another day we took a trip to sosua beach. i've read so much great stuff about this town and beach i could hardly wait, only to be dissappointed. the beach's water was nice, barely any waves and crystal clear. but the trip there, the town, and the back part of the beach (where the vendors are) was absolutely disgusting. maybe it's just me, but i don't want to see this kind of thing when i'm on vacation.

i really made an attempt to have a great vacation, and do the things recomened on this site. like, getting away from your resort to see the rest of the country. but the farther away from my resort i got the more i wanted to go back. where people aren't going to rip you off every chance they get.

i understand there are people like this any where one goes, but there seems to be a dissproportionate amount of it going on here.

it doesn't seem like there's any kind of regulation of any sort, and it seems neither the government nor the people of the dr have an interest in the tourist. which is fine by me, i've learned my lesson and i will not be traveling back to the dr anytime soon!!!
Well Chad I guess it depends on what you are looking for.I agree that the vendors are a MAJOR pain in the ass and far too agressive.Also,Sosua is full of pickpockets.There are other annoyances like lunatic drivers,electricity problems,corrupt police,ect.But on the flip side,the food is terrific(in my opinion),the women are beautiful,the "atmosphere is stress free(if you avoid the vendors),the sites are serene,the weather is warm and the presedentes are cold.Also,accomadations are very inexpensive.Try going anywhere in Europe and see how much a week or two costs you.Upon weighing all factors,the DR is my favorite place to go.Sorry you were disappointed.
Just my opinion,
ILoveDR
 
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Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Vendors Don't Need to be a Problem

Vendors can be a problem, but you can avoid the problem by not making your "tourist" status so obvious. If you walk down the street in your bathing suit, shirt off or unbuttoned, barefeet or flipflops of some sort, there is no hope. But if you dress like I hope you do at home in the summer, then you can avoid much of the hassle.

When walking down the street, just keep walking. If some vendor tries to accost you, just smile, wag your index finger from side to side, and keep moving. Same when at the Sosua beach or anywhere else where there is a concentration of vendors.

I realize that everyone has a different tolerance threashold when it comes to things like vendors. But if you keep your cool and keep moving when you don't want to be pestered, and wag that index finger (which is understood by every vendor in the DR), you can reduce the bother considerably.

Even so, everyone is not suited to vacation in the DR, or anywhere else. I can think of a lot of posh (vendorless) places in the world where I would feel uncomfortably out of place.
 
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chad

New member
Jul 12, 2002
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thanks for all the positive replies. i was afraid i was too harsh. maybe there are other places in the dr that would be more suited for us (like hillbilly said, east coast) but i think we'll be holding off on that for quite some time. thanks again, everyone on this HAS been very helpful and has been one of the more peasurable message boards to be a part of!!!
 

Charlene G. Pic

New member
Jul 13, 2002
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Vendors are a problem

Chad I agree vendors are a problem in the carribean in general.
We've been to several islands in the past 4 years, just came back
from St. Maartin in June and I have never seen such a small island
with just about all of the population trying to sell you something. But I do like to buy some of the stuff as gifts and reminders of our
vacations. In December we will be going back to the DR, Punta Cana, and you can walk the beach for miles with out being pestered to buy something. The resorts usually have security guards posted on the beach to keep them away, along with time share vendors. I really enjoy the northern part of DR, but I love the beaches of Punta Cana, you should really look into it. Char.;)
 

Tor

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
853
40
0
Never had any problems at Sosa Beach, just love the place. In fact the vendors at the Casa Marina beach in Sosua are far more agressive.
re Ken:
When you are going to the beach, you are usually dressed for the beach, or what ?
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Yes, Tor, you dress for the beach when you are at the beach. Thought about this after I posted, but hoped that the fact I was talking about walking down the street would tell people I wasn't talking about the beach.

What I was referring to are the people who walk the streets looking as though they think they are on the beach. Can't believe these people "dress" that way at home.

If you are walking from your hotel to the beach, in Sosua, for example, my recommendation is to wear a shirt and shorts over your bathing suit. Little trouble to dress appropriately for your surroundings and blend in with the people around you.

Look around; you don't see Dominicans going about their daily business looking as though they should be on the beach.
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Chad,
Times are bad in north coast. Venders in sosua and in puerta plata are getting more desperate by the day. The economy is shattered and tourists are low in number. When these venders try to hang on to you like leaches, they are only shooting themselves on their own foot.
Did you notice how many hotels were closed in playa dorada; I bet your hotel was not even 50% full.
I agree with you on sosua. I just don't seem to find out what is it that attracts tourists to fall in love with that place except cheap hookers by the dozens. That place is full of ugly hookers and street-wise thugs. There is no Dominican culture to be seen in miles there. Most restaurants are owned and operated by foreigners and the Dominicans who live there are from the lowest cast. Many Dominican from other cities only go to sosua for the beach and return the same day; most people prefer Cabarete beach to sosua.
When we mentioned about getting out of the resort to see the country, we didn't mean that you take a trip to puerto plata or to sosua for a day (only). Getting out of the resort, for me, means to get out of town and go further into the country where real Dominicans can be found. DR is not only about sun and beaches, in fact, I hardly ever go to the beach.
Take a trip to Jarabacoa, nearby mountains around santiago and visit some of the rivers and water falls that you would never hear about from tour agencies.
If you like to stay away from the venders then go to Semana and spend a day in Cayo levantado beach. The beach is exotic and the venders are not so aggressive.
Try not to walk around with a curious expression on your face and don't be so nice to the venders. Just do your thing and they will leave you alone.
Anyway, I hope you would return to explore other parts of this island.
I recommend Bayahibe area (near La romana) ex: casa del Mar hotel / resort. The food will be unforgettable and the beach is exclusive to the guests. It will be an experience you will talk about for many years to come.
Have a nice day.
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
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www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
Chad,

I know where you are coming from but I have to tell you that I have taken a stroll on the beach where the vendors are with some friends just to take a walk and hadn't been bothered at all with of course the exception of a girl or two giving a kiss to one of the guys I was walking with. I was bothered that they weren't giving me the kisses.

You have to understand that hussling the tourists is a big industry in the DR. It is a very poor country and this is how a lot of people make a living. From vendors to Pick Pockets to Prostitutes. I think it is a matter of how you carry yourself that will decide how bothered you get. I don't get bothered at all.

I agree with Ilovedr about the cost there and in relation to other places DR is a bargain. Last Christmas I ended up in Playa del Carmen Mexico because air to the dr was over 1000- dollars and I caught a Frequent flyer tic to Cancun on Delta through AeroMexico. I booked Christmas in the DR on FF'points 3 months ago so I didn't get blocked out again.

AI's food is a joke. When I was at them we use to kid about what we were eating because we had a real hard time figuring out what the hell it even was. I stay at small places with maybe breakfast included and go out to the restaurants every day when I am in Sosua. My opinion that is the best way to do it. You probably just needed to find a decent Expat bar/restaurant and your time would have improved 10x. I always recommend Rockys in Sosua and Eddys in Sosua for people that visit for the first time. There are other good places but these are the two I was made to feel the most like home in.

Chad, next time if there is a next time ask for places to go and people to meet. Marco at Rockys always takes care of people I send and Eddy from Eddys sports bar is a great guy also. Nothing like getting introduced to others much like yourself in another country.

Regards
 

richard

New member
Jan 1, 2002
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chad said:
just got back from a week stay at the paradise beach club in pureto plata. overall i would have to say we were pretty dissappointed in the dominican republic. maybe our expectations were a little too high, but i didn't think there was going to be so much hassle. you couldn't walk two feet in any direction without being bothered by some salesmen or vendor. I expected some of this but to a lesser extent. i've been on quiet a few vacations in the caribbean and this made this one the worst by far.

The least bothersome part of our trip was being at our hotel. the rooms we decent ( we had a 1 brdm), the service was average, and the vendors on the beach only bothered you every five minutes (as opposed to every two). The food was average for buffet food, after a couple days you really get sick of it.

One of the days we took a trip to pureto plata city and saw some of the sites there. of which the impressive i would have to say was fort of san feilipe (we didn't go to mt isabela).

Another day we took a trip to sosua beach. i've read so much great stuff about this town and beach i could hardly wait, only to be dissappointed. the beach's water was nice, barely any waves and crystal clear. but the trip there, the town, and the back part of the beach (where the vendors are) was absolutely disgusting. maybe it's just me, but i don't want to see this kind of thing when i'm on vacation.

i really made an attempt to have a great vacation, and do the things recomened on this site. like, getting away from your resort to see the rest of the country. but the farther away from my resort i got the more i wanted to go back. where people aren't going to rip you off every chance they get.

i understand there are people like this any where one goes, but there seems to be a dissproportionate amount of it going on here.

it doesn't seem like there's any kind of regulation of any sort, and it seems neither the government nor the people of the dr have an interest in the tourist. which is fine by me, i've learned my lesson and i will not be traveling back to the dr anytime soon!!!

I'm a big fan of Sosua so I'm disapointed that you didn't enjoy it. Yes the vendors will approach you, however as Ken wrote a simple no and a finger wag is usually enough to send them packing. With unemployment so high one might keep in mind the average tourist will spend more on a dinner than a Dominican if he (she) is forunate enough to have a job might earn in a week or more. I realize the DR won't appeal to everyone but fortunately many tourists overlook the less than attractive parts, love the people, the culture and the country so they return year after year.

Maybe in the future Chad, you might consider staying at a small hotel, that way you will get to know more about the country and the people. I hope so.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sosuadominicanrepublic/;) ;)
 

love da DR

New member
Aug 1, 2002
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not so fast

Chad,

I for one having been the butt of many a joke on this forum will be the first to say that one,two or even three places in the DR
should not be made to be indicative of the entire country it's
people and the culture. I am not a beach person so whenever I am in the DR you can count on me being in the mountains and not very far from Santiago. You should give the DR another
chance having visited many places I have found no other place
on earth as beuatiful as the DR just look at it this way the vendors and there zeal to sell is but a small burden to bear for the oppurtunity to be in PARADISE.



Isaac, getting one step closer to running away to the DR!
 

Jim Hinsch

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
669
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geocities.com
A Punta Cana all-inclusive would be perfect for Chad. Some of the nicest resorts on the island sit on some of the best beach, and they are huge and gated. That's what many tourists prefer, and in my opinion, that's what most wanted when they flew off for a vacation on the beach. No me, but most.