Going to DR 1st time .. Advice ?

Oooh ! Robert - where are you !!!!

Okay I will try this one !

Sosua, not Sousa is a town west of Puerto Plata. You will find a lot of information on it by doing a search or by going to the DR1 homepage and under Directories you will find listings for restaurants etc.

As far as the Merengue, it is located in Maimon which is about 10k east of Puerto Plata. If you read through the many resort reviews, you will find all the information you will need, if you can't find the Merengue there is ample info on the other Riu hotels.

There is also some very good posts on what to do in and around Puerto Plata under the travel section, just keep going back pages and pages, also FireGuy has many suggestions. You could search using his name and his posts will come up or just pm him for more info.

As far as renting mopeds, I can't help you on that one but if you are weak hearted or given to road rage - I wouldn't suggest it. There are plenty of reputable taxi services that you could hire.

I hope that some of these suggestions will help you. These questions have been asked numerous times so the information is here - just do some more homework.

Enjoy your trip
Marlie

Where is this resort?

Are you going to either Sosua or Puerto Plata?

It is not clear where RIU Merengue is located. For example if it is in Punta Cana then the side trips are too far.

If it is in Puerto Plata (which I think it is) then by all means get out of the resort and see the town, and Sosua as well as it is a low cost taxi ride between the 2 towns.

One of the worst things you can do is to only stay inside the resort and miss the actual city where the day to day people live (and also tourists who are not in all inclusive resorts shop and entertain themselves).

Youmight have already found this page, but from your posts I got the impression you had not.

http://dr1.com/travel/puertoplata/

Start there. It has all you need to know about driving, taxis, sidetrips, etc. Also on that page are links to everything from pages on other nearby cities like Sosua, and Cabarete, to addresses and telephone numbers for most hotels, bars, and restaurants.

Tom (aka XR)

P.S.
You can get there anytime just by clicking on the big green 'Travel' tab at the top of the page. The other tab headers up there also have good information, seperate and distinct from the member posts in the forums.

Hi OttawaSenators,

Greetings from Nova Scotia.

Marlie gave you some good info (but Marlie I think you may be directionally challenged - check your east and west references).

Rick, Riu Merengue is near POP.

Ottawa, listen to XR, he lives on the North Coast.

As far as info, check out Rusty's "Unofficial Riu Website at http://www.riubambu.com and it's associated discussion board at http://www.riubambu.com/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi?pg=topics

Other than that:

1) You should definately see Puerto Plata, Sosua and Cabarete, not necessarily in that order.

2) I have been to Riu Mambo and Riu Bachata in the same complex and the food is high quality, well prepared and lots of varierty for all. Beer in the room fridge is Quisqueya in bottles and in the bars and restaurants is Presidente on tap.

3) Santiago is a pleasant change, the falls near Imbert are nice, a catamaran or jungle safari trip are enjoyable or my favourite is to hire a local driver (my favourite is Martin Espinal) and just go for the day.

4) Hire a car & driver - they drive NUTS.

Enjoy.

More questions post or e-mail here or at Rusty's (I'm the moderator of the discussion board there.

Gregg

Listen up!

Riu is WEST of POP and Sosua is EAST of POP!

RIU is about 10 km West of POP. Sosua is about 15 km East. Okey?

Otherwise the advice you have received is good.

Now, you can get a car and driver for a few dollars a day, no, I am NOT kidding.

A lot of people here on the board recommend Wilson, who speaks English and is very punctual and knowledgeable.

His phone is 571 1545. His Sister-in-Law Marta answers the phone sometimes..

Please do not rent mo-peds. We are killing between 10 and 12 people a day on motorcycles, all over the country, so leave the driving to someone else...Pretty please...

You should have a blast. Hey! Read "Sliverghost"'s Trip Reports, he writes under two names but they are great reading...

HB
http://www.dr1.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24943

this is from Gray Ghost-who is the same person-
http://www.dr1.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25013

Now I am into overkill:
http://www.dr1.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24967

Almost done:
http://www.dr1.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24944

I tried

to paste all the links

he is Sliverghost on page 4 of the Trip Reports. He tells of all his side trips and how he did...]

HB

Very True!

Hillbilly said:

Please do not rent mo-peds. We are killing between 10 and 12 people a day on motorcycles, all over the country, so leave the driving to someone else.

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I rented one once the first week I was here to go from Cabarete to Sosua. One trip was enough to cure me of THAT idea forever.

But be honest here, HB. Sure, 10-12 people a day. OK. But it should be pointed out that at least half of those every day are being run over by our own CrisColon in Santo Domingo with those humongous defensas, and that bad attitude of his. Otherwise the country is relatively safe.

Tom (aka XR)

P.S.
Sorry Tom! Couldn't resist!

The stretch of road that runs between the RIU hotels and POP is not the safest road! There are great big holes in the road and most cars and trucks swerve around them, hence leaving much less room on the road for mopeds (let alone cars).

And at night, it's way too dark to be out there on a tiny moped.

I've been driving in the DR for over 2 years now, and when I venture out to Santiago, I make sure that I'm back in Costambar by nightfall. The lights from the oncoming cars blind me because people do not turn off their high beams! It wouldn't take much to swerve a little and knock anything that was close to the edge of the road!

You're on vacation.....let the taxi drivers take you where ever you want to go. Listen to their stories....ask them about their country....and please wear your seatbelts!

Have a wonderful time!
Maryanne

More Tips

XanaduRanch said:

But be honest here, HB. Sure, 10-12 people a day. OK. But it should be pointed out that at least half of those every day are being run over by our own CrisColon in Santo Domingo with those humongous defensas, and that bad attitude of his. Otherwise the country is relatively safe.

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If they romoved the bounty there'd be less motoconcho deaths but nothing to do during the day.

Final tip - the All Inclusive Mafia (e.g. the tour company goof and hotel management) may try to tell you that you'll all DIE and be robbed (while dead) if you leave the resort to spend money outside their coffers. That is a lie. It is safe and only some of you will die, those on motoconchos, mainly.

Send the weakest one or the one you don't like much ahead on a scooter and you'll be fine in town.

marliejaneca said:

Okay I will try this one !

Sosua, not Sousa is a town west of Puerto Plata.

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I didnt want to seem picky but incase it caused any misunderstanding - Sosua is east of Puerta Plata.

Sousa is not buried in the DR at all in fact

tired_boy said:

I didnt want to seem picky but incase it caused any misunderstanding - Sosua is east of Puerta Plata.

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Sosua, not Sousa

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I think part of that response was to point out that Sosua is a town in the DR while Sousa is the dead American composer of "The Stars and Stripes Forever".

Re: Sousa is not buried in the DR at all in fact

ricktoronto said:

I think part of that response was to point out that Sosua is a town in the DR while Sousa is the dead American composer of "The Stars and Stripes Forever".

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Sorry, but no, i am not trying to draw attention to the spelling of Sosua because i understand what they mean by Sousa if they dont happen to know how to spell it correctly.
Seeing as the thread has been posted by someone who has never been to the DR before i was simply trying to help with any confusion on which direction Sosua is from Puerta Plata.

Lets remember, people posting on here for the first time might not be able to spell towns correctly, maybe not even the name of the country. We still understand what they mean though.

So after all that - whats the thread about again..............

Oh my God !!!

I am so sorry that I wrote the wrong directions - please do not tell my husband as he is forever trying to make me take a compass everywhere !!!
Yes, Gregg - I am very, very directionally challenged!!!
I am sorry if I confused anyone out there that has never been and the next time I post directions I promise I will get my east/west straight !!!

Ottawa

It may have been me??; I would have recommended Martin Espinal and a no response is VERY out of character since his daughter does all his e-mails - daily.


Marlie

It'll be our secret (LOL).

Gregg

Dear Ottawa Sens fan,
I am back from Puerto Plata from a one week stay and hail from Ottawa. One of the funniest moments at our resort was the rush on the internet cafe when the Ottawa Senators played and everyone was desperate to know the score of the game. The resort in Playa Dorado area that we stayed in was nicknamed "Little Canada" as the Canadian tourists out numbered the others by 9 to 1.
If you are used to Queensway driving then consider DR driving as 500 times worse. You and your families safety is more important and the taxi service is excellent. check the posting boards at your hotel for rates of fares from your hotel to your chosen destination.
Shopping in Pueto Plata is considerablely cheaper but if and when I get to go again(planning my next trip already) I would use my tourist dollars in Sosua. The main street has alot to offer and the restaurants are great. A wonderful snorkelling area and the beaches are spectacular. (short 30 minute taxi drive from the Playa Dorado hotel complexes)
Canadian tourists by and large stand out in the crowd in the DR. We are very white (no tans) and usually tower over the local residents. Our size gives us away as we experienced. My daughter who is twelve was taller then most of the other children by about 18 inches.
As to safety, you will find that for the most part you will be confortable as long as you follow a few simple rules:
*Keep your jewelery at home, (even wedding rings and watches)
*Be home before dark . (Trust me that a full day in Sosua with the heat and the fun will make you want to turn in for a good nights rest anyway.)
*Buy the Beer. Drink in moderation and enjoy the local food. Presidente beer is a full bodied lager and quenches the thirst.(Hard liquor is great but can be de-hydrating and will exhaust you..although the Brugale rum is a wonderful treat)
*Don't flash the cash. Buy some pesos here in Canada, but the best rates are found in the DR (ask your tour rep for the best exchange rates and truth be told the hotel gives a good exchange rate)
*The sun is hot and the days are long. Pace yourself. And enjoy the moment.
And finally *** do a tour..something you always wanted to do...snorkeling and feed the fish...dolphin swim...monster truck tour of the country side...these tours are what makes a vacation great.
(P.S. and if you a re travelling during playoff ...ask the nearest Canadian tourist the scores of the game...they will be able to tell you ...
Cheers Toby

Tiny Bit of Bad Advice Here

toby said:

*Buy the Beer. Drink in moderation and enjoy the local food. Presidente beer is a full bodied lager and quenches the thirst.(Hard liquor is great but can be de-hydrating )
*Don't flash the cash. Buy some pesos here in Canada, but the best rates are found in the DR (ask your tour rep for the best exchange rates and truth be told the hotel gives a good exchange rate)

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1. All alcoholic beverages dehydrate you beer included. Drink BOTTLED water too.

2. Don't buy pesos in Canada at all - if you want a few get them at the airport in the DR and even then not many. The worst exchange rates and fees are at Canada/US airport FX booths and prior to landing in the DR it is a total waste of money to say nothing of the fact the peso is falling like a stone. it will probably devalue in flight.

2 1/2. Truth be told, the hotels in the DR, AI's in particular, are also legendary for ripping off gringos for FX - the airport cambio is tolerable, the cambios in the town are where you go for pesos. And shop around but don't buy more than you need for a day or two.