driving from punta cana to puerto plata

bryan

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Mar 9, 2002
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Hello,

Does anybody know how long of a drive it is from punta cana airport to confresi near puerto plata? Is it a very bad ride or is there places to stop grab some good food, a beer , maybe a beach to stop at.

thanks,
bryan
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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PC to POP

bryan said:
Hello,

Does anybody know how long of a drive it is from punta cana airport to confresi near puerto plata? Is it a very bad ride or is there places to stop grab some good food, a beer , maybe a beach to stop at.

thanks,
bryan

6 to 8 hours, depending on how you drive. First part of the road may be a bit bad, but from Santo Domingo on, it's a super highway.
Lots of places to stop and eat along the way, specially in Santo Domingo and Santiago.
Marco.
 

marliejaneca

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Oct 7, 2003
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Bryan, is this your first time to the DR? Are you planning on renting a car and driving it yourself? If it is, then I think that you should rethink that option!!!
BTW - it is Cofresi not Confresi, just for your info, not getting picky or anything!!!
Marlie
 

bryan

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marliejaneca said:
Bryan, is this your first time to the DR? Are you planning on renting a car and driving it yourself? If it is, then I think that you should rethink that option!!!
BTW - it is Cofresi not Confresi, just for your info, not getting picky or anything!!!
Marlie


Hello,

I have been to the Dr about 10 times mainly going to puerto plata, cofresi(thanks for the spelling), santiago.and cabarete. I rent a car when I'm there. The only reason I am going into Punta Cana is AA has a great special next week. Plus I would like to see that side of the country.

thanks,
Bryan
 

Conchman

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The key is not getting lost in Santo Domingo and especially in Santiago, where its a little tricky finding the right turns for the highway to Puerto Plata. They only have signs to tell you which way to go, once you're on the right road but not before the turns. And when you ask people on the street for directions, ask several times like every 5 minutes, to get confirmations, because many times I've been sent in the wrong direction.
 

marliejaneca

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Oct 7, 2003
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Conchman said:
The key is not getting lost in Santo Domingo and especially in Santiago, where its a little tricky finding the right turns for the highway to Puerto Plata. They only have signs to tell you which way to go, once you're on the right road but not before the turns. And when you ask people on the street for directions, ask several times like every 5 minutes, to get confirmations, because many times I've been sent in the wrong direction.

That is exactly where I was going with my thoughts - if he hasn't travelled this route before it can be a harrowing experience in the cities!!!

Marlie
 

bryan

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Mar 9, 2002
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puj to pop

marliejaneca said:
That is exactly where I was going with my thoughts - if he hasn't travelled this route before it can be a harrowing experience in the cities!!!

Marlie


Hello,

I noticed you keep talking about driving through Santo Domingo aned Santiago. Is there a road that I can take up the coast instead of driving through the cities?

thanks
bryan
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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No

You have to go from Punta Cana to Higuey, Higuey to La Romana. Take the highway from La Romana to Santo Domingo. There are road signs to Santiago. You generally just go straight on 27 de Febrero.. When you get to the big archway you go to the right. About a mile or so up the Luperon road, past the Herrera Airport, you have to go under the main highway, and loop around to your right, just like in the States or Canada. That highway goes all the way to Santiago. Lots of places to stop along the way.

As you reach Santiago, you will see a big pyramid-style hotel going up on your right. then the Fortaleza and then the new HOMS medical center, all on your right.

there are four traffic lights after the Fortaleza. Be sure to be on the right by the time you reach the fourth one. (There is a Shell station acrosss the road). As you pass the light, stay to the right, the road has a fork, and you bear to the right. Go about 200-300 yards further on and take the fork that bears off to the right--there is a sign that says Puerto Plata. You will see a movie theater HOLLYWOOD 7 on your right as your are turning to the right.
This road is the one that will take you to POP. Just follow it across town, take the elevated portion to miss a couple of lights, and it comes out at the beginning of the Duarte/ Joaquin Balaguer Highway towards Navarrete.

As you pass the big pile of gravel on your right and come to the major intersection of Navarrete, go to the right and follow that road all
the way to Cofres?. Piece of cake.

Hope this helps you. It is a long drive. You will need a lot of RD$5.00 peso pieces to pay the tolls. About RD$40,00 or so...

HB
 

Paulino

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bryan said:
Thanks Hillbilly

I'd just like to add to Hillbilly's directions that the avenue that takes you through Santiago is named Avenida Estrella Sadhal?, and that it takes almost forever with all its red lights and stuff. But once you get to the BALDOM plant on your right hand side you're almost at the roundabout/rotunda where the Balaguer "freeway" towards Navarrete starts.

Good luck,

Paulino
 

xiv

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I would avoid doing that!

I read many posts of horrible experience of renting a car and driving around in the DR, since you'll have to go through roads in terrible conditions, heavy crazy traffic with absolutely no rules and being stopped 5 times by the police who will point a gun at you for you to pay up some money.

Read some of the prior posts on that subject.

Could anyone give this man a link to the posts i'm talking about?

Regards,
 

Rocky

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Driving in DR

xiv said:
I read many posts of horrible experience of renting a car and driving around in the DR, since you'll have to go through roads in terrible conditions, heavy crazy traffic with absolutely no rules and being stopped 5 times by the police who will point a gun at you for you to pay up some money.

Read some of the prior posts on that subject.

Could anyone give this man a link to the posts i'm talking about?

Regards,

Although driving here is not for the faint of heart, it is not as bad as you describe. I have been driving here for over 10 years and manage quite well.
The Dominicans are generally quite capable drivers, it's just that they bend the rules a fair bit.
As for that previous post about a cop pointing a gun at a driver for some money, I think that you will find that he/she mentioned that he/she couldn't refuse to pay the bribe as he had a gun. Of course he had a gun. HE'S A COP !!! There was no mention of anyone pointing guns at anyone. Furthermore, there is some question as to the validity of that post.
I think that most of us ex-pats who live and drive here will agree, that if you treat a policeman who has pulled you over, with respect and act friendly, that they will also treat you in the same manner.
Driving through a traffic circle in Paris is surely a more harrowing experience than anything you will find in the DR.
Being pulled over by a redneck state trooper in in the southern United States, might prove to be a more costly experience than any road bribe/tip/propina you might have to pay here.
Marco.
 

Conchman

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xiv said:
I read many posts of horrible experience of renting a car and driving around in the DR, since you'll have to go through roads in terrible conditions, heavy crazy traffic with absolutely no rules and being stopped 5 times by the police who will point a gun at you for you to pay up some money.

Read some of the prior posts on that subject.

Could anyone give this man a link to the posts i'm talking about?

Regards,


I'm a blond gringo and drive from Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo about once per month, been doing it for two years and never been stopped. Granted, I have tinted windows but if you go with the flow and don't catch attention to yourself you will be fine.

To drive in the DR, you should have some experience driving in developing nations, its not for the faint of heart but like one poster said, its not as bad as its made out to be.