Driving from Punta cana to La Romana

panatlastv

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Apr 5, 2005
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First time here. I am going to DR this Saturday, flying into Punta Cana but staying at Casa de Campo. What's the drive like or should I just arrange a transfer? I'm an experienced traveler but will be with a co-worker who may not like to exerinec of navigating. Your assistance is appreciate.
 

buseouno

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Feb 22, 2005
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panatlastv said:
First time here. I am going to DR this Saturday, flying into Punta Cana but staying at Casa de Campo. What's the drive like or should I just arrange a transfer? I'm an experienced traveler but will be with a co-worker who may not like to exerinec of navigating. Your assistance is appreciate.


If your planning on renting a car anyway, the drive is easy, allow about 1 1/2 hours, maybe a little more as the way thru Higuey is not well signed and easy to get lost, but that is all part of the adventure of travelling. There are usually a number of big buses travelling thru Higuey from P.C. so just follow one of them.
Basic directions thru Higuey from P.C. side: cross over bridge and road splits into 2 one ways, go right and then left almost immediately, stay on this road until the end, turn left, turn left again at second (2 nd) traffic light, go thru the next light at a major intersection and bare to the right about 100 feet after the intersecton, you are now on the road to LaRomana. Casa de Campo is about another 30 kilometers, just a few miles past the airport and just before you get to LaRomana.
The buses will not take this route, their route is more difficult to explain and much more traffic to negotiate.

If your planning on exploring LaRomana, etc. PM me, as I live there and can point you in the right directon.
Enjoy your stay.

Ken
 

mido

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May 18, 2002
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buseouno said:
If your planning on renting a car anyway, the drive is easy, allow about 1 1/2 hours, maybe a little more as the way thru Higuey is not well signed and easy to get lost, but that is all part of the adventure of travelling. There are usually a number of big buses travelling thru Higuey from P.C. so just follow one of them.
Basic directions thru Higuey from P.C. side: cross over bridge and road splits into 2 one ways, go right and then left almost immediately, stay on this road until the end, turn left, turn left again at second (2 nd) traffic light, go thru the next light at a major intersection and bare to the right about 100 feet after the intersecton, you are now on the road to LaRomana. Casa de Campo is about another 30 kilometers, just a few miles past the airport and just before you get to LaRomana.
The buses will not take this route, their route is more difficult to explain and much more traffic to negotiate.

If your planning on exploring LaRomana, etc. PM me, as I live there and can point you in the right directon.
Enjoy your stay.

Ken

Ken's desription gets close but there are some little mistakes:

Leaving the airport, you turn right and NEVER leave this road (if you follow the big buses you will end up in the resort area of Bavaro) until you get to a small town called Otra Banda, where the road will end in an intersection.

Here you turn left and stay on this road until you get to a bigger town called Higuey. Now comes the part where the road splits, right turn, immediate left turn, just follow the main stream but do NOT go to the end of this street but turn left where you see a very clearly visible road sign which says Santo Domingo.

Once you made this left turn you don't change directions (you will cross a bigger main street where you see a traffic light) until you come to the end, where you turn right and then immediately left again.

Now you are on a four lane main street and if you look to the right you see a big church called the "Basilica". At the second traffic light you turn left and then immediately right again. Make sure you are buckled up and don't use your cellphone, some nasty traffic cops will be all over you otherwise.

Now you follow the main road all the way towards La Romana, the entrance of Casa de Campo is easy to find just before you come to La Romana.

Have a good trip but watch out for some nasty pot holes
 

DrewNY

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Mar 23, 2005
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Picking up the bus in La romana

I also needed some help concerning La Romana. I am traveling from a resort in Punta Cana to LaRomana to the Casa del Mar resort and from there to Boca Chica.

Where do I get a bus schedule or even better where to I pick up the bus?
I was going to arrange transfers with a driver but I feel this would be a better way to see some of the countryside and mix with the local people. My spanish is very limited but I am still willing to make a go of it. Anyway...whatever help you can lend me would be appreciated.

Thanks
Andrew
 

buseouno

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Feb 22, 2005
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mido said:
Ken's desription gets close but there are some little mistakes:

Leaving the airport, you turn right and NEVER leave this road (if you follow the big buses you will end up in the resort area of Bavaro) until you get to a small town called Otra Banda, where the road will end in an intersection.

Here you turn left and stay on this road until you get to a bigger town called Higuey. Now comes the part where the road splits, right turn, immediate left turn, just follow the main stream but do NOT go to the end of this street but turn left where you see a very clearly visible road sign which says Santo Domingo.

Once you made this left turn you don't change directions (you will cross a bigger main street where you see a traffic light) until you come to the end, where you turn right and then immediately left again.

Now you are on a four lane main street and if you look to the right you see a big church called the "Basilica". At the second traffic light you turn left and then immediately right again. Make sure you are buckled up and don't use your cellphone, some nasty traffic cops will be all over you otherwise.

Now you follow the main road all the way towards La Romana, the entrance of Casa de Campo is easy to find just before you come to La Romana.

Have a good trip but watch out for some nasty pot holes


Mido,
If you read my directions, you'll see they are correct, I mentioned to follow the buses in Higuey, and I suggested my route for it's ease to follow, yours is also correct, just a few more turns, deep gutters and traffic is all.
Either way will get him to Casa de Campo.
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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DrewNY said:
I also needed some help concerning La Romana. I am traveling from a resort in Punta Cana to LaRomana to the Casa del Mar resort and from there to Boca Chica.

Where do I get a bus schedule or even better where to I pick up the bus?
I was going to arrange transfers with a driver but I feel this would be a better way to see some of the countryside and mix with the local people. My spanish is very limited but I am still willing to make a go of it. Anyway...whatever help you can lend me would be appreciated.

Thanks
Andrew

Forget the bus if you are traveling with luggage. The cultural experience will be blurred if you have to carry your luggage. You would need to take an express bus to La Romana and then a taxi to Bayahibe, anyway. The cost of the taxi alone will be equal to half the cost of renting a cheap car for the day. The better options are to rent a car or to take a taxi.

My recommendation would be to rent the car and then you can tour the area -- Bayahibe town, La Romana city, Altos de Chavon, La Marina de Casa de Campo, Cueva de la Maravillas, Juan Dolio and Guayacanes, Caribbean Sun (Playa Caribe), and then Boca Chica. See http://dr1.com/travel/index.shtml
This is one area where we definitely recommend having a car to get around. Actually, having a car makes all the difference because you really get the feel for the place. Many people who just stay put, think there is nothing in the area, but if you get around, you will notice there is lots going on.
 

DrewNY

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Thanks Dolores

That was the best answer Ive gotten ..Thankyou

Ill take an express bus to La Romana and rent a car there...see all of what I need then drive to my next spot Boca Chica. Do the companys allow you to pick up a rental in La Romana then drop it off in Boca Chica? Can You or Anyone reccomend a rental place?
As far as the express bus..where do I find it exaclty...? Is it in Higuey or Punta Cana? I wish i had a clue. Ive read that buses leave from Higuey. If you guys could clarify things for me that would be more than helpful.

I feel better about the trip already.
Thanks alot
Andrew
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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DrewNY said:
That was the best answer Ive gotten ..Thankyou

Ill take an express bus to La Romana and rent a car there...see all of what I need then drive to my next spot Boca Chica. Do the companys allow you to pick up a rental in La Romana then drop it off in Boca Chica? Can You or Anyone reccomend a rental place?
As far as the express bus..where do I find it exaclty...? Is it in Higuey or Punta Cana? I wish i had a clue. Ive read that buses leave from Higuey. If you guys could clarify things for me that would be more than helpful.

I feel better about the trip already.
Thanks alot
Andrew

Again, you have the same problem. The taxi from your hotel to the bus stop in Punta Cana (on the highway, the taxi will know) will cost you about US$25, or almost half of what it would cost to rent the car for the entire day.

Again, I think the car rental option works better. I recommend you program where you rent the car around your departure point. If you need to return anyway to Punta Cana to take the plane back, then it makes better sense to rent in Punta Cana and return the car to Punta Cana. National offers rentals in both La Romana and Punta Cana -- Boca Chica would be the Las Americas Airport office, so they are covered in the three points.

Now if you will be departing via Las Americas, then it makes sense to rent in Punta Cana, see what you have to see on the way, and then pay the drop off charges to leave the car at Las Americas (Boca Chica).

Contact National and see what they suggest. Write to them through http://www.dr1.com/national
 

DrewNY

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Mar 23, 2005
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arriving in PC and leaving from SD

I am arriving in Punta Cana And departing in Santo Domingo so the second option you mentioned will work well. This is my first time in the Dominican Republic and I wasnt aware of this site before I booked So I split my vacation up so I can see all that attracted me.

You have been very helpful Dolores Many thanks.

I'm leaving April 14th and returning April 24th ..Ill post on my return.

!! :)
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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DrewNY said:
I am arriving in Punta Cana And departing in Santo Domingo so the second option you mentioned will work well. This is my first time in the Dominican Republic and I wasnt aware of this site before I booked So I split my vacation up so I can see all that attracted me.

You have been very helpful Dolores Many thanks.

I'm leaving April 14th and returning April 24th ..Ill post on my return.

!! :)

Good news! Just checked with National in Bavaro (B?varo/Punta Cana Regional Office. Carr. Bavaro Km 5. Tel: (809) 688-5069) and they tell me that they offer the free service of pick up for clients that will be renting with them. So they can pick you up at your hotel so you don't have to pay for that taxi. Then you rent with them and make your way to Bayahibe. May I recommend that you leave very early in the morning, so you can make a stopover (instead of taking a slight right, you continue straight in south direction along the main road) at the house of Ponce de Leon in San Rafael de Yuma, near Boca de Yuma. From there head to Boca de Yuma and have lunch at one of the restaurants that front the sea. Fresh fish is best there, catch of the day.
Next, head out to Bayahibe. When there, in addition to your hotel, remember to check out Bayahibe town (and have dinner one evening there) and also the public beach strip between Hacienda Iberostar and Viva Wyndham Dominicus -- this is a Blue Flag beach. Blue Flag is a European certification that means best quality of the environment, but also integration with the community. To be a Blue Flag beach you have to be a public beach.
Then take time to visit Altos de Chavon, La Marina de Casa de Campo, Casa de Campo's many golf courses (maybe the people of Casa de Campo give a site inspection tour). Next Cueva de las Maravillas (you need at least two hours for that visit, it is worth it).
Then the different strips in Juan Dolio & Guayacanes -- the ambience of El Ensue?o Restaurant at night, Aura and its lounges right in the sea, Caribbean Sun for body boarding (go in the morning) and lunch on the beach, Deli Swiss in Guayacanes, lots of recommendations.

To help you navigate your driving, may I suggest you pack a small compass so you can make sure you are going east or south, whichever may be the correct direction. When driving, with the exception of when you go through Higuey town, and later if you are heading to the Ponce de Leon house or Boca de Yuma when you will need to go South, you will want to be driving East all the time.

And yes, please post a trip report when you get back.
 

DrewNY

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!!!

DId I mention Im traveling alone... wanna come with me? Show me around.

Im at least 50 times more psyched to go now. I just cancelled a scuba lesson I had while at the resort.. Ill do it while in Punta Cana. I imagined that La Romana was more family oriented and would be uneventful from a solo travelers standpoint so I figured Id learn scuba while being there. Not anymore thanks to you. I will try to do all that you said as I am only there 3 nights.
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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DrewNY said:
DId I mention Im traveling alone... wanna come with me? Show me around.

Im at least 50 times more psyched to go now. I just cancelled a scuba lesson I had while at the resort.. Ill do it while in Punta Cana. I imagined that La Romana was more family oriented and would be uneventful from a solo travelers standpoint so I figured Id learn scuba while being there. Not anymore thanks to you. I will try to do all that you said as I am only there 3 nights.

May DR1 be with you! You will do fine. Remember to post a trip report when you get back. Here at DR1 we love independent travelers who are willing to venture out and try to help them out as best as we can.
 
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