Help - Coming to DR in a few days!

Jasmina

New member
Apr 16, 2005
2
0
0
Hi guys ;) ,

My husband and I are travelling to the DR this Thursday and we need to iron out some details so that we don't get stuck in the wilderness someplace.

We're arriving in Santiago via American Airlines around 12:15 a.m. Will it be a problem to catch a cab to Hotel Colonial? Or must we make a reservation with someone to pick us up?

We're would like to leave Santiago ror Jarabacoa as early as possible. I've been to the Caribe Tours website and I'm not at all clear as to how to catch a bus and how to get to Jarabacoa. Is it easy to get to the bus station? Do we just need to take a Caribe bus, or must we also catch guaguas and motoconchos? Does anybody have a schedule?

Once we get to Jarabacoa, we'll be staying at Hotel California. Got an awesome rate of 1400 $DR for 5 nights including breakfast (that's $50 - still have to confirm, though). It sounds too good to be true. Has anybody ever heard of this hotel? Is it reputable?

They've also offered us excursions for extremely reasonable prices ($24 for canyoning and like $15 for rafting per person - AWESOME!). Are these prices also too good to be true?

We're planning to hike to the summit of Pico Duarte in 2 days and do some rafting and canyoning. Should we plan to spend more than two days to ascend Pico Duarte?

After a few days in the mountains, we hope to take a bus from Jarabacoa to Cabarete. Is this possible? I didn't see any routes on the caribe tours website from Jarabacoa to Cabarete. Does that mean that we just have to plan our trip to be able to switch in Santiago? How long will it take?

Then we're going to Cabarete for two nights. We'll be staying at Hotel Casablanca.
QUESTION: We'd like to get a private surfing lesson - does anyone know a good teacher? Also, what else do you guys recommend doing in Cabarete during the day? We know there's a lot of partying at night, but are there things that we just shouldn't miss while we're there that take 1/2 hour or 1 hour to get to by gua gua?

Oh - final question - what's the deal with amber? What are the price ranges for nicer pieces and where do we go to get them so that we don't get completely ripped off?

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions! I really, truly appreciate it.
 

gatoazul

New member
Aug 24, 2004
74
0
0
49
I hope you read this before flying or that anyone pmd you before.

No problem catching a cab to Hotel Colonial. There are cabs at the airport. There's also a blackboard with all the prices.

If you travel light you can take a guagua to La Vega and ask the driver to leave you on la entrada de Jarabacoa. From there you take another guagua to Jarabacoa. If not, the trip from Santiago to La Vega is less than 1/2 hour by car, so a taxi should do it at a reasonable price. But ASK BEFORE AND MAKE THE DRIVER REPEAT THE PRICE.

Only heard the song Hotel California but it could be there, why not?

Don't know about the prices of rafting and the time on Pico Duarte.

Call Caribe Tours La Vega while in Jarabacoa and ask them if they go from there to Cabarete. If not go back the same way you will do to go to Jarabacoa.

About the amber, as I know nothing, I would suggest to buy it at Harrison's jewlry. I hope somebody that knows of it may write a good suggestion.

Good luck!
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
13,993
208
0
111
www.rockysbar.com
Jasmina said:
We're arriving in Santiago via American Airlines around 12:15 a.m. Will it be a problem to catch a cab to Hotel Colonial? Or must we make a reservation with someone to pick us up?
There should be taxis there at STI airport when you arrive.

Jasmina said:
We're would like to leave Santiago ror Jarabacoa as early as possible. I've been to the Caribe Tours website and I'm not at all clear as to how to catch a bus and how to get to Jarabacoa. Is it easy to get to the bus station? Do we just need to take a Caribe bus, or must we also catch guaguas and motoconchos? Does anybody have a schedule?
The Caribe Tour bus to La Vega, is the same bus that goes to Santo Domingo, and they leave every hour, then from La Vega, there is another Caribe Tour bus to Jarabacoa.

Jasmina said:
After a few days in the mountains, we hope to take a bus from Jarabacoa to Cabarete. Is this possible? I didn't see any routes on the caribe tours website from Jarabacoa to Cabarete. Does that mean that we just have to plan our trip to be able to switch in Santiago? How long will it take?
Jarabacoa to La Vega by Caribe Tours, then onto the Sosua bus from there, and a taxi or public transport from Cabarete to Sosua, whole trip, approx. 3 hours.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,502
5,930
113
dr1.com
The Hollywood and the Hotel California are basic hotels, across the road from each other. They are about 2 kiilometers outside of town on the Constanza road. Unless you like very basic, I would advise staying at the Hotel Gran Jimenoa, a much nicer place that is not expensive. It has a pool, restaurant....etc. It is in a beautiful setting next to the river.
 

Chris

Gold
Oct 21, 2002
7,951
28
0
www.caribbetech.com
agsacg said:
BlackBeards Adult fantasy resort is an exotic, erotic hotel catering to single men, adventurous couples and swingers. Our discreet and safe resort is located in the beautiful upscale and gated beachside town of Costambar on the Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic.

Just another idiot has just done another idiotic thing.
 

Ricardo900

Silver
Jul 12, 2004
3,269
37
48
here you go

windeguy said:
I did a quick search for the Caribe Tour bus schedule , but didn't find it on-line. Sorry about that issue. It is too bad you are trying to do all of this in such a short time, it will be almost like work, but you should love it.

http://www.caribetours.com.do/
click on "Horarios" for schedules and phone numbers