Hotel Question

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tarrantino

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I have asked this question before, I thought that I posted it , but I never saw it, so here goes again.

I am trying to find a hotel. If you walk out of the front of Casa Marina, turn right, go to the corner and turn right again, there is a hotel on that street. Does anyone know the name of it.

Also not a hotel question. If I wanted to go to Puerto Plata does Caribe tours go there or would I have to hire a taxi and also, does Caribe Tours go from Puerto Plata to Cabarete?
 
Tamborista

Tamborista

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Take a GuaGua or a Publico from Sosua to Cabarete/Puerto Plata. You can grab one right in front of The Texaco Station on the other side of the highway.

(I recommend hiring the entire Publico for safety and privacy!)
The whole car should be 6 X the cost of one person.
 
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FireGuy

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tarrantino said:
I have asked this question before, I thought that I posted it , but I never saw it, so here goes again.

I am trying to find a hotel. If you walk out of the front of Casa Marina, turn right, go to the corner and turn right again, there is a hotel on that street. Does anyone know the name of it.
Click to expand...

If you go by "missingsosua" on another board you did post it; just not here at DR1.

I think you mean the Waterfront.

24liyr8.jpg


This map is not to scale but should help.

Gregg
 
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Rocky

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tarrantino said:
I am trying to find a hotel. If you walk out of the front of Casa Marina, turn right, go to the corner and turn right again, there is a hotel on that street. Does anyone know the name of it.
Click to expand...
Casa Cayena, the Waterfront and some small German hotel. Can't remember the name right now.

tarrantino said:
Also not a hotel question. If I wanted to go to Puerto Plata does Caribe tours go there or would I have to hire a taxi and also, does Caribe Tours go from Puerto Plata to Cabarete?
Click to expand...
Caribe tour does travel from Sosua to Puerto Plata, but not Cabarete.
Public cars are more practical.
No waiting.
1 Buck will get you there in 30 to 40 minutes.

PS: Pension Annelise is the German one I couldn't remember
 
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tarrantino

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Thanks FireGuy & Rocky. I get a little confused when I post more than one thing at a time. ( I think that it's time I start writing things down where I put them now).

So by public cars you mean the taxis in front of the resorts or the "publicos" that someone mentioned ( are they the same) Sorry I just want to be sure before I go telling other people.
 
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Rocky

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tarrantino said:
Thanks FireGuy & Rocky. I get a little confused when I post more than one thing at a time. ( I think that it's time I start writing things down where I put them now).

So by public cars you mean the taxis in front of the resorts or the "publicos" that someone mentioned ( are they the same) Sorry I just want to be sure before I go telling other people.
Click to expand...
A publico insinuates any small public transport vehicle.(No big busses)
A guagua refers specifivally to a van, usually 11 passenger models, that are mostly fleet vehicles, often driven by young delinquent maniacs.
A public car is generally a small Japanese car, driven by the owner of said vehicle, or one of his friends or relatives. As they are more concerned about maintenance costs and down time due to breakdowns, than guagua drivers, they drive with greater caution, thus providing a safer ride.
Riding a caro publico cost a small fraction more than the guaguas.
Taxis come in all shapes and forms and will take you directly to your destination, door to door, and are approx. 20 times more expensive to ride than publicos.
 
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qgrande

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Rocky said:
From left to right, that half sized bus would not be considered a guagua.
Click to expand...

In Santo Domingo the gua-guas are bigger than on the north-coast. This photo was taken in Santo Domingo.
I'm no expert, but the two-wheeled thing looks more like a scooter than a motorbike to me.
 
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qgrande said:
In Santo Domingo the gua-guas are bigger than on the north-coast. This photo was taken in Santo Domingo.
I'm no expert, but the two-wheeled thing looks more like a scooter than a motorbike to me.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean about the bike.
It's almost a cross between the two, but around here they consider it a motorbike, thus a "motor"
Scooter example.
http://westernpowersports.com/images/2006yamaha_majestic.jpg
PS: I forgot. Around here, they call those half sized busses, "un bus" or "El bus del hotele" or "el transporte Gomez (just an example)"
But guaguas for us, are vans.
 
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FireGuy

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Rocky said:
But guaguas for us, are vans.
Click to expand...

There's at least one half sized bus on the Rio San Juan - Puerto Plata guagua run which is decked out exactly the same as the van style guaguas (signage, etc.) - I called it a "Super-guagua" and the driver and "conductor" (forgot the real name) loved the description.

Everbody had seats, no one half in my lap, no one on the running boards - almost North American like - LOL.

I rode it last year in either April or October (lousy memory).

Gregg
 
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tarrantino

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Okay, so if I didn't know before I know now. I should have no trouble distinguishing between the various modes of transportaion after given this information. Now the dilemma which one to choose I think that we will try the publico next time, rather than the taxi from Sosua to Cabarete.
Thank you everyone.
 
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Uzin

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I vote for guagua (if no luggage), if you wave off the very full ones you can get one with a decent empty seat (well, in DR standard). Also don't pay until you're off on the road and always have 20 pesos handy and give it to them and walk off (they will always be asking for more but just ignore them). If you are really lucky you might even get a pretty girl/boy (depending on your preferences) sitting on your lap !!!

Publico taxis are more difficult, my experience was that they quoted me a rediculous fare first, then if you don't go for it they sit you in the car and find the biggest/ugliest guy they can find and sit him next to you (you'r lucky if you can breathe). They put 4 at the back and the guy they planned for me would not fit alone on the front seat !? I ran and never looked back...

Have fun and take everything with a bit of comedy - if you're too serious you won't last in DR.
 
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qgrande

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Uzin said:
I vote for guagua (if no luggage), if you wave off the very full ones you can get one with a decent empty seat (well, in DR standard).
Click to expand...
I actually like to take the (almost) full ones, because the empty ones go slow, continuously looking for passengers, while the full ones go a lot faster.

Also don't pay until you're off on the road and always have 20 pesos handy and give it to them and walk off (they will always be asking for more but just ignore them).
Click to expand...
Is this a North Coast thing? In Santo Domingo I mostly pay during the ride if the cobrador does his round, 12 pesos is enough for crossing the whole city, and I've never been asked for more than 15.
Have fun and take everything with a bit of comedy - if you're too serious you won't last in DR.
Click to expand...
Great advice
 
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FireGuy

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Of course they'll take 20 pesos from Sosua to Cabarete - the fare is only 10 (at least last April). 20 pesos will get you from Sosua to Puerto Plata - 30 pesos from Cabarete yo Puerto Plata (as I said at least last April). I usually pay a little over just so I don't have to argue at all; my Spanish isn't that strong and if they think they got a little extra from the gringo they won't ask for a ridiculous price requiring a discussion or argument.

You can also take a publico (they usually park at the Texaco station on the highway) and pay for all the seats (solo) if you want to travel in relative comfort - way more expensive than a guagua but still quite a bit cheaper than a taxi.

Gregg
 
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tarrantino

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Thanks guys, I'm going to try a publico one day and a gua gua another(my family isn't quite so adventurous as myself, I am going to have to talk them into it). 120 pesos is a far cry from the $30 US for the taxi. As long as we get a seat we'll be fine if it is a little crowded so what. And I can see the humor in most things.
 
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