Visiting Santiago - Afew questions

spkdave

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Aug 25, 2006
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Hi Folks,

I am visiting santiago next month from Mia. Last time I visited was in 2002.
I will be traveling with my wife for a family reunion for her family. I was born in Santo Domingo. I am 30.

Since the wave of crime that has been affecting our lovely nation I have made quite afew changes to our itinerary (spending the last 7 weeks in a Resort in punta cana)

Here are my questions:
1- How safe it is to be "out and about" late at night?
2-To avoid drawing unwanted attention I will not stay with her Family (Santiago, La Loteria); is the Hotel Hodelpa Centro Plaza safe and close to "La Loteria"?
3-What's the best way to get from Santiago to Punta Cana and how long does it take?(dont wanna rent a car and drive)
4- I LOVE merengue tipico. What are the best and safes places to go to catch El Prodigio or Kerubanda?
The last people that have visited d.r have all come back telling me that I have to be VERY carefull and that d.r is not the same place that it was when I visited 4 years ago.

5-Are they exagerating or have things really change that much?

Muchisimas gracias a todos por la ayuda y la informacion
Thanks abunch for your help and any information you share with me.

Spkdave
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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I'll try one at a time

Hi Folks,

I am visiting santiago next month from Mia. Last time I visited was in 2002.
I will be traveling with my wife for a family reunion for her family. I was born in Santo Domingo. I am 30.

Since the wave of crime that has been affecting our lovely nation I have made quite afew changes to our itinerary (spending the last 7 weeks in a Resort in punta cana)

Here are my questions:
1- How safe it is to be "out and about" late at night?Depends if you go to the sleazy places or not. Otherwise it is quite safe, especiallyin the upper part of town.
2-To avoid drawing unwanted attention I will not stay with her Family (Santiago, La Loteria); is the Hotel Hodelpa Centro Plaza safe and close to "La Loteria"?Why Centro Plaza? You would be a lot closer to La Loter?a if you went to Platino. Just a five minute stroll. The Centro Plaza is in the heart of town, Sol con Mella
3-What's the best way to get from Santiago to Punta Cana and how long does it take?(dont wanna rent a car and drive). Hire a charter flight. It's a very loooong drive anywahy you look at it.
4- I LOVE merengue tipico. What are the best and safes places to go to catch El Prodigio or Kerubanda? Sometimes their itineraries are in the papers. Otherwise you might want to call their agents.
The last people that have visited d.r have all come back telling me that I have to be VERY carefull and that d.r is not the same place that it was when I visited 4 years ago.

5-Are they exagerating or have things really change that much? Things are a LOT quieter now. the new decrees limiting the sale of liquor have calmed down things a lot. You can still have a good time, you just have to start earlier.

Muchisimas gracias a todos por la ayuda y la informacion
Thanks abunch for your help and any information you share with me.

Spkdave

Hope the above information is of some use..


HB
 

Mujermaravilla

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Jun 15, 2006
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Im driving from Santiago to punta cana too

my plan was to get up go river rafting.... then I was going go drive down to SD, spend the night and then the next day go to punta cana...
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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This should be posted in another thread.
It is doable as you have stated. The overnight in Sto Dgo is a wise move.

HB
 

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
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Listen to HB. It's a long drive from Santiago to Punta cana. And on public transportation it is a nightmare. Back in 2003 I did the trip from Santiago to Punta Cana via public transport. Took me close to 9 hours.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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You can charter a plane in Santiago if you want to fly out there. Ask at the airport upon arrival. The person;s name ( at least one of the charters) is Brown!! No kidding. Veteran flier.

HB
 

Mujermaravilla

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Jun 15, 2006
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like i said i'm doing the same thing

I am still debating whether I should drive or not... but either way I will tell you what I figured out.

IF i drive I will leave santiago, and spend the night in Santo Domingo I found this hotel called Hotel Residence in santo domingo it will be 30 per night with a/c. I figure you can do a two in one thing because you can go hang out in el malecon and make SD a destination and not just a stop between ST and PC

The other choice is to take public transportation and these are your choices

1. Take caribetours to SD and then take a taxi to the SICHOPROLA & SITRABAPU (located @ 31 Juan Sanchez Ramirez esq Maximo gomez 809-682-9670. ) I am from "la capital" so I know that caribetours stop and this address are not that far way from each other
This location has 2 express busses going out at 7:00am and 4:00 pm. I talked to a woman in SD and she told me that the best bet is to take the bus at this location because sometimes they fill up and there is no room for passengers at their other location in Parque Enriquillo.

I figure if you take the 12:25pm bus from santiago you can make the 4:00pm express bus. I mean you can take a bus at another time but i won't be express... not sure if it makes a big diference. As you can see I think it would take up almost an entire day.


2. second option is to split it in to two days... just as if you were driving. I will stay in a hotel, have a nice dinner in SD chill in el malecon, go to bed early get up and take the 7 am express bus.


by the way the hotel residence is in calle Dane #62 809-412-7298. The hotel is not far from the bus station, they are both in Gazcue.

Well good luck
 

spkdave

New member
Aug 25, 2006
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Thanks for all the input -
I will drive on Sun Morning and spend the day in my Tia in Gazcue and take the express to PC on Monday morning.

Gracias a todos
 
Jan 5, 2006
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1- How safe it is to be "out and about" late at night?
Like HB said, it's fairfly safe as long as you take the appropriate precautions. (no visible jewelry, money. etc. and be well aware of your surroundings)


4- I LOVE merengue tipico. What are the best and safes places to go to catch El Prodigio or Kerubanda?
Kerubanda broke up recently, so you won't be seeing them. :( For the best tipico bands, try www.tipicomontebar.com