Undecided: Punta Cana or Puerto Plata

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kenmasters

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I am undecided whether I should go to Punta Cana or Puerto Plata for vacation. My friends and I are planning to head to DR in July for some craziness and R&R. The all-inclusive resorts sound tempting but we will most likely rent out a house along the beach so we can do whatever we want and have more accessibilty to the locals; plus the prices seem reasonable. Right now, I'm leaning towards Puerto Plata but open to suggestions.
Anyways, what would be the ideal location to PARTY in Dominican Republic yet still have access to the beaches? Your insight is highly recommended.
 
M

M.A.R.

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Feb 18, 2006
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kenmasters said:
Newcomer

I am undecided whether I should go to Punta Cana or Puerto Plata for vacation. My friends and I are planning to head to DR in July for some craziness and R&R. The all-inclusive resorts sound tempting but we will most likely rent out a house along the beach so we can do whatever we want and have more accessibilty to the locals; plus the prices seem reasonable. Right now, I'm leaning towards Puerto Plata but open to suggestions.
Anyways, what would be the ideal location to PARTY in Dominican Republic yet still have access to the beaches? Your insight is highly recommended.
Click to expand...

I don't know about the other areas I've only been to inclusives in Playa Dorada Puerto Plata and to me these are more family oriented hotels. I hear there is more action in Cabarete and Sosua.
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Probably, for your purposes, the North Shore will offer more opportunities:
a) to find a place that fits your needs. There are short term rentals available
b) to "party", since the areas suggested--Sos?a and Cabarete--are real party towns.
c) you are close to more things to do: adventure trips, large city tours, etc.

HB
 
W

willienb

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I would go to cabarete nice beach lots of places to rent, good bars and party places all on one street.
 
D

dominican_daisy

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Cabarete

Hi,

I was just in Cabarete about a week ago and I would highly recommend it...all my past trips have been to AI resorts either in Punta Cana or Puerto Plata. This vacation was different, we stayed at Casa Blanca which is on the other end of Cabarete and is right beside Janets Supermarket, we made all our meals and at night time it was just a short walk down the strip to the discos. Although there are many different hotels to stay at, I would say that Casa Blanca was nice and very relaxed.

If you are looking for transportation from the airport, you could send me a pm, I met a really nice couple when I was there last time and they do airport pick-up.

Good Luck,
DD
 
K

kenmasters

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Mar 13, 2007
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dominican_daisy said:
Hi,

I was just in Cabarete about a week ago and I would highly recommend it...all my past trips have been to AI resorts either in Punta Cana or Puerto Plata. This vacation was different, we stayed at Casa Blanca which is on the other end of Cabarete and is right beside Janets Supermarket, we made all our meals and at night time it was just a short walk down the strip to the discos. Although there are many different hotels to stay at, I would say that Casa Blanca was nice and very relaxed.

If you are looking for transportation from the airport, you could send me a pm, I met a really nice couple when I was there last time and they do airport pick-up.

Good Luck,
DD
Click to expand...


Thanks for the insight. Based on the various threads, Sosua and Cabarete seem the the best places to party and relax. While I'm there, i will like to take a trip to Santiago so can chill with the locals and experience the culture in full grain.
 
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Mariposazul

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Cabarete...

Cabarete...best place on island for eating out......lots of great places, and I've never been sick. Just use your own judgement. Lots of people? Good place. Ghost-bar? Don't even step in.

There's an AMAZING German Bakery for breakfast...mmmmmm fresh bread. Cheap too!!!

Don't eat the seafood anywhere..unless it's fish. I've had BAD tasting seafood too many times...too stinky!!!

Yeah, stay in Cabarete (kinda an ugly beach but lots to see/do) and then visit Sosua (blue waters, snorkel, and enjoy the waves).

Sosua is kinda creepy with prostitutes and their ugly men:ermm: but it's a beautiful beach and a good place to shop;) ....just be careful where you eat...too many sketchy places. Good pizza towards the middle....and a great place for burgers...has vikings painted on the walls, I think: Towards the left (facing the surf).
 
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Caz

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Don't know when you were in Cabarete last, but the beach has been restored with fresh white sand so not ugly any more!
 
L

laurapasinifan

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Sep 19, 2005
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I have been to the north coast many times and never been to Punta cana or Bavaro. But I have many many friends that vacation in the east..they love it......but they usually have a family of some form in tow.

since i have never actually been to the east...I dlike to hear from some people that have been there....


IS there really very little to NO places to party off the resort??????

even if the north coast has more of a party atmosphere. Id love to know if ANYTHING exists out in Punta Cana-Bavaro for the party person off the AI

like cabarete and sosua has

bob
 
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kenmasters

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If I go to Puerto Plata, will I have access to the areas on the north coast as well as Santiago?

How can tell the skankies from the non-skankies. I don't want to be around them but still have a great time.
Where do the locals hang out in Sosua and Caberate?
 
L

laurapasinifan

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Sep 19, 2005
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kenmasters said:
If I go to Puerto Plata, will I have access to the areas on the north coast as well as Santiago?

How can tell the skankies from the non-skankies. I don't want to be around them but still have a great time.
quote]

PP IS part of the north coast.other north coast access would be in the form of driving east on route 5 as far as you like.

access to Santiago will be a 1.5 hour ride, south( if you know the route)( there are three )by car...longer if you use some form of bus.

you probably cant tell a sankie from a non-sankie...untill they talk.

since you asked about sankies, can we assume you are a woman?

because if you are a man, and were really asking about a sankiette, then in sosua or cabarette, I doubt any single dominican woman in a bar or walking the beach isnt in that "catergory" to some extent.

a group might be another story....might

bob
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M

Mariposazul

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places

Cabarete's water is just kinda blah....Sand has always been nice. Water is just kinda ugly...........I'm not a high-populated beach sorta person. I also enjoy swimming. Sosua is great for that. Both are wonderful places to DO stuff.

A few critiques:

Barahona (southwest)...the best by far. Lots to explore if you love the outdoors and almost no tourists around to overcrowd.

Boca Chica is nasty. Water is super shallow and the town is obviously full of drugs and what comes along with that.

Samana...not much to do there...but go to areas near it...lots of waterfalls, etc. Lots of secluded beaches to visit with clear waters..gotta take the little boats to find them sometimes.

Bavaro...cheaper version of Punta Cana........found a GREAT b&B place...contact me if you wanna know about it. A woman rents out rooms in her house that is directly at the beach. BEAUTIFUL waters and sands.

I could go on..........but I gotta go.

As for PP, Sosua, Santiago...if you're brave and a wise driver, rent a car. If not, hire someone to drive you around for a day (relatively cheap) or take public trans. Get out of the boundaries of AI Resorts........get to KNOW the Dominican Republic!!!
 
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manunut

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boring,boring bavaro.

north coast,cabarete you will find all the action you need.
outside of the resorts in bavaro/baihibe there is nothing to get excited about.
prices for EVERYTHING are a third or so higher than on the nrt coast.
cabarete is not known for being cheap, as such on the nrt coast but compared to the east it is!
for guys your age sure you will have a ball there.:) :) :)
 
K

kenmasters

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Mar 13, 2007
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manunut said:
north coast,cabarete you will find all the action you need.
outside of the resorts in bavaro/baihibe there is nothing to get excited about.
prices for EVERYTHING are a third or so higher than on the nrt coast.
cabarete is not known for being cheap, as such on the nrt coast but compared to the east it is!
for guys your age sure you will have a ball there.:) :) :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up.

I just want to have a good time while there and get to see the culture of DR. My friends are pushing to go to Rio and not DR because they said there were nothing to do and eye candy sucked. I disagree. I'm open to explore new things beyond sex so we will see in July. How is the weather in July?
Also, what time night life is over?
 
K

kenmasters

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Mar 13, 2007
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manunut said:
north coast,cabarete you will find all the action you need.
outside of the resorts in bavaro/baihibe there is nothing to get excited about.
prices for EVERYTHING are a third or so higher than on the nrt coast.
cabarete is not known for being cheap, as such on the nrt coast but compared to the east it is!
for guys your age sure you will have a ball there.:) :) :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up.

I just want to have a good time while there and get to see the culture of DR. My friends are pushing to go to Rio and not DR because they said there were nothing to do and eye candy sucked. I disagree. I'm open to explore new things beyond sex so we will see in July. How is the weather in July?
Also, what time night life is over?
 
M

manunut

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Nov 17, 2006
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weather.........

kenmasters said:
Thanks for the heads up.

I just want to have a good time while there and get to see the culture of DR. My friends are pushing to go to Rio and not DR because they said there were nothing to do and eye candy sucked. I disagree. I'm open to explore new things beyond sex so we will see in July. How is the weather in July?
Also, what time night life is over?
Click to expand...
pretty hot and steamy.you can get terrental rain for a 1/2 hour or so and then the suns back out.
bars/discos stop selling booze at 12am?sun-thur.then fri and sat they sell till 2am.
SECRET::paranoid: in cabarete there is a casino at the top end of the street.
upstairs is a disco/bar and somehow or another they have "liscence"to keep going till 3 or 4'ish.;)
want to "party on"?load up on the bottles and hit the beach for yer own private party or take it on home.
 
M

manunut

New member
Nov 17, 2006
272
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weather.........

kenmasters said:
Thanks for the heads up.

I just want to have a good time while there and get to see the culture of DR. My friends are pushing to go to Rio and not DR because they said there were nothing to do and eye candy sucked. I disagree. I'm open to explore new things beyond sex so we will see in July. How is the weather in July?
Also, what time night life is over?
Click to expand...
pretty hot and steamy.you can get terrental rain for a 1/2 hour or so and then the suns back out.
bars/discos stop selling booze at 12am?sun-thur.then fri and sat they sell till 2am.
SECRET::paranoid: in cabarete there is a casino at the top end of the street.
upstairs is a disco/bar and somehow or another they have "liscence"to keep going till 3 or 4'ish.;)
want to "party on"?load up on the bottles and hit the beach for yer own private party or take it on home.
 
M

manunut

New member
Nov 17, 2006
272
2
0
weather.........

kenmasters said:
Thanks for the heads up.

I just want to have a good time while there and get to see the culture of DR. My friends are pushing to go to Rio and not DR because they said there were nothing to do and eye candy sucked. I disagree. I'm open to explore new things beyond sex so we will see in July. How is the weather in July?
Also, what time night life is over?
Click to expand...
pretty hot and steamy.you can get terrental rain for a 1/2 hour or so and then the suns back out.
bars/discos stop selling booze at 12am?sun-thur.then fri and sat they sell till 2am.
SECRET::paranoid: in cabarete there is a casino at the top end of the street.
upstairs is a disco/bar and somehow or another they have "liscence"to keep going till 3 or 4'ish.;)
want to "party on"?load up on the bottles and hit the beach for yer own private party or take it on home.
 
K

kenmasters

New member
Mar 13, 2007
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manunut said:
pretty hot and steamy.you can get terrental rain for a 1/2 hour or so and then the suns back out.
bars/discos stop selling booze at 12am?sun-thur.then fri and sat they sell till 2am.
SECRET::paranoid: in cabarete there is a casino at the top end of the street.
upstairs is a disco/bar and somehow or another they have "liscence"to keep going till 3 or 4'ish.;)
want to "party on"?load up on the bottles and hit the beach for yer own private party or take it on home.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great plan.
 
M

MGoss

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Mar 28, 2007
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We were 4 girls and rented a private villa in Cabarete, the area is happening, with lots to do, food is awesome and people friendly. We are already planning our trip for next year and we are going back, first time in 12 years we want to go back to the same place.
 
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