travelling from Puerto Plata to Jimani by car

Dont know all the route numbers and to tell you the truth there are no signs on the roads saying what road your on. I have done this trip before and I know the route and some short cuts and its at least an 7-8 hour ride driving fast. You want to take the main road from Puerto Plata into Santiago,Once in Santiago go straight thru the first traffic circle and continue straight untill you see a a big building with an (H) Plaza Hace, then bear right and go straight till you reach a sign for Santo Domingo,Make that left turn then head straight for about an 1 1/2 - 2 hours till you reach the capital.Once your entering capital look for signs to Sancristobal and Bani take this hwy thru Sancristobal,then Bani (Lots of construction Bani-Azua) onto Azua.Once you pass Azua you must continue on towards Barahoana but you must turn off before Barahoana toward Lake Enriquillo and Jimani.The road is good for the most part except for the occasional herd of Cattle coming at you out near Jimani.

taster said:

Thanks for the quick response. I was hoping that there was a shorter route, in the 5 to 6 and a half hour range. I guess not ! Thanks again.

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Its about that from the capital.

taster said:

Thanks for the quick response. I was hoping that there was a shorter route, in the 5 to 6 and a half hour range. I guess not ! Thanks again.

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My advise is if you need to get there do it over a 2 day period, Drive to the Capital day one and the remainder of trip on 2nd day. If your set on doing this in 1 day I would leave Puerto Plata very early and try to be thru Santiago before rush hour, stop for a bite to eat in Bonao (plaza Jaracaranda) get back on the road and be out of the capital by 11 or 12 noon,This should give you 4-5 hours more to get to Jimani in daylight with another rest stop just outside Azua at the Cruce de jose Ocoa,there is another big plaza there to use bathroom and get something to eat or drink. I would definately stop at the plaza at Cruce de San Jose Ocoa because there is literally nothing else on the road from there on out to Jimani, very desolate area.

To the OP: Don't ever think of inventing the way through some "montes" (mountains). What the map says isn't always there! You will end up stuck among cows and hills in the middle of nowhere!

Get to Santo Domingo, and then head west via San Cristobal, Bani, Azua.... also beware: the roads near "Vicente Noble" are awful so don't take the "north route" (referenced to Enriquillo Lake), I suggest you go the "south" route with much better roads.

Take: La Olla (just before Barahona airport - if you get to the airport entrance, you have passed it) turn right towards Cabral, pass Cabral, Duverge, Jimani.

rubio_higuey said:

To the OP: Don't ever think of inventing the way through some "montes" (mountains). What the map says isn't always there! You will end up stuck among cows and hills in the middle of nowhere!

Get to Santo Domingo, and then head west via San Cristobal, Bani, Azua.... also beware: the roads near "Vicente Noble" are awful so don't take the "north route" (referenced to Enriquillo Lake), I suggest you go the "south" route with much better roads.

Take: La Olla (just before Barahona airport - if you get to the airport entrance, you have passed it) turn right towards Cabral, pass Cabral, Duverge, Jimani.

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I would take Rubios advise because I havent been out there in 3 years so he would know the road conditions better than me right now, take the southern route around the lake.

badpiece33 said:

I would take Rubios advise because I havent been out there in 3 years so he would know the road conditions better than me right now, take the southern route around the lake.

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Definitely, the southern route is better if you want to make time. The nothern route is more 'schenic', passing through more small villages, curving along the shores of the lake and will give you more local folklore impression.

The route that you mention through San Jose Ocoa is really a mountain trail that comes up via Jarabacoa, the central highland valley and Constanza and then a dirt road leading via San Jose Ocoa. Very pretty and pictorisque, but it will take you days and requires a sturdy 4x4

Going the "south" route you can also visit "Polo Magnetico". In Cabral, make the left turn towards "Polo", at about 3/4 of the way there is the magnetic pole where your car will go uphills Neutral. You have to ask in Cabral where the turn is, it's not marked. It's about 300 mts after "parquecito" (coming from Barahona).