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best and worst
Worst barrio? probably capitillo. Best? Arroyo Hondo. I'm far from the most knowledgable on this subject, so wait for the SD residents on this board to weigh in.
By best and worst I assume we are referring to safety. Does anyone have any knowledge about barrio Los Rosales in this respect?
One of my nephews drives a delivery truck. In his route he has the worst barrio. Somebody from that barrio wait for him at the entry, gets in the truck while he drives through that barrio so he can make it safe out. Of course that man gets his commision. I will find out the name of that barrio tonight. It can be Guachupita.
Not to be overly picky... but can we use "most dangerous for tourists", rather than "worst"? If that is what you mean?
Neighborhoods like Guachupita or La Cienaga are really dangerous because the poverty there is unimaginable. The schools are a joke. There is no work and even if there were, most men have no work training. People who live there (many of them rural transplants) are desperate.
Neighborhoods like Guachupita or La Cienaga are really dangerous because the poverty there is unimaginable. The schools are a joke. There is no work and even if there were, most men have no work training. People who live there (many of them rural transplants) are desperate.
Anything in the north part of Santo Domingo is off limits to tourists.
Just like the south Bronx or Bed-Sty in Brooklyn....
Gascue, Arroyo Hondo, Piantini, Naco, el Millón are supposed to be the better neighborhoods, but tourists rarely see them as they are the residential areas of the upper middle and upper echelons...
HB
Just like the south Bronx or Bed-Sty in Brooklyn....
Gascue, Arroyo Hondo, Piantini, Naco, el Millón are supposed to be the better neighborhoods, but tourists rarely see them as they are the residential areas of the upper middle and upper echelons...
HB
bars and discos in the colonial area are generally safe ( "Atarazana 9" and "parada 77" for latin music and reggaeton, "nowhere" for reggaeton and techno etc.), safe is also the area around Avenida Abraham Lincoln where you find most of the posh discos ( praia, camelot, montezuma). For a real latin dance experience try "terraza olimpica" on the corner 27 de Febrero and MaximoGomez).
Do the following:
1. Get a map of Santo Domingo.
2. With a marker, highlight the following avenues:
Start at the Zoologico Nacional in the northern part of the city, highlight Avenida Tiradentes from the Zoologico area down to where it intersects Avenida Kennedy.
Highlight Avenida Kennedy from the intersection with Tiradentes to the right to where it meets with Avenida San Martin.
Highlight Av. San Martin from the intersection with Kennedy and V Centenario all the way to where it meets with Avenida Mexico.
Highlight Av. Mexico from the intersection with San Martin all the way to the Puente Mella over the Ozama River.
Every neighborhood north from the highlighted avenues should be avoided. Every neighborhood there is not particularly dangerous, but the most dangerous of the capital are in that area. Much of the area is rundown, the infrastructure is in need of upgrade. The only difference is when you go from a poor neighborhood to a really poor neighborhood the buildings shift from cement to wood.
Since it would be hard for a tourist to tell apart to relatively "good" areas from the hell holes, its best to avoid them all.
However, everything north of Avenida Mexico up to Calle Paris comprises the San Carlos and Villa Francisca neighborhoods. The Villa Francisca is also known as Peque?o Haiti since its the unofficial center of the Haitian expatriate community in the DR. Those areas, although rundown, can be safe during the day, so if you feel like going there you could with a guide. Don't even think about doing so by yourself or at night.
The rest of SD is much safer than the areas denoted above, but as always, remember you are not just in any city, but in a metropolis of 3 million people. As in any metropolis in the world, be wary of your sorroundings and who is around you. Nothing to panic about, nothing to really worry about, simply keep your common sense on guard as if you were visiting any major city in the U.S. or Europe for that matter.
Another tip would be to never jump into a taxi or into a Carro Publico or even a guagua. Most people are nice, but all you need is one bad apple to ruin your stay. Best avoid those methods of transport than running the risk of being sorry later on. If you need a taxi, call them from a phone and they should pick you up. If you tell your taxi driver to wait for you until you come out of some museum or shopping center, etc. they usually would do such.
Don't rent a car to drive in the city. Driving in Santo Domingo is not for the faint of heart. Plus, parking can be a problem in many places. Only rent a car if you want to rent a car for exploring the rest of the country.
Keep in mind that Autopista Duarte is the most heavily used highway in the country, so perhaps if you have to use such highway it would be best to take a Metro bus rather than rent a car. If, however, you are heading east or west of the capital, renting a car could be a pleasant experience. Those roads tend to be sparsely traveled making a drive in most places in the east or south a pleasurable experience, although be aware that maniacs abound anywhere you go in the country.
Enjoy your trip!
-NALs
1. Get a map of Santo Domingo.
2. With a marker, highlight the following avenues:
Start at the Zoologico Nacional in the northern part of the city, highlight Avenida Tiradentes from the Zoologico area down to where it intersects Avenida Kennedy.
Highlight Avenida Kennedy from the intersection with Tiradentes to the right to where it meets with Avenida San Martin.
Highlight Av. San Martin from the intersection with Kennedy and V Centenario all the way to where it meets with Avenida Mexico.
Highlight Av. Mexico from the intersection with San Martin all the way to the Puente Mella over the Ozama River.
Every neighborhood north from the highlighted avenues should be avoided. Every neighborhood there is not particularly dangerous, but the most dangerous of the capital are in that area. Much of the area is rundown, the infrastructure is in need of upgrade. The only difference is when you go from a poor neighborhood to a really poor neighborhood the buildings shift from cement to wood.
Since it would be hard for a tourist to tell apart to relatively "good" areas from the hell holes, its best to avoid them all.
However, everything north of Avenida Mexico up to Calle Paris comprises the San Carlos and Villa Francisca neighborhoods. The Villa Francisca is also known as Peque?o Haiti since its the unofficial center of the Haitian expatriate community in the DR. Those areas, although rundown, can be safe during the day, so if you feel like going there you could with a guide. Don't even think about doing so by yourself or at night.
The rest of SD is much safer than the areas denoted above, but as always, remember you are not just in any city, but in a metropolis of 3 million people. As in any metropolis in the world, be wary of your sorroundings and who is around you. Nothing to panic about, nothing to really worry about, simply keep your common sense on guard as if you were visiting any major city in the U.S. or Europe for that matter.
Another tip would be to never jump into a taxi or into a Carro Publico or even a guagua. Most people are nice, but all you need is one bad apple to ruin your stay. Best avoid those methods of transport than running the risk of being sorry later on. If you need a taxi, call them from a phone and they should pick you up. If you tell your taxi driver to wait for you until you come out of some museum or shopping center, etc. they usually would do such.
Don't rent a car to drive in the city. Driving in Santo Domingo is not for the faint of heart. Plus, parking can be a problem in many places. Only rent a car if you want to rent a car for exploring the rest of the country.
Keep in mind that Autopista Duarte is the most heavily used highway in the country, so perhaps if you have to use such highway it would be best to take a Metro bus rather than rent a car. If, however, you are heading east or west of the capital, renting a car could be a pleasant experience. Those roads tend to be sparsely traveled making a drive in most places in the east or south a pleasurable experience, although be aware that maniacs abound anywhere you go in the country.
Enjoy your trip!
-NALs
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Los Alcarrizos isn't a picnic either. I have heard that if you drive into this barrio in broad daylight, you risk having a cop carjack you. Going there after dark, you must have a death wish.
And to be a gal who wants to be safe after dark in Santo Domingo, DON'T GO ALONE. Go with someone else, or in a group. Pay a sankie, but don't go out alone. IT'S NOT SAFE HERE AFTER DARK, no matter what sector you are in. Don't kid yourself.
And to be a gal who wants to be safe after dark in Santo Domingo, DON'T GO ALONE. Go with someone else, or in a group. Pay a sankie, but don't go out alone. IT'S NOT SAFE HERE AFTER DARK, no matter what sector you are in. Don't kid yourself.
Well, technically Los Alcarrizos is not located in Santo Domingo city, but rather in Santo Domingo Oeste in Santo Domingo province. To add to the confusion, its a Municipal District, so in away its like a town all of its own.
However, I am not familiar with Los Alcarrizos but by the looks from the Duarte Highway, it sure doesn't look appealing by any stretch.
-NALs
NALs pretty much outlined it. Most of the barrios that ring the city are not places a tourist without any bearings would want to visit. Some are worse than others: you can have two barrios equally poor and one is "caliente" and the other is tranquilo -- why I dont know; but even the tranquilo could pose a problem for someone wandering cluelessly around.
For a tourist, I would simply warn them, watch certain stretches of the Malecon, dont go into the darker areas near the water at night, stay on the sidewalk. Dont get into conchos at night -- call a cab and get the unit's number always. And for those of you who are here looking to pick up chicks or guys -- well, I hope you have a sixth sense and are a good judge of people, because you are bound to be fleeced unless you frequent only the highest class joints that cater to this kind of customer.
For a tourist, I would simply warn them, watch certain stretches of the Malecon, dont go into the darker areas near the water at night, stay on the sidewalk. Dont get into conchos at night -- call a cab and get the unit's number always. And for those of you who are here looking to pick up chicks or guys -- well, I hope you have a sixth sense and are a good judge of people, because you are bound to be fleeced unless you frequent only the highest class joints that cater to this kind of customer.