Hi DR1

[Derfish]

Nope. No intention of driving at night! I've been reading the posts here on DR1 and videos on Youtube. Certainly an adventure!

Be sure to let fear rule you! Don't drive, don't walk, don't eat the food or drink the water. Live in a gated community with only gringos! Don't go off the reservation at all. Fear is so much fun. At least twice a month I make the sixty mile each way trip to the airport in Santiago to pick up someone from one of the fly by night airlines, getting home about 4:30 AM. No big deal.
Der Fish

 

[Criss Colon]

Police arrest a group of dominicans for the murder of 3 foreigners on north coast yesterday.
Maybe you should stay,..."on the reservation" after all!!!!!!!

There are dangers here,better to be made aware of some of them.

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[LTSteve]

Be sure to let fear rule you! Don't drive, don't walk, don't eat the food or drink the water. Live in a gated community with only gringos! Don't go off the reservation at all. Fear is so much fun. At least twice a month I make the sixty mile each way trip to the airport in Santiago to pick up someone from one of the fly by night airlines, getting home about 4:30 AM. No big deal.
Der Fish

There is a big difference between you, who knows the roads, knows the hazzards and the language and tourists who have never been to the DR and don't know jack ****. Come on man!

 

[Pclark]

There are some nice hotels south of Barahona near the Larimar mines, and in another thread in the South West Section you will find links to companies that arrange tours. The museum is small but free. If your budget works stay at Casa Bonita and at the entrance here are some small workshops and they will get you to the small mines in the hills nearby.

As Dolores post.......you will be in one of the bets parts of DR so maybe think about arranging your stay there and finding your ay back to Santiago via Santo Domingo or even Constanza on a not so good road by all accounts.

You do like a challenge.....so I hope that helps from someone used to driving all around the country.

I do like a challenge, but being safe is more of a priority as we get older. Not that we're old, but I know I'm not "bulletproof" anymore.
One thing I will likely do is bring a dash camera along to help prove innocence if needed. They are pretty inexpensive so it might be worth it.

One thing I can't figure out is the exact location of the Larimar mines. What town is closest to the road that leads to the mines? This will help decide where we stay that night.

 

[Pclark]

I get the dangers for the most part. We aren't the tourists that walk around drunk and stupid all day/night. We are coming to see some of the country and not just hang out at the resort. We always try to learn as much as we can prior to travel and really want to try to better get a feeling for the area. In my experience that doesn't happen at the resorts.

 

[Pclark]

There is a big difference between you, who knows the roads, knows the hazzards and the language and tourists who have never been to the DR and don't know jack ****. Come on man!

From your description perhaps there should be a sign at the airport that says "Gringos go home"? Not every tourist has their head in the sand.

 

[Matilda]

One thing I can't figure out is the exact location of the Larimar mines. What town is closest to the road that leads to the mines? This will help decide where we stay that night.

The mines are to the west of Barahona along the road which is said to be the most scenic drive in the Caribbean. Probably the closest hotel is Playa Azul or if you are feeling like spoiling yourself then go to Casa Bonita which is a bit further past the mines.
http://www.playazulbarahona.com/en/
http://casabonitadr.com/

Matilda

 

[ju10prd]

https://www.google.com.do/maps/plac...0x8eaf8838def1b6f5:0xa6020f24060df7e0!6m1!1e1

As mentioned there are a few workshops on the track up to Casa Bonita. And if you continue a km or so further southwest you will come across the museum. Quality is better at museum than workshops for similar pricing imo. Has a workshop too. Very small place though.

Try these links too which have been posted elsewhere and you will find info on the area and the Larimar mines

http://www.guanaventuras.com/
http://www.slideshare.net/Yacine/catalogoguanventurasecoturismo2011

I'm not that young either and I travel a lot with eyes wide open. Definitely not the gated community type here. DR is a country to be explored and has it all if you research and plan your trips with caution.

Most of the posters here live in zones where they are identifiable and can and do get exploited......and of late in a bad way too.

 

[TropicalPaul]

I have driven from Barahona to Santiago a couple of times and I found it absolutely exhausting. Driving in the DR is much much more stressful and tiring than driving anywhere else as you are driving for yourself and the four other cars nearest to you.

I would recommend that you get off your flight and spend the first night in Jarabacoa, there are some nice hotels and some nice walks there and it's a must-see as far as I'm concerned. Don't underestimate how long it takes to get your bags, clear immigration (with their new cameras that don't work), get to the car-hire place and then get a vehicle. Everything in DR takes a lot longer than it does in the US.

From Jarabacoa, head south to Piedra Blanca and if the new road is actually open, you will have one of the most beautiful drives of your life as it goes right through the middle of nowhere, unspoilt tropical mountains. You have time for a rest stop and can arrive relaxed in Barahona in the early afternoon. I'd recommend Villa Panoramica in Barahona, the hosts Norman and Joyce are Canadian, she cooks and they have a lot of interesting stories about life in DR.

 

[Criss Colon]

Pclark, your ideas about the DR can get you in trouble.
Better pay more attention to the messages long time residents are giving you, and not posting your disclaimers about how you know better.
"dash camera" ???????????????????????? :cheeky::cheeky::cheeky::cheeky::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::dead::dead::dead::dead::dead::dead::dead:

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[gibbs]

Welcome and enjoy your trip ...BTW that is excellent advice from TropicalPaul

 

[Pclark]

Pclark, your ideas about the DR can get you in trouble.
Better pay more attention to the messages long time residents are giving you, and not posting your disclaimers about how you know better.
"dash camera" ???????????????????????? :cheeky::cheeky::cheeky::cheeky::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::dead::dead::dead::dead::dead::dead::dead:

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Chris, are you always this negative?

 

[Criss Colon]

telling it like it is is "reality",...not negativity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
30 years here gives one a better perspective.

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[Pclark]

People do have their reasons to head to certain places and you have yours.

On leaving the airport at STI, take Autopista Duarte to Santo Domingo and within an hour you will be at Piedra Blanca. There is a new elevated section of road here and also there should be signposts for the newly upgraded highway 201 to Rancho Arriba and San Jose de Ocoa. You said you arrive in March. This road should have been opened by end of January but still no mention in the news papers so keep an eye on the thread for this road elsewhere. .

Any info on highway 201 being opened?

 

[Meemselle]

Chris, are you always this negative?

He's not negative. He's a realist.
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRealist.

 

[Harleysrock]

Chris, are you always this negative?

Read his posts and LISTEN! Can't ignore 30 yrs of experience here!

 

[CristoRey]

I get the dangers for the most part. We aren't the tourists that walk around drunk and stupid all day/night. We are coming to see some of the country and not just hang out at the resort. We always try to learn as much as we can prior to travel and really want to try to better get a feeling for the area. In my experience that doesn't happen at the resorts.

ADVICE.
Bring a little start smarts and a lot of common sense with you.

 

[Pclark]

Thanks again for all of the advice everyone. We had a great trip! Lots of driving from Santiago to Barahona to Puerto Plata and back to Santiago. Yes, driving is very different but we came through without a scratch. Freakin' crazy motos everywhere made it entertaining quite often.

 

[Bronxboy]

Thanks again for all of the advice everyone. We had a great trip! Lots of driving from Santiago to Barahona to Puerto Plata and back to Santiago. Yes, driving is very different but we came through without a scratch. Freakin' crazy motos everywhere made it entertaining quite often.

Glad you had a great and safe trip.