Puerto Plata - What's there?

[Chris]

keithrogan, Maybe, when (if) you come back, you should tie up with a local that would show you where it is safe to walk and where not. I live in Cabarete and walk anywhere at night. I walk just about anywhere in the 'tourist areas' in Sosua at night. I've never even felt threatened. If you know what you are doing there is very little danger. But each to his own, and if you want to experience empty beaches, someone else may want beaches full of people.

About trash, this is the DR you know. We don't have organized trash collection systems that work all the time. Sometimes trash piles up, and frequently the businesses in the area get together and clean up. Sosua has been cleaned up to a great extent in certain areas.

Don't leave your valuables on the beach unattended. This seems to me a piece of common sense that most sensible folks would understand without spelling it out. If they don't, they will get ripped off. Even at Disney they will get ripped off. And you know what, they should get ripped off, otherwise they'll never learn.

And lastly, possibly your hotel manager wanted to sell you a 'guide' for the duration of your visit. This happens frequently - instead of giving people clear and truthful guidance, hotel staff frequently scare "uncertain" looking tourists into spending more money and hiring a guide. I know one couple who were sold an armed guard. Do remember also, people playing dominoes in the middle of the night on the street in the DR are not dangerous. And most of the "ladies of the night" are not dangerous either.

 

[keithrogan]

My hotel owner didn't want to "sell me a guide". She just advised me that I should take a cab or motoconcho (rather than walk) if I didn't want to get mugged returning to the hotel at night - as several of her previous guests had been.

And I know where it is safe to walk at night, and where it isn't. I'm just pointing out to the poster here that many parts of Sosua should not be considered safe. This information seems to upset some people...

As for Cabarete, it did appear quite safe (and much cleaner) than Sosua or PoP.

Keith

 

[Robert]

My hotel owner didn't want to "sell me a guide". She just advised me that I should take a cab or motoconcho (rather than walk) if I didn't want to get mugged returning to the hotel at night - as several of her previous guests had been.

What hotel told you that?

And I know where it is safe to walk at night, and where it isn't. I'm just pointing out to the poster here that many parts of Sosua should not be considered safe. This information seems to upset some people...

Can you please tell me what parts of Sosua are not safe?
I think this info will be of help to all posters.

 

[Ken]

Can you please tell me what parts of Sosua are not safe?
I think this info will be of help to all posters.

It will certainly be of help to me since I live in Sosua.

 

[Chris]

The owner of the hotel advised me not to even walk the three or four blocks from the beach to the hotel late at night, and told me several horror stories to cement the point!

She just advised me that I should take a cab or motoconcho (rather than walk) if I didn't want to get mugged returning to the hotel at night - as several of her previous guests had been.!

Two quite different statements. The first one sounds like you were confined to your hotel at night because of the danger, and the second one seems like good advice for a new visitor.

I think the regulars here on the North Coast would like to know which hotel you stayed at. Muggings happen infrequently in Sosua. And 'several' muggings? I question this information.

Ken, do you know of 'several' muggings taking place in your neck of the woods?

 

[keithrogan]

You guys must own businesses in Sosua. That's the only reason I can think of to explain why you'd wish to mislead someone asking where to vacation in the DR.
I'm sure there are worse places in the DR (heck, I'm sure there are worse places in the US!), but nobody in their right minds would spend their hard-earned dollars going to a place like Sosua/PoP when there are so many truly gorgeous places around the island!
At this point I hope the guy asking the question DOES go to Sosua after seeing some of the rest of the country. And I hope he posts his comparisons when he gets back!

Keith

 

[Ken]

Chris, no I haven't. And usually should something like that happen, everyone on the street would be talking about it.

You know how Dominicans are, Chris. Somebody is killed in an automobile accident, for example, and it is big news all over the country.

I'm sure there are streets in Sosua that I wouldn't walk down late at night. But then this is true almost anywhere. I lived in Samana for 12 years and know there were muggings there. Not a lot, but they did happen. In fact I got mugged about 8am one Saturday morning walking on the walk that goes from Hotel Cayacoa to the bridge. I was actually on hotel property when it happened. Fractured my jaw in two places and stole my watch and billfold while I was unconscious from the blow. But I don't hold it against Samana and would never tell people not to go there because I got mugged.

Interestingly, when I Boston for some dental work to help get my bite back in line, I was telling someone about my experience. He told me that just a couple of days previously he was walking through the main park in downtown Boston in the morning and was robbed at gun point.

 

[Chris]

You guys must own businesses in Sosua.

I don't own a business is Sosua and have no vested interest whatsoever. I live here and would like to see this area prosper as I love it - garbage and all. (Well, maybe not the garbage!)

 

[Robert]

"keithrogan"

I also do not own a business in Sosua.

When I post, I like to back my posts up with facts if required.

It's like saying it's not safe in some parts of New York.
Yes, that's very true, but it's a completely useless statement and
does more harm than good to New York. It does absolutely nothing
to inform a prospective visitor.

Based on my many visits to Sosua, I have never had a problem or felt
unsafe. To be honest, I do not know of anyone being mugged in Sosua.
I'm not saying it's doesn't happen, I'm saying i haven't heard of it happening
to anyone I know or indirectly know.

I'm sure your starting to get the idea...

 

[XanaduRanch]

You guys must own businesses in Sosua. That's the only reason I can think of to explain why you'd wish to mislead someone asking where to vacation in the DR.
I'm sure there are worse places in the DR (heck, I'm sure there are worse places in the US!), but nobody in their right minds would spend their hard-earned dollars going to a place like Sosua/PoP when there are so many truly gorgeous places around the island!

Boy what got your knickers in a sling?

Like Ken said, if anything happens around here everybody hears about it. Exactly because it is so rare. I'm from Iowa for crying out loud and I feel perfectly safe in just about all of Sosua, or Cabarete, at any hour of the day. I can't say the same about San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Orlando, Atlanta or just about any of the other top 100 metro areas in the United States.

And it is a lovely area. Absolutely beautiful! So if anyone's being misleading here it ain't Chris or Ken.

 

[NotLurking]

Keithrogan, I?m trying really hard to understand your animosity toward Sosua but somehow the reason eludes me. I have been to POP a few times and recently drove from SD to Sosua and couldn?t disagree with you more on your assessment of Sosua and its safety. Perhaps your perception of Sosua might be a bit skewed by you own expectations? Sosua is a lovely city with beautiful beaches, great bars/parties, good ambience and wonderful people. I personally like a crowded beach and rather enjoy the mix of people you?ll find both in Sosua and POP. What would be the purpose of visiting a dynamic island like the DR if not to mingle with its explosive people and enjoy the culture? Seclusion in a desolate beach regardless of its pristine view is not my idea of great vacationing fun but as mentioned previously to each his own.

For those visiting the DR please DO visit both Sosua and POP you will not be disappointed.

One last thing, I don?t find the music here such as you mention, a bit loud maybe, but certainly enjoyable. Oh and I do not own a business in Sosua nor in POP.

 

[goatfarmnga]

safety in Sosua

The AOL news biggest story today is a councilman in NEW YORK was gunned down in city hall...I think SOSUA has to be safer than most places and this post is the first I have seen on DR1 that even mentioned your safety being jeopardized while walking around at night!

 

[Peter & Alex]

Cabarete Safety

The truth sometimes hurts, but ........ long story - short ....
New resident teenager in Cabarete, falls out with friends, walks alone from the lit beach area towards Nanny Estate on the dark beach. Gets mugged at knifepoint, shoes (nice new trainers), watch, money and punched in the face! This only 3 weeks ago.
Mugger is spotted 1 week later back in public - perhaps he thought the kid was a tourist and had gone home? By this time kid is friends with the local Cabarete beach patrol Politur, he points out the mugger, police chase him with 4 wheel buggy, run him over, beat the crap out of him with a baseball bat and let the teenager have his little bit of revenge too!!! All over!!!! Justice is tough but at least it's done!! Muggers bruises have since gone but he's back around town as if nothing ever happened - some face eh?
It doesn't happen very often but one does have to be a little careful in some places. We still feel safe almost anywhere but obviously we are also aware of what does go on here. That's not to say that it's any worse than anywhere else in the world?
I wouldn't normally post this publicly as I'm not sure if newcomers/tourists really need to know this when planning their trip, but this thread was turning into a "safety in the area subject" and someone needed to report some facts!
Cabarete is great - but stay on the beaten track and try not to be full of rum and alone in places where the rare opportunist can take advantage! Our local young Politur will listen and act if you tell them about a problem but don't expect justice to be meted out under your own country's laws!
Would be interested to hear from other posters who are resident how they feel about the truth being told in these cases?
Peter & Alexandra

 

[XanaduRanch]

I am very sorry to hear about that, but it's good information to know, guys.

No problem posting these things as long as you know them to be true. I don't like hearing rumors of things splattered all around just because someone on vacation talked to someone at some hotel desk and he said something about something that happened to his first cousin who heard that blah blah blah.

As in anyplace else in the world there are bad folks around who need money to buy drugs, jewelry, or what-ever. And when you're carrying around in your wallet probably 100x what someone here earns in a month it makes you a tempting target. But since most of these jobs here come from tourism dollars the locals do not look kindly on any thugs that prey upon the tourists (or gringos).

Just use your head and be careful. I still say it's better here than just about anywhere else in the world you could live.

 

[Ken]

I wouldn't normally post this publicly as I'm not sure if newcomers/tourists really need to know this when planning their trip, but this thread was turning into a "safety in the area subject" and someone needed to report some facts!
Cabarete is great - but stay on the beaten track and try not to be full of rum and alone in places where the rare opportunist can take advantage! Our local young Politur will listen and act if you tell them about a problem but don't expect justice to be meted out under your own country's laws!
Would be interested to hear from other posters who are resident how they feel about the truth being told in these cases?

I don't have any problem with reporting the rare incident, except that it seems many readers of the board make a mountain out of a mole hill. I'm referring to the occasional post asking about a reported inicident somewhere in the country, and before the thread is done a number of posters are claiming that the DR has killed its tourist industry because of this one incident--which more often than not didn't happen in the first place.

As XanaduRanch stresses, no matter where you are, whether in the DR or somewhere else, you do need to take basic precautions. And even then sometimes bad things happen. But in the DR, the chances that a visitor is going to be attacked is very small.

 

[Chris]

Like Xanadu and Ken, I have no problem with accurate reporting. I welcome it! Chances are that 'said mugger' in this report, would not have mugged if teenager still had a bunch of friends around. Basic precautions are necessary here in the DR, same as anywhere else. Crimes like these have to be reported - kudus to the new young 'guard' down on the beach!

 

[judyisnice]

SAFTY

This makes me very sad ....I'v been coming to the North Shore starting 1986 and have never had anything happen to make me even think of saying what I'v just finished reading here!!!

Being on my own most trips ,and not speaking the language I must have been guided by some very good angels! I love the place and always start out in POP and Cofresi.

To me it sounds like this person just might be better off going to someones very $$$$$ island where they would have no poor or hungry people .Therefore ,no mugging and no one to steel from him...!!! Where could this person be from that he can be so out of touch with all the good, and the bad that go on in this world ?

P.S. I don't know why I'm even sending this!!!???
JUDY

 

[Tor]

re keithrogan
Why can't you answer the questions: Which hotel did you stay at, and which area do you consider as dangerous ? When i said I always felt safe walking around in Sosua late at night (often pretty drunk as well), I ofcourse talked about the town center. If I should cross the main road, I would take a taxi. When you talk about the garbage on the beach, I think you must have been extremly unlucky, or we can't speak about the same beach.

 

[Robert]

Peter & Alex

It's good to see the local police are administering justice DR style. An eye for an eye.

I'm sure that person will think twice before mugging someone again.
In my opinion much more effective than a tax payer funded psychiatrist

I'm just happy to be able to say I live in a country that's safer than most of the countries other posters on this board live in...

 

[keithrogan]

>>>>When i said I always felt safe walking around in Sosua late at night (often pretty drunk as well), I ofcourse talked about the town center. If I should cross the main road, I would take a taxi<<<<

Hello? Isn't that just about what I said?
And everyone says "mingle with the locals", but I guess they mean mingle with the locals in the protected zone...
I don't worry about mingling with the locals in any zone out in the smaller towns.

As for the trash on the beach, I'll take some pictures next time I go, though I doubt the forum will post them. I usually fly into PoP and then take the zero-dawn-thirty bus to Las Terrenas on the following day.
The garbage at the back of the beach (along the road) has been building up for years, though, just perhaps.... somebody has finally cleared this out. If they did, then they left about a million rats homeless.
Somebody (as I've stated) cleans up the beach itself at the end of the day, so it doesn't look too awful on a given day - just watch where you step! But again, go out into the water and you'll find an entire trash dump on the bottom out by the coral heads where it seems to settle.

I've decided I'm not going to name the hotel I stay at. You people are a bit too sensitive about "how nice" Sosua is, and I don't want anyone harrassing this very nice Dominican lady for being protective of her guests.

Keith