Miches - is it worth it?

2020

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Apr 10, 2012
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Las Terrenas
We're thinking about exploring more of the island from our home base in Las Terrenas...our options are to drive on along the north coast to Puerta Plata or go to Miches. Is a drive/trip to Miches for a few days worth it?
 

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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We're thinking about exploring more of the island from our home base in Las Terrenas...our options are to drive on along the north coast to Puerta Plata or go to Miches. Is a drive/trip to Miches for a few days worth it?
In a word NO. Nothing there of interest but a beach. You can see better beaches on the North Coast than anything in Miches..........
 

reilleyp

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Dec 12, 2006
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We're thinking about exploring more of the island from our home base in Las Terrenas...our options are to drive on along the north coast to Puerta Plata or go to Miches. Is a drive/trip to Miches for a few days worth it?
We visited there a few years ago before a lot of the construction. Some beaches were still accessible. At this time, I am not sure which beaches have been closed off due to construction of resorts. I thought the beaches were very nice. You can also visit Montana Redonda while you are there. It is a wild ride up and down, but the views on top are incredible. The dominican food on top is very good. Brind a rain coat since fast moving storms are common. There are also places to hike over there and some water falls but I never make the trek.
 
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2020

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Apr 10, 2012
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Las Terrenas
We visited there a few years ago before a lot of the construction. Some beaches were still accessible. At this time, I am not sure which beaches have been closed off due to construction of resorts. I thought the beaches were very nice. You can also visit Montana Redonda while you are there. It is a wild ride up and down, but the views on top are incredible. The dominican food on top is very good. Brind a rain coat since fast moving storms are common. There are also places to hike over there and some water falls but I never make the trek.

We visited there a few years ago before a lot of the construction. Some beaches were still accessible. At this time, I am not sure which beaches have been closed off due to construction of resorts. I thought the beaches were very nice. You can also visit Montana Redonda while you are there. It is a wild ride up and down, but the views on top are incredible. The dominican food on top is very good. Brind a rain coat since fast moving storms are common. There are also places to hike over there and some water falls but I never make the trek.

what were the roads like in Miches and Montana Redonda?
 

reilleyp

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Dec 12, 2006
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what were the roads like in Miches and Montana Redonda?
The roads were average roads. Not that many holes in the road and the usual speed bumps. They just repaved them a few years ago. I cannot remember the name of town, it may have been Miches or a small town in between, but I was surprised at how clean it was. I saw a few people out sweeping the gutter in front of their house. Seems like most took pride in their town.
The road going up the mountain is a wild ride. It is dirt with a lot of erosion, loose rocks and switch backs. All the "cattle cars" with tourists are required to install chains on their tires at the bottom. The driver then just puts it in low gear, full throttle. If you have a bad back or a flat butt, bring a cushion to sit on.
We did an excursion, where we took the water taxi across and then met up with a "cattle car" and he took us from Savanna de la Mar. Most likely there is an excursion that includes a stop at one of the Miches beaches. That is the best way to get there from Samana.
The road from Punta cana is very nice. If you are planning to come via car from some other direction, like over those mountains, I think those roads are much worse. However, I do not know what you are driving or what kind of adventure you are looking for.
 
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2020

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Las Terrenas
I think we'll be taking Route 107 from El Seibo up to Miches if we go. This looks like the primary road going there other than the road from Puta Cana. Though we drive a 4WD car, I'm not sure if my wife won't freak out going up Montana Redonda which looks like a craggy mountain with a dirt road. Or, maybe I'll surprise her, lol.
 

melphis

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To drive from Las Terrenas to Miches you have to go through Santo Domingo. There is a national park with no roads after Sabina Del Mar. You could also take the man ferry from Samana to Sabina Del Mar and arrange for a car to take you to Miches. I have been to Miches at least a dozen times and to find the nice beach is getting difficult as the hotels and land owners keep blocking roads off. Overall it's an OK place but lots of hurdles to jump through to get there.

The government did build a nice recreation area on the beach. The turn off is a few miles out of Miches towards PC. I was there last year when it was fairly new but the locals ignore all the fenced off ecological areas for turtle eggs.
 

scotia

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Mar 18, 2004
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I found the area around Miches quite clean and beautiful although not the town itself. This was January 2024. We did not go to the beach there. As soon as you leave Bavaro the scenery improves. I prefer countryside and villages over city so it may be that! I have never driven over as many speed bumps in a 40 km stretch as there are between Miches and Sabana Del Mar (SDM). The road into Paraiso Cano Honda, from SDM, where we stayed 1 night was a nice adventure and reminded me of some of CaveBiker's favourite roads on his motorcycle adventures. The 103 was newly paved between SDM and Hato Mayor (HM); very scenic, goes over the mountains and thru many nice villages and wasn't at all busy like the stretch between HM and the main highway (3 or 4) usually is. My husband went up to his cousin's finca around Pedro Sanchez in June this year and said the road was good then.
 

tht

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Route 107 El Seibo to Miches through Pedro Sanchez is a nice drive, nice view towards Samana from the top of the mountain.
 
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Justa

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Nov 29, 2024
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Miches is gorgeous, but it's a pretty long haul from Las Terrenas, and honestly, a bit of a rough ride. The roads aren't great in places. If you're looking for chill beach time, it's worth it. If you want more of a "developed" tourist experience, Puerta Plata might be a better bet.
 
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SKY

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Miches is gorgeous, but it's a pretty long haul from Las Terrenas, and honestly, a bit of a rough ride. The roads aren't great in places. If you're looking for chill beach time, it's worth it. If you want more of a "developed" tourist experience, Puerta Plata might be a better bet.
Looking for a beach to chill on try this one in Rio S. Juan North Coast. Ask for Tony to set up a table under the tree and get some fresh fish or lobster. Just don't go on weekends or holidays and you will be almost by yourself........

 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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Looking for a beach to chill on try this one in Rio S. Juan North Coast. Ask for Tony to set up a table under the tree and get some fresh fish or lobster. Just don't go on weekends or holidays and you will be almost by yourself........

I'll stick with Playa Diamante.

playa-diamante.jpg
 
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PJT

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Miches, the pueblo, is small, congested, with very narrow streets. It representative of smalltown life in the DR. It could be sort of a dull venue for the tourists unless they are into this type of exploration. This smalltown representation is threatened with change as a result of the resort projects on its outskirts. There are some little local restaurants that may be worth a try. **The Hotel La Loma lurks over the pueblo from is high hilltop location. It is worth a lunch visit without having to journey afar for one to enjoy the large window views of Miches and surrounding areas from its spacious dining area. There is a public beach near the eastern entrance of the village, a good spot to picnic. A 4x4 is recommended, the beach sand could swallow a 2x4.

**follow local signs, entrance road is steep and winding, parking at top at hotel entrance and restaurant.

Regards,

PJT
 
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PJT

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Route 107 El Seibo to Miches through Pedro Sanchez is a nice drive, nice view towards Samana from the top of the mountain.
This road trip is very well worth it when traveling from El Seibo. The views of Miches and surrounding areas from the roadside hilltops are amazing. Be careful where you stop and park, the road is narrow. It is recommended not the use this road during heavy rains.

Regards,

PJT
 
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