I've stayed in Cafemba/Costambar which is right near Cofresi...and if you want to get a good range of excursions, visit the plaza in Playa Dorada. There's an American girl who works there named Rose and she always gives me a fair price. For example, the catamaran day trip from Playa Dorada to Sosua, I paid $50 US and it's sold for as much as $90 in the hotels and from the people on the beaches... I've taken the day trip on the Banana Republic catamaran 2x and it offers good value. You go out all day, lunch is included, drinks are included and they bring you snorkelling in 2 locations at Sosua. My family went on the waterfall excursion and we paid somewhere around $40 I think. They come where ever you are and pick you up with a nice air conditioned bus. They take you to the waterfalls and to a Dominican village in the countryside. You get to see how they make cocoa, coffee, cigars etc... lunch is provided and you go exploring the waterfalls... She used to work for Avlav Tours but they're gone now. Sorry I can't remember the name of the new operator but it's located in the office directly beside the ice cream shop in the Plaza. Good luck. Cheers. Shiraz
