few days keeps us apart:)

Slow down cowboy. If you are actually moving to Cabarette it might be wise to settle in and get set up before you burn yourself out partying. Exchange money at the cambios not the airport or tourist hotels in Punta Cana and don't blow all your money the 1st 2 months you are there making friends. Be careful of the local Dominican as your kindness will be taken as a weekness and most of all also be careful who you befriend. Have a good one and all ways be on guard. Sometimes those you trust the most will bleed you dry.

Welcome to the Caribbean, hope you like it here.

And remember- Just because a very very beautiful young lady smiles at you does not mean she is a se?orita who arrived to the beach last week.

In Cabarete, exchange your money at the Caribe Express for the best rate, Wally's in the center of town, or Janet's supermarket on the east side. If you change at a restaurant or shop, you will get a lousy rate!

tanicos said:

hi all again

first i'd like to thank all posters to my previous thread regarding sosua or cabarete. i took the decision to move in cabarete, also found such a nice apartment there with a great usa owner.
i'll arrive in punta cana on Thursday 7th and then in Cabarete on Friday 8th. What's to be done this weekend over there? anyone has a meeting place or anything like that? i'd love to get to know you better. beers, barbecues music pool...anything like that? can't wait to get there, damn i can't even fall asleep

oh. btw..i'll need to get a mobile sim card...which operator is best over there?
also i will have US$ with me. is it a good thing to exchange them or do restaurants and bars take US$ as well?

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Yes, and do not keep more money hidden in the house than you need for a week.

tanicos said:

hi all again

first i'd like to thank all posters to my previous thread regarding sosua or cabarete. i took the decision to move in cabarete, also found such a nice apartment there with a great usa owner.
i'll arrive in punta cana on Thursday 7th and then in Cabarete on Friday 8th. What's to be done this weekend over there? anyone has a meeting place or anything like that? i'd love to get to know you better. beers, barbecues music pool...anything like that? can't wait to get there, damn i can't even fall asleep

oh. btw..i'll need to get a mobile sim card...which operator is best over there?
also i will have US$ with me. is it a good thing to exchange them or do restaurants and bars take US$ as well?

Click to expand...

C'mon, y'all, they're just arriving, and sound very excited. Good for them! They're celebrating a new chapter in their life, and should have some fun, don'cha think?

As far as getting set up, I'd keep most of my money in your home bank until you set up an account with xyz dominican bank. They can make arrangements for transfers easily. You'll actually get a pretty solid exchange rate from the ATM (minus the typical fees you'd pay at any ATM, of course).

Take your time, enjoy your new surroundings, and try to refrain from significant purchases. I'd expect things to take a lot longer than what you might be used to, and spend your down time working on your Dominican Spanish, as it'll come in extremely handy.

You'll find better variety and cheaper prices for semi- "permanent resident" stuff in La Sirena (Puerto Plata) or Santiago in general.

If you're in a rush to meet expats, several get together every Wednesday night at Rocky's, where they show a movie on the big screen. Meet "Marco", usually there in the early mornings and late evenings, great guy, knows tons of people, been there for years, will point you in the right direction for tons of stuff on the North Coast.

Good luck!

Definitely speak to Marco, it will be priceless.

tanicos said:

can i setup an account over there if i am not a citizen?

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When I did this years before I did not had have my residence-papers. So I could open an account with my passport and a guarantor - in my case this was a resident with permant residencia.

I did the same thing, i do not know if it has changed the last 10years.