I have already been all around the tropics and chose to actually live with and like the locals for extended periods of time such as in Peru. I think that by far, the most economical way to enjoy the Dominican for 3 months is camping as I make my way around the country on foot. What parts of the country will I have least difficulty in trying to camp or even find very economical non-touristy place to stay? I am hoping to get around the mountanous area of Jarabacoa and mountain areas west of it. I also hope to walk the north coast. I have always been true adventurist close to nature and I would like to camp in the nature, beneath the trees, which would leave my expenses down to negligible amounts. I am coming from Canada and hoping to get to know the campesino life by living in the interior DR for 3 months.
- Thread starter iwishyouamerrychristmas
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Trying to live in rural areas for 3 months on 26000 pesos by camping. Can it be done?
is it 26k pesos per month or for all 3 months? i understand walking and camping but you'd still need food and water.
i never thought i was going to say it but yabadabadoo would have best advice here
nonetheless, some of my thoughts. you better hide your passport well and have details of canadian embassy memorized, just in case. assuming 26k for 3 months you'd have 12k pesos a month for basics. you'd better bring a pot/pan to cook for yourself. alternatively prepare for a full meal of plato del dia (about 150 pesos) a day, that would be about 5k pesos a month (with water). the rest will buy you a bit of food to cook or allow low cost meals (tostada and cafe for breakfast, hotdog for dinner). i think you should check out comedores economicos, places subsidized by the government where you can have a big meal (breakfast and lunch only) for about 10 pesos. this will actually allow you to spend money on other things like washing clothes and so on.
i never thought i was going to say it but yabadabadoo would have best advice here
nonetheless, some of my thoughts. you better hide your passport well and have details of canadian embassy memorized, just in case. assuming 26k for 3 months you'd have 12k pesos a month for basics. you'd better bring a pot/pan to cook for yourself. alternatively prepare for a full meal of plato del dia (about 150 pesos) a day, that would be about 5k pesos a month (with water). the rest will buy you a bit of food to cook or allow low cost meals (tostada and cafe for breakfast, hotdog for dinner). i think you should check out comedores economicos, places subsidized by the government where you can have a big meal (breakfast and lunch only) for about 10 pesos. this will actually allow you to spend money on other things like washing clothes and so on.
is it 26k pesos per month or for all 3 months? i understand walking and camping but you'd still need food and water.
i never thought i was going to say it but yabadabadoo would have best advice here
nonetheless, some of my thoughts. you better hide your passport well and have details of canadian embassy memorized, just in case. assuming 26k for 3 months you'd have 12k pesos a month for basics. you'd better bring a pot/pan to cook for yourself. alternatively prepare for a full meal of plato del dia (about 150 pesos) a day, that would be about 5k pesos a month (with water). the rest will buy you a bit of food to cook or allow low cost meals (tostada and cafe for breakfast, hotdog for dinner). i think you should check out comedores economicos, places subsidized by the government where you can have a big meal (breakfast and lunch only) for about 10 pesos. this will actually allow you to spend money on other things like washing clothes and so on.
Ok thank you. It is 26k pesos for all 3 months, which is even more than what I have succeeded in living on in Toronto (250 dollars a month) so I am sure that if I pay what locals pay for food and basic needs, I should be spending even less. Either way I can take out from the bank if I get short. The main issue affecting me is the legal issues concerning where I can find places to camp and how to avoid criminals. One poster said that I would be shot the first day, is it true that the rural farms and ranch areas in the mountains are full of people like that?
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I thought that it can be done, because it is not just beaches. It has mountains and ranch areas and forest. I read one place that all you have to do is ask permission to the locals nad/or farmers and then you can camp for the night in the area. I just wanted to make sure that that really is the case.
jesus, guys, stop scaring away bear grylls
listen, use your own brain and your judgement like you did in other places. you have traveled before, you know not to flash the money, how to avoid problems and how to back off. sometimes it would be better to change the location fast, that is if you ever see that locals are too interested or you are being followed it is best to forget about saving money for a moment and get on a bus to get away as fast as you can. but i am sure you know all that.
i find dominicans in the campo very nice and helpful. they are a genuine heart of this country. occasionally i read a blog of a polish couple that travels in DR frequently: walking, hitch hiking, by bus, sleeping in hotels, tents, under the stars. and all this recent! so yes, you can do it. sure, you may have bad luck so if i were you i'd avoid heavily populated areas (SD) and very touristy sport.
i do not know about legal issues concerning camping. if you camp far away from any human settlements no one will know. if you want to stay in one place for longer i suggest you ask permission. say, stay on the land of a local farmer and offer him some payment or maybe offer to share food (you buy a chicken, everyone eats it).
wish you good luck
listen, use your own brain and your judgement like you did in other places. you have traveled before, you know not to flash the money, how to avoid problems and how to back off. sometimes it would be better to change the location fast, that is if you ever see that locals are too interested or you are being followed it is best to forget about saving money for a moment and get on a bus to get away as fast as you can. but i am sure you know all that.
i find dominicans in the campo very nice and helpful. they are a genuine heart of this country. occasionally i read a blog of a polish couple that travels in DR frequently: walking, hitch hiking, by bus, sleeping in hotels, tents, under the stars. and all this recent! so yes, you can do it. sure, you may have bad luck so if i were you i'd avoid heavily populated areas (SD) and very touristy sport.
i do not know about legal issues concerning camping. if you camp far away from any human settlements no one will know. if you want to stay in one place for longer i suggest you ask permission. say, stay on the land of a local farmer and offer him some payment or maybe offer to share food (you buy a chicken, everyone eats it).
wish you good luck
There are many places that allow/encourage camping. Best to agree with a local farmer near his house as it was in the UK before many organized campsites. At least 2 organized hotels / hostels in Las Terrenas cater for tents within secure grounds.
e.g.
Enter
I have heard of wilderness camping but most people would recommend you go with a guide / group.
Pico Duarte (Multi Day) - Iguana Mama, Cabarete Adventure Tours
You could be well under your budget if youied. cook your own food. Transport and/or hire of cycle/motorcycle is economical in the DR. A battery operated portable ir alarm and a loud siren with battery/lightweight solar panel/tent light is good for security. Keep a copy of passport by for any person pretending or actually a policeman - keep real thing in safety deposit box or burried. Have two means of withdrawing cash - maybe international credit card and local bank withdrawl card. Caution travelling at night.
yapask1
e.g.
Enter
I have heard of wilderness camping but most people would recommend you go with a guide / group.
Pico Duarte (Multi Day) - Iguana Mama, Cabarete Adventure Tours
You could be well under your budget if youied. cook your own food. Transport and/or hire of cycle/motorcycle is economical in the DR. A battery operated portable ir alarm and a loud siren with battery/lightweight solar panel/tent light is good for security. Keep a copy of passport by for any person pretending or actually a policeman - keep real thing in safety deposit box or burried. Have two means of withdrawing cash - maybe international credit card and local bank withdrawl card. Caution travelling at night.
yapask1
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With your experience I would think it could easily be done. I'm assuming your language skills are good. The Samana Peninsula is a good place to do this. There is a lot of open space with a wide range of topography, from beach to jungle to mountains. I would get a Nat Geo trail map for the DR. You can go to their web site to check it out. Another area I would check out is the Pico Duarte area. Totally different, more coniferous trees and the temperatures are cooler. That Nat Geo map will give you a better idea of all the different eco systems. Take some photos and share them with us. Good luck.
LTSteve
LTSteve
jesus, guys, stop scaring away bear grylls
listen, use your own brain and your judgement like you did in other places. you have traveled before, you know not to flash the money, how to avoid problems and how to back off. sometimes it would be better to change the location fast, that is if you ever see that locals are too interested or you are being followed it is best to forget about saving money for a moment and get on a bus to get away as fast as you can. but i am sure you know all that.
i find dominicans in the campo very nice and helpful. they are a genuine heart of this country. occasionally i read a blog of a polish couple that travels in DR frequently: walking, hitch hiking, by bus, sleeping in hotels, tents, under the stars. and all this recent! so yes, you can do it. sure, you may have bad luck so if i were you i'd avoid heavily populated areas (SD) and very touristy sport.
i do not know about legal issues concerning camping. if you camp far away from any human settlements no one will know. if you want to stay in one place for longer i suggest you ask permission. say, stay on the land of a local farmer and offer him some payment or maybe offer to share food (you buy a chicken, everyone eats it).
wish you good luck
Thanks so much for your input. I was at the point of wanting to cancel, but I am glad you told me that it can be done. I love adventures. I already made plans for dodging the cities and touristy spots and just going to places like the mountains west of Jarabacoa where you just have farms spread here and there. I think I will try to spend most of my time in the mountains.
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Thanks I was just wondering about Samana. I heard mixed stories about safety, but also a post about someone camping there. I see a lot of eastern Samana's mountains is rural farms like the mountains east of Pico Duarte, so I will surely try eastern Samana and yes I bought extra batteries and will take tons of photos!
I speak spanish perfectly and have experienced latin america living a lot (and 3 different local spanish accents) so I will live in harmony with the locals just like I did when I lived in Peru.
You should be OK...The worst that could happen IMO is that you get robbed and they take your tent and everything else you have. When in doubt if you're in someone's property make sure to ask permission and since camping is not something common in The DR what will most likely happen is they will want to feed "Ese probre gringo loco..." and give you a place to sleep. People will be very curious though, due to the rarity of seeing someone camping for an extended period.
Ok cool. That is what it was like when i went to rural/forested areas alsewhere in latin america. It should be a great adventure. I have a light-weight pot for cooking, a magniying glass to make a fire to cook if I am in the middle of the wilderness. The reason I think it should work fine is because some people go trekking for periods of time and have to bring all food and a heavy load. I will always be where there are at least some people and It could be quite easy for me since I can buy food and find water and the temperature is perfect. Learning spanish in full is finally going to pay off well. It already did when I lived in a port town on the Amazon river in Peru near Brasil. Alternative travel is fun for me. I try to mingle with and fit in with the locals and nothing has ever happened to me. In fact, I have experienced that I am generally treated better in rural latin america than I am even in Toronto!
I was actually hoping to go to the campo in RD through WWOOF farms, but since there was not enough time to arrange it all with the organisation and farm hosts in time, I decided to do this this year and save WWOOF for next year. I will arrange in advance with WWOOF a 3 month work exchange at a farm in rural dominican. Another great way to get to experience living there.
I think this is good advice, but wanted to add my 2 cents.
While "camping" is not a custom, per se, people that work in agriculture areas have "ranchos" in which they stay, often overnight, especially come harvest time. Beyond just asking for permission, I'd strike up a conversation that includes asking them where they think is the best place to stay. They may have a conuco or a rancho somewhere that can accommodate you. As suarezn says, they'd be more likely to offer you a place to stay as well as food, but if you insist on roughing it, you can so it somewhat more protect this way. (I don't know if sleeping on the ground is just taboo, but outdoor sleepers usually have a hammock.)
I'd also concerned, besides evil doers, that caretakers of absent property owners may not be understanding of the situation.
Now, if you're staying in campo areas, and can sing or play an instrument bring that to the colmado, as a poor gringo is not nearly as entertaining as one that can sing, tell stories, or bs with the best of them! Certainly you have stories from your travels, that would be entertaining. Attitude is everything.
Your language skills and experience are the only ways that will make it doable. Definitely not recommended for anyone without that background.
Ok thanks. You are right. When I get talking with more people and make friends in a certain area, I am sure I will come up with a place to stay in the area. I find people in latin america, particularly from the campo in most countries/regions to be quite reasonable. They will probably like that someone has come from so far to get to know their environment, way of life and speak their language with them. I have just started to study a specific valley on google earth. I think it is a perfect place to start from to discover the real campo in the mountains. You can see the valley I found relative to Jarabacoa https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByCd4DLAn501QzM1VWRRSm5CY0E/edit
And the valley close-up
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByCd4DLAn501TUxwTDNvVU1BM3M/edit
Lots of green, hills, cold water creek and not heavily populated, nor is it too deserted/remote
And the valley close-up
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByCd4DLAn501TUxwTDNvVU1BM3M/edit
Lots of green, hills, cold water creek and not heavily populated, nor is it too deserted/remote
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Anyone know what the daytime/night temperatures are like 700-900 meters altitude around now during the winter in DR's mountains? The good thing about going there(high altitude) is that on returning to Toronto in mid spring, I don't think there will be be shock by cool spring temperatures, because it should already be like spring, not summer in the Jarabacoa area mountains during their winter/early spring.
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it will be better if you boil the water from streams or at least utilize a filter. i admit to drinking water directly from the mountain river when horse riding here but i have a certain degree of immunity to local bacteria by now.
i would not sleep on the ground - ants bite a hammock will do just fine. temperatures now... we've been complaining about cold but you are coming from canada at worst you can sleep in your clothes. light weight blanket may serve you well. something like those things they give you on a plane? small, light yet surprisingly warm. rain may be a bigger problem but i assume you know how to deal with that: tent, sleeping under the same roof with locals, building a makeshift shelter.
cooking outside: do not try to outsmart yourself. forget the fancy shmancy stuff and bring matches. one of them that light up even when wet would be great. plenty of fuel everywhere as DR has variety of trees. just make sure you put off the fire well. one pot/pan is a plenty. water can be cooked even in a small empty can. fish or meat can be easily cooked on a stick. potatoes and batatas may be baked in the ashes.
be stingy with some things to spend somewhere else. good way to pay back to the locals that will let you stay on their property is with a chicken or a bottle of ron. you will know where what applies good idea to spend a night for free is to ask a local pastor to let you sleep by the church. pastors in the campo tend to be goodhearted, there are also plenty of foreign missions around.
now, i am a lazy fatso sitting by my computer all day but i did my share of hitchhiking and living rough during holidays. it was fun but that was then. now it's BMI of 75 and lumbago...
your biggest problem will be safety of your belongings. this is why i say to memorize canadian embassy details. if you plan to take a smart phone with you with internet access (always a good idea) you can start your i'm-here-now thread and give us regular updates with approximate location. should the worst happen we'll know where you are/were and a fellow canadian can reach out to your family and alert them.
number two issue is contingency money in case you get sick or robbed/attacked. be ready to dig into your wallet and have family/friends ready to get you out from here asap.
i would not sleep on the ground - ants bite
a hammock will do just fine. temperatures now... we've been complaining about cold but you are coming from canada at worst you can sleep in your clothes. light weight blanket may serve you well. something like those things they give you on a plane? small, light yet surprisingly warm. rain may be a bigger problem but i assume you know how to deal with that: tent, sleeping under the same roof with locals, building a makeshift shelter.cooking outside: do not try to outsmart yourself
. forget the fancy shmancy stuff and bring matches. one of them that light up even when wet would be great. plenty of fuel everywhere as DR has variety of trees. just make sure you put off the fire well. one pot/pan is a plenty. water can be cooked even in a small empty can. fish or meat can be easily cooked on a stick. potatoes and batatas may be baked in the ashes. be stingy with some things to spend somewhere else. good way to pay back to the locals that will let you stay on their property is with a chicken or a bottle of ron. you will know where what applies
good idea to spend a night for free is to ask a local pastor to let you sleep by the church. pastors in the campo tend to be goodhearted, there are also plenty of foreign missions around. now, i am a lazy fatso sitting by my computer all day but i did my share of hitchhiking and living rough during holidays. it was fun
but that was then. now it's BMI of 75 and lumbago...your biggest problem will be safety of your belongings. this is why i say to memorize canadian embassy details. if you plan to take a smart phone with you with internet access (always a good idea) you can start your i'm-here-now thread and give us regular updates with approximate location. should the worst happen we'll know where you are/were and a fellow canadian can reach out to your family and alert them.
number two issue is contingency money in case you get sick or robbed/attacked. be ready to dig into your wallet and have family/friends ready to get you out from here asap.