Out and about

Snowbird

Member
Jan 17, 2002
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I need to get an opinion re: safety in Puerto Plata. I would like to go into POP to visit Cafe Cito, Anna's, etc. My wife is not that excited to go because of possible safety issues. When we were in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, safety was not a concern for her. She had heard from frequent visitors that one could go almost anywhere away from the amin streets in the evening and still be very safe and not have to worry about being hasseled by the locals. We found this to be true. Can the same be said about POP? About Sosua? About Cabarate?

Thank you in advance for your input.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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Of course. The only thing that is not recommended is for you to drive (for example a rented car) at night. This, primarily because the roads are not well illuminated and Dominican drivers are aggressive. But if you go by taxi, no problem.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
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Puerto Plata is perfectly safe at night (as it is during the daylight hours), just be sensible & don't wesr ots of jewellery, flash your money about or get into heated arguments. Depending on where you are staying, get a local taxi (anything from the main gate into town is a LOT cheaper than the hotel taxis inside Playa Dorada or Rio Merengue complexes) & Tecni Taxi back to your hotel is quite cheap too.

Don't try Anna's bar on Avenida Colon - I hear it has closed!! Certainly Nico & crowd have moved out since Duane sold the place 4 or 5 months ago!! Try "Somewhere Nice" on 12th July Street (calle doce de Julio) where Derek runs a reasonable place. Friday night is DARTS night if you like that sort of thing - lots of gringos go in on that night!!

Have a good time & bring others from your hotel out!! - Grahame.
 

Jim Hinsch

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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geocities.com
Snowbird said:
I need to get an opinion re: safety in Puerto Plata. When we were in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, safety was not a concern for her.

I'm a frequent visitor to Puerto Vallarta and I've been to the cities mentioned many times, day and night, including very late at night.

You might be "hassled" depending on your definition (asked for money, offered services, ...).

You cannot just walk everywhere late at night without some security risk. You'll need to know where you are and where you are going and some places that are safe during the day are not at night.

Puerta Vallarta, Mexico is nothing like Sosua, POP, or Cabarete (and none are like each other). It may SEEM like you can walk anywhere in Puerta Vallarta, but you cannot. It just has a much bigger tourist area and the locals don't tend to invade the tourist areas to live off tourism unless they have a brick-and-mortar type job or business.

Stay in the touristy parts of any of these places and you'll not likely be a crime victim. Be prepared for offers though. The Dominican Republic towns mentioned generally do not have or enforce many regulations that prevent the locals doing their best to part tourists from their money compared to Puerta Vallarta. Some say this is the biggest drawback to the DR, some say it is part of its charm.
 

grantc

New member
Jan 2, 2002
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my wife and I have been going to Sosua for the last 10 years, more recently with our 2 year old daughter. We have never thought twice about walking around town at night and feel perfectly safe, just use common sense the same as you would at home.