driving directions

There is a beautiful, but slower way and a faster, more hectic way.
From the airport:
A) turn right, towards POP. You will pass a Texaco on your right and then a Shell on your left-this is Monte Llano. About 1 1/2 - 2 km further on there is a meeting of two roads on your left hand side. This is known as Gran Parada. You have left the cane fields behind, there are a couple of businesses there an little direction.
You turn left here, taking the Carretera Tur?sitca Luper?n. This road winds its way thru the mountains to Santiago, entering thru Gurabo. Your first major intersection will be next to Hach? hardware store. Left at the light brings you to Nacional Supermarket and McDonalds.

B) Turn right. Go into POP, and just past the Brugal warehouses and Deposito Ferretero, you will see the ball park. Take a left around the traffic circle and follow that road to Santiago. Good sinage along the way.

You enter Santiago from the West. You can continue along the same road to Hache and Nacional Supermarket.

Further instruction upon request.

HB

Forgive my adding HB.
The turning HB mentions is passed the sugarcane fields & about two hundred yards passed a small bridge. It is on a corner (the main road turns right up the hill to Puerto Plata) & should be turned into (you are going across the traffic) with GREAT care. A lot of drivers come down the hill from Puerto Plata going much too fast & will probably not see you whilst you are trying to cross the road!!!

The journey up over the mountains is a wonderful trip IF YOU TAKE YOUR TIME!! When driving here, the other person ALWAYS has the right of way if you want to get to your destination in one piece!! If you find a "Fun World Go-karting" place on your right hand side, you have gone too far. Turn round here, go back up over the hill & turn right as you get towards the bottom of the hill (actually you are going straight on as the main road bears to the left round the dangerous corner mentioned earlier).

Safe travelling but keep your eyes in the back of your head at all times - other drivers will come at you from ALL angles!! - Grahame.

It is a great trip over the mountains, but you do need to drive defensively. In addition to the tips offered by HB and BB, be alert for the occasional spot where the shoulder of the road might have slid down the slope.

When you take this trip, you will pass a number of stands selling fruit. Depending on where you are, the stalls sell different things. When we make the trip, we make it a point to look for stands that are selling fruit--like finger bananas and red bananas--that aren't sold in the supermarkets.