Earliest bus from Higuey to Santo Domingo

WendyS

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Mar 5, 2004
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Hello
We are arriving in the Dominican Republic on the 29th and plan to take a taxi/bus to Higuey for the first night (we arive at 18.00 in Punta Cana)

From the 30th we have reservations in Punta Bonita, Las Terrenas....

So, on the 30th we want to travel from Higuey to Santo Domingo and from Santo Domingo take caribe tours to Sanchez...this bus leaves at 10.00 am (last bus to Sanchez)

Question, what is the earliest bus from Higuey to SD?
Will we get there in time to take the latest bus (10.am) from SD to Sanchez

Any other suggestions are very very welcome
Thanks
Wendy :cross-eye
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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Search on Higuey

WendyS said:
Hello
We are arriving in the Dominican Republic on the 29th and plan to take a taxi/bus to Higuey for the first night (we arive at 18.00 in Punta Cana)

From the 30th we have reservations in Punta Bonita, Las Terrenas....

So, on the 30th we want to travel from Higuey to Santo Domingo and from Santo Domingo take caribe tours to Sanchez...this bus leaves at 10.00 am (last bus to Sanchez)

Question, what is the earliest bus from Higuey to SD?
Will we get there in time to take the latest bus (10.am) from SD to Sanchez

Any other suggestions are very very welcome
Thanks
Wendy :cross-eye

There are a few really detailed posts including the schedule, prices etc. In the last while , you'll find them.

Alsays search first then ask, a lot fo the time it's here for you already.

Here's a hint of what's in store:

There is an Express Bus to Santo Domingo from the Bavaro bus stop that leaves at 4 pm. If your flight gets in at 2 pm, you could make this bus, would be kind of risky if your flight gets in at 3 pm. These buses leave on time. The next bus is at 7 in the morning. It takes almost four hours to get to Santo Domingo. The cost is less than US$10 (about RD$120, price could have changed recently.)

If you miss that bus, catch a bus to Higuey (about RD$25). These buses leave about every 15 minutes. From Higuey, buses leave on the hour for Santo Domingo, with the last bus at 6:30 pm, so you have time to make this bus. The cost to Santo Domingo from Higuey is less than RD$100. Just check what the going fare is. It is a standard fare. You should cash money into pesos to pay for the fare. The bus will probably drop you off in Enriquillo Park -- in the midst of the Avenida Duarte bargain price shopping district. From there you can take a RD$60 taxi to your destination in Santo Domingo, or just catch any of the cheaper transportation ways any fellow passenger will recommend.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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What a waste!

Why not fly in to POP or STI. You will be using two nights and two days just travelling form one place to another.

Look up [Samana * ferry * Sabana de la Mar] and see whether you can make the last ferry across the bay. Seems like a shame to take the long way around, its like Toronto Vancouver to get to St. Louis.....
There should be Air-only into POP, check it out...unless you are flying for free....

HB
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
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The first express bus leaves Higuey at 7:00 am and arrives at Parque Enriquillo around 9:30 - 10:00. I believe the last bus leaves Higuey at 7:00 pm. An express bus does leave Bavaro/Punta Cana at 7:00 am and will stop at Parque Enriquillo with a final stop at Maximo Gomez around 11:00 am.

The poster's, WendyS, arrival in P.C. at 6:00 pm does not allow the wiggle room from Punta Cana for the economical and timely way to "bus" to Santo Domingo overland in order to make the Caribe connection morning after arrival.

Options:

If you are not locked into your destination airport it may be worthwhile as Hillbilly suggests to fly into STI or POP and then seek overland transport.

or

Overnight in P.C. and then fly from PUJ to POP and then ground transport.

or

Hire a taxi from Punta Cana to Sto Domingo, overnight in the Capital, and take the Caribe bus from S.D. in the AM. The taxi fare is about US $130/group-max four persons.

Regards,
PJT
 

WendyS

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Mar 5, 2004
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Thank already

Thanks all for the replies.
Let me just say that I have been extensively searching through this forum before posting my question :D

This way I found out about the various busses leaving from punta cana, higuey and santo domingo.

Our plan was to
- arrive on the 29th at 6 pm at punta cana and take a taxi or bus to Higuey to spend the first night.
- On the 30th go from Higuey to Punta Bonita by either bus but this seems to be impossible since the first bus from Higuey leaving at 7.am will probably not arrive on time to catch the 10.am bus from Santo Domingo to Sanchez.

Since we do not want to take an internal flight to POP, I guess we may have to look into renting a car.........
It is just to bad that we can not seem to rent a car at Punta Cana and drop it off somewhere in Samana so we could drive from Punta cana to our destination and then leave the car there since we won't be needing it during our week stay at Punta Bonita.

Thanks again everyone....
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
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If you do plan to overnight in Higuey, why not arrange to have a taxi take you from there direct to the Caribe bus stop in S.D. It is cheaper than renting a car for the week. Leave Higuey no later than 6:00 am and you will be in the Capital by 9:00 am.

Regards,
PJT
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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GEEZ, if you overnite in Higuey

Take the darn ferry from Sabana de la Mar! You will see some beautiful sights and save a lot of hassle.

HB
 

WendyS

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Mar 5, 2004
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To take the ferry?

Oh yes, we have seen that there is a ferry from sabana de la mar..
but, arises the questions...

- how to get from either Punta Cana or Higuey to Sabana de la mar.
Are there busses going there? from caribe tours....metro...gua gua's?

- Does the ferry leave at either 11am and 4 pm?

Thanks for helping out!
 

PJT

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Jan 8, 2002
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Ferrys

PJT did some personal on the road investigation today, Sunday, about the option of traveling from Higuey to Sabana de La Mar in order to ferry across the bay to Samana. The distance give or take is 70 miles or 113 km. [add 30 miles or 48 km from Punta Cana] Travel time is 2 to 2.5 hrs via El Seybo and Hato Major [add 45 min from Punta Cana].

Upon arrival in Sabana de La Mar just continue straight on the road to its end and you will end up at the boat dock. There are two businesses operating cross bay transport service and you will obviously see the auto ferry, the Elupina Uno, but don?t be fooled, the ferry you want is the small passenger boat, 35?, at the very end of the dock.

The Elupina Uno is an investment for the future? It would be operating a full passenger and vehicle schedule right now except for the lack of a ramp to offload passenger vehicles at Samana from what I am told by the pier huggers at Sabana de La Mar. PJT remembers seeing an unfinished dock in Samana last year. I guess things have not progressed. This ferry will only take large passenger groups across. Don?t ask, only the owner knows what a large group is. PJT was told the owner is this vessel is the owner of Paraiso Ca?o Hondo, something having to do with the Los Haitises, national park tours. Tel. (809) 248-5995, website: www.paraisocanohondo.com ,
email: canohondo@codetel.net.do

Now to the other passenger ferry. It services about 35 passengers at a time. The cost to cross the bay is 100 Pesos and travel time is about an hour. Departure times from Sabana de La Mar are 9am, 11am, 3pm, and 5pm. Departure times from Samana are 8am, 10am, 2pm, and 4pm. The company name is: Transporte Mike, en Samana, and the owner answers by the name of LALO and can be reached on Cellular. 269-2535

PJT is not even going to hazard a guess about the buses. The only local services you get are the gua-guas Higuey-El Seybo-Hato Major-Sabana de La Mar. The logistics are: when they are there, take them; if not, wait. If you don't want to wait, take a taxi.

The taxi rate from Punta Cana to Sabana de La Mar is about US$ 120 one way, from Higuey it will be cheaper. Note: rates can be bargained.

Regards,
PJT
 

WendyS

New member
Mar 5, 2004
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The greatest forum :)

HI PJT

Thanks again for all the useful information.
Well...we decided to be adventurous...we did the all inclusive....been there...done that..

We will be flying into PC on the 29th, arriving at 17.30.
We will arrange a taxi (maybe reserve it) and go to Higuey to spend the night in Barcelo el Naranjo...

The 30th is the day we have our little house rented in punta bonita (www.puntabonita.com) so we will go early in the morning from Higuey..to Sabana de la mar and take the ferry...
We will just ask around in the hotel...here and there.....what the best options are to get there....
If all fails we can always take a Taxi......We will get there..
Then we will spend a week in Punta Bonita....and leave there on the 6th...to spend another 4 nights.....probably somewhere around Boca Chica....we will get there by bus (metro...caribe....whatever passes by :)


And then...the 10th...back home :-(

SO thanks for all your information..it helped us thinking of what to do...

Ciaaoo adios...luego
Wendy
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Good thinking

There are Metro buses that leave Saman? twice a day for Santo Domingo. there are Caribe Tour buses that leave even more frequently.

You will have no problem getting to Boca Chica from Saman?..Maybe 5 hours or so...

HB