La Romana airport to Boca Chica

bird

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I'll be landing in La Romana Airport this Sunday.How do I get to t?Close to the airport?Thanks
 

dale7

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Apr 18, 2002
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Wow, that will be quite a drive. I can't offer help on public transportation(buses) because I don't their routes from La Romana but I am sure you can catch a bus from La Romana to Santo Domingo, and then tell a taxi driver to take you to the area where they have the buses (smaller buses by the way) that will go to Boca Chica. Taxi from Santo Domingo to Boca Chica should be about 15-25US, I personally wouldn't pay more than 20US because I take the little buses back and forth from Santo Domingo to Boca Chica and costs less than a dollar, but I just can't remember the location to give you. By car I would say 2 hours is a good estimate from the airport to Boca Chica. I think the highway you take is number 3 and it runs from La Romana to San Pedro de Macoris, it runs all along the coast, and then you can get off into Boca Chica. If you are renting a car, after you pass through San Pedro, Juan Dolio, and later you will see a Boca Chica sign and you turn off the highway and enter into Boca Chica. I don't recommend driving because it is very hectic there and speed limits and laws of the road, is all about defensive driving. You will be cut off, very few signals are used, and have to avoid little motorconchos/motorbikes with 2-4 people on them or loaded with produce/supplies, etc. I would assume if you took a taxi from La Romana it would probably run you at the minimum, since you are tourists, 60US after haggling, but more than likely they would want about 75US give or take 10 dollars. I am sure others will help you out more than what I can but this is all the advice I can give as accurately as possible.
dale7(Howard)
 

nycVu

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Mar 30, 2004
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Dale7 -

Are you referring to those guaguas when you say "little buses" that you pay a $1.00 to ride? I'm wondering 'cause I plan on doing the Carribe Bus from Sosua to SD and I'd like to then head over to BC, and while I wanted a bit of local color, those buses didn't look safe at all - there were people literally hanging on for dear life as that thing sped along down that dusty main highway... From the looks of its at-capacity load, I just hope everyone on there can raise their hands ('cause they're Sure...). :tired:

Do you know of a site that I can check out with information on those buses? I think I'll try it once.

Thanks.
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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Take a Taxi

bird said:
I'll be landing in La Romana Airport this Sunday.How do I get to t?Close to the airport?Thanks

You can use a cab to get to the highway then take a guagua but unless you are really short of cash a taxi, haggled to the lowest amount would be more suitable way to get to Boca Chica. The gua-gua goes to San Pedro first then you have to eitehr switch or wait until it ventures off to Boca Chica.

Gringo prices for a taxi are in the US$75 posted range but I think $40 should do it with aggressive haggling. If you arrive late and wait for luggage and customs etc., you don't need the hassle of a taxi to a bus and a bus to Boca Chica. Should be a 35 -50 minute drive.

If you take a gua gua and are concerned about room , buy 2-4 seats vs. one and have room for your stuff, which may piss off the standees a bit but hey, you paid.
 

dale7

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Thanks Rick for expanding. I was unsure if there were gua gua's from La Romana to San Pedro, I knew they had gua gua's from San Pedro to Boca Chica and vs. versus and I figured that they would at least have gua gua's or metro/caribe tour buses from La Romana to Santo Domingo.

bird,
Metro and Caribe tour buses are fairly comfortable with a/c, luggage compartment, and seat a good amount of people (very similar to a Greyhound bus). Gua Gua's are tiny, little buses jam packed with people, usually locals and aren't very comfortable. It looks like your options or gua gua's or taxi. I take gua gua's all the time from Boca Chica to Santo Domingo and vice versus because it is cheap transportation and is usually around a 50 minute ride. I don't think I would enjoy taking a gua gua from La Romana to San Pedro, and then San Pedro to Boca Chica. If you have a lot of luggage and your 1st trip, it will be a long ride, though cheap, on a very small crowded bus (gua gua) I would recommend the taxi. If you can get one for 40US with aggressive haggling go for it, Rick you must be a haggling machine:) Of course they will start out with a price of like 75US or so, as Rick also seems to imply, but I personally feel I would feel satisfied to haggle for the 50US range. If you don't haggle you and will at least pay 65-75US because they see you as a tourist needing to go a long way and hey it's their job to try to make as much money as possible, don't feel uncomfortable to haggle prices with them, it is very common in latin cultures to start high on prices and then you work your way down, it is like a game and an art form. I enjoy haggling and when I leave at least they aren't chuckling about the gringo who must be rich and/or stupid:)

dale7(Howard)
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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No Metro/Caribe South Coast

dale7 said:
Thanks Rick for expanding. I was unsure if there were gua gua's from La Romana to San Pedro, I knew they had gua gua's from San Pedro to Boca Chica and vs. versus and I figured that they would at least have gua gua's or metro/caribe tour buses from La Romana to Santo Domingo.

If you can get one for 40US with aggressive haggling go for it, Rick you must be a haggling machine:) Of course they will start out with a price of like 75US or so, as Rick also seems to imply, but I personally feel I would feel satisfied to haggle for the 50US range.

Metro and Caribe go from SD north to Santiago and points from there - the only non gua guas are these Bavaro or Higuey to SD buses that woudl be a total fluke to catch if you are in La Romana.

As for the taxi $40 for 60 km is not that great a deal, $75 is thievery. I had a Dominican friend come to see me in Boca Chica, of course she insisted on a cab, it wasn't even $40 for her. So if you can pass as a returning Dominican, it should be easy to do $40.

Off to Boca on the 12:15 to Miam tomorrow.
 

chuckuindy

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Mar 8, 2004
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Tour buses run daily.

Call tropical tours in Casa de Copmo. They run a bus to SD every 3 - 4 hours. Clean and comftorable. Never been on it myself but have set up rides for othere in the last 2 years and never received a complaint.

Charlie


bird said:
I'll be landing in La Romana Airport this Sunday.How do I get to t?Close to the airport?Thanks
 

dale7

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Apr 18, 2002
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ricktoronto said:
Metro and Caribe go from SD north to Santiago and points from there - the only non gua guas are these Bavaro or Higuey to SD buses that woudl be a total fluke to catch if you are in La Romana.

As for the taxi $40 for 60 km is not that great a deal, $75 is thievery. I had a Dominican friend come to see me in Boca Chica, of course she insisted on a cab, it wasn't even $40 for her. So if you can pass as a returning Dominican, it should be easy to do $40.

Off to Boca on the 12:15 to Miam tomorrow.

Have fun Rick,
I'll be joining you there in several days and try not to have too much fun. Rick, I would think it was around 100km from La Romana airport to Boca Chica but I have never been very good at judging distances. See you on the 18th.
dale7(Howard)