Is Samana different?

xiv

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Mar 29, 2004
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Hello,

I read through a lot of posts discussing some garbage issues as well as harrassment by locals and police (in Santo Domingo area). Is this also the case in Samana? It seems to be in a relatively "quiter" area. Or am I wrong?
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Samana is quieter. Police harassment not a problem, though I've lived in the DR since 1986 and have not felt it a problem anywhere else, either.

Litter in Samana as in most places likely to be more evident than what you are used to. Though I have never considered it to be as serious as it was purported to be by a recent poster.

You will be asked if you want a shoe shine, buy jewelry, etc. by people on street, but just smile, wag your finger back and forth (universally recognized as no" and keep walking.
 

rmary

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Oct 4, 2003
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Hi xiv,

I found Playa Bonita (and further west?) to be remarkably litter free if you don't count various piles of coconut shells, which I hardly count as "litter". It's been a few years since we walked around Samana "city" (sorry, can't remember the proper name for it) but I don't recall thinking "gee, this place is dirty" or anything like that.

As far as police, we did see them driving up and down the beach occasionally on their quads. Just the usual nod and "hola". We did get approached by a total of 2 beach vendours, but they were real amateurs as compared to Sosua or Cabarete. I did buy some candies from one of them. More populated areas may be different.

How are you getting to Samana? I hope you are going by land, because I find that drive fascinating. You see various towns along the way and see how the terrain changes. You see neighborhoods of homes, some of which are immaculately cared for, and some which.......are not. It's not all beaches and sunshine, which is why I like that trip.

Rose
 

xiv

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Mar 29, 2004
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rmary said:
How are you getting to Samana? I hope you are going by land, because I find that drive fascinating. You see various towns along the way and see how the terrain changes. You see neighborhoods of homes, some of which are immaculately cared for, and some which.......are not. It's not all beaches and sunshine, which is why I like that trip.

I will be arriving from Europe (Belgium) and land in Puerto Plata airport. Which means that I will indeed need to go by land to Las Galeras (which I heard was a good 4 hours bus). I must admit it was not that pleasant to know that after 10 hours of flying, I will still need to have to go 4 hours by bus. But I heard many say that the way is rather nice and interesting. I just hope that I will be not too sleepy to enjoy it since I have a tendency never to sleep in planes.

This will be my first trip to the Dominican Republic and I choose Samana over all other DR destinations because it looked like it was still relatively less crowded and with relatively the most authenticity (that was my impression anyway). And I need to have a break from the Belgian weather :p
 

Juniper

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Apr 15, 2004
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While in Las Galeras, make sure you visit Playa El Rincon. It is the most beautiful beach I have seen in the DR. There are no buildings or houses but they have some vendors with tents, cooking fish and local fare. If you go swimming, go to your right as you approach the beach and go all the way to the end. The water is beautiful and the swimming is fantastic in that area.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Playa Rincon is a must!

I always choose the other end of the beach. You turn left when you get to the end of the road. There you have two or three rustic restaurants serving delicious local dishes like fish in coconut sauce and coconut bread, a calm bay and a more rugged beach further on. The boat taxis from Las Galeras leave their passengers there. The people that run the restaurants rake the beach clean every morning and put out loungers for use by their clients. If you prefer a more deserted beach, walk away from the restaurants and set up camp under a tree - your only worry is a falling coconut.

Chiri
 

stan chapman

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Nov 28, 2002
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Rincon

Chiri, do you mean your other left? The Cabo Cabron end has the REALLY rustic shacks & I have never seen any loungers there. To the right is where I have watched the boats come in and the "restaurants" are somewhat civilised. I prefer that end because there's the calm water part at the left of the point ( looking from the beach) and to the right of the point is a steeper sloped beach & usually good waves. Stan.
Chirimoya said:
I always choose the other end of the beach. You turn left when you get to the end of the road. There you have two or three rustic restaurants serving delicious local dishes like fish in coconut sauce and coconut bread, a calm bay and a more rugged beach further on. The boat taxis from Las Galeras leave their passengers there. The people that run the restaurants rake the beach clean every morning and put out loungers for use by their clients. If you prefer a more deserted beach, walk away from the restaurants and set up camp under a tree - your only worry is a falling coconut.

Chiri
 

frank alvarez

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Apr 13, 2004
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Asleep All The Way

xiv said:
I will be arriving from Europe (Belgium) and land in Puerto Plata airport. Which means that I will indeed need to go by land to Las Galeras (which I heard was a good 4 hours bus). I must admit it was not that pleasant to know that after 10 hours of flying, I will still need to have to go 4 hours by bus. But I heard many say that the way is rather nice and interesting. I just hope that I will be not too sleepy to enjoy it since I have a tendency never to sleep in planes.

This will be my first trip to the Dominican Republic and I choose Samana over all other DR destinations because it looked like it was still relatively less crowded and with relatively the most authenticity (that was my impression anyway). And I need to have a break from the Belgian weather :p
IF YOU COULD OVERNIGHT IN PUERTO PLATA UPON ARRIVAL IT SURE WOULD BE MUCH BETTER THAN GOING ON A 4-HOUR DRIVE AFTER A 10-HOUR FLIGHT FROM EUROPE....I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSIDER STAYING IN ANY OF THE MULTIPLE CHOICES THERE....IF YOU GO ON THIS MARATHONIC DRIVE AFTER A MARATHONIC FLIGHT IM AFRAID YOU WILL BE "ASLEEP ALL THE WAY"....BY THE WAY, I LOVE YOUR COUNTRY AND HAVE BEEN TO BRUSSELS, GHENT, BRUGGES AND AMBERES AND AM NOW LIVING IN A BACKWATER SMALL TOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH OF THE D.R.!
 
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Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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I might not know my left from my right, but...

frank alvarez said:
IF YOU COULD OVERNIGHT IN SANTO DOMINGO UPON ARRIVAL IT SURE WOULD BE MUCH BETTER THAN GOING ON A 4-HOUR DRIVE AFTER A 10-HOUR FLIGHT FROM EUROPE....I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSIDER STAYING IN A SANTO DOMINGO HOTEL (EL EMBAJADOR IS EXCELLENT AT A BIT OVER 100 DOLLARS A NIGHT IN AN EXCELLENT AREA) OR AN OCEAN FRONT HOTEL FOR MORE BUCKS AROUND "EL MALECON"....

They are landing in Puerto Plata so the advice would be to overnight there, not Santo Domingo.

Chiri
 

xiv

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Mar 29, 2004
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It will not be possible...

frank alvarez said:
IF YOU COULD OVERNIGHT IN PUERTO PLATA UPON ARRIVAL IT SURE WOULD BE MUCH BETTER THAN GOING ON A 4-HOUR DRIVE AFTER A 10-HOUR FLIGHT FROM EUROPE....I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSIDER STAYING IN ANY OF THE MULTIPLE CHOICES THERE....IF YOU GO ON THIS MARATHONIC DRIVE AFTER A MARATHONIC FLIGHT IM AFRAID YOU WILL BE "ASLEEP ALL THE WAY"....BY THE WAY, I LOVE YOUR COUNTRY AND HAVE BEEN TO BRUSSELS, GHENT, BRUGGES AND AMBERES AND AM NOW LIVING IN A BACKWATER SMALL TOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH OF THE D.R.!

I am afraid that it will not be possible to stay overnight there since I am travelling using a tour operator which includes flight, transportation from the airport and stay. So I guess that there will be a bus waiting for us upon arrival. But I will try to have a very long sleep :sleep: the night before the return trip so I can enjoy it.

Speaking about Belgium.. I live in Antwerp (Amberes). How come you been here in Belgium? Are you a DR national?

Regards,