Fiesta Mama said:
I am driving from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata tomorrow in the afternoon/early evening. I have a car and I am wondering if anyone is going the same way as me tomorrow as I really don?t want to do this drive alone! If anyone needs a ride or will be driving from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata tomorrow, please let me know (I will need your phone number) and we can travel together.
Otherwise, can anyone please tell me the best route from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata as I will be driving alone. Thank you.
P.S. I will not be able to get back to you until the morning because I do not have acess to a computer and will be checking any responses in the morning.
Well, in the Capital get to JFK avenue and turn left if coming from the south or right if coming from the northern part of the city as you approach the avenue. Eventually that will become Autopista Duarte as you probably know. Follow that highway all the way to Bisono where you will turn right onto Carretera Luperon also known as HWY 5. Follow that highway and it will cross the mountains and deposit you on the Circuvalancion Sur avenue in the heart of Puerto Plata.
The drive is fairly easy, easier now that there are more signs helping with the directions. Of course, the drivers are still maniacs and you must watch out for those motorscooters wizzing by and the guaguas who tend to suddenly press the breaks to pick up passengers on the side of the road, even if they were going 100 kmh. Overall the ride is smooth, nothing much to worry about.
In Santiago, if you go into the city, the Autopista will end right before the Monumento a los Heroes, just turn right at the end of the highway, that would drop you into Avenida Salvador Sadahla and eventually that road will become Carretera Duarte which would take you all the way to Bisono, where you'll need to switch highways as stated above.
If you want maps, usually Shell gas stations have maps.