Info on cotui

Cotui is in the middle of no where. The road going there is filled with tire-busting, shock breaking potholes. the closest city is san francisco de marorix. The city has a huge presa (water damn). An afternoon boat ride would constitute a great outing for a day. If your boyfriend is from there then expect to have a good time because the folks from cotui are real domincians who will open up their doors to you and to your friends. The city has a central park (square) where you have an ice-cream parlor, a restaurant and a few local pizzarias. There is also a disco at the entrance of the city. People usually sit around on sundays or weekday evenings (as in your case), listen to music and drink beers. Right now DR is experiencing rainy season so don't expect too much out door activities.
Over-all, you should have a good time in cotui. Living standard is lover than santiago and capital but cost of living is much cheaper. People are genuine and you will be welcomed everywhere you go. have fun.
AZB

I'll be going to Cotui soon to visit our best friends mom, she and most of her family live in NY now, and are the kindest most generous and genuine people I've known. I'll post my trip report in a week or two.

Question to others: What's the best way to get up there coming from SD?
I'll be driving my Corrolla, and I know the roads can be rough, What's the best route? I can handle a dirt road during the daytime, but it's gotta be reasonably passable for my city car.

Take the Duarte highway north until Piedra Blanca, turn right, continue through the small town of Maimon, and eventually you'll get there. It takes about an hour and a half.

There is a stretch of road before Maimon which is prone to rockfalls, and part of the road has collapsed in the past. We haven't driven that way for a while, so I don't know what the situation is right now.

The roads after Piedra Blanca are narrow, hilly and windy but the scenery you'll see on the way is lovely. The roads are paved all the way, with some stretches in better condition than others. It is preferable to avoid driving this route at night.

Thanks Chiri, regards to the family and best wishes for the new year.

Just got back from Cotui and love the place. I'm a nut for mountain lakes and family farms, so this place was my kind of countryside. Walked a platano finca and got my intro to platano farming 101. Went to the presa and was impressed, the fishing, the jet skis, the disco barge. It's a really cool place. And as mentioned, the people are the nicest. Saw a friend from NY who was raised there and is on vacation, and we got together with his friends and family, and even the gun-toting tiguerues were the nicest i've met yet. The roads going were fine, watch for a couple of potholes on route 17, but not bad in general.

Samantha Como: You could do alot worse than staying here, It's really got a good vibe, very easy pace. Great resort area, without the resorts, or the tourists (does that make any sense?).

Naufrago: I'm glad you liked my town. I down here as we speak....Probably going to La Presa (Lake) sometime this week.

Naufrago/suarezn - how is the road from Piedra Blanca these days?

It's not too bad, but I wouldn't recommend driving too fast at night as there are unexpeted potholes that can bend your rim.

Hi Chiri: Definetly passable for my corrolla with 6 passengers, as always you have to watch the road, and go slow enough to avoid the potholes. But we came back at night and we only hit one hole a little too hard. On Hwy 1 heading back we overheated and coasted to a stop about 20 feet infront of a horrible car crash, we got their before the ambulance and saw 2 bodies lying still. A reminder to all; Avoid driving at night. I here alot of stories about the dangers and horrors of car accidents here, and have lost friends as well. My friends actually live in Quita Sueno, which is right by Cotui but not in the city it's self.
Suarzen: Is that considered Cotui? Do you know the current best guess of the population in the greater Cotui area?

another contact in Cotui

Ok...so I havent posted in like a year!
I have been living in Cotui for 9 months now.
I will be happy to help with anyone needing info about this umm..."location"
LOL!!!!!!!
gotta go...COWS are in the garbage can again.
ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John

Cotui is alright, definitely a small-town vibe. I like it simply because it's CLEAN, something most Dominicans can't seem to get the hang of. My uncle (RIP) was from there, the Collado family. They seem to be well known from what I saw last time. It was a fun time and next time I think I'll stop in the Presa, I haven't been there since 1991!!!! I was there 4 years ago and it was a good day. Suarezn, tell them to keep up the good work there.

UP_time said:

Ok...so I havent posted in like a year!
I have been living in Cotui for 9 months now.
I will be happy to help with anyone needing info about this umm..."location"
LOL!!!!!!!
gotta go...COWS are in the garbage can again.
ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John

Click to expand...

If you don't mind, how about telling us your experiences there?

Naufrago said:

My friends actually live in Quita Sueno, which is right by Cotui but not in the city it's self.
Suarezn: Is that considered Cotui? Do you know the current best guess of the population in the greater Cotui area?

Click to expand...

According to a site I saw in the web Cotui has a population of around 86,000 inhabitants. It ranks as number 14th in population of all towns in The DR, so it is not as small as some people may think.
The town I'm from (La Mata) whis is a five minute drive from cotui has a population of around 40,000.

Quita sueno is not considered Cotui per se, but it's so close to the town that it may as well be. Now the road to Quita Sueno is in terrible shape past the university (Iteco)...This is the road you take to go to the lake (Dam). I was there a few weeks ago and I've never seen this road in such bad shape. The rains took a heavy toll on it and they haven't fixed it yet.

I went to the dam because some friends were going to have a cookout over there. Spend the day, have some drinks, etc...Unfortunately we didn't know that they were having a jet ski competition that day. Apparently the whole town was aware of it, since the line of cars was about two miles long. Apparently there were competitors from several countries participating. This was the first year they held the competition over there, but judging by its success it is bound to become a yearly thing and the crowds will be huge if they organize it right.

They now have a ferry over there that for about 100 pesos (I think) takes you around the lake. As with everything in The DR you can buy drinks and there's music and dancing on the ferry.

I'm thinking about trying to get a lot on the lake and build me a small vacation house (when I'm done with the house I'm currently building). There's one side where there's a hill and views are fantastic from that side.

Up_Time: Where are you located?

suarezn said:

I'm thinking about trying to get a lot on the lake and build me a small vacation house (when I'm done with the house I'm currently building). There's one side where there's a hill and views are fantastic from that side.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Suarzen. My Friend from NY showed me the lots that you speak of and is saving his money to one day buy a lot and build his dream house there. The location is truly beautiful. I think the time to buy is now as the secret is out.

Cotui is the BOMB!

Hello everyone,
I hardly EVER (ok maybe never) post here, but I enjoy reading other people's posts. My family is from Cotui (Deleon) and I ADORE IT! I was just there in November and had the best time ever (a few nights are hazy, but hey it was a vacation)! The people from Cotui are the nicest - I mean they'll take the shirts off their backs for you and they certainly know how to party. I love going to la Presa and I have some pictures if anyone is interested...Whoever wrote about los Cotuisanos knowing how to have a good time was right. The town is extremely clean and you'll have a great time just sitting in a corner drinking a cold Presidente (or Bohemia too). I'm looking forward to going back in July and I tell you it's always such a pleasure going back to my roots...(wish I were there right now). I would love to talk to others living there now or that are from there too.

Cotui...500 Years Today !

Hi Suarezn.
I'm located in "Los Mineros" , close to the hospital.
Sorry for the delay in posting, as I dont check in too often.
*Today is the 500th anniversary of Cotui*
Enjoy my friend.

Felicidades Cotui!

I hear Pe?a Suazo is playing this weekend in honor of the 500th anniversary. I wish with all my heart I were there. Cotui, Cotui!! :classic:

Cotui must be GREAT if a discussion can go on for this long, on this board, and NOBODY has had anything bad to say about the place!

For those of us who would like to see for ourselves; can any of the current or former residents or visitors give a bit of info about accomodations there? Doesn't need to be fancy, just a safe place to sleep.