My wife and I are looking at visiting the DR. We have convinced ourselves that travelling outside the resorts is a relatively safe practise, opposed to travel agent views.....feel free to elaborate.......We are looking at Puerto Plata as a destination..............we are a younger couple seeking some adventure and paradiseI am interested in feedback on tours or visitation spots to take? should be book before we arrive? should we rely upon local transportation? which form of transport is reliable? Any suggestions to help make our trip is appreciated........thank you.
- Thread starter devbrenn
- Start date
First Visit to the D. Republic.
Go for it!
My first visit was in Feb. of 2002 as a single female traveler who had never vacationed outside of an English speaking country. Based on my experience, I suggest you get away from the "safe" English speaking resorts and venture into the towns surrounding Puerto Plata. I, too, had second thoughts about taking a solo trip outside of the "protected area" of my resort. But I called Grahame and he encouraged me to trust the people of the DR and take a taxi to Sosua. I did and I am very glad I did so.
I am sure the tours are lovely, but I don't know how much of the flavor of the real Dominican people you will experience. I never took one of the those tours, but chose to venture out on my own. I guess you will need to hear from someone who has taken a planned tour.
One of these days I hope to return and enlarge my area of exploration and learn more about the people of the DR. I keep that vision in my head and know it will happen one day.
Go for it! As long as you respect the people and customs of the country you are visiting, you will have a great time.
Tondra
devbrenn said:
My first visit was in Feb. of 2002 as a single female traveler who had never vacationed outside of an English speaking country. Based on my experience, I suggest you get away from the "safe" English speaking resorts and venture into the towns surrounding Puerto Plata. I, too, had second thoughts about taking a solo trip outside of the "protected area" of my resort. But I called Grahame and he encouraged me to trust the people of the DR and take a taxi to Sosua. I did and I am very glad I did so.
I am sure the tours are lovely, but I don't know how much of the flavor of the real Dominican people you will experience. I never took one of the those tours, but chose to venture out on my own. I guess you will need to hear from someone who has taken a planned tour.
One of these days I hope to return and enlarge my area of exploration and learn more about the people of the DR. I keep that vision in my head and know it will happen one day.
Go for it! As long as you respect the people and customs of the country you are visiting, you will have a great time.
Tondra
devbrenn said:
Exploring is the key to go. Puerto Plata is generaly safe destinations and the people are very friendly and helpfull. Tours are easiest to book locally. And local transportation(public transit) is not very reliable. Often overcrowded they usually but 7 people in a small car. Your best transportation is taxi, once you get used to the roads and traffic you can rent a car. Good luck.
Not for nothing but if your going to be adventuros why not try someplace off the beatern track. Are you looking for miles of sand with hardly anyone on it? Do you want to meet real Dominicans? why not leave the travel agent were she belongs booking cruises for old farts and check out the SAMANA PERNISULAR . Late Jan thru early March the Humpback whales come to the bay off Samana to have the young and get it on. Do a search there is a Canadian lady that does tours. The appartments are well priced. there is night life depending on what you want.
And as i said before in post if i went to Tahiti and it was this nice i'd be pissed.
Look on the web for the Playa Colibri in Las Terennas nice people nice place.
We take our 6yrold son everywere first time here he was 5 first time in the Dominican Republic he was 4. The travel agent obviously has never left a resort in any country she has visited so why listen to her.
All and any info you want for a great trip can be gathered here from some off the most freindly people in the islands of sun.
And as i said before in post if i went to Tahiti and it was this nice i'd be pissed.
Look on the web for the Playa Colibri in Las Terennas nice people nice place.
We take our 6yrold son everywere first time here he was 5 first time in the Dominican Republic he was 4. The travel agent obviously has never left a resort in any country she has visited so why listen to her.
All and any info you want for a great trip can be gathered here from some off the most freindly people in the islands of sun.
also...check out the Rough Guide book series. They have one for the DR. I picked that up a couple of trips ago and came up with some good ideas of things that i would like to do.
I dont know why you are even dealing with a travel agent (especialy one that sounds like they dont know what they are talking about). I'd say book your flight yourself...do some research and find a good non AI....and do your research and you will have an awesome trip!!
I dont know why you are even dealing with a travel agent (especialy one that sounds like they dont know what they are talking about). I'd say book your flight yourself...do some research and find a good non AI....and do your research and you will have an awesome trip!!
I can agree with just about everything that has been posted
And, for me, that is saying a lot.
I am going to suggest you look up, on the Search Function, a couple of posts by "sliverghost" and "Gray Ghost"..also look up DAMAJAGuA FALLS.
Between those two ("sliver and Gray" are the same person), I think you will fill a week or more of absolutely great fun.
Saman? is fabulous. It is one of my family's favorite spots. There is NOTHING more beautiful on God's Green Earth, especially when you venture just outside the city/town and go over to Las Galeras or Playa Rincon.....truly, you might not leave!
Saman? is about 3 to four hours from Puerto Plata (give or take) so you have to think 'overnight' at least. There are buses leaving early in the morning from Sos?a, and perhaps Puerto Plata.
1) Book anything here
2) You might think B&B rather than A/I, after all you will be out most of the day, so why pay for meals you won't be eating?
3) Talk to people like (A) BushBaby, (B) Ken, (C) Escott or (D) Dawnwil, (E) Planner or (F) Chris as to what things to do or what options you might find at non-all-inclusives...Heck, with the support you will find here, you can just hop on a plane and land and you will already know where to go and what to do...Ditch the agent..
HB
P.S. Listen to PAPA: Do that search! You will not be sorrry
And, for me, that is saying a lot.
I am going to suggest you look up, on the Search Function, a couple of posts by "sliverghost" and "Gray Ghost"..also look up DAMAJAGuA FALLS.
Between those two ("sliver and Gray" are the same person), I think you will fill a week or more of absolutely great fun.
Saman? is fabulous. It is one of my family's favorite spots. There is NOTHING more beautiful on God's Green Earth, especially when you venture just outside the city/town and go over to Las Galeras or Playa Rincon.....truly, you might not leave!
Saman? is about 3 to four hours from Puerto Plata (give or take) so you have to think 'overnight' at least. There are buses leaving early in the morning from Sos?a, and perhaps Puerto Plata.
1) Book anything here
2) You might think B&B rather than A/I, after all you will be out most of the day, so why pay for meals you won't be eating?
3) Talk to people like (A) BushBaby, (B) Ken, (C) Escott or (D) Dawnwil, (E) Planner or (F) Chris as to what things to do or what options you might find at non-all-inclusives...Heck, with the support you will find here, you can just hop on a plane and land and you will already know where to go and what to do...Ditch the agent..
HB
P.S. Listen to PAPA: Do that search! You will not be sorrry
Tell us how long you would like to stay, what type of hotel accommodation you would like and the budget for this if possible, what types of activities you are interested in.. and the members of the board will tell you how to go about it. Planner and BushBaby are in Puerto Plata, Ken is in Sosua and I know my way around Sosua and Cabarete. Escott and Dawn are mostly found around the Sosua area.
Transportation is easy in the Dominican Republic if you are the 'exploring' type. We have busses that go just about everywhere. Do a search on transportation on this board and you'll find more information than you can handle
If you really want to be adventurous, fly into Puerto Plata, stay over at Rockies in Sosua (cheap, local style clean accommodation) for a night or two and use that time to figure out what to do, and to arrange accommodation for the next night or two, as you decide which way to travel and explore. Marco at Rockies will even arrange for an airport pickup. It all depends how adventurous you are
The airport is more or less midway between Sosua and Puerto Plata and it is easy to travel between the two towns.
The Hillbilly is right, do all the bookings when you get here. It may take a little extra time, but would be part of an experience and much cheaper if you haggle a little.
Needless to say, if you want upmarket accommodation and meals on time and a regular schedule, do the AI thing.
Transportation is easy in the Dominican Republic if you are the 'exploring' type. We have busses that go just about everywhere. Do a search on transportation on this board and you'll find more information than you can handle
If you really want to be adventurous, fly into Puerto Plata, stay over at Rockies in Sosua (cheap, local style clean accommodation) for a night or two and use that time to figure out what to do, and to arrange accommodation for the next night or two, as you decide which way to travel and explore. Marco at Rockies will even arrange for an airport pickup. It all depends how adventurous you are
The airport is more or less midway between Sosua and Puerto Plata and it is easy to travel between the two towns.
The Hillbilly is right, do all the bookings when you get here. It may take a little extra time, but would be part of an experience and much cheaper if you haggle a little.
Needless to say, if you want upmarket accommodation and meals on time and a regular schedule, do the AI thing.
Have had alot of fun driving around the Island and never had a problem with the people. Tore up one rented car, make sure you get the extra insurance, and an SUV would definetly increase your range and survivability. I keep getting warned by the nervous nellies, but I refuse to live in fear. Use common sense, don't travel at night; you wont see the holes, the rocks, or the gully where the road used to be. Bring a good map and a compass. It's not really that big an Island, by US road trip standards The main highways can get you close to where your going, plenty of gas stations and cheap food along the way. You'll have a great time.
I could add...
that if you plan to drive make sure you are all prayed up. My first time driving in the DR, many years ago, I brought my car over from Puerto Rico on the Dominican Ferry. I drove my car from San Pedro all the way to Puerto Plata, and all around PP for a few days, before I discovered that streets don't necessarily have stop signs, although you may be expected to stop. How many near misses did I have that I didn't even notice? Was that a rude awakening! After that I was stopping at every street, because how was I supposed to know which was considered the major street?!
Well, I have to say, that one of my favorite things about living in the DR is riding the horrible public transportation. It fascinates me. I love not having a car. I learn more about the common people in the guaguas than any other place I think. Is the transportation unreliable? Sometimes. Is it comfortable? Not usually. Is it worth the hassle? Absolutely.
that if you plan to drive make sure you are all prayed up.
My first time driving in the DR, many years ago, I brought my car over from Puerto Rico on the Dominican Ferry. I drove my car from San Pedro all the way to Puerto Plata, and all around PP for a few days, before I discovered that streets don't necessarily have stop signs, although you may be expected to stop. How many near misses did I have that I didn't even notice? Was that a rude awakening! After that I was stopping at every street, because how was I supposed to know which was considered the major street?! Well, I have to say, that one of my favorite things about living in the DR is riding the horrible public transportation. It fascinates me. I love not having a car. I learn more about the common people in the guaguas than any other place I think. Is the transportation unreliable? Sometimes. Is it comfortable? Not usually. Is it worth the hassle? Absolutely.
devbrenn said:
I really like to know which travel agents tell you that?? As an agent myself, I get very upset, when I hear how dangerous DR is, sheesh... I am sure all the agents that say that never been to DR and it's just simpler to book a AI resort, that doing some home work on behalf of the clients. We book the AI also, but I really never suggest it to my clients.
In any case, it is very safe to be outside the resorts and explore the country on your own. My husband and I lived in Dr for a while and walked everywhereon my own at any time, and I am only 5ft nada and have never had a problem .
I would not drive, but hire someone, that's for sure and there is no need of prebooking your trips to varied attractions, that can be done, once you are there and try to figure out what you would enjoy doing the most.
All in all, DT is a fantastic and a safe place to be, well, safer that I found New York, LA or Chicago for that matter.
Enjoy , have fun, explore, meet and talk to people.!
Damajagua Falls
Tourists to Dominican Republic,
Please note that when you travel to any country outside of North America, safety standards are not by any means what we in North America have become accustomed to.
Last week a young boy of 11 years drowned at the Damajagua Falls. Although some tour operators did not take tourists to these falls because of the high amounts of precipitation that had caused the rivers to swell and the current in the falls to be excessive, one tour company did. At the second level falls, the young boy was taken by the current and sucked down into a deep pool of water. Even though he was a good swimmer, he could not save himself. A young girl risked her life by tying a rope around her waist and while others were holding the rope, jumped in an attempt to save the young boy. When she entered the pool of water she said she was afraid for her own life as she felt the water pulling her down. She and another managed to pull his body from the pool but he had spent too much time under water and died. The tour representatives at the falls had no first aid knowledge or safety procedures. A doctor who was travelling on of the tours tried to resuscitate him with no success. They carried the body for 20 minutes through the jungle, over barbed wire fences and across a swollen river before travelling back to a hospital where he was pronounced DOA.
This little 11 year old boy did not deserve to die, but his family was not made aware of the possible risks associated with going to the falls. Please remember to travel safely and assess all risks prior to leaving your resort.
Hopefully, this message will help others in assessing travel risks and making your trip safer and more enjoyable.
Yours truly,
Canadian Charlie
Tourists to Dominican Republic,
Please note that when you travel to any country outside of North America, safety standards are not by any means what we in North America have become accustomed to.
Last week a young boy of 11 years drowned at the Damajagua Falls. Although some tour operators did not take tourists to these falls because of the high amounts of precipitation that had caused the rivers to swell and the current in the falls to be excessive, one tour company did. At the second level falls, the young boy was taken by the current and sucked down into a deep pool of water. Even though he was a good swimmer, he could not save himself. A young girl risked her life by tying a rope around her waist and while others were holding the rope, jumped in an attempt to save the young boy. When she entered the pool of water she said she was afraid for her own life as she felt the water pulling her down. She and another managed to pull his body from the pool but he had spent too much time under water and died. The tour representatives at the falls had no first aid knowledge or safety procedures. A doctor who was travelling on of the tours tried to resuscitate him with no success. They carried the body for 20 minutes through the jungle, over barbed wire fences and across a swollen river before travelling back to a hospital where he was pronounced DOA.
This little 11 year old boy did not deserve to die, but his family was not made aware of the possible risks associated with going to the falls. Please remember to travel safely and assess all risks prior to leaving your resort.
Hopefully, this message will help others in assessing travel risks and making your trip safer and more enjoyable.
Yours truly,
Canadian Charlie