POP Airport help...

mondongo

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,533
6
38
I have a few questions on my first landing in POP. Any help from you frequenters would be much appreciated:

1) Have any of you rented a cell phone right at the airport? Is it somewhat painless?

2) How chaotic and safe would it be for a family of 4 grab a random taxi at the airport?

3) My local bank here in the US only gave me DR$25.5/US$1. Should I be able to do better than this at the airport?


Thanks in advance
 

john cast

New member
Oct 3, 2004
32
0
0
mondongo said:
I have a few questions on my first landing in POP. Any help from you frequenters would be much appreciated:

1) Have any of you rented a cell phone right at the airport? Is it somewhat painless?

2) How chaotic and safe would it be for a family of 4 grab a random taxi at the airport?

3) My local bank here in the US only gave me DR$25.5/US$1. Should I be able to do better than this at the airport?


Thanks in advance
i got my cell phone @ verison at the supermarket in sosua took about 10 mins
and worked fine calling the us. taxi no problem but suggest you ck price
befor trip. better exchange at airport. have a great trip
 

rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
4,169
58
48
mondongo said:
3) My local bank here in the US only gave me DR$25.5/US$1. Should I be able to do better than this at the airport?
You should do much better at the airport or at any of the local cambios. The last rate posted was 28.80.
Also remember to convert any remaining pesos to dollars before you leave. I'm not sure if they still have the rule where they will only buy back 30% of what you converted. Ask at the airport.
 

carina

Silver
Mar 13, 2005
2,691
4
0
There are fixed prices at the airport.
When you have passed the customers control and come outside, look at the sides and you will see big signs with prices for different destinations.
Look at the price and confirm that with the taxi driver before getting in to the car.
If you let someone carry your luggage, they will expect a tip.
If you don?t want to, you just say no.

You can pay the taxi in usd, prices are specified in USD as well on the signs.
When you come to your destination, change there at any exchange office little by little as you need it.
Haven?t checked the rate today, should be somewhere around 28.50 to 1 USD.

Have a wonderful stay! ;)
 

Chris

Gold
Oct 21, 2002
7,951
28
0
www.caribbetech.com
mondongo said:
...1) Have any of you rented a cell phone right at the airport? Is it somewhat painless?

I've never seen a cell phone rental at the airport. In Sosua, at the Supermercado Playero (Orange) and in POP, at the Supermercado right on the main drag... forget the name now (Orange)

mondongo said:
2) How chaotic and safe would it be for a family of 4 grab a random taxi at the airport?

Have done this frequently... Check the board with the prices and grab a cab for the advertised price. No chaos and safe as it can be in the DR...

mondongo said:
3) My local bank here in the US only gave me DR$25.5/US$1. Should I be able to do better than this at the airport?

For sure, you'll do at least 3 points better.
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
4,837
0
0
Wait a second - you have nearly 1,200 posts and don't know:

Better to buy than rent a cell phone
Airport taxis are just taxis as long as you set the rate in advance
Never buy pesos in the US and the aiport cambios are generally fair and accessible?

You are kidding.
 

ZEUS

Bronze
Feb 14, 2003
577
26
0
Que Pasa, Papo.?

Judging from your nickname and your pic in the media gallery, I would say that there's some Dominican in you, don't be around the bush and be yourself.

Tu parece muy cibaeno para no saber estas cosas.. Que pasa Papo?.

zeus ( primus inter pares) = primero entre los iguales. :bandit:
 

mondongo

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,533
6
38
i am not kidding...

Thank you all for your responses. Couple more questions:

1) Having driven in the DR, I wonder if I should bring my two child booster seats. How cheaply can I purchase a couple of these in the POP/Sosua area?

2) Also, anyone know the price/frequency of air travel between POP and El Portillo (Samana)?

thanks in advance

Edited to add:
ricktoronto, how much will it cost to buy a cheap cell phone for temporary use (where can I get one)?
 

heldengebroed

Bronze
Mar 9, 2005
560
7
0
Edited to add:
ricktoronto, how much will it cost to buy a cheap cell phone for temporary use (where can I get one)?[/QUOTE]

Take your cellphone with you, buy a sim card and out it in your phone

Easy/cheap
If comming from europe you'll need a tri-band

Greetings Johan
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
mondongo said:
Thank you all for your responses. Couple more questions:

1) Having driven in the DR, I wonder if I should bring my two child booster seats. How cheaply can I purchase a couple of these in the POP/Sosua area?

2) Also, anyone know the price/frequency of air travel between POP and El Portillo (Samana)?

thanks in advance

Edited to add:
ricktoronto, how much will it cost to buy a cheap cell phone for temporary use (where can I get one)?
I don't think there are flights to Samana from POP. They don't sell child booster seats in Sosua.

Bring a used Sprint phone or GSM phone from the states and have it put on either verizon (sprint) or Orange (GSM) and dont' worry about purchasing. Everyone has a used phone they don't know what to do with in the states.
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
4,837
0
0
mondongo said:
Edited to add:
ricktoronto, how much will it cost to buy a cheap cell phone for temporary use (where can I get one)?

It has been a while but the last one I bought a year ago was a Nokia for about US$25 from Orange, and it came with RD$100 installed. I suppose $30 or so and at least you keep it for later.