advice on travel from SD to Las Galeras

Are you talking about Las Galeras out on the Samaná Peninsula???

You should be able to make an afternoon bus, if you taxi into Santo Domingo,then the Caribe Tour bus to Samana , and then take a local guagua out there.

HB

SD-Saman?

miriam888 said:

.... from the airport to LG....

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Welcome to DR1.

The last CT bus leaves SD at 4 p.m. (You may not make the 2:30 bus).
You'll arrive in Saman? Town after nightfall...

How about staying overnight in the capital?

Unless you really need a car in LG (and I guess you won't), don't drive from SD to Saman?.

m'frog

options

1. DRIVER
If you want the number of a reliable taxi driver in Las Galeras, send me a private message. ( It can be very expensive, but cheaper than renting a car. And believe me, forget about driving down there - total chaos, on a good day!)

It will cost you at least $150, each way - maybe more. But 4-5 people can fit in the minivan with ease.

Let me know.

2. STAY OVER NIGHT AND TAKE BUS
This idea is okay, but please read up on street crime in the capital and only stay in a safe area, in a safe hotel. There are some good ones listed in closed threads on the fourm.

Do not go wandering anywhere, even in broad daylight. Most people I know there, executives and secretaries, even a cleaning lady/cook - they all carry pistols in their purses! Really.

Your cell phone and watch can be ripped right off of your arm if you aren't careful, and even if you are!

Don't get me wrong - the DR is a lovely place, and one of my favorite places in the entire world. Please just do not assume that anything will be as it is for you "at home" - ever - please just be smart now - and read up - so that you won't be sorry later.

Plan for the worst, and expect the best!

3. RENTING A CAR
Forget it. Not an option. Will lead to more bad than good. Forget it.

Have fun, good luck & let us know how you like your trip,
Sam

1. The posted price for private taxi from Santo Domingo's airport to Samana was $170usd earlier this year. You may be able to argue it down some although the price of gas has just gone up,...again. Our guests pay $175 for the trip from the airport to Las Galeras, 30 minutes past Samana.

2. With a 1:30pm arrival, you have time to easily make the 4pm Caribe Tours bus. Staying overnight is only necessary if you want to see some of the capital, especially the Zona Colonial. I can't say that in 10 years of wandering this area (day and night) neither my wife nor I ever had a feeling that we needed to carry a pistol nor had a purse, watch or cell phone ripped off our persons. Of course, common sense on the street is called for. Our guests do it all the time, no problem.
It will cost about $30usd for a taxi from the airport to the bus station. Then the bus costs about $7.50usd per person to Samana. Then with an arrival around 8:15pm, it will cost about $30usd for a taxi out to Las Galeras.

3. No problem with renting a car except that you will have to drive the last hour and a half in the dark, not really advisable although we have plenty of guests that have done it. The bus alternative is best and then rent a car in Las Galeras as needed during your stay.

get a car

It's not that bad of a drive....just long...i drive to LT and Samana all the time. If you are on the road by 2:15ish you should be able to make it by nightfall (around 7:30 ish).

with the car you can also get out and explore a little and the costs for a week is about $200.

miriam888 said:

Is a car okay or do you need 4 wheel drive?

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It depends on what you want to do and where you want to go once you are there.
Cars are fine to get there but if you want to drive through fields and along beaches, 4 X 4's would be better.

With some exceptions, the condition of the roads in the DR has improved a lot, and IMHO a vehicle with high ground clearence (SUV) isn't necessary unless you are going offroad, as Rocky said, or on back roads through the mountains or in the campo. Another consideration is that, with gas at the price it is, an economy car could save you quite a bit in not only the rental price, but in gasoline.

When traveling from SD to Samana, I would really not take the route via Cotui without a 4x4. It is possible with a normal car, but barely, and the scenery isn't really worth it. Especially the stretch between Pimentel and Cotui is really bad. Via San Francisco is supposed to be better and quicker with a normal car.