Need general Info on Punta Rucia

cocoleka

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Sep 7, 2007
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I would like to learn something about life in the Puntas Rucia area. I've read the available threads but there seems to be conflicting info. Here are my general ?s:

1) Infrastructure. Is there telephone service, electicity, waste removal, good water supply, markets to buy food and supplies, etc. In other words, could one live there comfortably (not luxuriously--comfortably)

2) Mosquitos. Can you please sound off about the REAL degree that this is a problem. Currently the CDC says the DR is seeing a rise in both malaria and dengue. i would like to know if there is a very bad problem with mosquitos. also sansflies and anything else that bites.

3) Safety/Security. The dream is what I call "accessible isolation", but does P.Rucia have a high crime rate, are there alot of robberies (more than anywhere else), would I need a security guard and 2 dobermans, or is a lock on my door and the customary bars on the windows still O.K.?

4) Any other imp[ression you have of the area.

Thanks for reading---cocoleka

(P.S. can somebody explain why everywhere I look to purchase a tereno I'm told 100% of the time that "Julio Iglesias is buying right next door"!!!)
 

fightfish

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Jan 11, 2008
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Punta Russia is a pretty isolated little town of a few hundred. Road access is difficult, and almost impossible to get out of in heavy rain without 4x4.

The dengue issue is real...I know two people who contracted dengue there for certain. In fact, I have never been anywhere in the DR with a more robust mosquito poulation, due in part by the direction of the normal trade winds passing over land and swamp.

Cellular service directly in the town is non existant, but there is a payphone in the center. Orange will work out of town on a hill towards Isabella.

There is no crime to speak of. It is safe to walk the one street at night as just about everyone ther is local.

A couple of comedors with limited food. A colmado which is the center of activity. Literally the town stretches along the bay for maybe a mile. On weekends busses role in from Santiago bringing people to the eastern beach for a party.

A few gringos there, as tour company taking advantage of the cayo arena, a pretty bay and not much else.

It is about 1 hour from Santiago, and 30 minutes on a bad road to the hard top.

I know the area well if you have any other questions!
 

cocoleka

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Sep 7, 2007
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More Questions on Punta Rucia

FF, thanks so much for your straightfoward reply. My bro-in-law (Dominican engineer) is heading up there tomorrow to check out a piece of land we are considering for a little retreat place.

Do you specifically know if there is adequate electricity and water supply?

We are concerned that Punta Rucia, although beautiful and simple, may be a little too difficult of a place to live...what do you think?
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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We spent a lot of time there. No, there is no adequate electricity. There is probably less electricity there than in most other places. No, there is no adequate water. Most houses have some kind of water collection system. Water comes via pipe from the mountains, a system installed by a previous European NGO and still functional. There is no infrastructure of any kind.

Mosquitos, plenty. I am prone to being bitten and I have to wear 'long' clothes for protection, as well as mosquito repellent. As times goes on, one gets less attractive to the local mosquito and sand flea population. Sand fleas can be real bad at times. All you need to do, is to leave the beach for a while, the hour before sunset and the hour after and the population dies down for the night.

There is very little legally registered land there. Everything is subject to some legislation somewhere or another. Having said that, we bought, owned and sold at a profit. But the local population trusts us, so, no problem. Big land registration problems and some of the most spectacular gringo scams that you can think of. Property in the town proper is usually fine as the ownership can be traced back many years.

The little town and the nearby beach is dirty and won't be cleaned up any time soon. If you want food, go to La Ensenada and go to Comedor Elsa. Excellent local food. Of course much of it out of season, but good!

Crime is just about non-existent, except inside of the Dominican community where crime is becoming a problem. Drugs have reached Punta Rucia and especially the youth now does not only drink Presidente. There is one one-room school in bad repair. One of the local tour operators added some bathrooms and paint a year or so ago. I brought reef check in to the area to do the first checks of the coral and train the first local folks. We used one of the oldest DR1 members' house to do all this work. I believe on the the reef check directors now have a touring company. The idea was that the coral was the best preserved of many spots in the Caribbean, therefore we need to take more people out to see it. I was a little taken aback, but nevertheless.

There are wonderful people if you take the time to get to know them. Huelgas are fun there. They close down the town and the tour busses stay inside. The tour companies have to hustle to get their people out by boat or by helicopter. It is a fine art.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Major title issues. Be very careful.

Mosquitos are not that much of a problem. The "geg?nes" ARE a big issue.

Water, electricity, and such are iffy at best. This is good, since it keeps the riff-raff away....

HB
 

eurotravguy

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Feb 27, 2008
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The tour companies have to hustle to get their people out by boat or by helicopter. It is a fine art.

I wonder how much a helicopter transfer from POP to Punta Rucia would cost?

Say, if 2 of wanted to transfer on a friday and picked up on a sunday to return to POP.

Any idea?
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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An absurd amount since there are buses run by Paradise Torus that go there everyday!!

HB
 
Jan 5, 2006
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I can't tell you much because I've only been there on day trips. However, I can tell you that the drive to and from Punta Rucia is an experience in itself. For anyone who has only been to DR in the last 10 years, or who have only seen the bigger cities, and you want to see what most campos (countryside towns) were like 30 years ago, then you should make that drive.