4 week travel in DR with 3 year old

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lukakul

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May 10, 2008
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Hi I wanted to consult with you our plan. Will be travelling with our 3 yold son.
Our plan is following:
7 days Punta Cana in AI resort (Iberostar Bavaro) - relax
then rent a car and...
2 days somwehere around Laguna Limon (hotel La Cueva Limon)
2 days in Santo Domingo
3 days Barahoa
2 days Jarabacoa
7 days North Coast between Sousa i Cabarete
2 days Samana peninsula
2 days Punta Cana

We are well travelled in Asia, Africa, Mexico, Guate, Cuba, Europe. Both speak Spanish (my wife near native)
My questions:
- Do you know any places you would recommend to stay?
- Any changes to this plan? Isn't it too hectic?
- Any advice on kids travelling?
- Any advice on driving and rental?
- Is it possible to rent a car with driver for 3 weeks? What would be the budget for it?

- Any other ideas?

Thanks Lukakul
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Send a PM to "rubio_higuey" and see if Benjy wants to do this with you guys...he is stationed out that way and knows how to get around.

It would make your trip a lit easier.

I would skip Barahona....unless there is specific reason for going out that way--and there are good reasons to go there (Lake Enriquillo, Polo Magnetico, Bah?a de las Aguilas)

2 days for Santo Domingo seems too little...but maybe not...

I will say this: IF you finally decide to rent a car and drive, get all the insurance you possibly can. Also get a cell phone. Make a list of important numbers. In the DR, any little fender bender is a major scene....to be avoided at any cost. In 99,99% of the cases it will not be your fault, but you, the foreigner, will be accused of the most outrageous driving mistakes....

Good luck,

HB
 
Y

Yachtmaster

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Jul 2, 2007
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What about driving time? The time you want to spend in the areas you mention adds up to nearly four weeks.

As Hillbilly mentions, a fender bender in the DR is a major event and also a common one. If you damage a rental vehicle, you will need to submit a police report to the rental agency. Not easy to do, and time consuming. To file a police report, both parties involved in the accident need to go to the police and make a statement. Good luck with that one.

I recently had a guagua side swipe me and he just sped away. An AMET (traffic police) officer witnessed it and after I asked her why she did not stop the guagua, the only response I got was "guagua se fue"

I would seriously check the car rental damage coverage small print both on your credit card insurance if you have it and the CDW that the car rental company offers to see if they will cover damage in the event of a hit and run?
 
M

montreal

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Apr 17, 2006
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I would visit Santiago between your visit to jarabacoa and the north coast. If you are beach lovers and have a 4wd, I would suggets staying longer in Samana. There is a lot to do and see there.

I personally would not stay so long around Sosua/Cabarete when with my kids.

If you dont want to feel rushed you might want to skip the Southwest and save it for a whole other trip.

If you are on a budget a good family hotel in Santo Domingo (meaning quiet and with two beds) would be La Residencia on Danae (Gazcue). Around 1000p w/ac.

How do you plan on getting your car from samana back to punta cana? The ferry service does not transport cars.

You child will love it!
 
R

rubio_higuey

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Feb 7, 2007
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Yachtmaster said:
As Hillbilly mentions, a fender bender in the DR is a major event and also a common one. If you damage a rental vehicle, you will need to submit a police report to the rental agency. Not easy to do, and time consuming. To file a police report, both parties involved in the accident need to go to the police and make a statement. Good luck with that one.
Click to expand...

This is not true! One party can make a claim and file a police report without other party being present. You just need to have a place (licence plate) of the other vehicle.

About 6 weeks ago my front left bumper got damaged by an idiot on SUV who was pushing himself upfront-right on Ovando/M.Gomez. He stopped to explore the damages but refused to go to police (of course he was claiming "I" hit him - which anybody just by seeing the bumper damage and the way it was damaged could not even consider). He was drunk. I took the placa number and went to Casa de Conductor to file a report, as one party, giving my version of the story and got a signed and stamped report for my insurance company.
 
C

CabareteJayLEK

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May 11, 2008
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Places to stay and things to do on the North Coast

Greetings from Cabarete,

If you are planning on spending 7 days on the North Coast, I would recommend Cabarete. There are amazing restaurants, nightlife, but most of all, water sports including kitesurfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, and surfing. There are several schools in town for each that can provide you with professional instruction.

As for places to stay, I recommend Ocean Dream. It is a very nice beachfront condominium complex that is just minutes away from everything that Cabarete has to offer.
 
Y

Yachtmaster

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rubio_higuey said:
This is not true! One party can make a claim and file a police report without other party being present. You just need to have a place (licence plate) of the other vehicle.

About 6 weeks ago my front left bumper got damaged by an idiot on SUV who was pushing himself upfront-right on Ovando/M.Gomez. He stopped to explore the damages but refused to go to police (of course he was claiming "I" hit him - which anybody just by seeing the bumper damage and the way it was damaged could not even consider). He was drunk. I took the placa number and went to Casa de Conductor to file a report, as one party, giving my version of the story and got a signed and stamped report for my insurance company.
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You were lucky, did you have to pay him?

I tried to report my fender bender to the police, accompanied by a Dominican friend, without the other party there. Police said "grande problema". Fortunately for me my Dominican friend who is a taxi driver and very street smart and was able to work around the system in this instance (a topic for another thread at another time). However, I was informed by many people including the authorities that both parties must present themselves to make a statement.
I was lucky.
 
R

rubio_higuey

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Feb 7, 2007
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No, I didn't pay anything. I came to Casa de conductor and just filed a report there. Before going there I called a friend of mine, PN major, who was previously head of trafico before it was handed over to AMET, and he told me to just go there and file a report, and write down the license plate of the offending vehicle. I did just like that, and no problems.
 
Y

Yachtmaster

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rubio_higuey said:
No, I didn't pay anything. I came to Casa de conductor and just filed a report there. Before going there I called a friend of mine, PN major, who was previously head of trafico before it was handed over to AMET, and he told me to just go there and file a report, and write down the license plate of the offending vehicle. I did just like that, and no problems.
Click to expand...
Lucky you. I will try the same next time. It's interesting how the car rental agencies almost expect cars to be returned damaged and seem surprised when they are not. By the way, my fender bender also happened on M. Gomez. The traffic is absolutely nuts on that street.
 
B

Borec

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Laguna Lemon is excellent, instead of hotel la cueva, stay at Harley's heaven, just next door, I can get you the phone if you interested. If you would have 4x4 you could explore the beaches properly around there. But you will need at least beach chairs, as there is nothing there.

If you stay around Barahona, try to stay longer, the coast b/w Barahona and Oviedo is beautiful. check my pictures at David's Pictures of Dominican Republic

I would strongly recommend to drive all the way to Bahia de las Aguilas (about 2.5 hr drive from Barahona, if you have no 4x4 you will need to take a boat from the park entrance, but it is most amazing place in DR.
I would give a skip to lago enriquillo, not much to see there. see my last post on the subject
http://www.dr1.com/forums/trip-reports/75253-trip-lago-enriquillo-polo-bahia-de-las-aguilas.html#post639304

The coast there is also very beautiful.

I am not sure that the coast around Puerto Plata - Cabarete - Sosua should get two days, depends on what you want, if you are after nightlife, then yes, if you want to see some natural beauty, you will be better of spending your time at Samana, Jarabacoa or SouthWest.

See my short post on this here (post 24):
http://www.dr1.com/forums/trip-reports/72277-pictures-my-trips-3.html#post633291

Jarabacoa has some nice places, especially the waterfalls, if you would have SUV I would recommend that you would drive from Jarabacaoa - Cosntanza - and through valle nuevo to San Jose de Ocoa and from there to Barahona. Even though this might be just about possible to drive with a ordinary car, you will hit lots of rocks and beat the hell out if it. Maybe not a trip for 3 year old, but definitely something you will not forget.
If you interested I can give you GPS or Google earth tracks.

Santo Domingo is in my opinion also worth only a passing visit, unless you are after some night life.

Once you work out your travel plan I can give you some places where I have stayed.

As to travel with kids, it might be lot of driving for a 3 year old, the main roads are generally ok, but you will have to watch for potholes even on a "freeway", that is the fact of life in DR. Be prepared that majority of Dominican drivers do not use indicators, mirrors, have no idea what the dividing line is for, and believe that they are the only ones using the road.
 
M

montreal

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Apr 17, 2006
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Borec said:
Laguna Lemon is excellent, instead of hotel la cueva, stay at Harley's heaven, just next door, I can get you the phone if you interested. If you would have 4x4 you could explore the beaches properly around there. But you will need at least beach chairs, as there is nothing there.

If you stay around Barahona, try to stay longer, the coast b/w Barahona and Oviedo is beautiful. check my pictures at David's Pictures of Dominican Republic

I would strongly recommend to drive all the way to Bahia de las Aguilas (about 2.5 hr drive from Barahona, if you have no 4x4 you will need to take a boat from the park entrance, but it is most amazing place in DR.
I would give a skip to lago enriquillo, not much to see there. see my last post on the subject
http://www.dr1.com/forums/trip-reports/75253-trip-lago-enriquillo-polo-bahia-de-las-aguilas.html#post639304

The coast there is also very beautiful.

I am not sure that the coast around Puerto Plata - Cabarete - Sosua should get two days, depends on what you want, if you are after nightlife, then yes, if you want to see some natural beauty, you will be better of spending your time at Samana, Jarabacoa or SouthWest.

See my short post on this here (post 24):
http://www.dr1.com/forums/trip-reports/72277-pictures-my-trips-3.html#post633291

Jarabacoa has some nice places, especially the waterfalls, if you would have SUV I would recommend that you would drive from Jarabacaoa - Cosntanza - and through valle nuevo to San Jose de Ocoa and from there to Barahona. Even though this might be just about possible to drive with a ordinary car, you will hit lots of rocks and beat the hell out if it. Maybe not a trip for 3 year old, but definitely something you will not forget.
If you interested I can give you GPS or Google earth tracks.

Santo Domingo is in my opinion also worth only a passing visit, unless you are after some night life.

Once you work out your travel plan I can give you some places where I have stayed.

As to travel with kids, it might be lot of driving for a 3 year old, the main roads are generally ok, but you will have to watch for potholes even on a "freeway", that is the fact of life in DR. Be prepared that majority of Dominican drivers do not use indicators, mirrors, have no idea what the dividing line is for, and believe that they are the only ones using the road.
Click to expand...

Borec, I have to disagree with your comment on the capital. Plaza de la cultura alone is worth a whole day. I think it is an essential stop for the first time visitor. To help them understand the history of the DR and the people. Great pics BTW Thanks for sharing them!

I'm not sure lukalul is after nightlife with a 3 yo ;)

Lukalul, if your child is well travelled and you stop often to take in the surroundings I'm sure you boy/girl will be fine. My kids love road trips across the DR, the wilder the better :bunny:

We are probably confusing you more than anything....100 people will advise you 100 different ways. No te preocupes. Take your time and visit at your own pace. If you dont get to see everything that's great. IT MEANS YOU GET TO COME BACK!

SUERTE
 
B

Borec

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It very much depends what you want to do in SD, you can spend a half a day just in Botanical Garden, but generally one day walk around zona colonial is just about enough, especially with 3 year old - ya the nightlife was a jibe. Lets face it Santo Domingo is not exactly Paris or Prague, and after being mugged I am not a great fan.
 
M

montreal

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Borec said:
It very much depends what you want to do in SD, you can spend a half a day just in Botanical Garden, but generally one day walk around zona colonial is just about enough, especially with 3 year old - ya the nightlife was a jibe. Lets face it Santo Domingo is not exactly Paris or Prague, and after being mugged I am not a great fan.
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OUCH! That's bad luck...Prague??? Is that good nightlife? I'm curious now.

Good things to visit in SD (with my kids anyways)

-of course zona colonial
-the market around el mercado modelo (lots of everything for sale)
-botanical gardens
-plaza de la cultura (it is not that busy so if they run around a little it is okay. There is plenty of room in the park outside to play and take breaks
-los tres ojos is also a tourist option
 
B

Borec

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Dec 20, 2005
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montreal said:
OUCH! That's bad luck...Prague??? Is that good nightlife? I'm curious now.

-los tres ojos is also a tourist option
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I was not refering to night life, come to think of it it was not that bad. I was refering to things to see (museums, churches etc.).

tres ojos definetely! and while you are that way, the aquarium is not that bad either.

and I was mugged in a park on sunday afternoon - not on a night life expeditions, I am past that now.
 
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montreal

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Borec said:
I was not refering to night life, come to think of it it was not that bad. I was refering to things to see (museums, churches etc.).

tres ojos definetely!
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying. Maybe I will get there one day.....
 
B

Borec

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Dec 20, 2005
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Wrong, I am czech, but that is why I do not live there, even though I have a flat and cottage there.
 
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