About Living In Puerto Plata

sosuamiguel59

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Aug 29, 2006
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I lived mostly full time in Sosua for two years (05-07). For the past 15 months I have been back in the States (elderly parent with health problems). The ?pull? to return to my former lifestyle is strong and I am planning on returning sometime between November and early January unless I incur more problems.

Though I am looking forward to returning, I do want to make some lifestyle changes.

I mostly lived downtown in Sosua or close enough that downtown was quite accessible. It was great. Made lots of friends, met lots of girls, got scammed a lot, etc. etc. You know the drill.

I also spent a lot of time in the barrios, worked hard on my Spanish, made quite a few Dominican friends. I enjoyed learning about a culture different from my own and had a lot of fun experiences.

Perhaps I have moved on to another stage, but this time I would like a very quiet existence away from the noise and confusion. Up here I am a country guy, perhaps a bit of a hermit and I enjoy a quiet retirement.

The truth is I could be happy about anywhere on the north coast from POP down to Rio San Juan I suppose, but am thinking of trying to find a furnished house to rent in Puerto Plata.

I wrote to Ginnie B She was nice enough to recommend a realtor whom I contacted and they seemed to think, when the time comes, they could find something in my price range ($500 or less, furnished, full time/long term).

Though I have been in and out of POP many times, it was always to go to dinner, or walk on the Malecon or go to Casa Nelson etc. I know very little about actually living in that city.

It is a long time until time for me to go. I?m certainly not pressed for time. But it is fun to research, gather information and make plans.

I have a lot of questions about living in POP but will just ask a couple right now and see if I get any responses.

Would someone tell me about the various residencial neighborhoods in Puerto Plata; which ones are affordable, which are safest to live in, where to avoid. Plusses and minuses of different locations would be interesting.

I have no problem living in a Dominican neighborhood, in fact I would welcome it. I also realize that no place is totally safe and secure but some places are better than others. I?m just looking for a quiet street, a simple two-bedroom house, needs to be furnished etc etc.

Second and last question. I have never had transportation when I have lived down there. This time I would like to try and buy a car to get around town in, perhaps a trip now and then to Santiago, Sosua or Cabarete.

I know I can go to Moca and get a quite good used car in the $8000 to $12000 range but truthfully I can be happy with less.

As an example, there is a guy I know in Sosua who drives a 99 Dodge Stratus He picked it up for not much. It is the very same car I drive up here even the same color. My car here has 140,000 miles on it, I take care of it, don?t go on long trips with it. I know one day it will quit on me but so far it is running well and saving me a big car payment. That is the type of vehicle I will be looking for down there. How do I find it?

Any other tidbits of advice about living in POP would be welcomed.

Sorry to be so wordy. I have lurked on this site for years, though not extensively, but this is the first time I have posted.
 

planner

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Sep 23, 2002
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First - buy a decent vehicle here. You are not spending enough money to justify the shipping and hassle. I can recommend someone to give you a hand finding a vehicle.

I've been in POP almost 5 years (time flies) and there are many safe neighbourhoods. And for your budget you can easily find something here for the long term. There are too many areas to get into.

First we need to assess your other needs - 24 hour electricity? Cable? Internet? Some areas have 24 hour electricity and some do not. Some you can get internet and some you cannot.

Give us more info on your needs and maybe we can help more.
 

sosuamiguel59

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Aug 29, 2006
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Thank you for the replies. More specifics? Okay! Necessities do include:

.......24-electricity (generator/inverter) whatever it takes.
.......Cable television would be important.
.......I doubt, on my retirement budget, a pool is a possibility so it is not mandatory.
.......Internet access would be most important.

I am a retired bachelor (single for the past 11 years). Here in the states my little house is totally customized to my needs. My living room has a wrap-around desk with my computer and printer, a couple of big overstuffed easy chairs, a bookcase with countless read and unread books, dozens of pictures of family, friends and places I have visited., a 46-inch HD Sony television with surround sound and a DVR.

Much of my day is spent behind the desk doing all my 'stuff' on the computer, listening to Dominican music or with the TV running. Life is good, but there are no palm trees, no tropical flowers, no warm weather in the winter, no one to work on my Spanish with, uninteresting walks (never have seen a moto with toooooo many people riding on it whiz by), not close enough to friends from around the globe to plan a day with, too many white American women with attitudes around and on and on. Why is it that at 61 I feel 70 up here and 30 down there?

So the same set up down there would be the ultimate. I understand I can't duplicate it to the last degree but my goal will be to get set up as close as I can.

One of the things that I moans and groaned about being down there was that I had to get up in the morning and pack up all the computer equipment and go to an internet cafe. The two places I frequented were usually friendly and it was normally a positive morning but would prefer to be at my own place doing my own thing.

I hear nothing but horror stories about the process of getting a reliable, fast internet connection into your living space, but even if it takes 6 months and paying a bribe, a big goal is to get high-speed internet into wherever I end up.

......Prefer a house over an apartment.
......Furnished and equipped (at least minimally as a start) is a requirement ......Would be great to have good neighbors to spend a part of the day chatting with. ......Would be nice to have a little yard or at least a courtyard of some sort to plant some flowers, barbecue, sit out and catch the breeze, do some reading, maybe get a dog.
......Important to find a landlord who will fix things when they break. I pay my bills on time and owe nothing but I want a landlord who will keep the place functioning.
......Would hope the kitchen has a stove and full size refrigerator and is equipped to cook. I cook my own meals and my waistline shows it.
......Over time would purchase and bring down stuff to customize the place.
......Could get by with a one bedroom but prefer a two bedroom...more space, room for guests etc.
......A place to pull the car in and not have to worry about it in the middle of the night would be nice.
......Nothing fancy, I'm not a fancy guy.
......$500 or less is important as I will keep my place up here and thus will begin paying two 12-month rents. As time passes and especially after my mother passes, assuming life is good there, I can see myself being there the vast majority of the time. Right now I'm hoping for 6 and 6. I do, however, have great and thankfully grown kids and a close family up here and would want to be here part of the time because of them.

I can't think of anything more specific than that. Just want to come down, find a good place to live, buy a car, make more friends, live and let live.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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I think you may have already come to realize that safety is relative to more than just location, but on how you live, whom you hang out with, what your routines are and your ability to mix in with your neighbors and, and, and...
Puerto Plata certainly offers a different lifestyle than Sosua (in good and bad), but if you still fall for the girlies, and quick amigos a la Batey nite strip, you will eventually life similar experiences plus loose any support from your neighbors. Puerto Plata, even thou tourist-business influenced, is not really a tourist town and there is a lot of classicisms.

Speaking about locations: Well there ares some well known upper scale neighborhoods like Bayardo, Torre Alta, some smaller spots in between Av. Luis Ginebra and the Malecon and some outside developments like Cofresi and on the East end Star Hills and so forth.
Realtors will mostly try to place you into Torre Alta because there is a lot of availability and they seem to believe Gringos will like it and pay premium for that location.
Most of these locations have however also had their share of issues and problems, even thou most agents will always go to great lengths to lead you into believing that this or that location is the safest spot on the island. Many of the larger developments or their extensions are still under-occupied, so what may seem so nicely quite and empty during day time may turn out to somewhat desolate and unsafe right after sundown.

Depending on your language skills, I would thus also recommend considering locations which are inhabitated by working (regular income producing) locals, make friends with them and become a integral member of that micro community... this is your best protection, not just against crime, but, God forbid, should ever anything happen to you, like a health issue.
Over concentrations of gringos and absentee owners are more likely to attract lurkers and do-no-goods. An issue Dominican neighborhoods know how to clean out on the other hand.

I love Puerto Plata, I think it is a great little town with a bright future potential and which has grown into the right direction over the last couple of years. Yet, there are problems, issues and traps and they may seem less visible than in other locations. And it is not as easy to make "Amigos" as you may have experienced it in Sousua, as most locals don't think very highly of some of the behavior displayed in tourist towns by some foreigners... so they take their precautions too.

Prices: The market in Puerto Plata is s l o w ! I am observing properties being on the market for years, even some which are priced kind of right. Well, the migratory movements in Puerto Plata are just a fraction of what it may be around Sosua and Cabarete. Still, many have kites flying, fantasy pricing concepts, are being badly advised by a hand full of greedy "agents" which promise wonders from their mostly imaginative database of pre-certified gringo buyers or just put a higher price on their property than their already over priced neighbor, thinking that if he can get so and so much, theirs has to be worth even more... forgetting however, that their neighbor has it 4-Sale for years and can't possibly move the property. Bottom line, here too, too many are betting on some foolish gringuito to schlepp a trunk load of money to the big metropole of Puerto Plata to make some fantastic "investment" in a "LUXURY"-villa (luxury, because low and behold, it has water and electricity and an automatic gate and maybe a split AC in some room). Sometimes you have to joke around quite a while with these "sellers" and ask them what compares Zurich, Paris, London, NYC and Puerto Plata... the answer is, while I prefer Puerto Plata, NOTHING. We are a handful of people who fall for this little city on this island... but it certainly does not have the economy to substantiate some of the fantasies some sellers and landlords seem to have.

A couple of days ago, I was invited by a local lady which makes a pretty good living off "wholesale-peddling" bedding accessories to visit her house to discuss mine renting it. All seemed well until she proudly mentioned that she'd only ask for USD 2000.oo a month :cheeky:. I bursted out in laughter... the house in question, while fitting my needs may have a rental value of 500 to 800 Dollars! I told her so in Pesos and she made the mistake of saying: "... pero esto no es dinero!" (the 2000.oo!)... so this is nothing? I looked her right in the eyes, and congratulated her on her business and then turned around and said that if she could show me how she made the only 2000.oo a month on her sheets and stuff I might consider surrendering to the fact that 2000.oo is indeed is no money anymore. She got the message... but right now we are waiting on who budges first. It's like making up after a good matrimonial fall out.
Others will try to sell you their used furniture... the are at it for months and can't move one piece and still ask for more than what you would pay at the store for the same items NEW.
Others again, while buying in the States, because it seemed cheaper to them, at selling time, can auto suggest themselves into believing that their potential gringo buyer not only does not know the prices in the DR but also in their country of origin. It can take months of "counseling" to pull some of these "cases" back into the real world of a little town in a (slowly) developing country with a fragile economy.
All this, together bundled with a gross lack of competitiveness, makes Puerto Plata a not so easy place to buy or rent at a realistic price when compared with locations with a "realer" economy like Santiago and Santo Domingo and their immediate surroundings.

Time and perseverance (bundled, we could call that patience) are your best friends in that case.


... J-D.
 

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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Furnished 2/3 bedroom apartment for US $500 should be possible in the Puerto Plata area Mike ........ a small house is unlikely. I would go with talking to the Agent that Lambada passed over to you & ask her to concentrate in the Urbanizacion Atlantico area near the Brugal Warehouse/bottling plant. If you can't find somewhere 'JUST' right for you before you come, take something basic & then go walking the streets in the areas you like & start asking questions of the people that live there as to what may be available. Talk friendly, joke & be seen as an honest, upstanding guy & things start to open up for you. Don't RUSH to get the first thing you see (or at the first quote ) & you should get what you are after. You have read the book so you know this is where we first started off living some 15 years ago - unfurnished, 3 bedroom but comfortable house with drive & car parking area .......... RD $3,000 per month. That would be at least RD $16,000 per month now I would think (just over US $500.00) but who knows WHAT you might be able to negotiate. We found them wonderful neighbours too.

The alternative would be just across the main road from Urbanizacion Atlantico (lower Torre Alta & behind the Coca Cola place) - the houses appear a lot closer together to me there & the neighbours could be a little noisier, but this is only my impression, I have not checked it out.

I know a lovely place at US $750 per month that might be available after September/October (eh J-D??) but that is regrettably not negotiable. Internet service, cable TV & inverter etc is already there but these utilities are extra over the rental!! From your comments above I think this would be a little too steep for your budget.

Good luck with your hunting - I know you will get lots of help from this forum & that (if you are patient) you will find something to meet your tastes & be competitively priced. ~ Grahame.
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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You have the benefit of having lived for 2 years on the north coast recently already & having got many of the mistakes new folks make behind you. It should be easier this time & you should be able to be a lot more self reliant and independent. By being so, it will be a lot easier to gain the respect of your neighbours. JD's post alludes to the differences between Puerto Plata & Sosua in terms of the population. Some of the 'traps' you could fall into in PP are less obvious, more subtle than the ones you experienced in Sosua. So, in everything you do, rely on yourself & present your quietly confident, friendly, firm, streetsmart persona.

Wish you well, Mike, & doubtless I'll bump into you in Tropical supermarket sometime. :)
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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given your necessities (24/7 power, internet, cable, pool would be nice) you'll have limited area to look at. puerto plata electridad provides more reliable electricity than edenorte but it's rande id not impressive - it reaches the urbanizacion behind cola-cola and part of torre alta only. in both places you may find apartment with access to the pool for decent price, i had a friend living behind coca cola plant in two-apartment building for about 10k pesos (about 300 dollars) a month (pool in the yard and garage included).
try to use local estate agents or better even word of mouth to find a place to live so that you avoid gringo prices. i guess that urbanizacion atlantica, behind brugal is also in range of puerto plata electricidad and it has less gringos living there.
other that that: cable will cost you about 1.000 pesos a month and internet 2.500 pesos, they are almost never included in rental costs.
if you are ready to invest in inversor (about 1000 dollars, depending on its size and your needs) you can live almost anywhere in the city but not in barrios - they do not have pools in there (unless a plastic pool with 3/4 water and 1/4 kid's **** counts ;)).
as far as the safety issues go - i lived in both gated community and in a barrio, there is not much difference. of course as a gringo you are assumed to have more money than other but you'll be targeted in any place.
good luck with settling in POP! :cheeky:
 

gringosabroso

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POP?? Costambar? Cofresi?

I've been living in POP for 12 years of contentment; I bought a house 3 1/2 years ago. At my stage of life, I'm here to stay.

* I suggest you begin your search in Costambar or [less promising] Cofresi. Why?

* There are many condos & apts. for rent in Costambar. The majority of residents are foreigners; much more so in the winter months. The subdivision is pleasant; a very nice social life; many restaurants & bars w/i walking distance. I would not sign a lease for more than 1 year. You might rent a room by the week or month for 2 - 3 months. During the off season [May to Dec.]. the vacancy rates in small hotels, etc. are @ 80%. You'll meet a lot of people; most very pleasant; some useful to your searchest.

* Costambar is @ 15" from downtown POP; you can investigate other potential living areas from Costambar; buses are readily available & cheap.

* Buying a car? I suggest you contact Marco @ Rocky's Blues Bar, Sosua; he knows more @ the DR auto scene than anyone I've met. The prices are said to be lowest in Moca, Santiago, & Santo Domingo. In your price range, have a local, RELIABLE, HONEST mechanic check the car before you buy.

* Renting a car? [some] Private parties & garages rent used cars by the week or month, at realistic prices. Ask around; shop around.

* Internet service? I've had Codetel DSL for @ 4 years; 1,500 Pesos / month, or cheaper; as good as most American services. Vonage & Skype are available.

* If you get hung up, I suggest that you return to this board. Most members are kind hearted & generous. Good hunting!
 

sosuamiguel59

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Aug 29, 2006
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Thank you for your input. Your suggestions were constructive and informative. I copy and pasted the comments off onto a worksheet and read each entry two or three times, highlighting the important parts.

Here is what I learned plus some questions I have that I wish you would write more about.

Regarding a car purchase: There were differing opinions as to whether I should buy a car here in the states and ship it down or purchase a car when I get down there. The advantage of buying a car here would be that I can get a guaranteed car and comfortably know what the mileage is and what the car’s history is. The disadvantage is the time and effort involved in getting it to the shipping point, the cost of shipping and God knows what kind of games I would have to deal with getting it off the boat down there.

I have some experience shipping a car. My first year in the Caribbean was in Puerto Rico followed by several months on the island of Dominica before settling in the Dominican Republic. Being a midwesterner I had to drive the car to Jacksonville, Florida to put it on the boat. I remember it was expensive. And the red tape involved in getting it out of customs in San Juan and getting it licensed was more than I expected and there wasn’t any corruption involved. I know enough about getting in and out of Dominican airports to imagine what getting a car through customs and on the road down there might be.

The advantage of buying one down there is that you don’t have to do what I just described. The disadvantage is that who knows how many actual miles it has or how many wrecks it has been in. Car’s are expensive for what you get down there.

Spending $10K or more on some wheels makes me cringe. You mentioned that Moca is probably the place to go. That I knew through prior research and I know that there is a mechanic in Sosua who, for a fee, will make the trip with you, help pick one out, do the negotiating for you, bring it back and give it a close look before making final payment etc. But $10K-$12K is a lot of money.

I still wonder if it isn’t possible to find a reliable private seller who has a car that maybe isn’t so bright and shiny but will get me around in POP, to Santiago once in a while or down the road to Sosua or Cabarete.

It was also suggested that perhaps I can find a garage or mechanic who might rent a car to me long term. I have checked into renting a car long term previously and found the prices ridiculous. I have an ex-friend who offered to rent me his Jeep for $800 a month. He was serious. As I said, he is now an ex-friend.

It was mentioned to contact Marco and I will do that. Marco is an acquaintance of mine and I have spent many a morning on the internet in his place. I have enjoyed lots of cups of coffee there, many a breakfast (can’t remember anymore what my # on the menu is anymore.

The other alternative is no car. I have done my time crowded into the Gua Guas and publicos with some jerk trying to charge me twice as much as the Dominican sitting next to me, not so much so that he will make an extra 20 pesos, but more just to put one over on the ‘stupid’ gringo. I don’t really want to ride in style like that anymore.

Perhaps I should buy a pasola and become road kill.

I learned that the best neighborhoods in POP are Bayardo, Torre Alta, the area between Avenida Luis Ginebra and the Malecon, Cofresi and Star Hills on the East End. Probably those places are above my budget.

I took note that you recommended that for $500 a month I was most likely to find a ?furnished? house to rent in the Urbanizacion Atlantico area near the Brugal Warehouse/Bottling Plant. It was also mentioned that across the road from the Urbanizacion Atlantico area in Lower Torre Alta and behind the Coca Cola plant might be a possibility. It was suggested that I consider working class mostly Dominican neighborhoods (I assume that these neighborhoods are Dominican inhabited) as the monthly rental will be less.

Costambar was also suggested. Have they fixed the road into Costambar yet. That has to be the worse road I was ever on, which is saying something in the DR. One time we went there and I swear it took 30 minutes to get from the highway into Costambar proper.

The $750 furnished house Grahame mentioned sounded great except for the $750 part.

A Dominican neighborhood would be great with me. I am very comfortable around the Dominicans. I speak the language well enough to get by. I understand the culture more than most gringos with two years experience on the island. I like and respect Dominicans for the most part.

I have never stepped foot in Playa Dorado or stayed in a 4-star All-Inclusive. But, I have spent a weekend in the poorest of Haitian barrios (it was awful, I learned a lot about what hungry children look like). I have turned the ?spit? on the pig roasting for Christmas Eve dinner and then eaten the meal with Dominican friends in the barrio next to Zoilo in Sosua. I have a great story about the Christmas pig. I don’t know Cienega (between Sosua and Cabarete) like the back of my hand but I know it pretty well and have been there many times.. I am still probably the world’s worse domino player but I have sat around a little table in the barrio, chugged brugal and received many dirty looks from the Dominican who got stuck as my partner.

My point is I’m comfortable with the Dominicans. I know, just like the gringos, you have to be careful who you trust and that some of them like to play, “scam the gringo,” but overall I respect them for having little, having even less prospect of ever getting much yet always seeming to have a smile on their face and a positive attitude.

Living in a Dominican neighborhood is okay with me

More than one of you said I may not be able to get a furnished rental house with 24-hour electricity, the possibility of an internet connection for the money I want to spend and thus should consider getting an apartment instead. Perhaps so and if I can’t find a house like what I want then I will sadly backstep into an apartment. I don’t know why but there is just somehing about having a detached house. Plant a few flowers, get a dog, put a clothesline up, barbecue out back etc.

I definitely got the point about getting in good with the neighbors and the importance of getting to know the neighbors and being a good neighbor. I understand how this relates to safety and security. Working hard to become an integral member of the neighborhood is important to me as well.

Safety and Security. I agree with what you said about there never being a totally safe place but that safety is more than just where you are. It has to do with how you live, who you know, who you bring home etc. I also took note that a high-priced gated gringo community is not necessarily safer than a Dominican neighborhood where the people know how to handle the petty criminals coming in. I always worry down there Up here in the country I don’t even have to lock my doors. I don’t relish going back to sleeping with my most cherished possessions and I’m not talking about some sweet young thing. I’m talking about my computer, my passport, my money clip and my billfold. Anyone else ever sleep with their computer? :)

I read what you said about 24-hour electricity and that the possibility for an internet connection is possible in some areas and not in others. What about Urbanizacion Atlantico and Lower Torre Alta?

I am not a technical guy. I hear you talking about Inverters. I don’t understand an inverter? They don’t have generators in these houses? An inverter costs $1000. What is an inverter? I think when comparing having a house and having 24-hour electricity in an apartment I would have to reluctantly choose the luz.

I hoped someone would talk about what is involved in the process of getting hooked up with a DSL connection. As I mentioned before I have heard horror stories about a 6-month wait????
You mentioned that there are a couple of choices...Codetel, Vonage. How do you go about getting prompt service?

Also appreciated your estimates of the cost of cable, internet, electricity per month.

A pool would be nice but it is not a priority. Surely I can find a pool somewhere to go now and then for a dip. There is also a very large ocean quite close by.

Lambada mentioned Tropical Supermarket. Is that the Sosua Super Playera of POP?

So thank you for your suggestions and perhaps after reading this you could come back with more comments based on your experience as residents there.
 

donnaparadise

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You do not have to pay that much money to live in Puerto Plata - not at all. You can get a very large apartment, or one floor of a 2-floor house like I have for $12K pesos a month. Light is less than $1K a month and we have power 24/7 as well as water. Check out Samana Grande, which is behind Plaza Turisol. I also have the name of a really reputable real estate agent who often has rental listing for houses and apartments well below the $700+ quoted you. PM me if you like and I'll give you her name.

Right now, it is becoming a little easier and faster to get internet etc., as there is more competition in P0P with the new phone company making their entrance and giving Codetel a bit of a run for their money with their plans and pricing schemes and Service~

As far as buying a car, I bought one from someone who was returning home for about $4K US. It wasn't much of a car and I eventually wanted a 4x4 and traded it in, but they can be had. There is an English speaking paper (Costambar Monthly) that often advertises cars that foreigners are selling at really good prices and you don't really have to spend as much as you are saying, unless you go to a dealer. There are many reputable dealers here as well now - not like just a few short years ago.

I had considered bringing my car in as well as I have my residency and you can bring one in once for no duty. If you do not have residency, you will have to pay duty and other fees and you will have to go to SD to get the car cleared through customs unless you pay for someone to do that for you. It is a lot of hassle and frankly, it just wasn't worth the trouble to me as I already had had to deal with them when I brought a container down full of personal effects. Even though I was not supposed to pay duty, they found things that were new and charged me anyways. Luckily I had a really good, reputable broker and he got some shaved off but it could have been a very expensive proposition and I had to go to SD twice and almost had to go 3 times because of a clerical error. I raised the roof and got exempted and didn't have to return, but it was a close call.

Right now, cable is $600 a month but that is changing too with a new company coming in from Santiago that is supposed to have better service and a better rate. Let's hope so at least. I got so fed up, I got a satellite but that is really not the best solution, really.

Phone will depend on the plan, but with internet (although not DSL) basic includes internet for less than $1000 pesos a month. If you ask for a long distance plan, they used to charge another 50 pesos a month for a 20% discount on all long distance. The plans change all the time, and this could have changed as well, because Codetel is competing with the new dog on the block and scrambling trying to keep their customers.

DSL is more expensive, and I'm sorry, but I don't have the current fees on that right now.

Tropical IS the Playero of Puerto Plata, along with Jose Luis, which also has good products to offer. Silverio Messon has really gone downhill and other than small and large appliances, doesn't have that much to offer anymore. It looks more like a bad dollar store now.
 

Lambada

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Lambada mentioned Tropical Supermarket. Is that the Sosua Super Playera of POP?

So thank you for your suggestions and perhaps after reading this you could come back with more comments based on your experience as residents there.

No Tropical is vastly different from Playero - much larger, much wider range of products, cheaper than Playero, many Dominicans shop there and...........you don't find too many threads on DR1 notifying of scams at Tropical (in fact I can't recall one) whereas I seem to recall a few about Playero......... :cheeky:
 

rio2003

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Aug 16, 2006
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Look elsewhere...

.......Check out Samana Grande, which is ..........

Sabana Grande has daily power outtages - sometimes all day.
When it rains, the roads turn to mud.
Some of the neighbours may be a little too "local" for sosuamiguel I would imagine!
Atlantico is much better, or Torre Alta if the budget stretches.

Rio
 

donnaparadise

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Sabana Grande has daily power outtages - sometimes all day.
When it rains, the roads turn to mud.
Some of the neighbours may be a little too "local" for sosuamiguel I would imagine!
Atlantico is much better, or Torre Alta if the budget stretches.

Rio

I live in that area and I have not experienced the daily power outages that you speak of at all. I don't even have an invertor and have no problems. Sometimes the power company has to do maintenance and they call beforehand and let us know how long it will take to do whatever it is they need to do and we can plan for it. It is rarely for very long.

The road directly in has been finished and the rest is being scheduled as soon as they finish building the new school up ahead.

I do believe, Sosuamiguel stated he liked being with the 'locals' as I recall, therefore suggested this area.

There are apartments in Torre Alta for a reasonable price but he won't get the space and number of rooms he is looking for for what he is prepared to pay. He does not have to pay $500 in Puerto Plata if he is able to take the time to look and talk to those who are not paying that much.
 

donnaparadise

New member
Sep 1, 2003
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paralaestrella.com
I agree with the Cobraboy. There are lots of reputable dealers in Puerto Plata now and a really good used car can be bought with little problem, although they are more expensive through a dealer.

There are good deals to be had if you have the patience to wait, have good contacts, know a good mechanic that can check it out before buying and are not fussy as to model, year, colour, etc......

Bringing your car through customs and all the trips to Santo Domingo to get it cleared as well as add in the aggravation factor, made it much cheaper to buy from a dealer in Puerto Plata - at least for me.
 

rio2003

Bronze
Aug 16, 2006
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I live in that area and I have not experienced the daily power outages that you speak of at all. I don't even have an invertor and have no problems. Sometimes the power company has to do maintenance and they call beforehand and let us know how long it will take to do whatever it is they need to do and we can plan for it. It is rarely for very long.

The road directly in has been finished and the rest is being scheduled as soon as they finish building the new school up ahead.

I do believe, Sosuamiguel stated he liked being with the 'locals' as I recall, therefore suggested this area.

There are apartments in Torre Alta for a reasonable price but he won't get the space and number of rooms he is looking for for what he is prepared to pay. He does not have to pay $500 in Puerto Plata if he is able to take the time to look and talk to those who are not paying that much.

Hi - I don't mean to argue with you but I think you are talking about the new development at the side of the "coca cola" which is parallel to Sabana Grande and not the place itself. Sabana Grande is accessed from Plaza Turisol directly on unsurfaced roads. The new development is accessed from the other side of the Coca Cola plant and does indeed have "proper" roads.
Sabana Grande itself does have daily power outtages, muddy roads and a variety of inhabitants - largely due to the amount of construction going on around in the locality.
 

donnaparadise

New member
Sep 1, 2003
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paralaestrella.com
I access where I live from behind Plaza Turisol and you are correct in that the roads are not that great right now once you get in a little bit. The school is almost complete and I'm told that 'Walter' has these roads scheduled for re-paving as soon as that is finished.

Again, I have not experienced any power outages here where I live, although I know that further in there have been as they are not on Puerto Plata hydro, but still on Eden Norte, for now.

In order to find a place in this area, you have to investigate which 'side' you are on and it should be OK.

No arguments here. It is good to clarify things and I appreciate the input...

I really like living there because it is very quiet and even though there is a mixture of many types of people, feel very safe. Now, if the neighbour lady could just train her rooster to wait past 3:00 a.m. before he starts crowing - it would be perfect! lol
 

rio2003

Bronze
Aug 16, 2006
1,233
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0
I access where I live from behind Plaza Turisol and you are correct in that the roads are not that great right now once you get in a little bit. The school is almost complete and I'm told that 'Walter' has these roads scheduled for re-paving as soon as that is finished.

Again, I have not experienced any power outages here where I live, although I know that further in there have been as they are not on Puerto Plata hydro, but still on Eden Norte, for now.

In order to find a place in this area, you have to investigate which 'side' you are on and it should be OK.

No arguments here. It is good to clarify things and I appreciate the input...

I really like living there because it is very quiet and even though there is a mixture of many types of people, feel very safe. Now, if the neighbour lady could just train her rooster to wait past 3:00 a.m. before he starts crowing - it would be perfect! lol


I am totally confused - we don't seem to be talking about the same place - surfaced roads, no power cuts, quiet!!!
That is not the Sabana Grande I have lived in and visited for the past 12 years :confused:
 

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
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www.ginniebedggood.com
Lived in Puerto Plata nearly 16 years. Have bought 3 vehicles in that time all bought in PP. First one great but wanted a jeepeta. Second one pile of junk. Third one still have - bought from an Irish mechanic who was leaving: new chassis, regular servicing by good mechanic.

P.S. Still alive ;) .