Trust the Taxi Driver??

There are posted signs at the airport for the amounts to be paid to all destinations, including Rio San Juan. I don't know if there is a night surcharge, but the important thing is to ask for the fee in advance. You should not have any problems besides crazy dominican driving but you can get used to that too.

canadiansilver said:

So I have a trip planned to DR. First trip. We fly into Puerto Plata at 9:15pm. We need to get from the airport to Bahia Principe in Rio San Juan. I've read on some other sites that you should be cautious getting a taxi or just avoid them all together.

What are your thoughts? Can I trust the driver will take me where I need to go? How much can I expect to pay? Is there something I should look for to ensure the drivers on the level? Does the time of night have any implications or cause any additional concerns for me?

Again I've never been to DR so any information you have for me will be appreciated.

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My guess it will be at least $100 US.

Why not to rent a car right from the airport for $25 instead? You cannot miss RSJ, it is just one straight road all the way through Sosua, Cabarete and further on.

canadiansilver said:

So I have a trip planned to DR. First trip. We fly into Puerto Plata at 9:15pm. We need to get from the airport to Bahia Principe in Rio San Juan. I've read on some other sites that you should be cautious getting a taxi or just avoid them all together.

What are your thoughts? Can I trust the driver will take me where I need to go? How much can I expect to pay? Is there something I should look for to ensure the drivers on the level? Does the time of night have any implications or cause any additional concerns for me?

Again I've never been to DR so any information you have for me will be appreciated.

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For many years whenever we have a need for a taxi in the Puerto Plata/Sosua/Cabarete areas, we have used Wilson Guzman. We also recommend him to and he is used by our friends that come to visit us. He always picks them up at the Airport.

Wilson is a very honest, trustworthy person who is not only a good taxi driver but also is very helpful in the ways of the DR. He also speaks English.

His telephone number is (809) 429-2110. No harm in calling him ahead of time to get a price from him and reserve his services. If you do call him, tell him Andy recommended him to you (no I do not get commission or any form of referral fee). Don't expect it to be cheap at that time of night from the airport to Bahia Principe in Rio San Juan. Or, if you wish, PM me your details and I can pass them on to him and help you with the details. I do not know if he has an email address.

Good luck.


Andy

I would not recommend that your introduction to Dominican "driving" be a night trip, anywhere on the island. Stick with a taxi...

Gregg

We use the "Taxi Sousa-Cabarete" the driver we use is "German Garcia"
if you contact the cab company ask for this driver, he is very friendly and reliable.
We are from British Columbia and have used the taxi service in this area many times, it's always been good.

If you are not very much used to Latin American roads and traffic... DON'T rent... and if you still can't resist the urge, DON'T drive at night, especially NOT the first time (you never should)!

Airport taxis (you won't find any others at airports) come at a premium and should usually not be a risk to their passengers. But to keep things smooth, discuss the price BEFORE boarding the cab... and close the deal with a hand shake. Explain very clearly WHERE exactly you want to go (WHICH hotel) and ask him if he knows the hotel and where it is... many hotels are quite a far shot off their name location... so, your spoken deal has to be TO THE HOTEL, not the location (e.g.: HOTEL BAHIA PRINCIPE instead of "Rio San Juan").. so there won't be some sorry discussions about the hotel winding up to be farther than the town blah, blah, blah...

It is not unusual for cab drivers to be short of cash and to pull up to a gas station and ask you for an advance on the spoken fare to fill up (it's not out of mistrust). Just don't advance more than 50% of your fare.
Also, if you get friendly with him.... you are very welcome to ask him to pull up at a safe place where you all can sip a Coke or grab something typical to ear (you pick up the tab, of course). If you are interested in getting a quick up to speed on the country, that will most likely prove to be the ticket to it.

Don't pay the fare, until your luggage is all taken out of the vehicle at your destination.

You may also call the hotel and ask if they have a shuttle or a tour coming back around your arrival time.

... J-D.

In the Dominican Republic we have different dirvers union. For example at POP there is " Sosua & Cabarete taxi union " the drivers make turns to pick up the paxengers, there is another one " Sindicato de transporte turistico de la zona norte " the secund one work individually under reservations or just like subcontractors of the big tour operators.
I have the Email adress of the secund one, if you are interested in PM me.

JJ.

Or you could call the hotel and see if they have shuttle service. If they do not have shuttle service, ask them to arrange a car or taxi known to them for a set price.

That way, you have the price prenegotiated, and a driver who is known by the resort. If you have problems, the resort can help you out. The driver, hopefully, will want future business with the resort and will, hopefully, not want to screw around.

Good luck, and enjoy your trip!

If you've booked an all inclusive from Canada check to see if transfer to the hotel is included. They send out a bus for this.

also some accomadations that are not all inclusive will send a driver (of course you pay) but having it arranged in advance seems like a good idea.

An earlier poster made a good point.

Seems to me that if you are coming from Canada, you are likely coming with a Canadian tour operator and have bought a package. If that is the case, you have the transfer included and there will be a nice young lady from your tour operator (Air Transat for example) at the airport to tell you what bus to take.

Cheers!

Joe

If you are staying at the Bahia isn't there a shuttle service to the hotel provided by your tour operator? Who is it booked through? I am a travel agent that sells packages down to the DR and if you are booked in an AI then the shuttle service is provided unless you did the air and hotel seperatly.

Going down to the DR 4-5 times a year I would not want to drive that route at night. There are no lights on the road and the drive is a fair distance from the airport. Hell even during the day driving I get freaked out!!! But I still do it.

PM me if you need anymore information.

Cheers

Sammy

dose anyone have Mr. Wilson Guzman email so I can email him?

monnie77 said:

dose anyone have Mr. Wilson Guzman email so I can email him?

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He's a friend of mine. Far as I know, he doesn't have an email address. His cel number is 809-429-2110.

He's taking me tomorrow to pick up my son at airport. I'll ask him how he can be contacted besides phone.

I support "aross" and Ken2 on this one:
For many years whenever we have a need for a taxi in the Puerto Plata/Sosua/Cabarete areas, we have used Wilson Guzman. We also recommend him to and he is used by our friends that come to visit us. He always picks them up at the Airport.

Wilson is a very honest, trustworthy person who is not only a good taxi driver but also is very helpful in the ways of the DR. He also speaks English.

His telephone number is (809) 429-2110. No harm in calling him ahead of time to get a price from him and reserve his services. If you do call him, tell him Andy recommended him to you (no I do not get commission or any form of referral fee). Don't expect it to be cheap at that time of night from the airport to Bahia Principe in Rio San Juan. Or, if you wish, PM me your details and I can pass them on to him and help you with the details. I do not know if he has an email address.

Good luck.

Unless your tour company provides you with a shuttle service, this is the guy you want to use on your first night in the country. Later on, you can explore on your own.

HB

As a matter of information, Wilson is looking ahead to the day when he stops driving taxi. He has been taking night/Saturday courses in law from the university branch in Puerto Plata for quite some time and will be graduating sometime this year. He is already in the process of looking for a position where he can work as a lawyer and apply all that he has learned in his studies.

The taxi business has been very slow in Sosua for the past year or two. However, while the other drivers play dominoes and watch TV, Wilson studies his books.

monnie77, later tomorrow afternoon I will post whatever Wilson says is the best way to contact him if you are outside the Dominican Republic. If you have anything specific you want me to ask him, send me a PM before 1:45 pm tomorrow, Thursday.